Physics and Astronomy - Theoretical Physics

Overview

How are space and time formed? What is matter made of? How does physics change in extreme conditions? What are the fundamental forces of nature? What laws of physics can emerge in collections of interacting particles? And can physical principles explain the organisation and dynamics of complex, living systems?

The work of theoretical physicists has captured people's imaginations for many generations – partly due to the fundamental nature of the questions it seeks to answer. In order to address these questions, mathematical descriptions need to be explored and developed. This makes present-day theoretical physics an advanced subject that requires a high level of conceptual and technical sophistication. It’s a challenging but exciting field of study. Physics and Astronomy - Theoretical Physics is offered at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.

Career:

As a graduate in Physics and Astronomy in Amsterdam, your training in physics research will make you highly sought-after in the market for PhD candidates and research groups. Your strong analytical and problem-solving skills, along with your ability to design, set up, exploit and communicate successful experimental solutions to important scientific questions, will also make you highly attractive to the world beyond physics.

Our alumni have gone on to work in the knowledge-based sector (Philips, Philips Medical Systems, ASML, Océ, TNO, ESA), the financial sector, the IT and consultancy sector (KPN, McKinsey, ING, ABN AMRO), as well as in government (Dutch ministries of EZ, VROM, OCW). If you have strong writing and communication skills, you’ll be well prepared for a career with a newspaper, magazine or science-oriented non-profit organisation.