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 2 tracks are:

• T1: Fusion Science
• T2: Fusion Engineering

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 here.

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: Winter

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

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

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

Module Numerical Methods (6 ECTS)
Numerical Plasma Physics 1
ECTS: 3
Where: Stuttgart
When: Winter
Look it up on C@ampus
Module handbook

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

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

Module Physics (9 ECTS)
Advanced Experimental Physics
ECTS: 9
Where: Stuttgart
When: Winter
Look it up on C@ampus

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

Module Electives (choose 15 ECTS)
See list of common electives below

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

Module Research Training (6 ECTS)
EMTRAIC
ECTS: 6
Where: Prague
When: Winter
Track: either track

Cadarache Event
ECTS: 6
Where: Cadarache
When: Winter
Track: either track

Module Electives (choose 12 ECTS)
See also list of common electives below

The following electives are always available:

Advanced Experimental/Computational Training
ECTS: 3
Where: Stuttgart
When: Winter
Track: either track

Poster Presentation at DPG conference
ECTS: 3
Where: Stuttgart
When: Winter
Track: either track

Fusion Research
ECTS: 3
Where: Stuttgart
When: Summer (contact the lecturer if you want to do this course in the winter semester)
Track: either track
Module handbook

Microwave Technology
ECTS: 3
Where: Stuttgart
When: Winter
Track: either track
Module handbook

Numerical Plasma Physics 1
ECTS: 3
Where: Stuttgart
When: Winter
Track: either track
Module handbook

Numerical Plasma Physics 2
ECTS: 3
Where: Stuttgart
When: Summer
Track: either track
Module handbook

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

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.

Simulation of Reflectometry with Python
ECTS: 3
Where: Stuttgart
When: Winter or Summer
Track: Fusion Science
Availability: always
Look it up on C@ampus
Module handbook

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

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

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

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

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

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

Advanced Quantum Theory
ECTS: 9
Where: Stuttgart
When: Winter
Track: Fusion Science
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
Track: either track
Look it up on C@ampus
Look it up on C@ampus

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

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

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

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 or by agreement)
Track: Fusion Technology
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 or by agreement)
Track: Fusion Technology
duckduckgo.com/?q=vacuum+and+tritium+technology+site%3Akit.edu

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

Fusion technology B (materials, heating systems, neutronics and nuclear data, reactor safety)
ECTS: 4
Where: KIT Campus South
When: weekly lectureWinter
Track: Fusion Technology
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 lectureSummer
Track: either track

Fundamentals of Energy Technology
ECTS: 4
Where: KIT Campus South
When: weekly lectureSummer
Track: Fusion Technology

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 must be announced to Prof. Tovar with their topics and supervisors after they arrive in Stuttgart.

The students take the German Intensive Language course from the beginning of September to the middle of October. When the lecture period starts, at the latest, they are expected to be present at the institute for the whole work week to do their master thesis work. Exceptions are for the time they are sitting in mandatory courses, for the Cadarache Winter Event, for the experimental session in Prague, 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. It is possible to attend the DPG Spring meeting and present a poster, which will be graded, see below.

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.

Notes for Advanced Experimental/Computational Training (3 ECTS)

Go to your supervisor if you want to do this course. The students familiarise themselves with the current state and methods of their thesis topic under the guidance of their supervisor. They write a 10-12 page treatment that would also be suitable as the introductory chapter of their thesis. The work should be finished before the winter event, if the thesis work starts in October.

Poster presentation at the DPG spring meeting of the plasma physics division (3 ECTS)

Go to your supervisor if you want to do this course. The work is graded by the supervisor or promoter. Any abstract submissions bearing the university affiliation or having university co-authors must be authorised by the supervisor, by the coordinator (Carsten Lechte) or the promoter (Prof. Tovar), and by all co-authors.

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