Study Opportunity / Research Opportunity

Bachelor of Science Programme in Physics with three possible areas of specialisation: General Physics, Technical Physics, Biological Physics

Master of Science Programme in Physics

There is also a much less formal PhD programme.

B.Sc. in Physics

M.Sc. in Physics

Three year towards B.Sc., optional consecutive two years towards M.Sc.

The academic programme starts in mid-October each year

German, English in some fields of specialization

Language courses are offered at various levels

September of each year
see Students Office (Studentenkanzlei)

500 € per semester (300 € in the first semester). In addition, administrative fees are charged: see enrolment fee

Cost of accommodation in varies between 105 and 200 € per month plus a deposit in our students’ residences (see Studentenwerk Oberfranken), somewhat more on the free market.

Help is provided through the International Office (Akademisches Auslandsamt) of our University

We recommend single participants to budget around 700 € per month for accommodation, living, health insurance and miscellaneous expenses. The cost for a ticket in local public transportation is included in the enrolment fee.

Each semester, students are charged an enrolment fee of about 63 €.

Students who have completed their second year and have good command of German may compete for a limited number of teaching assistantships in the university. There are also job opportunities outside the university.

Most people think of the Wagner Opera Festival first when hearing the name "Bayreuth", but there is far more to it then just those four weeks in summer when the city is raised to the level of a cultural metropolis and the 75.000 citizens clean their city from top to bottom in order to give international festival-goers a sparkling impression of the city. It was founded more than 800 years ago by the Count Andechs-Meranien and has been able to preserve its historic townscape to a large part up to the present time. Bayreuth's many beautiful, old buildings, parks and small alleys make up the cities unique charm and especially in summer tempt anyone to stay for longer.

A wide array of over 40 different pubs, cafés and beer gardens where students have left their mark over the last 25 years invite everyone to get acquainted with the remarkably diverse beers of Franconia and of course the people as well. In recent years, Bayreuth has made great progress as a city for shopping. For a cultural change-of-pace it has a newly constructed cinema center, the Upper Franconia Hall for rock and pop music concerts, about 20 museums and several theatres with changing performances. Another cultural "highlight" is the "Eremitage-Festival" on the grounds of the Summer Palace of the Margravine Wilhelmine where all of Bayreuth - both young and old - meets.

Studying in Bayreuth is a lot more than studying! And as the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche remarked: "At some point, we are all sitting together in Bayreuth and can't imagine how anyone could stand being anywhere else."

German, English

The prerequisite for participating in the programme is proof of having a general or subject-specific university entrance qualification.

The Bachelor-Master-programme prepares for the profession of a physicist in the area of application, research or in teaching. Through the concentration on a broad range of the subject of physics, the selection of a specialization in this subject and the requirement to study a subject outside physics, a bias toward one narrow area is avoided and professional flexibility is encouraged.

• be familiar with the characteristic methods of theoretical and experimental physics
• have profound knowledge in all important subfields of physics
• have acquired the thorough knowledge of physics necessary in professional practice
• have trained the use of instrumentation and computers for measurement, data acquisition and evaluation
• have acquired a grasp of interrelations of the aspects of physics
• have skills to work in all areas of their field of physics
• have demonstrated their ability to design and follow a research programme
• have competence in independent gain and application of knowledge
• have gained fundamental communication skills
• have analytic skills to adapt to new problems
• be open to apply their methods and knowledge in subjects far from physics
• have knowledge in a non-physics field of their choice

The study programme comprises mandatory courses in experimental and theoretical physics, mathematics and chemistry, supplemented by mandatory elective physics courses in two fields of specialization. In addition, the participants are required to choose a minor from a broad range of subjects ranging from the sciences to law and economics. The Bachelor of Science degree constitutes the qualification to enter a profession and is also prerequisite to entering the Master programme. The qualification associated with the Master of Science degree opens the career in science as well as in industry and is required to enter the PhD programme.

The Bachlor degree is conferred within three areas of specialization, general physics, technical physics, and biological physics. The differences are mainly in the field of specialization chosen during the second and third year of study.

The first year of basic studies provides a foundation in classical physics, an introduction to theoretical physics, the mathematics necessary for the formal description of physics, and basic knowledge in chemistry, biochemistry and biology. In the following two-year programme, broad studies of theoretical physics are undertaken, and specializations can be selected. The students are also required to choose a minor outside physics. Throughout the three-year programme, lectures are supplemented with problem-solving classes, usually involving homework to be turned in, and laboratory sessions (practical work) which start with a guided exploration of relevant physics and give an introduction to modern equipment and experimental techniques and methods of analysis including computer use and data processing. A written thesis concludes the Bachelor programme.

In the first year of the Master programme, the studends follow advanced courses. These prepare the students for the second year with emphasis on project work which is to be carried out in one of the research groups of theoretical or experimental physics. The main fields of research are Condensed Matter Physics, Macromolecular and Biological Physics, and Nonlinear Dynamics and Pattern Formation. At the end, a written thesis is to be delivered.

Both the Bachelor and the Master programmes comprise lectures, exercise sections, laboratory courses, and seminars. Independent study is essential throughout the programmes. The success of study is monitored by some form of assessment for every course. After successful assessment, the Credit points associated with each course are awarded. The programmes are organized such that, on average, 30 Credits may be earned each semester.

Within the schedule proposed by the institution, the students are expected to manage by themselves their learning process.

Homework to be turned in, controlled laboratory reports, seminar presentations, written or oral exams after the lecture periods (semesters), written thesis

The Deans Office:
Ms. K. Stark
Tel.: +49-921-553198
Fax: +49-921-553198
Fakultät für Mathematik, Physik und Informatik
Universitätsstrasse 30
D-95440 Bayreuth
Germany

Or use our contact form.
Your request will be forwarded to the competent person.