Master of Science Physics at RUB

You can start the program in the winter and summer semester. 

Important note for international, non-EU applicants: please note that you need to regard the application periods (early December – January, 15th for summer semesters; early June – July, 15th for winter semesters).

The program is officially structured as follows:

• two years, four semesters
• each semester around 30 credit points (CP)
• First year: study phase (60 CP)
• Second year: Master thesis (60 CP)

BUT….

• two years are the standard period of study according to examination regulations
• no one from the faculty checks the achievements per semester
• if less than 30 CP are acquired, this has no consequences
• It is possible to study for more than two years without any problems (the study period is not limited)
• Your individual plan can differ from the „official“ and standardized regulation

If you finished you Bachelor degree at RUB, you will NOT need to follow step 1, but will need to make an appointment for an obligatory consultation with Dr. Ivonne Möller. 

If you finished your Bachelor degree at a German university, you will need to take the following steps to apply:

1. Fill out the form „Antrag auf Prüfung der Zugangsvoraussetzungen zum Master of Science in Physik“ and add the relevant documents. Please send your documents to the examination office (E-Mail).

2. Please contact Dr. Ivonne Möller for your obligatory consultation.

3. If successfully completed the first two steps, you need to enroll within the set period. For students already enrolled at RUB, please follow the instructions for transferring to another program. German students from other universities need to enroll, please find further information on RUB’s central websites.

You can apply for the program via the central application website of the Ruhr-University. Please regard the application deadlines. 

After you submitted your application, we ask you kindly to be patient. We receive many applications and carefully consider each one. You will hear from us in due time, but in case you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. 

Take me there

Admission to the Master’s programme in physics is open to students who have completed at least six semesters of a Bachelor’s programme in physics with a total of 180 CP or an equivalent program.

The admission requirements also include one of the following:

• proof of a minimum of 25 CP in basic experimental physics,
• proof of a minimum of 15 CP in theoretical physics (proof of a module on quantum mechanics in a B.Sc. or M.Sc. degree programme in physics or comparable achievements in another degree programme must be submitted),
• proof of a minimum of 15 CP in higher mathematics in the fields of analysis and linear algebra and geometry,
• proof of a minimum of 10 CP in a basic laboratory course in physics,
• a Bachelor’s thesis of at least 8 CP in a physics-related subject.

Yes! If you do NOT meet all requirements mentioned, you can still apply to our program under certain conditions. In fact, we encourage you to apply and speak to our advisors about the conditions for your individual case.

Admission to the Master’s degree program in physics can be granted subject to conditions, provided that these do not exceed 40 CP. The conditions must be proven at the latest upon admission to the Master’s thesis.
That means, that you can be admitted to the program and start your studies, but that you will have to make up some course work, as long as it does not exceed 40 CP. Your work in regard to the conditions does not have any effect upon your Master’s program and grades, etc. will not be counted towards your Master’s degree. 

We do not require any language certificates with your application, if one of the following applies to you:

• English is your native language
• You have a German Abitur certificate
• You already completed an English-language degree program
• Your Bachelor’s thesis is in the English language

Should one of the criteria mentioned above apply to you, we do not need special/official proof, please just send us whatever documents you have. Should we require further information, we will contact you.

If none of the criteria mentioned above apply to you, you must provide a certificate of proficiency in English at B2 level as defined by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (TOEFL PBT 550 points, TOEFL iBT 72-94, English test at B2 level of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) or equivalent results). The examination board  decides on the equivalence.

Our program aims to you with the necessary specialist knowledge, competences, skills and methods, enabling you to carry out academic and research work in accordance with scientific principles, to critically classify scientific findings and to act responsibly. The program is designed to enable you early on to study independently and pursue your individual growth perspectives, teaching you problem-solving strategies to deal with new unfamiliar situations in multidisciplinary contexts.
To achieve this, the programme is subdivided into a two-semester study phase and a two-semester research phase, allowing you to choose fields of specialisation and to carry out your own independent research. Additionally, the programme is meaningfully supplemented by modules in other fields, as well as by modules for teaching interdisciplinary key competences.

Interdisciplinary work is key to our success at RUB. The university offers a large variety of departments, as well as a wonderful network with other universities all over the world. On a smaller scale, we are a very familiar and cordial faculty, where students and professors are helpful and open to and with each other. We are looking forward to welcoming you to our faculty!

Should you require more information please do not hesitate to contact our student advisors.