FUSION-EP: Curriculum and Exams

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1. Overview
2. Schedule of Studies
3. Thesis Modalities and Template
4. Examinations (Deadlines!)
5. Grade Conversion Table

Prerequisites for the for the FUSION-EP Master are

• Qualified Bachelor Degree (equivalent to 6 semesters study of physics)
• Proficiency in English Language

The programme starts with the Winter Term, and the duration is 4 semesters. The first year will be in one country, and the second year in a different country, to be decided according to track choice and thesis topic group. Placement for the second year will be decided during March of the first year. 

The Fusion Techology first year is exclusively in Stuttgart.

After each Summer semester, a mandatory meeting of all students takes place (Summer Event). Second year students will defend their thesis there.

The Master comprises a total of 120 ECTS points.

The plasma related module descriptions are available as a PDF with all course descriptions.

These are the mandatory courses and the recommended electives. Please find up-to-date information on the C@mpus site by searching for the module or lecture title (try both the German and English language).

Each year, you have to choose a certain amount of electives. A list is given below, but it is not exhaustive. You should have a general idea of your electives before the start of the winter lecture period. Don't be starting the summer lectures with 15 elective ECTS points missing.

If you find an elective that looks interesting (and fusion-related), look it or its module up on C@mpus. The best information is found in the requisite module handbook. Or you can ask our lecturers at the IGVP directly.

Module Language and Culture (6 ECTS)
Intensive German course
ECTS: 6
Where: Stuttgart
When: September and October before the regular lecture period

Module Plasma Physics (9 ECTS)
Plasma Physics 1
ECTS: 3
Where: Stuttgart
When: Winter Semester
Look it up on C@ampus
Module handbook

Plasma Physics 2
ECTS: 3
Where: Stuttgart
When: Summer Semester
Look it up on C@ampus
Module handbook

Fusion Research
ECTS: 3
Where: Stuttgart
When: Summer Semester
Look it up on C@ampus
Module handbook

Module Numerical Methods (9 ECTS)
Numerical Plasma Physics 1
ECTS: 3
Where: Stuttgart
When: Winter Semester
Look it up on C@ampus
Module handbook

Numerical Plasma Physics 2
ECTS: 3
Where: Stuttgart
When: Summer Semester
Look it up on C@ampus
Module handbook

Simulation of Reflectometry with Python
ECTS: 3
Where: Stuttgart
When: Winter or Summer Semester
Look it up on C@ampus
Module handbook

Module Lab Course (12 ECTS)
Advanced Physics Lab
ECTS: 12
Where: Stuttgart
When: Winter and Summer Semester
Look it up on C@ampus

Module Microwave Technology (9 ECTS)
Microwave Technology 1
ECTS: 3
Where: Stuttgart
When: Winter Semester
Look it up on C@ampus
Module handbook

Microwave Technology 2
ECTS: 3
Where: Stuttgart
When: Summer Semester
Module handbook

Design of an ECRH Launcher with the PROFUSION tools
ECTS: 3
Where: Stuttgart
When: Winter or Summer
Look it up on C@ampus
Module handbook

Module Fusion Technology at KIT (4 ECTS)
One of the following courses:

Magnet-Technology for Fusion reactors including practice
ECTS: 4
Where: block course at KIT
When: Summer (Pentecost week or by agreement)
www.iatf.kit.edu/english/28_2180.php

Vacuum and Tritium Technology in Nuclear Fusion
ECTS: 4
Where: block course at KIT
When: Summer (Pentecost week or by agreement)
duckduckgo.com/?q=vacuum+and+tritium+technology+site%3Akit.edu

Note: KIT campusses are in and near Karlsruhe, 1–2 hours of travel away from Stuttgart.
Note: For the KIT courses please refer to the KIT website and contact the lecturers directly:
www.itep.kit.edu/english/lectures.php
www.iatf.kit.edu/english/28.php
www.inr.kit.edu/english/90.php (contact the secretary IL-Sekretariat@inr.kit.edu)

Module Electives (choose 11 ECTS)

This list is only a sample of courses that have been available in the past. You can suggest any fusion-relevant course you find at the university.

Note that some courses are not available each year!

KIT campusses are in and near Karlsruhe, 1–2 hours of travel away from Stuttgart.

Note: For the KIT courses please refer to the KIT website and contact the lecturers directly:
www.itep.kit.edu/english/lectures.php
www.iatf.kit.edu/english/28.php
www.inr.kit.edu/english/90.php (contact the secretary IL-Sekretariat@inr.kit.edu)

Magnet-Technology for Fusion reactors including practice
ECTS: 4
Where: block course at KIT
When: Summer (Pentecost week or by agreement)
Availability: practically always
www.iatf.kit.edu/english/28_2180.php

Vacuum and Tritium Technology in Nuclear Fusion
ECTS: 4
Where: block course at KIT
When: Summer (Pentecost week or by agreement)
duckduckgo.com/?q=vacuum+and+tritium+technology+site%3Akit.edu

Thermal and neutronically loaded materials
ECTS: 4
Where: KIT Campus South
When: weekly lecture

Fusion technology B (materials, heating systems, neutronics and nuclear data, reactor safety)
ECTS: 4
Where: KIT Campus South
When: weekly lecture
duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=%22Fusion+technology+B%22+site%3Akit.edu

Introduction to Neutron Cross Section Theory and Nuclear Data Generation
ECTS: 4
Where: KIT Campus South
When: weekly lecture Summer Semester

Fundamentals of Energy Technology
ECTS: 4
Where: KIT Campus South
When: weekly lecture Summer Semester

Nuclear Waste
ECTS: 3
Where: Stuttgart
When: Summer Semester
Look it up on C@ampus

Thermo- and Fluid Dynamics
ECTS: 3
Where: Stuttgart
When: Winter Semester
Look it up on C@ampus

Modeling of Two-Phase Flows Part I+II
ECTS: 6
Where: Stuttgart
When: Winter Semester
Availability: practically always
Look it up on C@ampus

Advanced Statistical Physics
ECTS: 9
Where: Stuttgart
When: Summer Semester
Availability: practically always
Look it up on C@ampus

Advanced Atomic Physics I+II
ECTS: 9
Where: Stuttgart
When: Winter Semester
Availability: practically always
Look it up on C@ampus

Advanced Quantum Theory
ECTS: 9
Where: Stuttgart
When: Winter Semester
Availability: practically always
Look it up on C@ampus

Laser Physics, full or partial module, talk to the lecturer first!
ECTS: 4/12
Where: Stuttgart
When: Winter and Summer Semester
Look it up on C@ampus
Look it up on C@ampus

Bayesian Statistics and Probabilistic Machine Learning
ECTS: 6
Where: Stuttgart
When: Winter Semester
Look it up on C@ampus

Machine learning in the sciences
ECTS: 3
Where: Stuttgart
When: Winter Semester
Look it up on C@ampus

Applied Machine Learning for Engineers
ECTS: 6 (check with lecturer)
Where: Stuttgart
Look it up on C@ampus

Module Language and Culture (6 ECTS)
Intensive German Course
ECTS: 6
Where: Stuttgart
When: Winter 

Module Research Training (12 ECTS)
EMTRAIC
ECTS: 6
Where: Prague
When: Winter 

Cadarache Event
ECTS: 6
Where: Cadarache
When: Winter 

Module Electives (choose 12 ECTS)
Anything from M1 except basic plasma physics and any language courses.

Module Thesis (30 ECTS)
Thesis
ECTS: 30
Where: Stuttgart or KIT or IPP
When: Winter and Summer
Track: topic according to track choice

In the second year, you will write your Master thesis and defend it during the Summer Event. You have to abide by the thesis modalities given below.  It is strongly recommended that you either use the template or that your thesis look as if you had used it.

• Thesis modalities, version for 2023
• LaTeX Template for Master Thesis, Version 2023-02-20
• Organisation of the Master Thesis work (for both students and supervisors) updated version 13.2.2021

Organization of thesis work

The second year (M2) students doing their thesis in Stuttgart must be announced to Prof. Tovar with their topics and supervisors after they arrive in Stuttgart.

When the thesis period starts, they are expected to be present at the institute for the whole work week to do their master thesis work. Exceptions are for the Cadarache Winter Event and for official holidays. A mid-term report must be given as a presentation no later than February.

The thesis has to be turned in electronically on the deadline communicated by the FUSION-EP steering committee (usually 2 weeks before the Summer Event). 2 weeks before that, a draft should be given to the supervisor for basic error checking, so the thesis work and writeup should basically be done by mid-June. 

After the thesis is turned in officially, the student should concentrate on the thesis defense presentation that has to be given at the Summer Event. This includes a mandatory test presentation at the institute.

Thesis work, Cadarache Winter Event, and Language Course account for 48 out of 60 ECTS points. The rest are for the electives.

All courses have to be finished by the time of the Summer Event. This creates a potential hazard for any course in the summer semester (and also for the winter semester, if the exam date is fixed and during the winter event.) 

The student must ensure that they have passed all exams before the Summer Event. Else, they cannot defend their thesis, which has serious repercussions.

External Students

For students doing thesis work at KIT or IPP or FZJ: The electives will be substituted by appropriate local courses.

Usually, individual oral examinations to each lecture are held by the professor delivering the corresponding lecture. The duration is 30 min. The lecturer can deviate from this, and it is possible that a written exam is given.

You must register your non-IGVP courses and your exams in the C@mpus system. In addition, use this registration form to register your exams with the FUSION-EP coordinator and sign it to acknowledge the rules.