Education of the Bachelor in Physics

The physicist’s education is based on a knowledge of the laws that govern physical systems, an understanding that students discover through coursework and practical work in the laboratory. A wide palette of mathematical tools is needed in this process, and as a consequence, a student’s first two years in the program consist primarily of courses in mathematics, general physics and laboratory work. Theoretical and experimental understanding develops hand in hand with a student’s intellectual skills – a sharpening of the critical sense and the power of abstraction, development of scientific rigor, and the ability to create models. The third year is dedicated in part to courses in modern physics such as quantum physics, solid state physics, statistical physics, elementary particles, biophysics, and astrophysics, and in part to advanced laboratory work in which the student reproduces numerous experiments, exercising his/her aptitudes in experimentation and creativity. During the Bachelors cycle, students are initiated into other basic sciences (biology and chemistry) and to other technical areas such as electronics, telecommunications and computer science. Various courses and projects in the humanities and social sciences round out the student’s polytechnical education.

Legends

Courses periods

	Autumn semester	mi-September to the end of December
	Spring Semester	beginning of February to the end of May

Examinations Periods

	Winter Session	the last three weeks of January
	Summer Session	mi-June to the beginning of July

Study plan 2008-2009 Bachelor in Physics 1st year

Physics 2008-09

			Bachelor 1			Bachelor 2
Course	Code	Sections	Lecturers	l	r	p	l	r	p	Exam	Coefficient
Examination courses										TOTAL 12
Analysis (German) I	MATH-104	MA	Semmler	4h	4h					Written	3
Analysis (German) II	MATH-109	MA	Semmler				4h	2h
Linear algebra I	MATH-110	MA	Hess Bellwald	3h	2h					Written	3
Linear algebra II	MATH-115	MA	Hess Bellwald				3h	2h
Physics I	PHYS-100	PH	Ansermet	4h	2h					Written	2
Analysis I	MATH-100	MA	Rappaz	4h	4h					Written	3
Analysis II	MATH-105	MA	Rappaz				4h	4h
General chemistry	CH-161(b)	CGC	Beck	2h	1h					Written	1
Numerical analysis	MATH-150	MA	Picasso				2h	1h		Written	1
Physics II	PHYS-105	PH	Ansermet				5h	2h		Written	2
Semester courses										TOTAL 5
Computer-aided engineering I	CS-110(a)	IN	Chappelier	2h		2h				During the semester	2
Computer-aided engineering II	CS-112(a)	IN	Chappelier				2h		2h
Introduction to metrology	PHYS-104(a)	PH	Gremaud Schaller	1h		3h				During the semester	1
General chemistry, Laboratory Work	CH-168	CGC	Roussel						42h	During the semester	1
SHS : Cours d'initiation 1		SHS	Divers enseignants								0.25
SHS : Cours d'initiation 2		SHS	Divers enseignants								0.25
SHS : Cours d'initiation 3		SHS	Divers enseignants								0.25
SHS : Cours d'initiation 4		SHS	Divers enseignants								0.25

Study plan 2008-2009 Bachelor in Physics

Physics 2008-09

			Bachelor 3			Bachelor 4			Bachelor 5			Bachelor 6
Course	Code	Sections	Lecturers	l	r	p	l	r	p	l	r	p	l	r	p	Exam	Credits
Block 1																TOTAL 37
Analysis III	MATH-201	MA	Maddocks	3h	2h											Written	10
Analysis IV	MATH-206	MA	Stuart				3h	2h
Analytical mechanics (for SPH)	PHYS-202	PH	De Los Rios	2h	2h											Written	4
Physics III	PHYS-200	PH	Meister	4h	2h											Written	6
Computational physics I	PHYS-203	PH	Villard	1h	1h	2h										During the semester	6
Computational physics II	PHYS-210	PH	Villard				1h	1h	2h
Physics IV	PHYS-206	PH	Meister				4h	2h								Written	6
Probabilities and statistics	MATH-233	MA	Pfister	3h	2h											Oral	5
Block 2																TOTAL 19
Astrophysics I : Introduction to astrophysics	PHYS-209	PH	Courbin				2h	1h								Oral	3
Initiation to electronics	EE-294	EL	Décurnex	2h	2h											Written	4
Physics, Laboratory work I	PHYS-204	PH	Gremaud			4h
Physics, Laboratory work II	PHYS-211	PH	Gremaud						4h
Biological chemistry	CH-264	CGC	Vogel				2h	1h								Written	3
Initiation to communications sciences		SC	Wagen				2h	1h								Oral	3
Structural properties of condensed matter	PHYS-212	PH	Chapuis				2h	1h								Oral	3
SHS Studio I, II																TOTAL 4
SHS specialization I,II		SHS	Divers enseignants														4
Block 3																TOTAL 28
Solid state physics I	PHYS-309	PH	Brune							2h	2h					Oral	4
Nuclear and particle physics I	PHYS-311	PH	Schneider							2h	2h					Oral	4
Quantum physics I	PHYS-313	PH	Savona							2h	2h					Written	4
Statistical physics I	PHYS-315	PH	Ivanov							2h	2h					Written	4
Classical electrodynamics	PHYS-324	PH	Chapochnikov										2h	2h		Oral	4
Solid state physics II	PHYS-310	PH	Brune										2h	2h		Oral	4
Quantum physics II	PHYS-314	PH	Mila										2h	2h		Written	4
Group 5 "Option courses"																TOTAL 12
Block 4																TOTAL 16
Various																TOTAL
Optics I	PHYS-305	PH	Kapon							2h	1h					Oral	3
Biophysics I	PHYS-301	PH	Meister							2h	1h					Written	3
Mathematical methods for physics	MATH-380	MA	Pfister							2h	1h					Oral	3
The physics of real materials I	PHYS-307	PH	Mari							2h	1h					Oral	3
Introduction to construction technics	PHYS-300(a)	PH	Gentile Sanjines									1h
Physics, Laboratory work IIIa	PHYS-319	PH	Sanjines									8h				During the semester	8
Physics seminar	PHYS-322	PH	Schneider											1h
Astrophysics	PHYS-323	PH	North										2h	1h		Oral	3
Atoms and radiation	CH-360	CGC	Cannizzo										2h	1h		Oral	3
Biophysics II	PHYS-302	PH	Dietler										2h	1h		Oral	3
Hydrodynamics	ME-444	GM	Deville										2h	1h		Oral	3
Nuclear and particle physics II	PHYS-312	PH	Schneider										2h	1h		Oral	3
Mathematical physics	PHYS-326	PH	Scrucca										2h	1h		Oral	3
Optics II	PHYS-306	PH	Kapon										2h	1h		Oral	3
Plasma physics I	PHYS-325	PH	Alberti										2h	1h		Oral	3
Statistical physics II	PHYS-316	PH	Ivanov										2h	1h		Written	3
Physics, Laboratory work IIIb	PHYS-320	PH	Sanjines												8h	During the semester	8