Introduction to Quantum Physics

Programme details

This course begins on the 15 January 2027, which is when course materials are made available to students. Students should study these materials in advance of the first live meeting, which will be held on 22 January 2027, 18:00-19:00 (UK time).

Week 1: What is Quantum mechanics?

Week 2: The Stern-Gerlach experiment and spin

Week 3: Operators and measurements

Week 4: Time evolution and the Hamiltonian operator

Week 5: Schroedinger’s equation

Week 6: Particles in a box: Infinite barrier

Week 7: Particles in a box: finite barrier and quantum tunnelling

Week 8: Wave-particle duality

Week 9: Entanglement and the Uncertainty principle

Week 10: Quantum teleportation and quantum computers

Level and demands

This course is open to all, and no prior knowledge is required.

This course is offered at FHEQ level 4 (first year undergraduate level), and you will be expected to engage in independent study in preparation for your assignments. Our 10-week Short Online Courses come with an expected total commitment of 100 study hours.

English Language Requirements

We do not insist that applicants hold an English language certification, but we warn that they may be at a disadvantage if their language skills are not of a comparable level to those qualifications listed on our website. If you are confident in your proficiency, please feel free to enrol. For more information regarding English language requirements, please see here.

Course aims

This course will provide students with a solid grounding in the key ideas of quantum physics and the confidence to explain how they apply to modern science and technology. By the end of the course, you will understand the fundamental concepts of quantisation, wavefunctions, measurement, entanglement and uncertainty, and you will be able to use them to make sense of real quantum technologies such as teleportation and quantum computing.

IT requirements

Any standard web browser can be used to access course materials on our virtual learning environment, but we recommend Google Chrome. We also recommend that students join the live webinars on Microsoft Teams using a laptop or desktop computer rather than a phone or tablet due to the limited functionality of the app on these devices.

Programme details

This course begins on the 15 January 2027, which is when course materials are made available to students. Students should study these materials in advance of the first live meeting, which will be held on 22 January 2027, 18:00-19:00 (UK time).

Week 1: What is Quantum mechanics?

Week 2: The Stern-Gerlach experiment and spin

Week 3: Operators and measurements

Week 4: Time evolution and the Hamiltonian operator

Week 5: Schroedinger’s equation

Week 6: Particles in a box: Infinite barrier

Week 7: Particles in a box: finite barrier and quantum tunnelling

Week 8: Wave-particle duality

Week 9: Entanglement and the Uncertainty principle

Week 10: Quantum teleportation and quantum computers

Teaching methods

This course takes place over 10 weeks, with a weekly learning schedule and weekly live webinar held on Microsoft Teams. Shortly before a course commences, students are provided with access to an online virtual learning environment, which houses the course content, including video lectures, complemented by readings or other study materials. Working through these materials over the course of the week will prepare students for a weekly 1-hour live webinar you will share with your expert tutor and fellow students. All courses are structured to amount to 100 study hours, so that on average, you should set aside 10 hours a week for study. Although the course finishes after 10 weeks, all learning materials remain available to all students for 12 months after the course has finished.

All courses are led by an expert tutor. Tutors guide students through the course materials as part of the live interactions during the weekly webinars. Tutors will also provide individualised feedback on your assignments. All online courses are taught in small student cohorts so that you and your peers will form a mutually supportive and vibrant learning community for the duration of the course. You will learn from your fellow students as well as from your tutor, and they will learn from you.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course students will be expected to:

• Explain the historical development of quantum mechanics and use its core mathematical language, including linear algebra and bra-ket notation, to describe quantum states and observables.
• Analyse key quantum phenomena such as spin, wavefunctions, tunnelling, entanglement and uncertainty, and interpret what they reveal about the behaviour of quantum systems.
• Evaluate the significance of quantum mechanics for modern science and technology, including its contemporary applications and limitations.

Assessment methods

You will be set a portfolio of up to five pieces of work to complete over the duration of the course, one or more of which might be submitted for the purposes of feedback only and will not count towards your final outcome. The other pieces will be submitted for formal assessment at the end of the course. The assessed work is marked pass or fail.

Dr Andrea Russo – Tutor

Andrea completed his PhD at University College London, where he studied aspects of classical–quantum gravity and quantum information theory under the supervision of Prof. Jonathan Oppenheim. His work includes studying stochastic effects in hybrid classical–quantum theories of matter coupled to spacetime, reformulating quantum field theory without explicit reference to time, and investigating connections between quantum complexity and spacetime geometry.

More recently, he has explored consistent couplings of quantum fields to classical gravity, with the aim of addressing the quantum gravity problem without requiring a full quantization of spacetime. Andrea previously studied mathematical physics at the University of Nottingham and obtained his Master’s degree in Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics from the University of Cambridge.

Assessment methods

You will be set a portfolio of up to five pieces of work to complete over the duration of the course, one or more of which might be submitted for the purposes of feedback only and will not count towards your final outcome. The other pieces will be submitted for formal assessment at the end of the course. The assessed work is marked pass or fail.

Level and demands

This course is open to all, and no prior knowledge is required.

This course is offered at FHEQ level 4 (first year undergraduate level), and you will be expected to engage in independent study in preparation for your assignments. Our 10-week Short Online Courses come with an expected total commitment of 100 study hours.

English Language Requirements

We do not insist that applicants hold an English language certification, but we warn that they may be at a disadvantage if their language skills are not of a comparable level to those qualifications listed on our website. If you are confident in your proficiency, please feel free to enrol. For more information regarding English language requirements, please see here.

Fees

Module code: O26P853PYZ

Please use the ‘Book now’ button on this page. Alternatively, please complete an enrolment form.

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