Master Thesis and Degree

The Master's thesis is documented in a written report, which is assessed.
Latex template (ZIP, 802 KB) for thesis (PDF, 430 KB).

On a full-time basis, a 50 ECTS Master's thesis takes approximately 10 months to complete, including the preparation of the module examination and the writing of the report. Leave of up to four weeks may be taken in consultation with the supervisor. In the case of part-time employment and more or less leave, the duration will change accordingly.

A Master's thesis worth 30 ECTS corresponds to a duration of approximately 6 months, whereby the same conditions apply. This duration includes holidays of up to two weeks.

You can find suggested topics for a bachelor’s thesis at  www.physik.uzh.ch/de/studium/bachelor-Masterarbeiten.html. We also recommend to ask directly in the research groups.

Exam
The module examination for the Master's thesis consists of two parts of approximately 30 minutes each and is also graded. The Master's thesis is first presented in a public seminar. In the second part, which is not open to the public, the student is questioned orally by at least two lecturers on physical concepts related to the Master's thesis.

The final grade of the Master's thesis is calculated from the weighted average of the grades of the written report (2/3) and the module examination (1/3). Both the Master's thesis and the module examination must be graded as "sufficient", i.e. at least 4.0.
Grading criteria for a master thesis (PDF, 147 KB)

Dates
The dates for the Master's thesis and the associated module examination are set in personal consultation with the supervisor. Registration takes place using the forms on the website.
The defense seminar  usually takes place Thursday between 15 and 17

Theses may also be completed with an external research team. Students must submit a written request along with a work outline to a faculty member in the UZH’s physics department, who has to be willing to accept responsibility for the thesis and designate the courses the students should attend. Such a thesis must centre on a question within the field of physics. Theses with external research groups need to meet the requirements of a master’s thesis in physics at the UZH in duration, quality, mentorship and grading. The corresponding credit points will therefore be counted as credit points earned at the University of Zurich.

• Registration Master Thesis
  Registration for the master's thesis must take place at the beginning of the master's thesis.
  Please fill out the "Master's thesis registration (PDF, 87 KB)" form, have it signed by the supervisor and send it to the study coordinator (studium@physik.uzh.ch, Seminar webpage for defenses). If the master's thesis is carried out externally, a faculty member must sign as the person responsible for the module

• Registration Master exam
  The master examination takes place as part of the "seminar for bachelor's and master's presen-
  tation" every Thursday between 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. in Y36-K-08 (webpage). Registration for the master's exam must be made as early as possible, at least 2 weeks before the desired date. Please fill out the form "Registration Master Exam (PDF, 179 KB)", have it signed by the supervisor and send it to the study coordinator (studium@physik.uzh.ch).

• Master exam
  The module exam for the master’s thesis consists of two parts, which each take about 30 minutes and are both graded. Firstly, students present their master’s thesis in a public presentation. In the second part, which is not open to the public, students must defend their thesis against a minimum of two lecturers. The questions focus on the field of the thesis.

• Submission of the Master Thesis
  The master's thesis must be submitted no later than 2 weeks before the date of the master's
  examination to the supervisor (if nothing else is agreed upon).

• Application for an MSc Degree in Physics
  Send the study coordinator (studium@physik.uzh.ch) a copy of your master thesis, bound and a PDF file, as well as thedeclaration of consent (PDF, 107 KB) and the signed list of attended seminar talks (PDF, 37 KB). Once you have obtained all the required credit points (usually after the Master's examination), you can apply for your master`s degree online via the link “Application for Degree in Student-Admin (Link)

• A degree can still be issued for the previous semester, provided that all modules (including examinations) are completed at the latest before the start of the lecture period of the following semester.

more information

The Guide to Physics Studies provides comprehensive information about the Bachelor's and Master's programs.