Master of Science in Ocean and Climate Physics
Hamburg, Germany
DURATION
4 Semesters
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
31 Mar 2025
EARLIEST START DATE
Oct 2025
TUITION FEES
EUR 343 / per semester *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* Universität Hamburg does not charge tuition fees. Yet, an administrative handling charge must be paid per term/semester. With this fee you also receive a ticket valid for unlimited travel by public transportation in the Hamburg metropolitan area.
Introduction
The Institute of Oceanography (IfM) at Universität Hamburg offers an international master's program (MSc) in Physical Oceanography and Climate Physics (Flyer). This research-oriented four-semester program is directed to students with a B.Sc. degree in Physical Oceanography, Meteorology, Geophysics, Physics, or an equivalent subject and provides profound knowledge on the physics of the ocean and its role in the climate system. The program starts every year in October.
Overview
The Institute of Oceanography (IfM) at the Universität Hamburg offers an English master's degree (MSc) in Ocean and Climate Physics. This research-oriented four-semester program is directed to students with a B.Sc. degree in Physical Oceanography, Meteorology, Geophysics, Physics or an equivalent subject and provides profound knowledge on the physics of the ocean and its role in the climate system. Students will be educated and prepared for their future research careers in physical oceanography or other climate sciences. Furthermore, students are trained to autonomously implement and broaden scientific findings, methods and skills.
Every year only a limited number of students is admitted to the program. This ensures an excellent personal interaction between students and lecturers. Also students have free choice over the professor and researcher that are involved in guiding their final master's thesis which is done on a current and relevant topic in oceanography or climate sciences according to the students' preferences. This close interaction between researchers and students gives unique opportunities for students to get personal guidance and individual help and is unique in Germany.
The IfM is located in the heart of Hamburg and is right next to a local park with supermarkets and restaurants along the streets. The institute is easily accessible via public transport (S-Bahn stop 'Sternschanze', U-Bahn stop 'Schlump' and local busses).
Gallery
Admissions
Curriculum
The MSc Ocean and Climate Physics is divided into seven modules. Those modules cover all important facets of physical oceanography and physical climate science, give students the opportunities to broaden their horizons in the natural sciences, and actively prepare them for their final master thesis and work in a scientific environment.
The six modules of the Ocean and Climate Physics program are organized in four semesters of 30 CP each, totaling 120 CP over two years. The individual terms are shown in the figure above and are described in more detail in the following paragraphs.
Winter term 1
Consolidation of knowledge of ocean physics with respect to large-scale circulation patterns, Navier-Stokes equation and common approximations (Theoretical Oceanography I), acquisition of profound knowledge of ocean-climate coupling in theory and observations (Climate processes & observations), core-elective courses of 9 CP and elective courses of 6 CP.
Summer term 1
Consolidation of knowledge of ocean physics with respect to waves and turbulence (Theoretical Oceanography II), acquisition of profound knowledge of climate modeling, model development and evaluation (Climate Modeling), acquisition of profound knowledge of climate dynamics by means of simplification and stability analysis (Climate Dynamics), core-elective courses and elective courses of 6 CP each.
Winter term 2
Conveying specific expert knowledge on selected oceanic processes by means of a seminar and practical (Oceanic processes & observations), core-elective courses of 9 CP, development of expert knowledge in an individually selected subject by work within a research group, with the presentation of the results to IfM (Specialization and project planning).
Summer term 2
Preparation of MSc thesis with one-to-one mentoring by a professor and workgroup scientist over a period of six months. The thesis is also presented in a scientific talk to IfM with follow-up questions from the audience.
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
Every year only a limited number of students are admitted to the Ocean and Climate Physics program. We therefore provide students with a familial work and learning environment in which they can grow their scientific knowledge and develop crucial soft skills through personal guidance. We wish to see our graduates succeed in their professional careers and try our hardest to help them distinguish themselves in their fields. During the phase of the master's thesis, every student gets direct and personal guidance from a professor and a working group scientist who help through scientific discussions and meaningful input.
Even after graduation, we try to keep in touch with our graduates to foster a network of professional connections throughout the scientific community and also in the private industry.
Science
Our program provides a specialized science-oriented education that thoroughly prepares and qualifies students for further scientific work. Many of our graduates take up PhD-studies at a university or non-university research institutions, including (but not limited to) the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH), the German Weather Service (DWD), the Max-Planck-Institute for Meteorology (MPI-M) or at comparable facilities abroad.
Private industry
Our graduates have gained a deep knowledge in mathematics, physics, numerics, and computer science, and are thereby also prepared for a career in the private sector. Following individual interests, students often already utilize elective courses to deepen their knowledge in such a direction. Recently, students have taken up positions as system administrators, in large data processing, but also consulting.