Physics of the Earth and Atmosphere University of Cologne

University of Bonn

Courses are held in English. The Master's thesis must be written in English or, after approval by the examination committee, in German.

The Master's programme in Physics of the Earth and Atmosphere addresses the application of physics to the system of Earth and to the system of the atmosphere, i.e. the classical topics of geophysics and meteorology. The course of study comes with two areas of specialisation, namely "Geophysics" and "Meteorology", to be chosen by the prospective student at the time of the application.

The compulsory modules in the "Geophysics" area of specialisation are:

• Geophysics of the solar system
• Advanced geophysical field course
• Space physics
• Direct current and electromagnetic exploration methods

In the "Meteorology" area of specialisation four out of the following five modules have to be chosen:

• Clouds and precipitation
• Atmospheric dynamics and modelling
• Radiation
• Atmospheric boundary layer
• Physical climatology

Modules common to both area of specialisation are "Prognostic Modelling" and "Inverse Modelling" and the modules of the research oriented second part of the course of study.

The four elective modules may be chosen from a large set of modules from mathematics, physics, geophysics, meteorology and more, both from the university of Cologne and our partner university in Bonn.

15 July for the following winter semester (October to March)

15 January for the following summer semester (April to September)

The duration of the programme is two years. The first year is course-oriented and the second year is research-oriented.

Courses of the first semester:

• Prognostic modelling
• Three compulsive modules
• One elective module

Courses of the second semester:

• Inverse modelling
• Two compulsive modules
• Two elective modules

Courses of the third semester:

• One elective module
• Literature seminar and Current Research Questions
• Project Work

Courses of the fourth semester:

• Master's thesis

If the beginning of the study is in the summer semester, the courses of the first and second semester are swapped.

Deviations from the recommended study plan are possible.

During the project work and the subsequent preparation of the Master's thesis in the second year of the course, the students become temporary members of a research group. This fosters the initial research experience and embeds the students into an international research environment.

No tuition fees

Approx. 305 EUR per semester. The fee includes a "Deutschlandsemesterticket".

Approx. 968 EUR per month

Bachelor of Science in geophysics and/or meteorology and/or physics containing at least 18 CP (credit points) in mathematics, 18 CP in physics, and 6 CP in earth sciences, atmospheric sciences, planetary physics, or astrophysics

Knowledge of the English language at level B2 in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages

15 July for the following winter semester (October to March)

15 January for the following summer semester (April to September)

No

Students may apply for student jobs, which are frequently offered by the institute.