Astroparticle Physics (Integrated PhD) – (Ph.D.)

Astroparticle Physics is one of the prime foci of modern science and addresses some of the most fundamental questions in nature, such as:

* What is the nature of Dark Matter?
* What is the nature of Dark Energy?
* Where are the chemical elements formed?
* What powers large cosmic explosions?
* Where do the highest energy cosmic rays come from?

Since astronomical observations are becoming more and more accurate and particle physics laboratories on Earth are meeting their limitations, fundamental knowledge about the constituents of matter will come increasingly from outer space. One of the prime examples for this development is the discovery of neutrino masses from measurements of neutrinos from the Sun. In addition to astronomical observations, near-Earth space serves as a laboratory where fundamental plasma processes and energetic particles can be observed in-situ using magnetospheric and heliospheric spacecraft missions.

The program Astroparticle Physics offers a cross-disciplinary education and research in astrophysics, solar physics, space plasma physics, magnetohydrodynamics, theoretical particle physics, quantum field theory, quantum gravity/string theory, and cosmology, plus computational aspects of these fields.

This graduate program is part of an Integrated PhD program. Students who enter with a Master Degree will obtain their PhD after 3 years; those who enter with a Bachelor Degree usually finish with their PhD within 4-5 years. Alternatively, the latter have the chance to graduate with a Master after 2 years of study.