Master Academic Studies in Physics (1 year, 60 ECTS)

Name and the Goals of the Study Programme

The name of the Study Programme is Master Academic Studies in Physics. The Goal of this study programme is to provide academic education of experts in the field of Physics.

Type of the Study and the Outcome of the Education Process

Physics, being a fundamental science, is very broad, but today’s market demands specialized professionals. Therefore, this study program is designed to allow profiling of exactly these types of professionals. This study program offers students a kind of orientation, which is in accordance with their aspirations and preferences. Students can be directed towards research in the field of materials physics, research in the field of nuclear physics, research in the field of plasma physics, research in theoretical condensed matter physics, applied physics – nanoscience, medical physics, astrophysics.

Professional Title, Academic, or Scientific Title

Upon completion of this study programme students are awarded the academic title of Master of Science in Physics

The Structure of the Study Programme

These orientations are conducted to allow students to choose one of the available modules, which contains a defined number of compulsory and optional subjects. Optional modules are:

• Research – Materials Physics
• Research – Nuclear Physics
• Research – Plasma Physics
• Research – Theoretical Physics of Condensed Matter
• Applied Physics – Nanoscience
• Medical Physics
• Astrophysics

These studies belong to second cycle studies, master academic studies.

Enrolment requirements are in accordance with the Law on Higher Education.

List of study fields and modules i.e. of their required and elective courses with content descriptions, are given in Tables. Studies are conducted through teaching courses. The course, in addition to lectures, may include experimental-laboratory, demonstration and computational exercises, homework, practice, preparation and defending seminar papers. Important components of the study programme are production and defence of a master’s thesis, as well as students’ independent work in mastering the content.

The Time Allotted for the Realization of Particular Study Forms

Time necessary for the implementation of the study programme is one academic year i.e. two semesters.

Credit Values of Particular Courses

Credit value of each of the courses and of the Master’s thesis is reported in accordance with the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) and is given in Standard.

Credit value of the programme is 60 ECTS.

MSc Thesis

In order to graduate, students must pass all the required courses within the selected module, passed at least one option of each of the elective courses, and have written and defended the Master thesis, and accumulated a minimum of 60 ECTS.

Prerequisites for the Registration for Particular Courses or Group of Courses

Criteria for registering certain courses are defined for each subject individually and are presented in Tables.

Transferring from Another Study Programme

Conditions for transfer from other study programmes within the same or related field of study are also defined.

The purpose of the study programme is providing the high-quality education of the students who will play a leading role in their area of expertise, in order to enable them to perform successfully academic and professional work in the field of Physics. The study programme guarantees acquiring all the necessary competences for education of professionals.

The existence of this degree programme is fully justified and beneficial to society as a whole, having in mind the role of modern physics – understanding the physical processes and materials. The physicists are experts needed in every modern society, as they are one of the key elemenst in the development of new energy sources, new materials, and new technologies. They are useful in all areas of modern science and technology in general: environmental protection, modern medicine, meteorology, astronomy and astrophysics, modern education, as well as in many other areas that cannot be developed without physicists. Moreover, physics, its methods and models are applied today in areas such as the economy and stock market business. Experts of this profile are able to perform a variety of physical analysis, develop different models, participate in the development of new materials, technologies, energy resources, and contribute to the development of new facilities.

A physicist of the high quality academic education has a wide range of opportunities to work: for example, in scientific and research institutes or development departments in many companies, in quality control, aviation, medical industry, in all companies where the measurement and development of methods of measurement are needed, astronomical observatories, planetariums, hospitals, banks, meteorological observatories, environmental protection institutes, in the government sector, and in in the modern industry in general.

Faculty of Sciences provides education and training to experts in natural and mathematical sciences, which confirms that the existence of this programme complies with the basic tasks and goals of the Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad.

The primary goals of this study programme are obtaining academic and professional competences in physics, and mastering the skills and methods for their acquisition and further development. None the less important are the goals to develop creative abilities and skills to perform various forms of development and application of physics.

The most important general objectives of the study programme are to provide stimulating environment for professional and personal development of students, to use the learning methods to develop analytical, critical and self-critical thinking and to learn to address the challenges in an interesting and intellectually challenging way. One of the main goals is to broaden the knowledge and understanding acquired at the undergraduate level, which is essential for the development of critical thinking and application of knowledge. The main professional goal is to educate and train professionals to work in diverse and dynamic areas of the vocation. To that end, they should gain critical and integrated level of knowledge and understanding of the most important theoretical and experimental principles and methods, which will enable them to actively use the modern experimental and theoretical methods and to develop the ability to expand their knowledge continuously.

Of course, the ultimate goal is that students obtain the appropriate qualifications which require them to demonstrate knowledge and understanding in those areas that complement the knowledge gained at the undergraduate level and makes the basis for the development of critical thinking and application of knowledge; to be able to apply their knowledge and understanding to solve the problems in new or unfamiliar environments within broader or multidisciplinary areas in the field of study; to have developed the ability to integrate knowledge, solve complex problems, and make judgments based on available information which reflect on social and ethical responsibilities connected to the application of their knowledge and judgment; to have developed the ability of clear and unambiguous transfer of knowledge and ways of concluding to other experts and general public; to have developed the ability to continue further studies in the field of their own preference.

Professional goals are aimed at providing students with:

• Integrated knowledge and understanding of theoretical, experimental and applied physics;
• Thorough understanding and knowledge of the structure of the matter and methods for its study;
• In-depth knowledge of the principles of functioning and the use of modern equipment and instruments;
• Detailed and broad understanding and knowledge of the principles of measurement and data processing;
• Understanding and detailed knowledge of modelling;
• The ability to put the theory into practice;
• The ability to solve complex problems, and make judgments based on available information;
• The ability of a clear and unambiguous transfer of knowledge to the general public;
• Developing communication and correct human relations in order to effectively communicate with other professionals encountered in practice;
• Understanding the role of physics in the modern world;
• Understanding the ethical responsibilities associated with the application of their knowledge and judgments;
• The capacity for further improvement.

This study programme defines general methods and strategies for acquiring the competencies:
to acquire knowledge and understanding:

• Accumulation of knowledge is mainly achieved through lectures and various forms of exercises and practice whose purpose is to deepen, clarify and highlight the practical importance of the content presented in classes.
• General competences (communication skills through oral presentations and written reports, the use of information technology, the ability to work independently or in a team, integration and evaluation of information from various sources, effective and permanent learning). Some of these competences are acquired through obtaining other skills. These skills are continually developed, upgraded and improved throughout the programme, especially with the increase of complexity of the seminar papers and practical problems to be solved by students.
• Subject-specific skills such as planning how to solve practical problems or how to use the laboratory methods for data collection, data analysis and their critical assessment, further preparation and presentation of reports, effective use of computers in practice etc. are mainly achieved through laboratory exercises and producing seminar papers and professional practice.

Taking into account that evaluating students is one of the necessary steps in creating high quality experts in the area, each of the courses provides specific methods of assessment.

General and Course-specific Competencies of Students

By mastering the curriculum, the student acquires the following general skills:

• Analysis, synthesis and forecasting solutions and consequences;
• Development of analytical, critical and self-critical thinking and approach to problem solving;
• Development of communication skills and agility, cooperation with immediate social and international environment;
• Application of professional ethics;
• Lifelong learning and training;
• Creativity;
• Applying knowledge in practice;
• Work independently or in a team;
• Collecting and interpreting data;
• Reflection on the relevant social, scientific or ethical issues;
• Mastering the methods, procedures and process of research.

By mastering the study programme, the student acquires the following course-specific skills and knowledge:

• Application of standard experimental or theoretical methods for the specific area;
• Deepened, expanded and integrated knowledge and understanding of the theoretical and / or experimental physics;
• Ability of solving certain problems in scientific and industrial research, which are related to orientations;
• Ability to tackle new areas through independent studying;
• Ability for further academic and professional development;
• Ability to solve problems based on making an analogy with the already familiar problems;
• Identification of the core processes and critical thinking in order to construct models;
• Ability of modelling – adaptation of existing models or developing new ones in order to explain the existing experimental data;
• Finding literature – identifying and critically choosing the scientific and expert literature;
• Understanding and knowledge of the nature and methods of research in physics;
• Detailed knowledge and understanding of the basics of modern physics;
• Knowledge, understanding and ability to apply the most important mathematical and numerical methods;
• Up-to-date knowledge of the latest developments in physics;
• Using computers for the purpose of performing calculations and writing software;
• Understanding and detailed knowledge of the most important and traditional experimental and / or theoretical methods;
• Independent work with a high degree of autonomy;
• Knowledge of a foreign language for the purpose of professional communication;
• Application of knowledge and understanding in determining the order of magnitude in situations that are physically different but show analogies;
• Understanding the ethics related to physics and the responsibility to protect public health and the environment.

The Outcomes

Additional course-specific learning outcomes resulting from elective modules are:

• Module Research – Plasma Physics: understanding and mastering of basic experimental methods related to electrical discharges in gases;
• Module Research – Theoretical physics of condensed matter: understanding and mastering the basic theoretical methods and models related to the condensed state of matter;
• Module Research – Nuclear physics: understanding and mastering the basic experimental methods related to nuclear physics;
• Module Research – Materials physics: understanding and mastering the basic experimental methods related to the physics of new materials;
• Module Applied Physics-nanoscience: understanding the properties, structure, modeling, production and applications of nanomaterials;
• Module Astrophysics: ability to work in astronomical observatories, planetariums;
• Module Medical physics: understanding and mastering the modern medical instrumentation;