Table of Contents Master's degree 2 MSc Physics • FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg • Erlangen 2 1 Master's degree MSc Physics FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg • Erlangen Overview Degree Master of Science Teaching language English Languages The courses are held in English. Participants can choose to write their Master's theses in German or English. Programme duration 4 semesters Beginning Winter and summer semester Application deadline 15 July for the following winter semester 15 January for the following summer semester Tuition fees per semester in None EUR Combined Master's degree / No PhD programme Joint degree / double degree No programme Description/content The Master's course in physics builds on the physics education obtained in a three-year Bachelor's course in physics or an equivalent qualification. It aims at an advanced training in selected fields of physics, offers the opportunity for specialisation and concludes with a one-year research phase directed towards the capability of performing independent research. The Master's degree qualifies for a subsequent PhD thesis. The subjects of the Master's course reflect the physics research pursued at Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg. Focal points are astrophysics and astroparticle physics, condensed matter physics, optical sciences, physics in life sciences and theoretical physics. The study programme can be shaped in a flexible and individual way. However, a certain minimum of courses both in theoretical and experimental physics are required. The research phase is performed in internationally well-recognised groups and collaborations including the associated Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light (http://www.mpl.mpg.de). Course Details Course organisation The first year of the Master's course is dedicated to advanced courses and projects as well as a 2 seminar. Students can choose between two advanced theoretical courses (quantum mechanics and solid state physics, 10 ECTS each) of which they need to successfully complete one; similarly, one out of three advanced courses in experimental physics (lasers, atomic physics and quantum optics, particle and astroparticle physics, solid state physics, 10 ECTS each) is compulsory. Each semester, seminars on different topics - both experimental and theoretical - are offered. One of these seminars is compulsory (5 ECTS). In addition, 10 ECTS are to be acquired in advanced lab courses and projects, which are offered as "traditional" lab courses but also as physics experiments in medicine or as a hands-on course in methods of computational physics. The remaining 25 ECTS of the first year will be acquired in elective courses, either advanced, specialised physics courses or related courses in other subjects, e.g. chemistry, engineering or mathematics. Students are free to shape their individual elective study programmes in a highly flexible way; the only constraint is that at least 5 ECTS must be obtained in a physics course. The second year is dedicated entirely to a research project. In the first half-year the required specialised knowledge is acquired and the experimental or theoretical work to be pursued is planned and prepared. In the second half-year the project is carried out and documented in the Master's thesis. The results are finally presented and defended in a public colloquium. Students can choose to specialise in one of the following areas: astrophysics and astroparticle physics, condensed matter physics, optical sciences, physics in life sciences, theoretical physics. To achieve a corresponding certification, students have to complete coursework of at least 30 ECTS in addition to their research phase in the corresponding field. A Diploma supplement will Yes be issued International elements Integrated study abroad unit(s) Integrated study abroad Semesters abroad can be arranged, e.g., through the ERASMUS programme, but are not unit(s) compulsory. Integrated internships None Course-specific, integrated No German language courses Course-specific, integrated No English language courses Costs / Funding Tuition fees per semester in None EUR Semester contribution FAU does not charge tuition fees. However, each semester students must pay a fee for student services (42 EUR) and purchase the "basic ticket" for public transportation (74 EUR). Costs of living According to a study by the German National Association for Student Affairs, students in former West Germany who no longer live with their parents have an average amount of more than 930 EUR per month at their disposal. However, monthly expenditures for personal lifestyle vary a lot. The study shows that approx. 25 per cent of the students asked have less than 700 EUR while 10 per cent have more than 1,300 EUR per month. For former West Germany, the study revealed the following details regarding average expenditures: 3 Rent, including bills (in the Erlangen-Nuremberg area): 325 EUR (250 to 600 EUR) Food: 168 EUR Clothing: 42 EUR Transport (public transport and/or car): 94 EUR Learning materials (depending on the subject): 20 EUR Health insurance, doctors, medicine: 80 EUR Telecommunications: 31 EUR Leisure activities, culture, sports: 61 EUR Funding opportunities Yes within the university Description of the above- There is a wide range of scholarships available for outstanding students. In addition to requiring mentioned funding applicants to have excellent grades, most scholarship programmes have additional conditions opportunities within the regarding cultural, political, religious, or social involvement. If you have any questions about the university application procedure or selection criteria, you can contact the Student Advice and Career Service (IBZ) or speak directly to FAU’s liaison officer for the scholarship organisation you wish to apply to. https://www.fau.eu/study/prospective-students/financing-your-studies Requirements / Registration Academic admission Applicants are required to have a Bachelor's degree in physics or an equivalent qualification. A list requirements of courses (with details on the duration of the course and hours involved) and grades must be provided. A CV and a letter of motivation should accompany the application. Academic records should be issued in their original languages accompanied by English or German translations (usually prepared by the university or a government agency, unless the institution issues original documents in English). In general, records or transcripts must be issued by the school and must include the school's stamp or embossed seal and the signature of the authorising official. If upon inspection of the above documents, a student is to be considered for the programme, an interview may be conducted, either in person or by phone. Language requirements The required English level is "vantage or upper intermediate" level (B2) according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages or an equivalent score in an internationally recognised test. Application deadline 15 July for the following winter semester 15 January for the following summer semester Submit application to FAU Referat L 4 – Master’s Office Schlossplatz 4 91054 Erlangen Germany Services Possibility of finding part- Students of the Master's course can conduct tutorials and lab exercises for undergraduates time employment (earning up to 450 EUR per month). 4 Accommodation The cities of Erlangen, Fürth, and Nuremberg offer a very good standard of living. They are popular places to live, meaning that accommodation is in high demand but often in short supply. This is particularly the case during the period before the start of a new semester. We therefore recommend that you start looking for accommodation as soon as possible. If you are flexible and also look in the surrounding area, you will have a better chance of finding somewhere affordable to live. The region has an excellent public transport system, so you should not have any problems getting to your place of study or work. It is worth checking the available accommodation on the Internet every day, as new accommodation becomes available on a day-to-day basis. It pays to be flexible when it comes to the price, location, and available facilities of your accommodation. Student Services Erlangen-Nürnberg runs its owns tudent accommodation in Erlangen and Nuremberg. You will be informed about how to apply for a room in Student Services accommodation while you are in the process of applying to be admitted to FAU. Specific specialist or non- Buddy programme specialist support for international students and doctoral candidates Supervisor-student ratio The physics department has an excellent ratio of students (S) to professors (P): S/P < 20 FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg Founded in 1743, FAU has a rich history. It is a strong research university with an international perspective and one of the largest universities in Germany with 38,878 students, 265 degree programmes, 4,000 academic staff (including over 603 professors),2 10.7 million EUR third-party funding, and 500 partnerships with universities all over the world. Teaching at the university is closely linked to research and focuses on training students in both theory and practice to enable them to think critically and work independently. The research itself also strikes the perfect balance between a theoretical approach and practical application. FAU’s outstanding research and teaching is reflected in top positions in bothn ational and international rankings as well as the high amount of DFG funding that its researchers are able to secure. University location