Back to “Courses of Study”

Master International Physics Studies Program (IPSP)

With the English-language master’s course of study International Physics Studies Program (IPSP) you deepen and expand your basic knowledge in modern areas of experimental and theoretical physics. In physics elective lectures you can specialise in a current field of physics. The master’s course of study is research-based. You complete your studies with an independent research work, the 23-week master's thesis.

enlarge the image: Pattern formation through entropically driven self-assembly of actin
Pattern formation through entropically driven self-assembly of actin, Photo: Fritz Spukti, Leipzig University

In our commitment to diversity, we welcome people of all backgrounds and cultures. We are particularly proud of the fact that more than 1400 students from 38 countries are currently studying in our German and international courses. For an international faculty like ours, diversity and inclusion are important resources for incorporating multifaceted approaches and ways of thinking into innovative teaching and research. We are therefore committed to cosmopolitan coexistence, where everyone is welcome regardless of origin, gender and religion.

Information on the Course of Study

Find out more about the requirements, contents and application for the course of study here:

Master IPSP

Additional Information on the Application

You obtained your first university degree in Germany and would like to apply for the IPSP master’s course of study? In this case, please submit the following documents independently of your application via AlmaWeb:

  • Application for evaluation of admission requirements (informal letter or email)

  • Transcript of records/certificate of a first degree qualifying for a profession

  • Short curriculum vitae in tabular form

  • Proof of knowledge of the English language at the level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference (or equivalent)

For the summer semester 2023, please submit these documents to the dean of our faculty by 1 February 2023 by email or in writing.

The master's admissions committee uses these documents to check whether you meet the requirements for the admission to the master's course of study. You will receive a written notification about this, which you should submit to the Studierendensekretariat with the other documents for your enrolment.

For the summer semester 2023, please apply via AlmaWeb by 15 March 2023.

You obtained your first university degree abroad? In this case, please apply for the summer semester 2023 by 31 December 2022 directly via uni-assist e.V..

Structure of the Course of Study

The IPSP master’s course of study consists of two one-year phases: a first phase in which the physics knowledge is deepened and widened, followed by a research phase.

  Modules
1st Sem. Elective Area 1 (Experimental Physics) Elective Area 2 (Theoretical Physics) Elective Area 3 (Advanced Seminar) Elective Area 4 (Physics-Related Electives)
2nd Sem.
3rd Sem. Research Project 1 Research Project 2
4th Sem. Master's Thesis

The information on the module numbers and credit points can be found in the detailed overview.

In the research phase, you will be guided in a selected specialised field to work on issues relating to current national and international research. In the fourth semester, the focus is on the master's thesis. You can also do this in cooperation with domestic or foreign companies, universities or research institutions.

Elective Areas

Elective Area 1 (Experimental Physics)

For the elective area 1 (experimental physics), you choose a module from the following compulsory elective modules:

Sem. Module No. Module Title CP
1/2 12-PHY-MWPE1 Advanced Solid State Physics 10
1/2 12-PHY-MWPE2 Soft Matter Physics 10

Elective Area 2 (Theoretical Physics)

For the elective area 2 (theoretical physics), you choose a module from the following compulsory elective modules:

Sem. Module No. Module Title CP
1 12-PHY-MWPT1 Advanced Quantum Mechanics 10
2 12-PHY-MWPT2 Advanced Statistical Physics 10

Elective Area 3 (Advanced Seminar)

In the elective area 3 (advanced seminar), the focus is not only on imparting specialist knowledge, but also on developing and improving methodological skills. These are literature research, presentation skills and academic writing. You choose a module from the following compulsory elective modules.

Sem. Module No. Module Title CP
1 12-PHY-MWPHS1 Modern Developments in Solid State Physics 5
2 12-PHY-MWPHS2 High Temperature Superconductors 5
2 12-PHY-MWPHS3 Biological Physics 5
2 12-PHY-MWPHS4 Quantum Field Theory and Gravity 5
1/2 12-PHY-MWPHS5 Quantum Field Theory 5
1 12-PHY-MWPHS6 Soft Matter Physics 5
1/2 12-PHY-MWPHS7 Condensed Matter Theory 5
1/2 12-PHY-MWPHS8 Computer-oriented Quantum Field Theory 5
1/2 12-PHY-MWPHS9 Quantumstatistical Physics 5
1/2 12-PHY-MWPHS10 Molecular Nanotechnology 5
1 12-PHY-MWPHS11 Quantum Optics 5

Elective Area 4 (Physics-Related Electives)

For the elective area 4 (physics-related electives), you choose modules with a total of 35 CP from the following compulsory elective modules for the master’s course of study. Ten of these credits can be obtained from the non-physical electives. For this, you can choose any of the modules at our university. You can also choose modules from the elective areas 1 and 2 that have not yet been taken, or another module from the elective area 3.

You can also take the bachelor's modules mentioned below if the knowledge imparted there is necessary for taking the master's modules.

Sem. Module No. Module Title CP
1 12-PHY-MWPCQT1 Computational Physics I 10
3 12-PHY-MWPCQT2 Computational Physics II 10
1/2 12-PHY-MWPCQT3 Theoretikum Computational Physics 5
1 12-PHY-MWPEMSP Single Molecule Spectroscopy 5
2 12-PHY-MWPMDC2 Computer Simulations II 5
2 12-PHY-MWPGFP Physics of Nanoporous Materials 5
2 12-PHY-MWPHLP3 Semiconductor Devices II 5
2 12-PHY-MWPHLP5 Laboratory Work in Semiconductor Devices 5
1 12-PHY-MWPHLP6 Semiconductor Physics III: Current Issues in Semiconductor Optics 5
1 12-PHY-MWPIOM1 Physics of Surfaces and Thin Layers 5
1/2 12-PHY-MWPIOM6 Magnetism 5
1 12-PHY-MWPKP1 Nuclear Physics 5
1/3 12-PHY-MWPM1 Cellular Biophysics 5
2 12-PHY-MWPM3 Experimental Methods in Biophysics 5
1/2 12-PHY-MWPWMB1 Advanced Soft Matter Physics and Biological Physics 5
1/2 12-PHY-MWPMON3 Active Matter Physics 5
2 12-PHY-MWPMQ2 Spin Resonance II 5
1/2 12-PHY-MWPMQ3 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Laboratory 5
1/2 12-PHY-MWPMQ4 Electronic Spin Resonance Laboratory 5
1 12-PHY-MWPPOC1 Physics of Cancer I 5
2 12-PHY-MWPPOC2 Physics of Cancer II 5
1 12-PHY-MWPQFG1 General Relativity 10
2 12-PHY-MWPQFG2 Cosmology 10
2 12-PHY-MWPQFG3 Quantum Field Theory of Curved Space Times 10
1/2 12-PHY-MWPQFG6 Practical Course: Quantum Field Theory and Gravity 5
2 12-PHY-MWPSEF1 X-Ray Methods 5
2 12-PHY-MWPQT2 Quantum Technology 2 5
1/3 12-PHY-MWPQT3 Quantum Technology 3 5
2 12-PHY-MWPSTP1 Quantum Field Theory of Many-Particle Systems 10
2 12-PHY-MWPSUM2 Superconductivity II 5
1 12-PHY-MWPSUM3 Laboratory Superconductivity and Magnetism 5
1/2 12-PHY-MWPTET4 Relativistic Quantum Field Theory 10
1 12-PHY-MWPTKM1 Stochastic Processese 10
2 12-PHY-MWPTKM2 Non-linear Dynamics and Pattern Formation 10
1/2 12-PHY-MWPTKM3 Theory of Soft and Bio Matter 10
1 12-PHY-MWPTKM4 Theoretikum Condensed Matter Theory 5
1/2 12-PHY-MWPTKM5 Theoretikum Quantumstatistical Physics 5
2 12-PHY-MWPXAS3 Astrophysics Laboratory 5
2 12-PHY-MWPXAS4 Astrophysics II – Extragalactic Astronomy 5
1/2 12-PHY-MWPXT1 Group Theory and Its Applications in Physics 10
1 12-PHY-MWPXT2 Particle Physics 5
Sem. Module No. Module Title CP
5 12-PHY-BW3MO1 Introduction to Photonics I 5
5 12-PHY-BW3CS1 Introduction to Computer Simulation I 5
5/6 12-PHY-BMWEMB Experimental Methods of Biophysics 5
4/5/6 12-PHY-BMWEPO Introduction to Polymer Physics 5
5 12-PHY-BW3HL1 Semiconductors I 10
6 12-PHY-BW3HL2 Laboratory Work in Semiconductors 5
5/6 12-PHY-BMWOFP1 Surface Physics, Nanostructures and Thin Films 5
5 12-PHY-BMWIOM2 Plasma Physics, Thin Film Deposition and Characterization 5
6 12-PHY-BMWIOM3 Microstructural Characterisation 5
5 12-PHY-BMWQMAT Quantum Matter 5
5 12-PHY-BW3QN1 Quantum Physics of Nanostructures 5
5 12-PHY-BMWQT1 Quantum Technology 1 5
6 12-PHY-BMWQTPR Quantum Technology – Lab Course 5
5 12-PHY-BW3MQ1 Spin Resonance I 5
4/6 12-PHY-BW3SU1 Superconductivity I 5
5 12-PHY-BW3XAS1 Astrophysics I – Stellar Physics 5