Program Overview

Mastertrack Physics of Fluids and Flows

The two-year master's program in Applied Physics at the Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) consists of 120 ECTS and combines in-depth applied physics, practical experience, and personal development.

Program Structure

• Entire Program: 120 ECTS
• Professional & Personal Development: 5 ECTS
• Year 1:
  • Core Courses: 15 ECTS
  • Specialization Courses: 10 or 25 ECTS
  • Elective Courses: 15 ECTS
• Year 2:
  • Internship: 15 or 30 ECTS
  • Graduation Project: 45 ECTS

Core Courses and Specialization Courses

The program starts with three core courses (15 ECTS) that provide a solid foundation and are closely related to the university's research groups. For the Physics of Fluids and Flows track, the recommended core course is Advanced Fluid Dynamics.

These core courses offer a solid basis, which can be further deepened with specialization courses. For the specialization courses, students choose 10 ECTS from a list of program-specific M-AP courses. For the Physics of Fluids and Flows track, the following courses are recommended:

• Environmental fluid mechanics
• Chaos
• Advanced computational fluid and plasma dynamics
• Geophysical fluid dynamics
• Machine learning for fluid mechanics
• Transport in porous media
• Experimental methods in transport and soft matter physics
• Introduction to NMR/MRI for imaging and flow visualization

Professional and Personal Development (P&PD)

The 5 ECTS of Professional and Personal Development (P&PD) are integrated throughout the program. In this course, students work closely with peers to develop essential academic skills that prepare them for a successful career. Through interactive training sessions and giving and receiving feedback, students strengthen their scientific writing and communication skills and increase their awareness of scientific integrity and responsible handling of research data.

Elective Courses

Students can choose from all master's courses offered by TU/e or other institutions, provided they are at a sufficient level. This gives students the opportunity to develop new knowledge and skills, either within their specialization or broadening their scope to other disciplines.

Internship and Graduation Project

As a master's student in Applied Physics, students have the chance to broaden their academic and professional horizon through an external internship and an in-depth graduation project.

External Internship (15 or 30 ECTS)

Gain practical experience in an international, realistic work environment. This can be at a high-tech company in the Brainport region, a leading Dutch research institute, or a university laboratory abroad. Together with a supervisor, students choose a topic and location that align with their interests.

• 15 ECTS internship (1 quarter): Ideal for combining the internship with extra courses or completing it before the summer vacation.
• 30 ECTS internship (1 semester): Offers more depth, increases international possibilities, and can be supportive in scholarship applications.

Graduation Project (45 ECTS)

During three quarters, students conduct an in-depth research project within one of the faculty's research groups. This is an opportunity to apply skills in a professional academic environment and contribute to future technologies with societal impact.

Research Groups

For the Mastertrack Physics of Fluids and Flows, the following research groups are relevant:

• Elementary Processes in Gas Discharges: Studies the elementary processes in gas discharges through a mix of theory, modeling, and the development of diagnostics.
• Fluids and Flows: Addresses fundamental questions in fluid dynamics in an integrated approach.
• Molecular Biosensing: Develops technologies based on micro- and nanoparticles for monitoring patients and treating diseases.
• Soft Matter and Biological Physics: Enables a sustainable, functional, and resource-efficient next generation of materials by uncovering the physical mechanisms underlying their behavior.
• Transport in Permeable Media: Aims to understand the physics of transport and phase changes in complex permeable media to better engineer materials for various applications.
• Science and Technology of Nuclear Fusion: Focuses on the science and technology related to nuclear fusion.