I couldn’t decide what to study
I’m currently in my second year studying Chemistry and Physics (Joint Honours) as part of the Natural Sciences programme. I chose my course funnily enough because I was so indecisive. I simply couldn’t choose between either subject, as I found them both equally interesting. I wanted to keep my options open and enjoyed the broad range of focus from my A level study (as I took Maths, Chemistry, Physics and German), so I didn’t like the idea of only taking one subject further at university. This was why, to me, Natural Sciences was so appealing.
In particular, I think the combination of Chemistry and Physics works well as the subjects naturally complement the study of one another. I especially find it satisfying to draw interdisciplinary links. A notable example has been with quantum mechanics, where in Physics we delve deeper into the detail and calculations behind the theory, whilst its approximations and solutions are applied in Chemistry. I have enjoyed studying these modules in parallel, and I definitely feel I have gained a more thorough grasp of the content.
The degree is very flexible
One of the reasons I chose the Natural Sciences course that Durham offers is because it is so flexible. You are encouraged to find the degree combination that suits you. This focus on supporting individuals means there is room to change the direction of your degree, as you develop your academic interests. It is hard to really know what studying a subject at university level is like compared to school, and so the possibility to opt out of the Joint Honours programme, and to incorporate other subjects into the course made the decision less daunting to me. Although I have actually continued with my original course, many of my friends have changed the weighting or taken up new subjects, between the first and second year.
Extra support
Initially, I was also worried about feeling lost between departments as a Natural Scientist, but as well as the individual department leaders, there is an overarching Natural Sciences coordinator, who is always there to help, so lots of support is available. There is also a Natural Sciences society which arranges events such as bar crawls, quiz nights and balls, which are a great way to meet others, who can also relate to balancing different departments.
I’ve personally really valued being part of both departments, and in particular the opportunity it brings to meet people from both cohorts. Your course friends make such a difference, especially when doing such an intense course programme.
So if you’re looking to study Chemistry and Physics, you will definitely never be bored with this degree, and the high contact hours and challenging work make it incredibly rewarding!
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