Physics, M.Sc.
Physics looks into questions such as ...
- What are dark matter and dark energy?
- Which are the components our matter consists of?
- How do galaxies evolve?
- What characterises a good physics teacher?
- How can an embryo be made visible by ultrasound?
Programme facts
| Degree | Master of Science (M.Sc.) |
|---|---|
| Duration | 4 semesters, 120 ECTS |
| Language of instruction | German, English |
| Required German | C1 |
| Required English | B2 |
| Study mode | Full-Time |
| Start | Summer semester, winter semester |
| Application | Directly to the university, winter semester until 15.07, summer semester until 15.01 |
| Admission | No admission restriction: every eligible applicant is admitted |
| Tuition fee | €0 per semester for international students |
| Semester contribution | €380 per semester |
What the tuition fee consists of
Will I get in
Every applicant who meets the formal requirements is admitted — but places can run out before the deadline, so apply at the start of the window.
How the selection works and how strong the competition is — we go through it against your certificate when we select programmes for you.
Programme selection →What you study
Building on the Bachelor of Science, the Master of Science in Physics course conveys in-depth specialist knowledge and scientific methods in physics. The study objectives are the deepening and specialization of physical knowledge and skills as well as the ability to work independently. The master’s course consists of a technical deepening and a research phase. The deepening phase serves to expand and consolidate the specialist knowledge of physics and introduces you to the state of knowledge of current research. The last year of study is designed as a coherent research phase, in which you learn to work independently in a specialty in physics and open up new facts. This also includes the preparation of a master's thesis. Within one year you will work on a physical question using scientific methods as part of your master's thesis with the aim of gaining new scientific knowledge. The Master of Science degree qualifies you to work in research and development, for example. But not only that: a subsequent doctorate for Dr. rer. nat. is possible.
The full curriculum and the programme's parameters are part of programme selection: we compare them with your profile.
Pick programmesCareer
Graduates from this degree programme frequently work
- in research and academia
- in academic and scientific fields
- as corporate consultants
- as science journalists
- as patent attorneys
Read moreShow less
After graduation, physicists have excellent prospects on the job market due to their very broad education. Wherever "know-how" and "know-why" are required, you will find interesting and lucrative fields of activity. Physicists work in research and teaching, as appraisers or experts (e.g. at the TÜV), but also in software development (e.g. in the IT sector), in business consulting or even as patent attorneys. Quality and material control, process control and development are also possible fields of employment. The job prospects for physicists are good: many of our graduates have already accepted a job before they have passed the last exam.
Cost of study
| Tuition fee of the federal state (North Rhine-Westphalia), international students | €0 |
|---|---|
| Semester contribution | €380 |
Requirements and application
| Previous education | Those who wish to enrol in this degree programme, ... have: substantial understanding of experimental physics, theoretical physics and mathematics (acquired in the B.Sc. degree course in Physics) ... enjoy: researching unsolved physical issues and working in a team ... struggle through: challenging and tedious tasks, e.g. elaborate installations in experimental physics or time-consuming programming in theoretical physics |
|---|---|
| Language | German C1, English B2 — confirmed by a certificate when you apply |
| Application | Directly to the university, winter semester until 15.07, summer semester until 15.01 |
The procedure and the set of documents depend on your certificate. We check the university's requirements against your documents and give you a list: what to submit, how to certify and translate it, where and when to apply.
Check the requirementsHow to get into this programme
- 1Check your certificate and its recognitionDirect admission, a year at a university at home, or Studienkolleg first — this decides the whole plan.
- 2German up to C1 and a certificateDSH or TestDaF has to be passed before you apply.
- 3Documents and translationsCertified translations of the certificate and transcript, an APS if required. 3–4 weeks.
- 4Application directly to the university until 15.01Send the documents well before the deadline — an incomplete application cannot be completed after it.
- 5Admission, visa, movingPlan 2–3 months for the visa and the blocked account in parallel.
How to apply
You can submit the application yourself or with our help — the university decides on admission in both cases.
Applications go through the university's portal or uni-assist. Typical mistakes:
- ×incorrectly made certified copies and translations
- ×a wrong set of documents
- ×the application submitted the wrong way
- ×errors or gaps in the application form
- ×the application submitted at the wrong time — too early or too late
An incomplete or incorrectly prepared application is excluded from the selection — it can no longer be corrected after the deadline.
StudyInFocus does not represent the university and does not influence the admission decision. We do not sell study places and do not guarantee admission — this is a service for preparing and submitting documents on the applicant's side.
If your level is not enough yet
The two most common stoppers are a language level below the requirement and a certificate without direct admission. Both can be solved, but they take months — plan them now, not after a rejection.
Questions about this programme
How much does the programme cost?
What language level do I need?
When do I need to apply?
Don't postpone the application
The deadline is 15.01.2027 (93 days left). Language, translations and the document check take months, not weeks. In 30 minutes we will build a plan backwards from the deadline and tell you honestly whether you can make it.