Master

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The education program at the Physics Department at ETH Zurich leads to the Bachelor and Master degrees according to the European "Bologna" model. Although the three-year Bachelor program leads to a degree, the professionally relevant qualification is the Master degree, which corresponds to the old and widely recognized ETH "Diploma".

The "Master of Science ETH" qualification provides graduates with a solid basis for entering the professional life. This qualification is also a pre-requisite for Doctoral studies.

A word of clarification: the role of the Master program at ETH Zurich is distinctly different from what it is in other countries, e.g. in the US, where it is part of the "graduate school" program on the way to the Doctoral degree. Entering the Master program of the Physics Department at ETH Zurich is not part of the Doctoral studies, but leads to the Master degree. For a subsequent Doctoral program a new admission will be required and will involve contacting a potential advisor within the Physics Department.

The Master stage completes the formation of the new physicist. Typically it lasts one and a half years, the last half year of which is devoted to the master thesis.

Admission

The admission criteria to the MSc studies in Physics are either a BSc degree in Physics from ETH or an equivalent preparation from some other curriculum at ETH or some other comparable universitary institution. The details are outlined in chapter 3 of the regulations.

Categories of courses

As a student of the MSc curriculum you enjoy great freedom in your choice of courses. The courses will be a combination from a few categories:

Theoretical Core Subjects : these complete the theoretical courses already begun at the Bachelor stage on an advanced level.
Experimental Core Subjects : analogous to the theoretical courses these complete the experimental foundations on an advanced level.
Elective Subjects from Physics or Mathematics : the available courses are closely related to the research activities at the Departments of Physics and Mathematics. They are also a good preparation for a Master theses.
General Elective Subject : you may complement your Master curriculum with some general courses given by other departments. For details consult the regulations (especially Art. 30).
Proseminars (Theory) and Semester Lab Work (Experiment or Theory) : these are individual projects much like a small version of the Master thesis. They allow to become more proficient in research under the supervision of an assistant.
Compulsory Elective Subject from the Humanities : one of the courses needs to be from the Department "Geistes-, Sozial- und Staatswissenschaften".
Master Thesis : typically in the third semester the master thesis will complete the curriculum. You will show your ability to conduct research on your own and in a well structured way on an advanced level.

For details it is recommended that you consult the course catalog. Some of the courses are adjusted on a yearly basis. You may also want to ask students from former years about their experiences.

Frequently asked questions

Can I do my master thesis before taking the final oral exams?
Students can start their master thesis as soon as they have successfully finished their Bachelor studies, and they have fulfilled all the requirements for the admission to the master studies in physics, and they have obtained the 9 ECTS credits for their semester project (Semesterarbeit) including the oral presentation. Students can take the oral exams after finishing the master thesis.

Can I do both, my semester project and my master thesis at another university?
For the ETH master diploma in physics, 60 out of the required 90 ETCS credits have to be obtained at ETH, and only 30 ETCS credits obtained at another university can be allowed to enter the ETH master diploma. Therefore, if made at another university, either the semester project (Semesterarbeit) or the master thesis can be taken into account for the ETH master diploma.