Cosmology at the University of Leiden
The MSc curriculum consists of 60 EC (1 year) course work, and two significantly different research projects (24+36 EC) supervised by different staff members. The minor research project will typically start early in the first year, and the major one (master's thesis) during the course of the second year.
Detailed programmes may differ slightly depending on whether the students are enrolled in the Physics or Astronomy MSc programmes, but will in all cases include a common core curriculum of cosmology courses. What and who? Check out the cosmology website, and meet the teachers! Or read the formal details in the so-called MSc OERs for Astronomy and Physics respectively.
Each student’s choice of courses is discussed beforehand with the De Sitter programme coordinator and the respective study advisors. Courses offered, number of credits and current lecturer assignment:
| Core courses | EC | Lecturer |
| Origin and Evolution of the Universe | 6 | Kuijken |
| Particle Physics and Early Universe | 6 | Boyarski |
| Large Scale Structure and Galaxy Formation | 6 | Brinchmann |
| Theory of General Relativity | 6 | Achúcarro |
| At least one (*) of: | EC | Lecturer |
| Quantum Theory | 9 | Denteneer |
| Stellar Structure and Evolution | 6 | Schaye |
| At least three (**) of: | EC | Lecturer |
| Effective Field Theory | 3 | Schalm |
| Observational Cosmology | 3 | Hoekstra |
| Black Holes and Gravitational Waves | 3 | Tbd |
| Theoretical Cosmology | 3 | Achúcarro |
| Computational Astrophysics | 3 | Portegies Zwart |
| Databases and Datamining | 3 | Brinchmann |
| General courses from the Astronomy and Physics MSc | remainder | |
| Research Projects (***): | 60 |
(*) The course Quantum Theory is compulsory for the MSc in Physics, the course Stellar Structure and Evolution is compulsory for the MSc in Astronomy.
(**) Some of these courses are not offered every year. The choice of electives is made by each student subject to approval by the Programme Coordinator and the appropriate study advisor.
(***) Master in Astronomy: Minor Research
Project in General Astronomy 500 24 EC; Major Research Project in
Cosmology (Master's Project) 600 36 EC. The two research projects
together should cover the three fundamental elements: theory, data
handling and numerical simulations.
Master in Theoretical Physics: Research project in Cosmology 1 500 24
EC; Research project in Cosmology 2 (Master project) 500 36 EC. The
two research projects together should cover the three fundamental
elements: theory, data handling and numerical simulations.
For further information, contact Cosmology info