With the English-language master's course of study Physics, you will deepen and broaden your basic knowledge in modern areas of experimental and theoretical physics. Physics elective lectures allow you to specialise in a current area of physics. The master's course of study is research-oriented. You complete the programme with an independent research thesis, the 23-week master's thesis.

For this two-year master's course of study, you need a bachelor's degree in physics with a duration of study of three years (180 credit points).

enlarge the image: Confocal microscope with green laser light
Confocal microscope, Photo: Department of Applied Quantum Systems

In our commitment to diversity, we welcome people of all backgrounds and cultures. We are particularly proud of the fact that more than 1500 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 as well as the career prospects after the study here:

Master Physics

Additional Information on the Application

You obtained your first university degree in Germany and would like to apply for the master’s course of study Physics? Then please apply via AlmaWeb and submit the following documents in addition by e-mail or by mail to the dean of our faculty:

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

  • Transcript of records/certificate of a first professional degree

  • 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)

If you apply for a start in a winter semester, please submit these documents by 1 September of the same year. If you apply for a start in a summer semester, please submit these documents by 1 February of the same year.

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.

Please apply via AlmaWeb by 15 September of each year for the winter semester and by 15 March of each year for the summer semester.

You obtained your first university degree abroad? In this case, please apply directly via uni-assist e.V.. Please apply for a winter semester by 31 May of the same year and for a summer semester by 31 December of the previous year.

Structure of the Course of Study

The master's course of study Physics is divided into two one-year phases: the expansion and advanced phase and the 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 one module from the field of the advanced seminars (five CP). If desired, another advanced seminar can be credited in the physics-related electives (elective area 4).

In each semester, aspects of current topics from the research areas of our departments are studied in the main seminars. Possible topics include: surface physics, magnetism and superconductors, biological physics, cell mechanics, molecular nanotechnology, quantum optics, quantum field theory, gravity, condensed matter theory, quantum theory of condensed matter, quantum statistical physics, complex systems and complex quantum systems.

Sem. Module No. Module Title CP
1/2 12-PHY-MWPSKM Specialised Topics of Solid State Physics 5
1/2 12-PHY-MWPSWM Specialised Topics of Soft Matter Physics 5
1/2 12-PHY-MWPSTP Specialised Topics of Theoretical Physics 5
1/2 12-PHY-MWPSMP Specialised Topics of Theoretical and Mathematical Physics 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 elective modules for the master's course of study. Ten CP of these can be taken from the non-physics electives. For this you can choose all modules of our university, provided that the person responsible for the module and the offering institute accepts students from the course of study MSc Physics. You can also choose modules from elective areas 1 and 2 that you have not yet taken or another module from 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.

Please note that not all modules can be offered once a year. You can find the current offer can be found in our course catalogue.

Sem.

Module No.

Module Title

CP

2

12-PHY-MWPSUM2

Superconductivity II

5

1

12-PHY-MWPSUM3

Laboratory Superconductivity and Magnetism

5

1/2

12-PHY-MWPIOM6

Magnetism

5

2

12-PHY-MWPSEF1

X-ray Techniques

5

2

12-PHY-MWPHLP3

Semiconductor Physics II: Semiconductor Devices

5

2

12-PHY-MWPHLP5

Laboratory Work in Semiconductors II

5

1/2

12-PHY-MWPHLP6

Semiconductor Physics III: Semiconductor Optics (Moduldauer 2 Semester)

5

2

12-PHY-MWPAMR1

Magnetic Resonance and Imaging in Soft-Matter

5

1/2

12-PHY-MWPMQ3

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Laboratory

5

1/2

12-PHY-MWPMQ4

Electronic Spin Resonance Laboratory

5

1

12-PHY-MWPKP1

Nuclear Physics

5

2

12-PHY-MWPXT2

Particle Physics

5

2

12-PHY-MWPQT2

Quantum Technology 2

5

1

12-PHY-MWPQT3

Quantum Technology 3

5

2

12-PHY-MWPMON3

Active Matter Physics

5

1/2

12-PHY-MWPGFP

Physics of Nanoporous Materials

5

2 12-PHY-MWPASM Advanced Soft Matter and Biological Physics 10

1

12-PHY-MWPEMSP

Single-Molecule Spectroscopy

5

1

12-PHY-MWPM1

Cellular Biophysics

5

2

12-PHY-MWPM3

Experimental Methods in Biophysics

5

1

12-PHY-MWPPOC1

Physics of Cancer I

5

2

12-PHY-MWPPOC2

Physics of Cancer II

5

1/2

12-PHY-MWPTKS1

Stochastic Processes in Physics, Biology and Earth Sciences

10

1/2

12-PHY-MWPTKS2

Non-linear Dynamics and Pattern Formation

10

1/2

12-PHY-MWPTKS3

Practical Course: Complex Systems

5

1/2

12-PHY-MWPTKM3

Theory of Soft and Bio Matter

10

1/2

12-PHY-MWPTKM4

Practical Course: Condensed Matter Theory

5

1/2 12-PHY-MWPCQM1 Practical Course: Quantum Theory of Condensed Matter 5

1

12-PHY-MWPQFG1

General Relativity

10

2

12-PHY-MWPQFG2

Cosmology

10

1/2

12-PHY-MWPQFG3

Quantum Field Theory on Curved Space Times

10

1/2

12-PHY-MWPQFG6

Practical Course: Quantum Field Theory and Gravity

5

1/2

12-PHY-MWPTET4

Relativistic Quantum Field Theory

10

1/2

12-PHY-MWPSTP1

Quantum Field Theory of Many-Particle Systems

10

1/2

12-PHY-MWPSTP2

Statistical Mechanics of Deep Learning

10

1/2

12-PHY-MWPTKM5

Practical Course: Quantum Statistical Physics

5

2

12-PHY-MWPMMP1

Black Holes

10

1/2

12-PHY-MWPXT1

Group Theory and Its Applications in Physics

10

Sem. Module No. Module Title CP
1 12-PHY-BW3MO1 Introduction to Photonics I 5
1/2 12-PHY-BMWMO2 Introduction to Polymer Physics 5
1 12-PHY-BW3CS1 Introduction to Computer Simulation I 5
1/2 12-PHY-BMWEMB Experimental Methods of Biophysics 5
1 12-PHY-BW3HL1 Semiconductor Physics I 10
1 12-PHY-BW3HL2 Laboratory Work in Semiconductors I 5
1/2 12-PHY-BMWOFP1 Surface Physics, Nanostructures and Thin Films 5
1 12-PHY-BMWIOM2 Plasma Physics, Thin Film Deposition and Characterisation 5
2 12-PHY-BMWIOM3 Microstructural Characterisation 5
1 12-PHY-BMWQMAT Quantum Matter 5
1 12-PHY-BW3QN1 Quantum Physics of Nanostructures 5
1 12-PHY-BMWQT1 Quantum Technology 1 5
2 12-PHY-BMWQTPR Quantum Technology – Lab Course 5
1 12-PHY-BW3MQ1 Spin Resonance I 5
1/2 12-PHY-BMWSUM Fundamentals of Magnetism 5
2 12-PHY-BW3SU1 Superconductivity I 5
2 12-PHY-BW3XAS1 Stellar Physics 5
2 12-PHY-BMWXAS2 Stellar Physics Laboratory 5
1 12-PHY-BMWXAS3 Extragalactic Astronomy and Cosmology 5
1 12-PHY-BMWXAS4 Extragalactic Astronomy Laboratory 5
1 12-PHY-BMWBNE1 Action Competence for Sustainable Development – Fundamental Module 10