Physics

Perhaps you, too, feel the need to understand the fundamental laws of nature and how it works? Or, as Goethe puts it through his character Faust, “to recognise what holds the world together at its very core”?

Since its inception, physics has come a long way along this path; the goal has certainly not yet been reached and will probably never be fully achieved. Not every physicist can make that one major breakthrough – the ‘formula for the world’ – that contributes to our understanding of nature. But what we all have in common is that we regard the solution to even the smallest sub-problem as a success.

If you enjoy solving tricky problems – be it interpreting a ‘puzzle’ of facts, tackling practical problems of an experimental or mathematical nature, or addressing epistemological or philosophical questions – then physics might well be the right degree programme for you.

As this explanation aims to show, training as a physicist is designed to enable you to identify problems, reduce them to their essential core, describe them using a model, and ultimately solve them. Building on a solid understanding of the laws of nature, physicists thus become generalists who can successfully apply their problem-solving strategies in many fields, even beyond the realm of physics itself.

Are you flexible, do you have a wide range of interests, do you possess analytical thinking skills, and are you spurred on by open-ended questions? If so, you should consider whether studying physics might appeal to you.

Whatever you decide, we wish you every success. We would be particularly delighted to welcome you as a new physics student at TU Braunschweig.

What can I expect from a physics degree at the Technical University of Braunschweig?

Use Fit4TU, our browser-based self-assessment tool, to evaluate your own expectations, knowledge and skills for your degree programme.

General information on the single-subject Bachelor’s degree in Physics

Theoretical, experimental, applied and geo-/astrophysics are all taught at the Technical University of Braunschweig, enabling students to receive practice-oriented training.

Institutes and courses are concentrated within a single physics centre, ensuring that everything is within easy reach.

General information on the two-subject Bachelor’s degree

The dual-subject Bachelor’s degree programme allows students to pursue a variety of academic goals. The Bachelor’s degree itself qualifies graduates for professional careers. It is also the right choice for those aiming to become teachers. However, only Master’s programmes that build on this Bachelor’s degree lead to a teaching qualification.

On completion of the two-subject Bachelor’s programme, a ‘Bachelor of Arts’ is usually awarded. However, students who, for example, are studying with the aim of qualifying as a secondary school teacher and have chosen physics as their major subject will graduate with a ‘Bachelor of Science’.

The Bachelor’s degree programme is designed to equip students with the fundamental subject-specific knowledge, skills and methods in physics required to act competently and responsibly in their professional practice, enabling them to incorporate scientific and technical advances into their professional work and to adapt to changes in the demands of the professional world.

Furthermore, a recognised Bachelor’s degree is a prerequisite for admission to the four-semester Master’s programme. Only this programme equips graduates to carry out independent scientific work in industry and research.

Entry requirements for the single-subject Bachelor’s degree programme in Physics

The single-subject Bachelor’s degree programme in Physics in Braunschweig has no entry requirements.

Prospective students can apply for and enrol on this programme for the winter semester between 1 June and 15 October each year.

Entry requirements for the two-subject Bachelor’s degree in Physics

The dual-subject Bachelor’s degree programme in Physics in Braunschweig has no entry requirements.

Prospective students can apply for and enrol on this programme for the winter semester between 1 June and 15 October each year.

The General Admission Regulations for undergraduate Bachelor’s degree programmes at TU Braunschweig apply.

No pre-study work placement is required for the Physics programme, but we recommend attending the preparatory maths course for physics students.

Perhaps you, too, feel the need to understand the fundamental laws of nature and how it works? Or, as Goethe has his Faust say, “to recognise what holds the world together at its very core”?

Since its inception, physics has come a long way along this path; the goal has certainly not yet been reached and will probably never be fully achieved. Not every physicist can make that one major breakthrough – the ‘formula for the world’ – towards understanding nature. But what we all have in common is that we regard the solution to even the smallest sub-problem as a success.

If you enjoy solving tricky problems – be it interpreting a ‘puzzle’ of facts, tackling practical problems of an experimental or mathematical nature, or addressing epistemological or philosophical questions – then physics might be the right degree programme for you.

As this explanation aims to show, training as a physicist is designed to enable you to identify problems, reduce them to their essential core, describe them using a model, and ultimately solve them. Building on a solid understanding of the laws of nature, physicists thus become generalists who can successfully apply their problem-solving strategies in many fields, even beyond the realm of physics itself.

Are you flexible, do you have a wide range of interests, do you possess analytical thinking skills, and are you spurred on by open-ended questions? If so, you should consider whether studying physics might appeal to you.

Whatever you decide, we wish you every success. We would be particularly delighted to welcome you as a new physics student at TU Braunschweig.

What can I expect from a physics degree at the Technical University of Braunschweig?

Use Fit4TU, our browser-based self-assessment tool, to evaluate your own expectations, knowledge and skills for your degree programme.

Theoretical, experimental, applied and geo-/astro-physics are all taught at the Technical University of Braunschweig, enabling students to receive practical, application-oriented training.

The institutes and courses are all concentrated within a single physics centre, ensuring that everything is within easy reach.

In this two-year Master’s programme, students acquire professional qualifications as physicists at the highest international level, enabling them to work efficiently and independently in scientific physics research and in innovative fields within technology and business. Building on their first degree, students will gain further specialist knowledge and develop the strategic and practical skills – derived from the ability to think critically – that are particularly important for a career in physics.

A key element of the Master’s programme in Physics is the research phase. This is designed to teach students how to carry out independent scientific work. Alongside an introductory project on scientific working methods, its central element is the Master’s thesis. During this phase, scientific research is inextricably linked to the acquisition of key skills such as project management, teamwork, scientific communication, collaboration at the interface between basic research and application, and the presentation of scientific results. Of particular importance is the interface between basic research and applied research, which students are introduced to during the course of their studies and which represents an educational objective for which a technical university is particularly well-suited. In the Master’s programme in Physics, teaching and research focus on two major subject areas: space physics and technology, and quantum physics and technology.

The Quantum Physics and Technology specialisation investigates and utilises physical phenomena on the smallest spatial and temporal scales. Students are empowered and encouraged to make the physical fundamentals of modern technologies the subject of their research and to bridge the gap to practical applications. In this regard, the links to engineering issues within the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Information Technology and Physics are particularly advantageous. Students are offered a highly interdisciplinary programme of study at a very attractive study location, thanks to the shared use of teaching resources. The programme also focuses on the fields of transport and information technology, which are strongly represented at TU Braunschweig, as well as precision metrology, which is carried out at the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt and within the Department of Electrical Engineering.

The Space Physics and Engineering profile focuses on physical processes on large spatial and temporal scales and equips students with skills in these forward-looking fields. The names of the ‘Quantum Physics and Technology’ and ‘Space Physics and Engineering’ specialisations are deliberately chosen to emphasise the interdisciplinary and application-oriented nature of the physics programme.

• Nanosystems
• Collective phenomena
• Quantum matter
• Extraterrestrial physics
• Astrophysics and planetary science
• Geophysics

A special admissions procedure applies to the Master’s programme. The following application deadlines apply to this programme:

• for the winter semester: from 1 June to 15 July
• for the summer semester: from 1 December to 15 January

The entry requirement for the Master’s programme in Physics is a successfully completed Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent qualification in Physics or in a relevant prior degree programme at a German university or at a higher education institution belonging to one of the Bologna signatory states. In addition, other qualifications for admission, such as degrees from universities of applied sciences or other foreign higher education institutions, may be assessed by a committee on the basis of the application.

For further details, please refer to the Admission Regulations for the Master’s programme in Physics, which are legally binding. If you have any questions, you may contact the programme coordinator at any time.