M.Sc. Physics - Nanophysics
University of Antwerp
| Application deadline: | Non EU: March 31; EU: June 30 |
| Tuition fee: |
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| Start date: | September 2013 |
| Credits: | 120 ECTS |
| Duration full-time: | 24 months |
| Languages: |
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| Location: |
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| Delivery mode: | On Campus |
| Educational variant: | Full-time |
Description
Sustained S&T and industrial development over the last decade induced an increasing need for specialised, top-notch, advanced university trainings in the fields of nanophysics and material science. Since 2002, the University of Antwerp had its Master in Nanophysics programme open to foreign students, with more than 70 graduates to date. In short, our M.Sc. programme is built upon the following standpoints:
- No progress in nanoscience and nanotechnology can be made without clear understanding of all mechanisms of underlying, fundamental nanophysics.
- No proper training in nanophysics, preparatory for R&D work in nanotechnology, can be covered in a period less than two years.
- No proper training in nanophysics can be done without access to different visions and different approaches even within same topics.
To comprise the above goals, our courses, in fundamental nanophysics and its advanced applications, are organised in a full, two-year master programme, in collaboration with several other scientific institutions, and with diploma equivalent to any regular European M.Sc. diploma.
Who?
The Master in Physics Nanophysics is primarily oriented to people with interest in nanoscience behind nanotechnology. In practice, all bachelor degrees in the field of Science or Applied Sciences that have a strong focus on physics will be considered for admission (e.g. Physics, Physical Electronics, Physical Chemistry, Material Science, etc.).
Future?
At the end of the programme, the graduated students will have acquired knowledge in fundamental physics, material sciences, nanosciences and computational methods. Moreover, they will hold various competences thanks to the advanced practicals and workshops proposed within the programme essential for their future professional activities. The competences our programme is trying to provide are:
- Understanding of concepts used to describe the matter at the nanoscale
- Mastering the formalism and methods in order to perform theoretical studies and calculations with applications from nanoscopic to macroscopic scale
- Evaluating the appropriate techniques to be used to probe specific properties of the matter
- Acquiring experience in large scale facilities
- Developing communication skills and world-wide networking in a multi-cultural environment
- Searching, interpreting and compiling relevant scientific literature
- Delimiting a scientific problem by planning a scientific study, choosing appropriate methods, carrying out the study, interpreting and evaluating the results
- Synthesizing results in a comprehensive and pedagogic way
- Presenting the results to a large audience in correct language and popular form
All the listed competences will contribute to the easy integration of students in future academic opportunities as well as in the private job market. The figure on the right shows the accumulated statistics for recently graduated students. The large fraction of our graduates continue their education in PhD or business programmes, but many of them also find careers in private companies (as scientists, engineers or managers) and teaching institutions.
Contents
The student can choose to specialise in an experimental, theoretical or computational direction in nanophysics. The programme consists of 120 ECTS credits.
- Mandatory general physics courses: 30 ECTS credits
- Mandatory and optional courses in nanophysics: 60 ECTS credits
- Master thesis in nanophysics: 30 ECTS
Students who already have a Master degree in Physics and earned their ECTS credits for the general physics courses can apply for a credit transfer.
Programme overview
Mandatory advanced general physics courses
- Advanced quantum mechanics
- Mathematical methods in theoretical physics
- Statistical and mathematical physics
- Atomic and molecular physics
- Symmetry in physics
Mandatory courses in nanophysics
- Microscopy and spectroscopy
- Physics of low-dimensional systems
- Electronic structure calculations
Optional courses in nanophysics
- Advanced materials and nanotrends
- Superconductivity and superfluidity
- Path integrals in quantum mechanics
- Device physics
- Nanobiology
- Solid state physics
- Computational physics
- Advanced electron microscopy
- Chemical nanocharacterization
- Surface physics
- Applications of parallel computing
- Project physics of low-dimensional systems
- Project microscopy and spectroscopy
- Project electronic structure calculations
Thesis
Requirements
Candidates should send an application file with detailed information on their previous studies. After evaluation of this application file, the Faculty of Science will decide whether a candidate has access to the programme.
Students with diplomas from outside the Flemish community
All bachelor degrees in the field of Science or Applied Sciences that have a strong focus on physics will be considered by the board of admission (e.g. Physics, Physical engineering, ...).
Students with diplomas of the Flemish community
- Direct admission is granted to holders of the diploma of Bachelor in Physics or Bachelor of Physics and Astronomy.
- Admission is conditional for holders of the following diplomas:
- Bachelor of Chemistry
- Bachelor of Mathematics
- Bachelor of Engineering Sciences
- Bachelor of Industrial sciences
The successful completion of a preparatory programme (15 to 90 ECTS) may be required.
Language requirements
The programme is taught in English and candidates must be proficient in this language.
Candidates with a bachelor degree from universities outside Flanders are required to demonstrate their English language skills in one of the following ways:
- by submitting proof that they have successfully studied at least one academic year in an English-language Bachelor's or Master's programme. The board of admission may ask additional proof of your proficiency in English.
- Applicants can also prove their knowledge on the basis of a language certificate showing their TOEFL or IELTS results:
- TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language, organized by ETS): paper-based TOEFL level of minimum 550, or an internet-based TOEFL level of minimum 79-80. You can find more information about TOEFL on http://www.toefl.org.
- IELTS (International English Language Testing System): a minimum score of at least 6.5, and on each part minimum 6.0. You can find more information about IELTS at http://www.ielts.org.
Candidates with a bachelor degree from a Flemish university are strongly advised to take a test to assure they possess the necessary language skills to successfully complete the programme. Linguapolis, the Institute for language and communication of the University of Antwerp, can assist with this.
English Language Requirements
| IELTS band: | 6.5 |
| TOEFL paper-based test score: | 550 |
| TOEFL computer-based test score: | 213 |
| TOEFL internet-based test score: | 80 |
Funding
We strongly recommended to contact the Belgian Embassy or Consulate in your home country to learn about scholarship opportunities. The addresses can be found at the official website from the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (www.diplomatie.belgium.be).
Accreditation
All study programmes at the University of Antwerp received accredidation from NVAO (Dutch-Flemish Accreditation Organisation).
You are normally required to take an English Proficiency Test if you come from a non-English speaking country.
Most European Universities recognise the IELTS test.
More information on IELTSContact
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