TRANSITION BETWEEN THE AUC PHYSICS TRACK AND A MSC IN PHYSICS
AUC students who focus on the physical sciences in the interdisciplinary context of a Liberal Arts and Sciences program have
a wide variety of options for their career, and specifically, for Masters programs. One of the most common and important
directions that AUC graduates will pursue is a focused Masters program that trains students deeply in their chosen field of
interest.
AUC is committed to maintaining and improving a high-quality and more than sufficient physics track. The physics track is
rigorous and efficient, and is designed to prepare students for a Master’s program in Physics. In the table below, the Master’s
program requirements of the joint UvA-VU MSc are given as an example of the requisite physics background.
Master programs decide on an individual basis whether students with a Science bachelor degree are admitted. AUC students
who have taken all of the physics and mathematics courses relevant to the physics track and have a good GPA are not
expected to encounter any problems entering the physics masters listed in the table below. For more information, see also:
http://www.physicsinamsterdam.nl/pia.
The physics track and some of the mathematics courses taught at AUC were designed with this overview in mind. As can be
seen from the table, the AUC curriculum covers all of the theoretical subjects listed, except statistical physics (a course on this
is currently being planned at AUC) and optics (required for Physics of Life and Health). Given sufficiently high GPA and if
the other requirements are met, having a deficiency in a single subject is usually not a problem, as the master programs allow
students to take bachelor courses.
Laboratory courses are excellent opportunities to bolster one’s theoretical studies, and, as of 2013, all physics students will be
required to take a lab course. AUC students who wish to enter into one of the experimental physics masters are advised to take
as much profit as possible of the opportunities that the AUC curriculum offers for gaining experience conducting
experimental research, through the physics lab, internship, and Capstone research project. Further, interested students may
elect to take some of the excellent lab courses offered by the UvA physics program.
Students with a liberal arts and sciences background often have strengths that other students from more focused Bachelor’s
programs do not have, and thus AUC physics students may in some ways be better prepared for Master’s programs. AUC
students have organized and conducted a Capstone research project which gives them deep insights into their fields of interest;
they have taken classes from teachers of many different disciplines, and thus are trained to think outside of the disciplinary
box; they undergo rigorous training in academic writing, and have practiced writing for a broad audience which is extremely
useful in scientific communication; they study entirely in English, which is nowadays the language of scientific communication.
Finally, AUC students will have explored other disciplines and may have become more sure and mature in their commitment
to science.
Students with specific questions or concerns about their curriculum planning in the physical sciences should feel free to
contact Sebastian de Haro ([email protected]) or Forrest Bradbury ([email protected]).
Two AUC teachers are directly involved in the transition to master programs at the UvA: Jan Pieter van der Schaar (head of
studies Sciences) is the official AUC advisor regarding transition to a physics master at the UvA. Bernard Nienhuis is the
coordinator of the MSc in Theoretical Physics at the UvA. Students can also refer to them for any questions regarding the
transition to one of these programs.
General (UvA only)
Applicants should hold a Bachelor's degree in Physics. This Master's programme is a regular study
programme for Dutch Master's students, but has also been adapted to accommodate international
students with a relevant Bachelor's degree or suitable science major from a foreign university.
Applicants are expected to have an overall grade point average (GPA) equivalent to at least:



Theoretical Physics
Advanced Matter
and Energy Physics
Particle and
Astroparticle
Physics
3.0 (American system)
2.1 (a second class upper/division one degree in the British system)
C (ECTS-system)
Admission, however, will not be granted based on a sufficient grade point average alone.
You need a profound knowledge of

special theory of relativity,

quantum mechanics,

statistical physics,

electrodynamics,

calculus and linear algebra.

Solid basic knowledge of condensed matter and particle physics is preferred.
You have a well-founded knowledge of




quantum mechanics,
statistical physics and
electrodynamics (at BSc level);
enjoy the challenge of fundamental experimental research, while keeping an eye open for
possible applications of your results;

are interested spending time in a laboratory abroad, or in industry;

enjoy working in a team while being the driving force and hands-on 'principle investigator' of
your own experiments;

like to get to the bottom of things, are not afraid of complexity and have a well-developed
concept of the art of doing science, in particular experimental science;

can quickly absorb and integrate novel concepts.
You need profound knowledge of

quantum mechanics,

calculus and

electrodynamics
You should enjoy doing fundamental research and be willing to spend time abroad.

Laser Sciences and
Biomolecular
Photonics
Physics of Life and
Health
like to dig deep into the Standard Model and have a well-developed concept of the art of doing
science, in particular experimental science.

It is useful if you can quickly absorb and integrate novel concepts.

You should take pleasure in an international collaborative research environment.

Preferably, you have solid basic knowledge of particle physics
You have a BSc in physics or chemistry;




you enjoy doing experimental research;
enjoy working on small-scale experiments;
like to be responsible for your own experiment, working together with only a few colleagues;
like optics and lasers, and don't mind doing electronics and computer control of your
experiment.
You have a profound knowledge of physics

mechanics,

electricity,

magnetism,

optics,

quantum mechanics
and mathematics



calculus, linear algebra, partial differential equations, statistics
you enjoy doing research in a multidisciplinary environment
can quickly absorb and integrate biological and physics concepts