Physics

The Department of Physics at the Faculty of Sciences and Mathematics in Niš has existed for more than half a century and consists of approximately 30 members.  In addition to the Chair of Theoretical Physics and Applications and the Chair of Experimental and Applied Physics, the Department of Physics also encompasses the Center for Advanced Research in Natural Sciences.

The Department of Physics includes numerous laboratories which are used for scientific research, as well as for lectures: the Astronomy, Astrophysics and Astrobiology Laboratory, the Solar Energy Laboratory, the Physics of Ionized Gases Laboratory, the Physical Electronics, Physical and Technical Measurements Laboratory, the Solid State Physics Laboratory and the Physics Didactics and Teaching Resources Laboratory.

The Bachelor’s Degree Program in Physics lasts three years and equates to 180 ECTS. All courses are one semester long, and teaching is organized through lectures and exercises. At the same time, approximately one quarter of all credits are attained by taking elective courses. The students are also given an opportunity to acquire 30 ECTS by taking courses from any other Bachelor’s Degree Program that is realized at the Faculty of Sciences and Mathematics in Niš (Mathematics, Computer Science, Chemistry, Biology, and Geography).

A person who has completed a four-year secondary education can enroll in the first year of the Bachelor’s Degree Program in Physics and it is also possible for a student to transfer from another related study program of the same level.

The Master’s Degree Program in Physics lasts two years and equates to 120 ECTS. The studies are realized within three modules: Theoretical Physics and its Applications, Experimental and Applied Physics, and Physics Didactics. Similar to the Bachelor’s Degree Program in Physics, all courses are one semester long. Depending on the module, elective courses comprise 30-40% of all credits. At this study level, the students are given an opportunity to attain 20 ECTS by taking courses from other study programs of the same level.

In addition to compulsory and elective courses, this level of studies also requires the students’ individual work through independent research, professional practice, master’s thesis course and master’s thesis writing, cumulatively comprising approximately one third of the credits. Although the students are expected to work individually and independently in their research, the mentioned activities take place under the guidance of a mentor, i.e. one of the professors from the Department of Physics.

The Doctoral Degree Program in Physics lasts three years, and the students must attain 180 ECTS to complete it, after which they are awarded the title of Ph.D. in Physics.

This study program includes six elective courses selected from the list of 40 offered courses, multi-level research work and the doctoral dissertation defense. The majority of elective courses belong to those disciplines which imply conducting intensive scientific research and achieving top scientific results at the Faculty of Sciences and Mathematics. Depending on the choice of the courses and scientific research topics within the research work, the students are integrated into the appropriate research group, and whenever possible, they are included in the scientific research projects of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia that are realized at the Faculty. The doctoral dissertation displays the original results of the student’s scientific research work, the significance of which must be confirmed by publication in one of the journals on the SCI list.