MSc program in Nuclear ana Particle Physics aims to prepare highly qualified specialists in the field of Nuclear Physics, Particle Physics, Radiation Physics. After successful graduation the students will have knowledge and skills to perform fundamental and applied scientific research, development of experimental equipment, as well as routine measurements in the laboratories.

The successful candidate should have BSc degree in Physics. If the candidate has not sufficient knowledge in the field (at least 180 lecture hours or 15 ECTS-credits on a subjects in the field of Nuclear and Particle Physics), he should attend additional courses during his MSc study.

During first two semesters the students should attend elective lecture courses (at least 300 hours per semester, equivalent to 30 ECTS) and successfully take exams. At least 4 of the lecture courses should be chosen from the list of the obligatory courses (see the table). The student may choose to attend one course from another MSc program (MSc program in Theotretical and Matematical Physics, Nuclear Energetics and Technology or Medical Physics. Total number of the courses for the first and the second semester should be at least 10. The third semester is foreseen for research work under supervision of seniour tutors, MSc thesis preparation and participation in scientific seminars (30 ECTS in total).

The working language is English.

The lecturers in the Nuclear and Particle Physics MSc program are leading professors and specialists from the Faculty of Physics and Faculty of Mathematics of the University of Sofia and specialists from the Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy of the Bulgarian Academy of Science.

Every lecture course ends with an exam to evaluate the knowledge. The form of the exam is specific for a given course and is described in the annotation of the course. The MSc study finishes with a MSc thesis defence which gives 15 ECTS. The defences are scheduled twice per year – in the period February-March and June-July.

The highest quality of education is ensured by a multimedia center and two libraries as well as several laboratories: Particle Physics Laboratory, GRID Technology and Particle Physics Laboratory, Experimental Nuclear Physics Laboratory, Nuclear Electronics Laboratory, Laboratory for Computer Simulations of Physical Processes, Dosimetry and Radiation Protection Laboratory, Educational Biophysical Laboratory, Biomembranes, Biosensors and Biobphysics of the Biomembranes Laboratory.

Tutors are involved in research in the field of: Particle Physics, Nuclear Physics, Radioecology, Natural Radioactivity and Metrology of Ionizing Radiation, Simulation of Physical Processes.

After finishing the MSc program in Nuclear and Particle Physics the students may find further realization in:

• scientific institutes and laboratories for fundamental research in the field of Nuclear and Particle Physics;

• scientific and applied laboratories which use nuclear methods and technologies; nuclear power plants; radiochemical laboratories; laboratories for dosimetry, radiation protection and radioecology; laboratories for medical equipment R&D.

•JINR (Joint Institute for Nuclear Researches) – international research center situated in Dubna (Russia),

•CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Researches), situated near Geneva on Swiss-French border

•USA: Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab); University of Chicago, Northwestern University (Evanston), University of Cincinnati, Cornell University, “Jones Hopkins” University

•Germany – Darmstadt (GSI), University of Mainz, DESY-Zeuthen, Berlin, Hamburg (HERA)

•United Kingdom (UK) – University of Manchester, University of Bristol

•Italy

•Nederland

•France

•Switzerland – University of Geneva

•Founder and owner of Yantel enterprise (USA) for electronics for cosmic researches is a colleague of us. He has helped us in the development and modernization of our Nuclear Electronics Laboratory.

The above list of research centers, universities, enterprises, etc. represents just a part of the institutions in which we have partners and we are collaborating with. The MSc students have the opportunity to work in these centers and to gain experience and qualification there.

• Particle Physics Group – Assoc. Prof. PhD Leandar Litov, Assoc. Prof. PhD Roumen Tsenov, Assoc. Prof. PhD Dimitar Kolev, Assist. Prof. PhD Soyan Stoynev, Assist. Prof. PhD Borislav Pavlov, physicist Peicho Petkov, physicist Venelin Kozhuharov, physicist PhD Marian Bogomilov, physicist Galina Vankova, PhD, BSc and MSc students. (http://heph.phys.uni-sofia.bg)

• Theoretical Computational Physics :Monte Carlo” Group – Assoc. Prof. DSc Ana Proykova, Assist. Prof. PhD Stoyan Pisov, PhD, MSc and BSc students. (http://cluster.phys.uni-sofia.bg/)

• Mossbauer and Nuclear Electronics Group – Assoc. Prof. PhD Ventsislav Rusanov, Assoc. Prof. PhD Ilko Rusinov.

• Dosimetry and Radiation Protection Laboratory – Assoc. Prof. PhD Dobromir Presianov, Assist. Prof. PhD Krasimir Mitev, physicist Tania Bojkova, chemystry engineer Petko Uzunov, PhD, MSc and BSc students.