Master in Fundamental Physics and Applications

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Graduate Track for Mathematics and Physics Read more

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Published on 07 avril 2023

Introduction

The Master's degree in Fundamental Physics and Applications (FPA) combines the requirements of a high-level research training in physics with those of a professional training. Three programs are proposed; Nanophysics (NP) and Universe and Particles (UP), which are strongly based on the research activities of Clermont-Ferrand laboratories, as well as an international course iMAPP (International Master of Advanced Methods in Particle Physics).

  • The first year of the Master's degree is essentially common to the two courses NP and UP and offers courses in advanced general physics, which can serve as a basis for preparation for the competitive exam for the agrégation in Physical Sciences, Physics option. The courses are distinguished by an initiation to the corresponding disciplinary fields. The classroom courses are complemented by a minimum of 7-weeks internship in a company or research laboratory
  • During the second year, each course offers classroom teaching and also includes a 5-months internship in a company or laboratory. The Master's degree also includes a set of courses dedicated to learning about "data sciences", offering the possibility of a degree Data Scientist delivered by UCA (University diploma)

Objectives

At the end of the first year of advanced general physics, the Master opens onto two M2 courses which are based on the research activities of the Photon axis of the Institut Pascal (Nanophysics course) and the research centers of the Clermont Physics Laboratory (Universe and Particles course). Each course offers a wide range of practical experiences and delivers professional skills. The international character of the training, in both its research and professional aspects, naturally opens up to a doctorate while allowing the integration of the industrial world in the field of industrial R&D. An international development council has been set up to ensure that the content and organization of the Master's program are in line with the objectives of the doctoral program and the jobs targeted at the end of the M2 program.


 

Nanophysics

The Nanophysics (NP) course is devoted to the physical properties of matter from the microscopic or even nanometric scale to the macroscopic scale. For this purpose, it is necessary to know and master the various methods of investigation and analysis of matter using probe beams such as charged particles (electrons, ions) or photons. Knowledge in the field of materials elaboration as well as applications in nanophotonics and sensors is provided. A module on the medical applications of ionizing radiation completes this high-level scientific and technological training. The NP course is co-sponsored by Ecole Polytech via its Physical Engineering department.

Universe and Particles

The Universe and Particles (UP) program offers training in particle physics and cosmology. It is based on the research activities of the site carried out in experimental particle physics collaborations, in particular those hosted by CERN, and in observational cosmology with the flagship experiment LSST. The program also includes courses related to statistical analysis, data mining and artificial intelligence methods that train students for the Data Scientist profession. These modules are open to continuing education.

iMAPP
Since September 2021, students can opt for the iMAPP pathway (International Master "Advanced Methods in Particle Physics"), a joint program (120 ECTS) between TU Dortmund, University of Bologna and UCA. This international Master has been selected in the European program Erasmus Mundus in 2022. The 1st semester is carried out at the University of Clermont Auvergne, the 2nd semester at the University of Dortmund, the 3rd semester in Bologna and the 4th semester is the internship in a laboratory or company. The complete information is provided here: https://imapp.eu


 

Places

Aubière

Campus des Cézeaux

Person in charge of the academic program

  • M. Julien DONINI
DONINI Julien
Email : julien.donini@uca.fr

Partnership

Research center

Laboratoire de Physique de Clermont (LPC)
Institut Pascal (IP)
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Admission

  • Prerequisites for enrolment

    Baccalauréat +3

    Prerequisites training

    Candidates must have a degree in Physics, Physics and Chemistry or a double degree in Mathematics and Physics

  • Conditions of applications

    Application to the Master in Fundamental Physics and Applications (FPA)
    • Required training : 
    To be able to apply to the Master FPA, students must have a Bachelor's degree in Physics, a Bachelor's degree in Physics and Chemistry, or a double Bachelor's degree in Mathematics and Physics.

    Required recruitment level: +3 years after Bachelor

    An examination of the candidates’ profile is carried out on the basis of the application file

    * Selection: for capacity’s reasons and supervision of long internships at the end of the program, the program sets a numerus clausus for admission to M1 (first year of the Master). A selection on applications will therefore be made by the admission jury among all the students applying for the M1, whatever their original degree.
    Merit scholarship and application

    The Graduate Track for Mathematics and Physics offers excellence grants to its students, up to 4,000 euros per academic year.

    As part of its educational development policy, the University of Clermont Auvergne has set up a financial aid scheme for students enrolled in the Graduate Track for Mathematics and Physics.

    This support is awarded according to criteria of academic excellence, motivation and quality of the study project. The grants cover the first year of the Master's program as well as the first semester of the second year, until the beginning of the intership, for a total of 16 months. 

    How to apply? 

    A specific application file must be prepared, in addition to the application file for the Master, which must contain the following elements:

    • A curriculum vitae
    • A letter of motivation presenting the study or research project and the reasons for your desire to come and study at the University of Clermont Auvergne in the framework of this program
    • Transcripts of your Bachelor's degree or equivalent diploma
    • Two letters of support from teachers or people who have worked with you in an academic and/or scientific context

Program

Les informations ci-dessous sont données à titre indicatif et peuvent faire l'objet de mises à jour.

First year

Semester 1
 

Universe & Particles (UP)
+
Nanophysics (NP)

Electromagnetism
       EM optics
       Magnetism
       Projects

Quantum mechanics
       Advanced methods
       Relativistic Quantum Mechanics
       Quantum Optics
       Projects

Statistical Physics
       Statistical Physics & Phase transitions
       Hydrodynamics & Astrophysicsw
       Deformable Solid Mechanics
       Projects

Mathematics
       Mathematics
       Numerical methods

9 ECTS




9 ECTS





9 ECTS





3 ECTS

International Master of Advanced Methods in Particle Physics (iMAPP)

Quantum Field Theory, Gauge Theories & Quantum ChromoDynamics
       Quantum Field Theory
       Gauge Theories
       Quantum ChromoDynamics

Fondations of the standard model of Particle Physics
       Introduction to Particle Physics
       Symmetries in Physics
       Electroweak standard model (inc. flavour physics)

Programming and data analysis
       Programming
       Data structures and mining

Statistics and artificial intelligence
       Statistics
       Machine Learning

Option 1: Guest lectures on various topics (related to PP)
Option 2: UCA seminars on particle physics

Research internship (+ English skills)

6 ECTS





9 ECTS




6 ECTS



6 ECTS



3 ECTS
3 ECTS

6 ECTS

Semester 2

Universe & Particles (UP)
+
Nanophysics (NP)

Experimental methods
       Lab I: astrophysics
       Lab II: Electronics (Arduino)
       Lab III: Instrumentation (Rutherford, Landé factor, 
           radio astronomy, laser)

Physics of matter at different scales
       Nuclear Physics
       Solid state Physics
       Projects: nuclear reactors and society, electronic
           microscopy

Specialisation (elective module) choice:
       Universe & Particles
       Nanophotonics

Research internship (+ English skills)

9 ECTS





9 ECTS





6 ECTS



6 ECTS

International Master of Advanced Methods in Particle Physics (iMAPP)

Theoretical particle physics

Experimental aspects of particle physics

Detector system in particle & medical physics

Option 1: 
       Electronics Lab. Course
       Modern Particle Physics
       Astroparticle Physics

Option 2:
       Guest lectures on recent results (high energy physic)
       TUDO seminars on particle physics

6 ECTS

6 ECTS

6 ECTS


6 ETCS
6 ETCS
6 ECTS


3 ECTS
3 ECTS

Second year

Semester 3

Universe & Particles (UP)

Data Analysis & Statistics
       Data Analysis with Python
       Statistics

Detectors for HEP & Cosmology - Experimental projects
       Detectors
       Experimental projects

Symmetries & Particle Physics
       Symmetries
       Introduction to Particle Physics

Quantum Field Theory & Quantum ChromoDynamics
       Quantum Fiel Theory
       Quantum ChromoDynamics

Data Mining & ML
       Data Mining
       Machine Learning

6 ECTS



6 ECTS



6 ECTS



6 ECTS



6 ECTS

 

Nanophysics (NP)

Professional Insertion & Project Supervision

Data Analysis & Statistics
       Data Analysis with Pyhton
       Statistics

Light-Matter Interaction & Symmetries
       Light-Matter Interaction
       Symmetries

Sensors

Numerical Simulations & Theoretical Modelling in Physics
       Finite difference time domain
       Spectral methods
       Monte-Carlo methods
       Finite element method

Nanostructures & Photonics-Plasmonics
       Physics of nanostructures
       Photonics-Plasmonics-Nano-Materials

3 ECTS

6 ECTS



6 ECTS



3 ECTS

6 ECTS





6 ECTS

 

Semester 4

Universe & Particles (UP)

Electroweak Physics
       QED (Quantum ElectroDynamics & Gauge Theories)
       Electroweak Standard Model
       Flavour Physics (Quarks and Leptons)

General Relativity & Cosmology
       General Relativity
       Cosmology

Research internship (+ English skills)

6 ECTS




6 ECTS



18 ECTS

Nanophysics (NP)

Epitaxy & Interfaces
       Epitaxy, Quantum methods in solids
       Surfaces, interfaces

Exp. techniques of elaboration & analysis, seminars
       Exp. techniques of elaboration & analysis
       Seminars on Nanophysics

Research internship (+ English skills)

6 ECTS



6 ECTS



18 ECTS

  • Internships are mandatory in a company or laboratory:

    • In 1st year: 7weeks minimum
    • In 2nd year: 5-months minimum

  • The Fundamental Physics and Applications field is based on international research activities. The 2nd year courses for both tracks are taught in English. Each course is based on close connections with partner universities in the world which offer privileged possibilities of internships in the 2nd year of the Master's program abroad.

What's next ?

Level of education obtained after completion

Year of highschool graduation

Bac +5

Target skills

Target activities / attested skills

The Master's program offers many practical and experimental situations, to develop skills including the following aspects:

  • Adapting a theoretical framework to describe a phenomenon in a formal and numerical way
  • Leading an innovative scientific project and conducting it in a collaborative framework
  • Drawing up a state of the art experiment in a scientific research field
  • Communicating orally and writing in French and English in a scientific context
  • Using abstraction skills to interpret a real phenomenon
  • Mastering advanced mathematical tools for calculation and modeling in physics
  • Developing an experimental protocol to solve a physical problem

Job opening

Business sector or job


Training by and for research, the Fundamental Physics and Applications specialization has a dual objective in terms of jobs and skills: academic research through the University thesis on the one hand, and jobs in teaching and industrial R&D on the other. These generic objectives are shared by the two courses. However, there are specific skills for each pathway:

  • The courses related to numerical simulations in the Nanophysics program provide skills that are immediately transferable to industrial R&D careers
  • About 100 hours in M2 Universe and Particles are devoted to courses related to statistical data analysis, data mining and artificial intelligence techniques. The aim is to open up new career opportunities as a data scientist.

Professional integration

Nanophysics:

Survey 2020_class of 2019: less than 1 year from graduation:

  • 22% working
  • 11% looking for an occupation
  • 66% in PhD

Universe and Particles:

Survey 2020_class of 2019: less than 1 year from graduation:

  • 12% looking for a job
  • 88% in PhD