Course Structure PO 2015
Module overview
- 42 Credit Points: Mandatory Modules
- 48 Credit Points: Mandatory Elective Modules, among those
- ≥ 20 CP Mandatory Elective Courses
- ≥ 6 CP Practical Subjects
- ≥ 16 CP Free Elective Courses
- 30 Credit Points: Master Thesis
Mandatory Elective Modules
The mandatory elective modules are divided into three categories:
- Mandatory electives courses
- Practical subjects
- Free elective courses.
In the first two semesters, the mandatory elective modules are only a small supplement to the mandatory modules on which you should concentrate at the beginning. In the third semester, you will ideally have completed all mandatory modules. Then, in your third semester, you are free to choose which modules you would like to take. Please note that different courses are offered in the winter semester than in the summer semester.
Study Plan LAP (PO 2015)
Mandatory Modules
The mandatory modules are all modules you must take and pass. There is no way to bypass them. However, they provide you with all the important background information on lasers and photonics and are a solid basis for further specialisations. Ideally, you will have completed the mandatory modules after your second semester.
| Module Course | Course number | CP | Semester | |
| Winter | Summer | |||
| English | 6 | |||
| English for Specific Academic Purposes: Researching and Writing a Scientific Paper | 251231 | 3 | ||
| English for Specific Academic Purposes: Producing and Presenting a Scientific Poster | 251230 | 3 | ||
| Laser Technology Laser Technology | 138950 | 6 6 | ||
| Laser Materials Processing Laser Materials Processing | 139960 | 6 6 | ||
| Laser Metrology Techniques of Laser Metrology * | 139230 | 6 6 | ||
| Optical Metrology Optics Fundamentals ** | 141259 | 6 6 | ||
| Optoelectronics Optoelectronics | 141267 | 6 6 | ||
| Photonics | 6 | |||
| Photonics Fundamentals*** | 141260 | 5 | ||
| Master Project Optics Fundamentals | 142269 | 1 | ||
| * The course replaces the course ‘Laser Metrology’ (course no.: 139930) in winter semester 2024/25. Students who have already passed 'Laser Metrology' may not attend the lecture 'Techniques of Laser Metrology'. ** The course replaces the course „Optical Metrology“ (course no.: 141263) in summer semester 2025. Students who have already passed „Optical Metrology“ may not attend the lecture „Optics Fundamentals“. *** The course replaces the course „Photonics“ (course no.: 141261) in winter semester 2024/25. Students who have already passed „Photonics“ may not attend the lecture „Photonics Fundamentals“. | ||||
Mandatory Elective Courses
The mandatory elective courses are lectures that are concluded with an examination. The difference to the mandatory modules is that you can choose from a list of courses which you would like to take. You earn at least 20 CP from mandatory elective courses by the end of your studies, more are possible, but not less.
| Module Course | Course number | CP | Semester | |
| Winter | Summer | |||
| Mandatory Elective Courses | a ≥ 20* | |||
| Biomedical Optics | 141271 | 3 | ||
| Electromagnetic Fields | 141367 | 5 | ||
| Fiber Optics | 139940 | 6 | ||
| Fundamentals of Quantum Mechanics | 141478 | 6 | ||
| Laser Chemistry | 138340 | 3 | ||
| Mid-IR and THz Photonics | 141425 | 3 | ||
| Nonlinear and Complex Systems | 141476 | 6 | ||
| Numerical Photonics in Python | 141482 | 5 | ||
| Optical Communications | 141258 | 3 | ||
| Photovoltaics | 141269 | 3 | ||
| Quantum and Nonlinear Optics | 141477 | 6 | ||
| Soft Condensed Matter Physics | 141479 | 6 | ||
| Ultrafast Laser Physics 2: Generation and Applications of Ultrashort Pulses | 141423 | 4 | ||
| Computational Engineering 2: Electrodynamics | 141378 | 3 | ||
| Biophysical Chemistry I | 184611 | 5 | ||
| Introduction to Nonlinear optics | 139900 | 3 | ||
| Laser Spectroscopy | 160308 | 3 | ||
| Physics of Quantum Cascade Lasers | 160311 | 4 | ||
| Plasmonics | 139950 | 3 | ||
| Quantum Optics | 160328 | 4 | ||
| Terahertz Technology | 141266 | 4 | ||
| Ultrafast Laser Physics 1: Basics of ultrashort pulses | 141421 | 4 | ||
| Ultrafast Laser Physics and Technology | 141420 | 4 | ||
| Upon approval from the master course coordinator further courses can be acknowledged as mandatory electives. Form for acknowlegdement is available at the examination office. | ||||
| * a + b + c ≥ 48 CP | ||||
Practical Subjects
Practical work in the lab, programming or reading and understanding papers – these are the practical subjects. You need at least 6 CP in practical subjects for your master's degree, which means that you have to take between 2 and 3 practical subjects during the course of your studies. Again, more is always possible, but not less.
| Module Course | course number | CP | Semester | |
| Winter | Summer | |||
| Practical Subjects | b ≥ 6* | |||
| Competitive International Research Project | 142265 | 2 | ||
| Competitive International Research Project Presentation | 142266 | 3 | ||
| Journal Club | 143263 | 2 | ||
| Laser Colloquium | 141422 | 2 | ||
| Master Project Advanced Optics 1 | 142262 | 3 | ||
| Master Project Advanced Optics 2 | 142263 | 3 | ||
| Master-Project Applied Optics 1 | 139040 | 3 | ||
| Master-Project Applied Optics 2 | 139050 | 3 | ||
| Master-Seminar Photonics | 143264 | 3 | ||
| Master-Seminar Terahertz Technology | 143265 | 3 | ||
| Research Project | 142267 | 3 | ||
| Research Project Conference Participation | 142268 | 1 | ||
| Science Project | 142264 | 4 | ||
| Master Seminar Biomedical Optics | 143261 | 3 | ||
| Maths for Laser engineers | 141262 | 2 | ||
| Scientific Working | 141270 | 2 | ||
| Upon approval from the master course coordinator further courses can be acknowledged as mandatory electives. Form for acknowlegdement is available at the examination office. | ||||
| * a + b + c ≥ 48 CP | ||||
Free Elective Courses
In the free elective courses, you can set additional individual specialisations. You can freely choose from the entire range of courses offered by Ruhr University in order to deepen your knowledge. In addition to technical subjects, e.g. taking more mandatory elective courses or practical subjects than needed, you can thus add courses from science, programming, economics, languages, philosophy and more to your studies.
All courses offered in English are listed in the RUB International Course Catalogue: https://international.rub.de/rubiss/studium/vvz.html.en
In addition to your subject courses, you can also attend German as a Foreign Language (DaF) courses at RUB. The courses are free of charge and offered at different language levels. Note that you must register in good time to be able to attend. You can find the dates for registration online at: http://www.daf.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/
| Module Course | Course number | CP | Semester | |
| Winter | Summer | |||
| Free Elective Courses | c ≥ 16* | |||
| Free Choice | 141109 | |||
| * a + b + c ≥ 48 CP | ||||
Master Thesis
The grand finale of your master's programme is your master's thesis, which you ideally do in the 4th semester. Here you work on a scientific project for 6 months and write your thesis on it. This is usually done at a chair or a working group at the RUB, but it is also possible to write your thesis at a research institute or a company. However, you will need a first examiner from RUB, so make sure you get on early.
| Module Course | Course number | CP | Semester | |
| Winter | Summer | |||
| Master Thesis | 30 | |||
| Master Thesis | 144103 | 30 | ||