Year 1

Student experiences

In week 1 of the programme (Induction week) you will go away for two days with your cohort and CDT staff for a social ‘ice-breaking’ event. This will enable you to get to know your fellow students as well as key members of staff and supervisors.

The aim of the first-year training programme is to furnish all students with expertise in the underpinning theory and engineering approaches needed in their research. With access to state-of-the art laboratories and a unique cohort-style approach to learning, you will be immersed in an environment that supports a research focus from the very beginning. The programme is flexible for students with a strong background in related topics.

 The following is a summary of the core elements that make up Year 1:

  • Foundations of quantum information and quantum communications
  • Quantum light and matter
  • Quantum systems engineering

These core elements will be supplemented by:

  • Two three-month long individual research projects selected by you, the student.
  • Group laboratory project whereby groups comprising of around four students from mixed disciplines target the demonstration of a seminal quantum experiment.
  • The Quantum Grand Challenge: a project for the entire cohort that engages the group’s broad range of skills and collective creative power.
  • Optional units in Nanofabrication, Quantum computation, Quantum device engineering, and Applied quantum theory.
  • Tutorials, lectures and cohort group-learning experiences covering current and emerging topics in quantum engineering, including: information theory and computational complexity, quantum computing architecture and algorithms, HPC computing architecture and algorithms, quantum technologies, advanced optics and photonics, digital signal processing and machine learning, scientific computing.
  • Transferable skills training covering a range of topics including scientific writing, communication, time management and creative problem solving.
  • A course on public outreach helping you to tackle issues such as ‘What is public outreach?’, ‘How to create impact’ and ‘Approaches to delivery’.
  • An Enterprise exercise on entrepreneurship, exploitation and commercialisation.
  • A week long ‘Industry trip’ typically to the USA where you will visit companies and universities working in the quantum field. 

 More information about Years 2 to 4