This Master's programme is designed to deepen your understanding of how different branches of physics relate to one another and to neighboring fields. It emphasizes the ability to tackle contemporary physics questions—whether by planning and carrying out experiments, developing theoretical approaches, or analysing results—and to translate findings into technical applications and broader scientific insights.
A dedicated one-year research phase gives you hands-on experience with current topics in physics and builds the practical and methodological skills needed for independent research. You will learn to structure investigations, interpret data, and draw conclusions that can inform both technological development and fundamental science.
You choose a focused track from several specialist areas while also shaping a broader, interdisciplinary profile through minors offered across the natural sciences, engineering and the humanities. This combination ensures both in-depth expertise and the cross-disciplinary competence valued in research and industry.
Program requirements and components (key facts)
Program structure and focus
The master’s programme runs over two years and is divided into a one-year taught phase and a one-year research phase. In the first year you follow compulsory courses in experimental and theoretical physics that give a wide-ranging overview of contemporary physics and how its subfields connect. Alongside these core courses you choose specialisation modules and participate in a seminar in one of the programme’s research areas: applied physics, solid-state and materials physics, particle and nuclear physics, theoretical physics, soft matter physics, or biophysics. If you opt for an experimental specialisation, an advanced laboratory course is included to develop hands-on skills.
Research year and options
The second year is dedicated to an in-depth research project that comprises scientific research studies and the master’s thesis. You normally pursue a single, coherent research topic throughout this year, and you may select the topic from the department’s specialisation areas or from projects offered by affiliated research institutes. Additionally, the curriculum allows you to take a non-physics minor from a choice of 12 different subjects, enabling interdisciplinary breadth alongside your physics training. For full course details and up-to-date information, consult the programme’s website.
Key modules and components
Typical learning outcomes
If you are an international student, note that the first year prepares you with coursework and lab experience before moving into full-time research in the second year; research topics are available across the department and affiliated institutes, offering routes into academic research or industry-oriented projects. For admission criteria, course timetables, language of instruction, and application deadlines, check the programme’s official webpage.
This Master's programme requires applicants to hold a first professionally qualifying university degree (for example, a Bachelor’s) that is recognised in Germany. Eligible qualifications include degrees in physics, degrees in a closely related subject area, or degrees from state or state-recognised universities of cooperative education.
Applicants should have a solid grounding in both experimental and theoretical physics, plus hands-on laboratory experience and sufficient mathematical preparation. The programme expects knowledge across a range of core physics topics and basic programming ability as part of laboratory training. International applicants should ensure their prior degree is recognised in Germany before applying.
Admission requirements (summary)
Winter Semester (International)
31 May 2026
Summer Semester (International)
30 November 2026
Winter Semester (EU/EEA)
15 July 2026
Summer Semester (EU/EEA)
15 January 2027
The programme equips graduates with advanced experimental and theoretical skills—designing and conducting experiments, developing theoretical methods, analysing results and translating findings into technical applications. This prepares graduates for research-intensive roles in academia and industry, including continuation to PhD programmes or positions as research scientists in physics-related fields.
Graduates are also suited for R&D and specialist positions in high-tech sectors such as photonics, materials and semiconductor industries, nuclear and particle physics applications, biophysics and interdisciplinary technology projects. The curriculum’s laboratory training, programming and interdisciplinary minor subjects further enable careers in engineering, applied research, data-driven roles and technical development in both private and public sectors.
Friedrich Schiller University Jena — Jena
University of Göttingen — Göttingen
Technical University of Munich — München
Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz — Mainz