Prerequisites for the admission.

The 2nd cycle degree programme in Physics has free access. Students wishing to enrol must possess a 1st cycle three-year degree or other appropriate qualification obtained abroad, and must pass an interview to verify their personal knowledge and skills.
Students may also enrol on a part-time basis.
The knowledge required for admission to the 2nd cycle degree programme in Physics includes:
- General knowledge of basic mathematics and numerical calculus (mathematical analysis; numerical analysis; geometry) and basic chemistry
- General knowledge of basic physics (classic physics: mechanics, thermodynamics and fluid physics, electro-magnetism; classic physics laboratory; data acquisition techniques and statistical processing of experimental data)
- General knowledge of theoretical and mathematical physics (mathematical models for physics; analytical mechanics; introduction to quantum physics)
- General knowledge of matter physics (introduction to matter structure)
- Sound knowledge of written and spoken English.
The curricular requirements for admission, the suitability of personal competencies and skills and the motivation of all candidates will be assessed by a specifically appointed board, in the methods laid down in the teaching regulations of the 2nd cycle degree programme in Physics and in the annual call for admissions.

Skills associated with the function

Physicist (2nd cycle graduate)
2nd cycle graduates in Physics:
- Apply highly specialised knowledge of physics, also in avant-garde professional and study fields;
- Using the critical awareness acquired in interdisciplinary fields, assess the interfacing problems between physics and biology, physics and material sciences;
- Apply theoretical and numerical modelling skills to solve problems of research and/or innovation;
- Are able to manage and transform complex professional and study contexts, also through the experience gained in group work;
- Cooperate in the transfer of knowledge for innovation and technology transfers.
- Participate in the design/implementation of industrial installations and laboratories for the production and transformation of materials, development of products, processes and applications in emerging technologies (e.g. nanotechnologies).

Function in a work context

Physicist (2nd cycle graduate)
observes and measures physical properties, events and changes, documents them and records them systematically and reliably;
- processes and analyses data deriving from the observations and laboratory measurements and places them in relation with appropriate theories;
- drafts the solution to various scientific and technological problems, applying knowledge of basic and advanced physics in specific sectors, such as nanotechnologies;
- performs research activities, industrial process controls and analyses in public and private organisations;
- is able to design and product teaching materials and instrumentation for various applications;
- works professionally in industrial technological applications;
- participates in the management of public and private research centres, overseeing modelling and analytical activities and the relative computing and physics implications.
- The training received offers access to PhD programmes and Specialisation Schools (Medical and Health Physics, teacher training).

Educational goals

The contents of the course units in the Modern Physics and Interdisciplinary Physics Studies aim to provide advanced knowledge of the foundations of theoretical physics (relativity, theory of fields, advanced theoretical methods), to advance the study of mathematical physics and computing (numerical calculus, linear and non-linear dynamic systems, computational methods and programming languages) and to tackle the most relevant specialist subjects of modern physics (physics of fundamental interactions, properties of condensed matter, nanoscale physics and biophysics, physics of complex systems).
The 2nd cycle degree programme in Physics is structured, where required also into different curricula, to ensure a broad common grounding for all students as well as the possibility to customise the programme through the choice of elective course units aiming to offer more in-depth training in fields linked to the research activities undertaken at the university and in cooperation with other (advanced or basic) research centres of excellence, including modern theoretical physics, physics of matter and applied physics, particularly concerning the properties of materials and nanoscale devices, routine and ground-breaking experimental and interdisciplinary techniques. The choice of subject fields and the breadth of the respective credits is designed to allow students update their knowledge over time, selecting more specialist course units run in line with the developments in research and employment prospects.
Training in scientific research is assured during the production of an original dissertation on a specific project, performed under the guidance of a supervising professor from the university. The specific learning outcomes of the dissertation concern the ability to retrieve, consult and use scientific texts from international journals, acquire and critically analyse experimental data, write and orally present highly qualified and complex scientific reports on original research topics.

Communication skills

Graduates must be able to present their own research or the results of bibliographical research to a specialist and non-specialist audience.
Written and oral communication skills are assessed in the final dissertation, produced by students at the end of the programme and discussed in public session before an examination board.

Making Judgements

Graduates are required to:
- Be able to design experimental and/or theoretical procedures to improve existing results;
- Be able to work autonomously as well as in interdisciplinary groups;
- Be able to establish priorities for the tasks to be performed and be able to plan their own work;
- Be able to understand the problems posed on the (physics) profession by society and understand the ethical features of research and professional activity and the responsibilities in protecting public health and the environment;
- Be able to develop their own sense of responsibility through the choice of elective course units.
The ability to make judgements is assessed during the course units chosen by the students in their individual study plan and their ability to work autonomously as well as in groups during the research activities undertaken for the dissertation.

Learning skills

Graduates must be able to perform research and use the relative physical and technical literature in the English language, along with other relevant sources of information for developing research and technical projects.
Graduates are stimulated to keep abreast of new developments and methods and must be able to tackle new fields of study autonomously.
Learning skills are assessed in the exams in many of the course units, and the in production of the final dissertation, in which students are usually required to consult scientific texts and references in a foreign language, personally studying subjects that were not covered in the general teaching activities.

Knowledge and understanding

Modern Physics
Familiarity with key areas of physics, a solid understanding of the most important theories of physics and in-depth knowledge of the foundations of modern physics;
- Understanding of the nature and methods of physics research.
The above knowledge and understanding is assessed during the core course units in Modern Physics.


Physics: interdisciplinary studies
Understanding of the most commonly used mathematical and numerical methods;
- Knowledge of a scientific programming field;
- Solid knowledge of the state of the art of physics depending on the chosen area of study (e.g. physics of fundamental interactions or matter structures);
- Knowledge of the state of the art of topics interfacing with similar scientific subjects (mathematical physics. physical chemistry, biophysics, material sciences and nanosciences).
The ability to apply knowledge and understanding is assessed in the exams of common course units laid down in individual study plans, many of which require contacts with the results of current research works.

Applying knowledge and understanding

Modern Physics
Ability to think critically and construct physical models;
- Ability to clearly assess quantities in physically different situations highlighting similarities, thus applying known solutions to new problems;
- Ability to adapt existing models to new experimental data;
- Ability to contribute to the design of experimental and/or theoretical procedures to solve recurrent problems in academic and industrial research;
- Familiarity with key experimental methods and ability to perform experiments autonomously, and to describe, analyse and critically assess experimental data.
The ability to apply knowledge and understanding is assessed in numerical and laboratory exercises and project work in course units in Modern Physics and the relative exams.


Physics: interdisciplinary studies
Ability to develop professional flexibility through the choice of elective course units.
- Command of the use of the most common mathematical and numerical methods;
- Ability to perform autonomous calculations where necessary using small or large computers, including the development of software programmes;
- Ability to contribute to the design of experimental and/or theoretical procedures to solve recurrent problems in academic and industrial research.
The ability to apply knowledge and understanding is assessed in numerical and computing exercises and project work in specialist course units and the relative exams.