Master Year 1 Physics by Research

Year	Master Year 1
Program	Physics by Research
ECTS Credits	60
Language	English
Orientation	Research and/or Industry
Location	Palaiseau Campus
Course duration	12 months, full time
Course start	September
Degree awarded	Master’s degree obtained on completion of a second year of Master

Application dates

WHY ENROLL IN THIS PROGRAM?

Asset n° 1

Design your own curriculum with guidance from faculty members

Asset n°2

Prepare for a PhD

Asset n°3

Acquire strong theoretical and applied knowledge in a wide range of physics fields

The Physics by Research Master’s program is a two-year “à la carte” interdisciplinary program designed for motivated and talented students who want to pursue a career in academia. Students will be advised by the team of faculty members coordinating the different topical Master offers to build a coherent curriculum in line with their professional project. Most students pursue a PhD at the end of this Master’s program.

Fields potentially available to the Physics by Research Master’s students cover all the areas of fundamental and applied physics offered at Institut Polytechnique de Paris including theoretical and experimental condensed matter physics, mathematical physics, plasma physics, as well as topics at the interface between physics and chemistry, materials science, applied mathematics and biology.

Objectives

This Master’s program enables students to:

Design their own curriculum with guidance by faculty members
Access a wide range of fields in fundamental and applied physics
Prepare for a PhD

To complete the Master’s degree, first-year students can enter the following second-year programs:

Master Year 2 Physics by Research

Students graduating from this program will be equipped to:

Pursue a PhD
Following their PhD, access a prestigious academic career in a university or major research organization in France (CNRS, CEA, IN2P3) or abroad

Quarter 1

Courses can be chosen among the following list and can be completed by research work in a laboratory :

Relativistic fields and their quantization	36h 5 ECTS English
Stellar astrophysics	36h 5 ECTS English
Physics of elementary particles	36h 5 ECTS English
Cosmology	36h 5 ECTS English
Symmetry groups in subatomic physics	36h 5 ECTS English
Quantum optics 1 : Lasers	36h 5 ECTS English
Quantum physics of electrons in solids	36h 5 ECTS English
Atomic and molecular physics	36h 5 ECTS English
Physics of biological objects	36h 5 ECTS English
Soft surfaces	36h 5 ECTS English
Materials design	36h 5 ECTS English
Numerical physics	36h 5 ECTS English

Quarter 2

Courses can be chosen among the following list and can be completed by research work in a laboratory:

Perturbative quantum field theory	36h 5 ECTS English
Advanced particle physics	36h 5 ECTS English
General relativity	36h 5 ECTS English
Black holes, neutron stars and related phenomena	36h 5 ECTS English
Experimental aspects of high energy physics	36h 5 ECTS English
Quantum optics 2: photons	36h 5 ECTS English
Optoelectronics	36h 5 ECTS English
Plasma physics and thermonuclear fusion	36h 5 ECTS English
Complex systems	36h 5 ECTS English
Mesoscopic quantum physics	36h 5 ECTS English
Nanomaterials and electronic applications	36h 5 ECTS English
Physics of living systems	36h 5 ECTS English
Physics of semiconductor devices	36h 5 ECTS English
Quantum information	36h 5 ECTS English
Spin electronics	36h 5 ECTS English
VLSI microelectronics	36h 5 ECTS English
Current trends in materials science	36h 5 ECTS English
Practical training in environmental physics	36h 5 ECTS English
Nuclear reactor technology	36h 5 ECTS English
Nonlinear optics and applications	36h 5 ECTS English

Quarter 3 - Internship

Students are expected to complete an internship relevant to their course of study (20 ECTS) from April to June, in France or abroad.

Study abroad

Depending on subfields and in exceptional cases, students will be able to spend a year in a partner university.

Admission requirements

Academic prerequisites

Completion of a Bachelor of Science with highest honors at Institut Polytechnique de Paris or equivalent in France or abroad
Applicants must present a personal project coherent with the philosophy of the Physics by Research Master - applicants are advised to contact faculty members in their field of study well ahead of the application deadline with a statement on their scientific interests to coordinate their proposed study program
Due to the highly selective nature of the program, applicants are strongly encouraged to also apply to one of the topical Master tracks at Institut Polytechnique de Paris

Language prerequisites

English
Working knowledge of French will enhance the range of options available.

How to apply

Applications can be submitted exclusively online. You will need to provide the following documents:

Transcript
Two academic references (added online directly by your referees)
CV/resume
Statement of purpose

You will receive an answer in your candidate space within 2 months of the closing date for the application session.

Fees and scholarships

EU/EEA/Switzerland students: 243€
Non-EU/EEA/Switzerland students: 3770€
Engineer students enrolled in one of the five member schools of Institut Polytechnique de Paris (Ecole polytechnique, ENSTA Paris, ENSAE Paris, Télécom Paris and Télécom SudParis): 159€
Special cases: please refer to the "Cost of studies" section of the FAQs

Find out more about scholarships

Applications and admission dates

Admissions page

Coordinators

Program office

General enquiries

master-admission@ip-paris.fr

Description