Module overview
- 36 Credit Points: Mandatory Modules
- 38 Credit Points: Mandatory Elective Modules, among those
- 32 CP Mandatory Elective Courses
- 6 CP Practical Subjects
- 16 Credit Points: Free Elective Courses
- 30 Credit Points: Master Thesis
We generally recommend taking 30 CP per semester in order to successfully complete the master’s degree course within 2 years (4 semesters).
In the first two semesters, you concentrate on the mandatory modules with 18 CP and add 12 CP of mandatory elective modules or free elective modules.
In the third semester, you will ideally have completed all mandatory modules and can complete the 30 CP in this semester with mandatory elective modules and free elective modules.
Please note that different courses are offered in the winter semester than in the summer semester.
In the fourth semester, you will then work on your Master's thesis.
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 | LV-Number | CP | Semester | |
| WiSe | SoSe | |||
| Photonics Fundamentals Photonics Fundamentals | 141260 | 6 6 | ||
| Optics Fundamentals Optics Fundamentals | tba | 6 6 | ||
| Laser Fundamentals Laser Fundamentals | tba | 6 6 | ||
| Fundamentals of Quantum Mechanics Fundamentals of Quantum Mechanics | 141478 | 6 6 | ||
| Hands-On Fundamentals | 6 | |||
| Master-Project Optics Fundamentals | 142270 | 3 | ||
| Master-Project Advanced Optics 1 | 142262 | 3 | ||
| 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 | ||
Mandatory Electives
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 32 CP from mandatory elective courses by the end of your studies, more are possible, but not less.
| Module Course | LV-Number | CP | Semester | |
| WiSe | SoSe | |||
| Mandatory Electives | ≥ 32 | |||
| Biomedical Optics | 141271 | 3 | ||
| Electromagnetic Fields | 141367 | 5 | ||
| Fiber Optics | 139940 | 6 | ||
| Laser Chemistry | tba | 3 | ||
| Laser Materials Processing | 139960 | 6 | ||
| Laser Spectroscopy | tba | 5 | ||
| Mid-IR and THz Photonics | tba | 3 | ||
| Nonlinear and Complex Systems | tba | 6 | ||
| Numerical Photonics in Python | 141482 | 5 | ||
| Optical Communications | 141258 | 3 | ||
| Optoelectronics | 141267 | 6 | ||
| Photovoltaics | 141269 | 3 | ||
| Physics of Quantum Cascade Lasers | tba | 4 | ||
| Quantum and Nonlinear Optics | tba | 6 | ||
| Soft Condensed Matter Physics | tba | 6 | ||
| Techniques of Laser Metrology * | 139230 | 6 | ||
| Ultrafast Laser Physics and Technology ** | 141424 | 6 | ||
| Upon approval from the master course coordinator further courses can be acknowledged as mandatory electives. Form for acknowlegdement is available at the examination office. | ||||
| * Students who have passed the examinations of the courses "Laser Metrology" (139930) are excluded from taking this examination. | ||||
| ** Students who have passed the examinations of the courses "Ultrafast Laser Physics and Technology" (141420) or "Ultrafast Laser Physics 1: Basics of ultrashort pulses" (141421) or "Ultrafast Laser Physics 2: Generation and Applications of Ultrashort Pulses" (141423) are excluded from taking this examination. | ||||
Elective Practicals
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 | LV-Number | CP | Semester | |
| WiSe | SoSe | |||
| Practical Subjects | ≥ 6 | |||
| Journal Club | 143263 | 2 | ||
| Laser Colloquium | 141422 | 2 | ||
| Master-Seminar Photonics | 143264 | 3 | ||
| Master-Seminar Terahertz Technology | 143265 | 3 | ||
| Master Project Advanced Optics 2 | 142263 | 3 | ||
| Master-Project Applied Optics 1 | 139040 | 3 | ||
| Master-Project Applied Optics 2 | 139050 | 3 | ||
| Science Project | 142264 | 4 | ||
| Research Project | 142267 | 3 | ||
| Research Project Conference Participation | 142268 | 1 | ||
| Competitive International Research Project | 142265 | 2 | ||
| Competitive International Research Project Presentation | 142266 | 3 | ||
| Upon approval from the master course coordinator further courses can be acknowledged as elective practicals. Form for acknowlegdement is available at the examination office. | ||||
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 | LV-Number | CP | Semester | |
| WiSe | SoSe | |||
| Free Elective Courses | ≥ 16 | |||
| Free Choice | 141109 | |||
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 | LV-Number | CP | Semester | |
| WiSe | SoSe | |||
| Master Thesis | 30 | |||
| Master Thesis | 144103 | 30 | ||
