The Master of Science Program in Computational Physics is supported by the Department of Physics of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, without the requirement of tuition fees, and is the only one in Greece to date. It began operating in the academic year 2003-2004 under the direction of Professor George Theodorou. During its first 21 years of operation, approximately 350 students have enrolled, of whom approximately 230 have graduated. A large part of its graduates have used the Postgraduate Diploma for professional rehabilitation in related subjects (research institutes, public and private sectors, universities, secondary education), while a significant number have proceeded to prepare a doctoral thesis. The scientific reasons that make a postgraduate program in Computational Physics important are summarized as follows:

  • Evolution of science: Modern Physics is increasingly based on computational methods for solving complex problems and analyzing large data sets.
  • Interdisciplinary research: Computational Physics bridges theoretical and experimental physics, while at the same time being connected to other scientific disciplines (engineering, chemistry, biology, economics, etc.).
  • Need for big data analysis and large-scale simulations in many areas of modern physics (e.g. analysis of data from large experiments on elementary particles and gravitational waves, simulations of complex systems e.g. N-body problems, coupled oscillators, etc.).
  • Artificial intelligence and machine learning: These new technologies are becoming increasingly important in the discovery of new physical phenomena and in the analysis of experimental data and constitute a valuable tool for the management of more complex problems in physics.

The above scientific reasons are directly linked to modern needs of society since through the program, methods for technological innovation, economic development, energy and health are developed and utilized. The purpose of the MSc is to organize an educational curriculum in the broader field of Computational Physics. It aims to train scientists capable of utilizing advanced computational techniques to solve complex physics problems. Combining theoretical knowledge with practical programming and modeling skills, the program prepares students for innovative research and applications in academia, industry and innovative product companies, always promoting the knowledge of modern science. To this end, the organization of postgraduate courses must be of a high level in order to create executives who will be able to offer their services in education, research and software development for special applications.

For the postgraduate program in Computational Physics, the connection between teaching and research is a fundamental element of its structure and philosophy. The lecturers, as active researchers, systematically integrate the most recent research findings and methodologies into the content of their courses. This ensures that students are exposed to modern techniques and concerns and are effectively prepared for current challenges in research and applied science.

From the academic year 2026-2027,  a new postgraduate curriculum takes place.