Content
Students undertake a physics-related project under the supervision of a professor from the Physics Section. The project enables them to acquire new knowledge and practical experience in a specialized field of physics.
The project may take place in an EPFL laboratory, at another university, or at an external research center in Switzerland or abroad.
The training plan is defined by the supervisor. It may be entirely experimental, entirely theoretical, or combine both approaches. In some cases, it may consist exclusively of coursework.
Doctoral School courses and master courses may be included upon the supervisor’s request.
Students cannot register for Doctoral School courses themselves. Approval from the course instructor is required. Once approved, forward the instructor’s confirmation email to [email protected] and request registration for the course.
Duration
Specialization semester at EPFL: one semester (17 weeks plus a one-week Christmas or Easter break).
Specialization semester outside EPFL: minimum 4 months, maximum 6 months.
At EPFL:
- 7 September 2026 – 8 January 2027
- 22 February – 25 June 2027
If necessary, the project may start earlier or later, provided that the overall duration remains unchanged.
Submission of the written report to the project supervisor (for projects carried out at EPFL):
- 8 January 2027
- 25 June 2027
Supervision
The specialization semester must normally be supervised by a professor or a MER (Maître d’enseignement et de recherche / Senior Scientist) from the Physics Section. Exceptions possible list.
Registration
Registration is completed through IS-Academia.
Deadline: Friday of the second week of the semester.
No agreement or other supporting document is required.
Credits : 30 ECTS
The credits are awarded on the basis of the evaluation of the specialization project.
Courses taken as part of the specialization semester do not award additional ECTS credits. A separate transcript listing these courses is available on IS-Academia.
The specialization semester may consist of coursework and/or experimental or theoretical research.
If Master credits are still missing, students may take up to 8 ECTS credits during the specialization semester, provided the project supervisor agrees.
Assessment
A written report and an oral presentation are required, both of which are evaluated and graded by a jury.
The specialization semester is assessed on a Pass/Fail basis.
Agreement or contract
not necessary
