MSc in Physics and Astronomy

Applying the laws of physics in real-life situations, ranging from measuring brain activity to designing new materials and investigating space objects .

Would you rather specialise in pure physics or discover the interface between physics and astronomy, mathematics, chemistry or biology? The choice is yours. At Radboud University, you can choose from six specialisations and within each specialisation you’ll have plenty of room to customise your programme. We guarantee the highest quality for all specialisation programmes, resulting in number one rates by the Dutch ‘Keuzegids Masters’ for three years running.

In your internship(s), you can dive into theoretical physics or perform your own experiments: discover new material properties in Europe’s highest magnetic fields or with unique free electron lasers, study space objects with the telescopes on top of the Huygens Building or unravel brain activity with MRIs. It’s all possible on the Radboud campus. That’s why many international physicists come here to perform their experiments. Take Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov, who revealed the amazing properties of graphene in our High Field Magnet Laboratory. In 2010, they received the Nobel Prize in Physics for those discoveries.

See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/physicsandastronomy

Specialisations of Physics and Astronomy

- Particle and Astrophysics

In this Master’s specialisation you’ll unravel questions like: What are the most elementary particles that the universe consists of? What did our universe look like in the earliest stages of its existence? And how will it evolve? One of the topics is the Higgs particle, which is partially a Nijmegen discovery.

- Physics of Molecules and Materials

This specialisation focuses on the structure and properties of materials. You’ll work at the ‘terra incognita’ between quantum and classical physics, which is of great importance for designing next-generation materials and devices.

- Neuroscience

In this specialisation you’ll use your physics background to understand the communication between neurons in the brain. This fundamental knowledge can be applied in all kinds of devices, including hearing aids or Google glasses.

- Neurophysics

In this specialisation, we aim at unravelling the neuro-computational mechanisms of this fascinating, complex system and use this knowledge for relevant applications, such as robotics and neuro-technology

- Science in Society

This specialisation will equip you with the tools and skills to become a professional intermediary between science and society. You’ll learn to analyse (governmental) science communication and connect scientific knowledge with divergent perspectives and interests of various stakeholders.

- Science, Management and Innovation

This specialisation will teach you what is happening in the world of business and public administration, how innovation is managed in company strategies, how government designs policy and how that interacts with societal challenges.

- Science and Education (in Dutch)

Do you want to become a secondary school teacher in the Netherlands? In this Dutch-taught specialisation you’ll get the necessary didactic background and extensive experience in the classroom.

Why study Physics and Astronomy at Radboud University?

- It’s the best Master’s programme of its kind in the Netherlands, according to the Keuzegids Masters.

- Teaching takes place in a stimulating, collegial setting with small groups. This ensures that at Radboud University you’ll get plenty of one-on-one time with your internship supervisor.

- We have a multidisciplinary approach: you not only can specialise in Physics, but also in astrophysics, biophysics, mathematical physics, chemical physics or materials science.

- You’ll spend one year on research, and thus get an extensive experience in scientific methods.

- Radboud University hosts multiple state-of-the-art research facilities, such as the High Field Magnet Laboratory , FELIX laser laboratory, Nanolab and neuroimaging facilities (MRI, MEG, EEG, TMS). We also participate in the LHC particle accelerator in Geneva, the Pierre Auger Observatory in Argentina and various other large-scale research projects.

- On average, our graduates find a job within 2 months after graduating. A majority of these jobs are PhD positions at universities in the Netherlands and abroad.

Career prospects

All specialisations of this Master’s programme are an excellent preparation for a career in research, either at a university, at an institute or at a company. However, many of our students end up in other business or government positions as well. Whatever job you aspire, you can certainly make use of the fact that you have learned to:

- Think in an abstract way

- Solve complex problems

- Make accurate approximations

- Combine theory and experiments

PhD positions

If you would like to have a career in science, it’s possible to apply for a PhD position at Radboud University. Of course, you can also apply at any other university anywhere in the world.

Positions in business or governmental organisations

To get an idea the various career opportunities, a sample of jobs performed by our alumni:

- Actuarial trainee at Talent & Pro

- Consultant at Accenture

- ECO Operations Manager at Ofgem

- Scientist at SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research

- Technology strategy Manager at Accenture

- Consultant Billing at KPN

- Communications advisor at the Foundation for Fundamental Research on Matter (FOM)

- Systems analysis engineer at Thales

- Technical consultant at UL Transaction Security

- Business analyst at Capgemini

See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/physicsandastronomy

Visit the MSc in Physics and Astronomy page on the Radboud University website for more details!