B.Sc. IPSP (Honours)

The Inter­na­tion­al Physics Studies Program was designed to cater to students from diverse cultur­al backgrounds, includ­ing those whose primary language is not German. As such, all lectures within the program are conduc­ted in English. However, it is essen­tial to emphas­ize that the IPSP is open to all students. 

The program encom­passes a compre­hens­ive curriculum that includes gener­al physics and mathem­at­ics lectures, as well as computer science and chemistry compon­ents. Addition­ally, for inter­na­tion­al students, the program incor­por­ates a German language course to aid in their language profi­ciency and integ­ra­tion into the academ­ic envir­on­ment and day-to-day life in Leipzig. 

As students progress through the higher semesters, they will be exposed to more special­ized lectures cover­ing modern topics in theor­et­ic­al, applied, and exper­i­ment­al physics. Comple­ment­ing the theor­et­ic­al knowledge, the program also offers a practic­al labor­at­ory course to provide hands-on exper­i­ence and enhance their under­stand­ing of physics concepts. 

As of winter semester 2022/23, IPSP (Honours) Bachel­or is a four-year program. 

Photo: Swen Reich­hold / Univer­sity Leipzig

Mathem­at­ics

All students are required to attend mathem­at­ics lectures during the first three semesters, cover­ing essen­tial topics like analys­is, linear algebra, and differ­en­tial equations. These mathem­at­ic­al funda­ment­als are vital for under­stand­ing and describ­ing physic­al phenom­ena in their academ­ic pursuits. 

Exper­i­ment­al Physics

From the first to the sixth semester, the program offers lectures in exper­i­ment­al physics. Initial semesters focus on classic­al areas like mechan­ics, electro­mag­net­ism, and optics, estab­lish­ing a strong found­a­tion for students. Advanced topics in modern physics, such as atomic and solid-state physics, are explored in later semesters. Profess­ors emphas­ize practic­al demon­stra­tions and examples to illus­trate concepts and phenom­ena effectively. 

Theor­et­ic­al Physics

Theor­et­ic­al physics lectures are conduc­ted from the first to the fifth semester, offer­ing a more compre­hens­ive and mathem­at­ic­ally complex descrip­tion of physic­al phenom­ena compared to exper­i­ment­al physics. The curriculum covers classic­al mechan­ics, electro­dynam­ics, quantum mechan­ics, and statist­ic­al physics. In the initial two semesters, students are intro­duced to advanced mathem­at­ic­al topics that are essen­tial for under­stand­ing the physic­al concepts presented. 

Labor­at­ory Course

In tandem with the exper­i­ment­al physics lectures, students engage in practic­al exper­i­ments in the labor­at­ory, provid­ing hands-on applic­a­tion of theor­et­ic­al knowledge. The basic lab course occurs between the third and fifth semesters, involving element­ary exper­i­ments done within or after the semester break. In the sixth semester, an advanced lab module offers modern, challen­ging exper­i­ments relat­ing to advanced physic­al topics. 

Bachel­or Thesis

The 23-week bachel­or thesis demon­strates the ability to conduct scientif­ic work effect­ively. Students have the option to write their thesis within one of the faculty’s intern­al insti­tutes, special­iz­ing in exper­i­ment­al or theor­et­ic­al physics. Altern­at­ively, they can choose an extern­al insti­tu­tion from the business or research sectors for their research work. 

You can find out more about the University’s research oppor­tun­it­ies here. (English version is coming soon!) 

Master Studies

The one-year Master program offers elect­ive modules to enhance exper­i­ment­al and theor­et­ic­al skills, tailor­ing knowledge based on individu­al prefer­ences. Students can special­ize in either exper­i­ment­al physics of soft or solid matter, in theor­et­ic­al and mathem­at­ic­al physics or in applied physics, supple­men­ted with diverse elect­ive modules reflect­ing current research at the Univer­sity of Leipzig. The second part of the program focuses on research, provid­ing hands-on exper­i­ence in a research group. The Peter-Debye Insti­tute for Soft Matter Physics, the Felix-Bloch-Insti­tute for Solid State Physics, the Insti­tute of Theor­et­ic­al Physics, and the extern­al Leibn­iz-Insti­tute of Surface Modific­a­tion provide a wide range of modules and research topics. The program culmin­ates in a 23-week Master’s Thesis, showcas­ing acquired expertise. 

For further inform­a­tion concern­ing the offered elect­ives, please consult the faculty web page.

IPSP Community

The Inter­na­tion­al Physics Studies Program (Honours) has brought togeth­er students from diverse backgrounds world­wide, creat­ing a vibrant and inter­con­nec­ted community. In addition to in-person inter­ac­tions, an active online presence, primar­ily on Whats­App, fosters a sense of belong­ing. Here, you’ll find various group chats, includ­ing gener­al ones for announce­ments and inquir­ies about both your studies and stay in Leipzig. Addition­ally, there are special­ized groups for specif­ic courses and shared interests, spanning areas like Art, Philo­sophy, Music, and even a growing queer community. This inclus­ive envir­on­ment enhances your overall exper­i­ence as part of the IPSP community. 

"Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be under­stood. Now is the time to under­stand more, so that we may fear less.

Marie Curie (Physi­cist, Chemist)