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Curricula

Bachelor's degree in Physics

Since October 2013, Graz has been home to an inter-university Bachelor’s degree programme in Physics, offered jointly by Graz University of Technology and the University of Graz. This brings together the teaching expertise of both universities in the field of physics. Since 2021, the universities’ specialisations have been combined into a specialisation module starting from the 4th semester. This leads to the award of a Bachelor of Science degree.

The timetable is designed to minimise the need to switch between universities on the same day as far as possible.

For information on the transition to / credit transfers for the 2021 version of the curriculum, please refer to this presentation (german only); if you have any questions, simply pop into the BaGru (Please note: the recognition lists in the appendix to the study plan are not equivalence lists, but are one-way only).

Master's degree Physics

From 1 October 2017, the English-taught NAWI Master’s programme in Physics will be offered at Graz University of Technology and the University of Graz. It replaces the Master’s programme in Physics, which until then had only been offered at the University of Graz. From 1 October 2023, a minor change to the Physics curriculum will come into effect, replacing some modules with new specialisations.

Master's degree Technical Physics

From 1 October 2017, the English-taught NAWI Master’s programme in Technical Physics will be offered at Graz University of Technology and the University of Graz. It replaces the Master’s programme in Technical Physics, which until then had been offered only at Graz University of Technology. From 1 October 2023, a minor change to the curriculum for Technical Physics will come into effect, replacing some modules with new specialisations.

Master's degree Advanced Material Science

After completing a Bachelor’s degree in Physics, the interdisciplinary, English-taught NAWI Master’s programme in Advanced Materials Science offers a further option.

There are opportunities to specialise in the following areas:

  • Metals and Ceramics
  • Semiconductor Processing and Nanotechnology
  • Biobased Material

Further information on this can also be found on the website  advancedmaterialscience.tugraz.at and in our presentation (german only).

Master's degree Space Science and Earth from Space

Last but not least, the NAWI Master’s programme in Space Science and Earth from Space is available to graduates of the Bachelor’s degree in Physics:

Teacher Education Programme New

The new teacher training programme has been up and running within the South-East Consortium since October 2015. This means that universities and teacher training colleges in Styria, Carinthia and Burgenland all follow the same curriculum. It doesn’t matter where you enrol. All courses are offered in Graz; as things stand at present, this is unlikely to be the case in Carinthia and Burgenland. What is new is that teacher training is now carried out jointly for the entire upper secondary level. This means there is no longer a distinction between grammar school teachers and secondary school or new middle school teachers. Due to this extensive cooperation, it may become necessary to switch between the University of Graz, the Graz University of Technology and the University of Education Styria more frequently during your studies. Furthermore, as part of the Bologna Process, the system has now been converted to a Bachelor’s-Master’s structure. The Bachelor’s degree has a minimum duration of 8 semesters, the Master’s 4 semesters – so the course now takes a total of one year longer than before.

Attached you will find the original study plans for the Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, as well as a list of equivalences for those who wish to have courses from an older version of the curriculum recognised.

Old Curricula

Bachelor's degree Technical Physics
 

Im Rahmen As part of the NAWI Graz project, the Bachelor’s degree programme in Technical Physics will be delivered jointly with the KFUG Bachelor’s degree programme in Physics, comprising 59 ECTS credits, from the 2009/10 academic year onwards. The partial joint delivery of modules has led to a restructuring of the curriculum; for example, the Analysis blocks 1–4 have been split into individual modules.

The transition will be phased in gradually; this means that, from the 2009/2010 winter semester onwards, first-semester NAWI courses will already be taught in accordance with the new curriculum. NAWI courses from the third semester will only be taught according to the new curriculum from the 2010/2011 winter semester onwards and will still be offered under the old system in the 2009/2010 winter semester. This also applies to NAWI courses from the second semester. The course ‘Molecular and Solid State Physics’ (lectures + practicals) is offered at both universities and can be attended at either institution. Similarly, the project placement within which the Bachelor’s thesis is written is offered at both universities and can be chosen freely.

As both the Bachelor’s degree programme in Physics at KFUG and the degree programme in Technical Physics at TUG are, and will remain, two separate programmes, it is simply necessary to enrol in one of the two programmes (as is customary for other degree programmes). This arrangement therefore also means that the entire Technical Physics programme will continue to be administered by TUG, so there is no additional administrative burden for students. Certificates will also be issued exclusively by the TUG. The most significant change resulting from the partial merger of the two programmes, prompted by the NAWI, is therefore ‘merely’ the fact that some compulsory modules at the KFUG are now taught by physics professors from the KFUG.

 

STEOP

STEOP stands for the Introductory and Orientation Phase ("Studieneingangs- und Orientierungsphase"). In the summer semester of 2011, the modules for the Introductory and Orientation Phase of the Bachelor’s degree programme in Engineering Physics were finalised. From the winter semester of 2011/12 onwards, the lectures ‘Experimental Physics 1’ and ‘Physics of Modern Technology’ will each be divided into two parts. “Experimental Physics 1A” is worth 3 ECTS credits, whilst “Physics of Modern Technology 1A” is worth 1 ECTS credit (one ECTS credit corresponds to approximately 25 hours). Before sitting these examinations, students may only complete the core modules (practicals, laboratory work, etc.) of the first or second semester (hence the first examination dates are before the Christmas holidays and the second in mid-January). For each of these two courses, only three examination attempts (including two resits) will be permitted; after that, students will be barred from continuing this degree programme at Graz University of Technology. This rule applies only to students who enrol in the Physics degree programme in the winter semester 2011/12 (or in subsequent years).

 

Master's degree Physics

 

Master's degree Technical Physics

With the launch of the joint NAWI Bachelor’s degree programme in Physics at Graz University of Technology and the University of Graz on 1 October 2013, there have also been changes to the Master’s curriculum. The main changes involve minor adjustments to course timetables and minor changes to the elective course catalogues.

A minor change to the Master’s programme in Technical Physics will come into effect on 1 October 2010. In future, due to the retirement of the former lecturer, the course Radiation Protection (4 SH, VO, 4 ECTS) will be replaced by the two courses Radiation Protection for Ionising Radiation (2 SH, VO, 2 ECTS) and Radiation Protection for Non-Ionising Radiation (2 SH, VU, 2 ECTS). In total, however, the two new courses are equivalent to the previous course.

On 1 October 2009, a (then) new version of the Master’s curriculum in Technical Physics came into effect. This primarily affects the Experimental Practical Course and the Computer Simulations. In detail, this is as follows: The ECTS credits for the aforementioned courses have been reduced in the new curriculum – 4 ECTS instead of the previous 8 ECTS. Consequently, students must now choose between the ‘Computational Physics’ and ‘Experimental Methods’ blocks:

  • The Computational Physics’ block consists of the lecture course Advanced Numerical Methods (3 ECTS) and the seminar course Computational Physics (5 ECTS).
  • The subject ‘Experimental Methods’ comprises the two lecture with practical units Experimental Methods 1 & 2, each worth 4 ECTS credits.

For students who enrolled in the Master’s programme before 1 October 2009, or for those who completed the courses ‘Computer Simulations’ or the Experimental Practical under the old system, these courses will be credited.

 

Master's degree Advanced Material Science

Following the Bachelor’s degree in Engineering Physics, the interdisciplinary Master’s programme in Advanced Materials Science offers a further option:

There are opportunities to specialise in the following areas:

  • Metals and Ceramics
  • Semiconductor Processing and Nanotechnology
  • Biobased Material

Further information on this can also be found on the website advancedmaterialscience.tugraz.at.

 

Degree course Technical Physics

For anyone who has not completed their diploma programme by 1 October 2010:
 

In addition to the courses you are already familiar with (for which recognition lists are available), you must write a Bachelor’s thesis to complete your Bachelor’s degree. For the Master’s degree (provided you have already passed all other courses), you must replicate the Experimental Methods 2 (i.e. two experiments). Then nothing stands in the way of your Master’s degree.

Elective Topics

Students can take new optional subjects as well as compulsory optional subjects.

  • Advanced Practical Course, Applied Physics and Applied Physics Practical Course: The Applied Physics lecture is now titled ‘Experimental Physics’. The two practical courses have been restructured so that the new courses each include sessions on experimental physics and solid-state physics. Consequently, an old practical course cannot be substituted for a new one. The old practical courses were offered for the last time in the winter semester 04/05. The new practical courses will, of course, be credited in place of the old ones.
  • Mathematical Methods in Theoretical Physics: The lecture will be offered as an elective in future. The tutorial no longer exists, but it is possible to sit the examination on the subject with Prof. Heyn.
  • Statics and Strength of Materials: As an alternative to Physics of Modern Technology, the statics examination can be taken with Prof. Leisch.
  • Introduction to Measurement Technology: This lecture is no longer offered. Anyone who still needs to take the examination must enquire at the Institute of Experimental Physics about examination options.
  • Fluid Mechanics: This lecture is no longer offered. Students may either sit the examination or, alternatively, choose a lecture from the compulsory elective catalogue for Theoretical Physics. Part of the material is now covered in the Analytical Mechanics lecture.
  • Theory of Atoms and Molecules: This course is being offered once more.

Overview