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Physics Program

Program Overview

AWARD

B.Sc. in Physics

DURATION

4Y

SCHOOL(S)

School of Science

Focus of Study

Theoretical particle physics or condensed matter physics; Astrophysics; Cosmology; Computational physics; Plasma physics (fusion research); and Biophysics

“A love of maths and a passion for physics”

The Physics Program, offered by the Department of Physics at the School of Science, is a four-year undergraduate degree program for international students taught only in English. Class sizes are small and the staff-to-student ratio is high, allowing for a rigorous and specialized physics program aimed at cultivating students’ scientific ability and creativity.

Why Nagoya University’s G30 Physics Program?

  • We have some excellent research labs working at the cutting edge of physics, providing ample opportunities for research at the undergraduate (Year 3/4), Masters, and PhD levels.
  • G30 Physics classes are small (5-15 students).
  • Tutorials are run by professors of theoretical physics.
  • For many of our international students from South, East, and South-East Asia, Nagoya is “close to home.”

Four Nobel Prize-winners in Physics

Two Nobel prize winners in physics did their work entirely at Nagoya University – 2014 winners Isamu Akasaki and Hiroshi Amano (for the blue LED). The 2008 winners Makoto Kobayashi and Toshihide Maskawa graduated from Nagoya University then went to the Yukawa Institute in nearby Kyoto, and later returned to Nagoya University to head the Kobayashi-Maskawa Institute for the Origin of Particles and the Universe (KMI). The ARWU Subject Ranking (2023) suggests that Physics at Nagoya University is ranked about 35th in the world.

What we are looking for: A love of maths and a passion for physics

We have a highly selective program taught entirely in English that attracts gifted students from all over the world. We prepare our students to enter a research lab already half-way through Year 3, so the courses are very demanding, especially in Year 3. The courses require abstract thinking and a lot of problem-solving, as well as resilience and perseverance. To be successful, you need to have a wholehearted commitment to physics.

Bright students find learning sophisticated mathematical techniques easy – the hard part is understanding what the equations mean. We want students who are excited about and seriously committed to mastering not only solution techniques but also the physical meaning of what they’re doing. This requires a lot of imagination.

If you’re hoping to simply ease through the physics courses on the way to your major, then you won’t be happy here. The going gets hard! The later courses are meant to stretch the most talented students who have the ambition to continue into theoretical particle physics or condensed matter physics, but also astrophysics, cosmology, computational physics, plasma physics (fusion research), or biophysics.  We also have excellent experimental labs that are looking for students who not only can master the theory but also have the practical imagination to test the theories and challenge accepted physics.

To enjoy our courses, you should have an ambition to do research at the cutting edge of physics. Nonetheless, you never know where your life path will lead you: some of our graduates end up in exciting jobs in industry where their analytical skills are put to good use.

Physics Program

SCHOOL-SPECIFIC FEATURES

In their first year, students study foundational physics, the Japanese language and the liberal arts. Next, they take more specialized courses, including quantum mechanics, statistical physics, analytical mechanics, electricity and magnetism, two mathematical methods courses, physics experiments and physics seminars. Professors of theoretical physics also give physics tutorials. Throughout their studies, students gain substantial experience in completing problems and presenting their solutions in public.

Midway through their third year, students will join a research laboratory and focus on a specialized field. The department has 27 research laboratories in both experimental and theoretical physics. Research areas include superconductivity, spintronics, solid state physics, nonequilibrium physics, fusion and plasma physics, elementary particle physics, quantum gravity, hadron physics, astronomy, astrophysics, cosmology, functional materials for recovering waste energy, and biophysics. You can view a full list of laboratories on the department’s website.

Related Links:

Outline of the Undergraduate G30 Physics Curriculum

YEAR 1 
Mix of Liberal Arts (including many Japanese language lectures) and fundamental Physics and Mathematics (calculus and linear algebra).

YEAR 2
More specialized courses in Physics and Mathematics.

  • Classical Mechanics, first course in Quantum Mechanics, Electricity & Magnetism, Mathematical Methods, Complex Analysis, …

YEAR 3 
More advanced and challenging Physics courses. These courses require a heavy time commitment and a high level of mathematical ability. In addition, most G30 students join a research lab halfway through Year 3.

  • A full year of Quantum Mechanics (quantum entanglement, quantum teleportation, symmetries and conservation laws, perturbation theory, …)
  • A full year of Statistical Physics (advanced thermodynamics, Bose Einstein Condensation, phase transitions, critical phenomena, Renormalization Group, symmetry, and universality, …)
  • A full year of Condensed Matter Physics

YEAR 4
Undergraduate Thesis and group seminars.

EDUCATION

Home to top-level researchers

Currently, the Department of Physics has 25 research labs and around 70 faculty members. All faculty members are jointly engaged in physics education and research. As faculty members of the Department of Physics, we are imparting physics education in an effort to develop human resources who will be capable of shouldering various tasks in society. With our research in physics, we hope to contribute to the advancement of mankind’s well-being and culture.

Career Prospects

What happens after graduating with a G30 Physics Undergraduate Degree from Nagoya University?

Nearly all of our graduates continue to graduate school either at Nagoya University or leading universities overseas. After completing a Masters degree, most pursue a PhD in Physics. A doctorate is like a rite of passage: you prove that you can complete substantial research independently, persevering through all manner of challenges, and demonstrating imagination, analytical skills, and resilience.

In Physics, you will learn transferable skills to a broad range of “real world” applications. One of our undergraduate alumni – who completed a PhD in theoretical condensed matter physics elsewhere – is now a sports scientist for an NBL team. Others have joined investment banks and hedge funds as quantitative analysts or financial advisors. Amidst today’s rapid pace of technological advancement, with a higher degree in physics, the world is your oyster.

Links

Note:
Since May 2019, the Fundamental and Applies Physics Program has been merged and changed to become the Physics Program, located in School of Science.