Second-year Master's programme “M2 Universe”

The M2 Universe is a second-year international track within the Master’s degree in Fundamental and Applied Physics, devoted to the study of the Universe, its constituents, and the astrophysical phenomena that take place within it.

Led by Université Paris Cité, in partnership with the Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain) and the University of Pisa, the Universe track offers an advanced international programme combining astrophysics, cosmology, particle and astroparticle physics, together with modern data-analysis methods. It draws in particular on expertise in multimessenger astrophysics, gravitational waves, neutrinos, cosmic rays, space instrumentation, and advanced data analysis. It combines theoretical courses, projects, seminars, and scientific activities, enabling students to become progressively familiar with contemporary research.

The programme is built around the complementarity of the courses offered by the three partner universities. Students follow specialised courses covering, in particular, cosmology, high-energy astrophysics, gravitational waves, neutrinos, particle physics, instrumentation, and data-analysis techniques, with a strong emphasis on numerical methods and artificial intelligence.

The programme comprises 60 ECTS credits, divided into 30 ECTS in the first semester and 30 ECTS in the second semester. It combines theoretical teaching, projects, seminars, and scientific activities designed to introduce students progressively to current research. The second semester includes, in particular, a research internship, which may be carried out in a research laboratory or in industry, in France or abroad.

For students enrolled at Université Paris Cité, courses delivered by Paris Cité are taught in person. Courses offered by UCLouvain and the University of Pisa are followed from Paris through high-quality synchronous remote teaching, using a dedicated multimedia classroom that allows interactive exchanges under conditions comparable to face-to-face teaching. The programme will also include a winter school and a spring workshop, bringing together the entire cohort from the three partner universities, Paris Cité, Pisa and Louvain, in order to foster scientific exchange, strengthen cohort cohesion, and reinforce the international dimension of the programme.

The Universe track aims to provide students with broad and rigorous training in the major questions of the physics of the Universe, while developing the skills required for contemporary research: modelling, instrumentation, programming, complex data analysis, statistical and computational methods, machine learning, and the use of major scientific instruments and observatories.

The programme prepares students both for further study towards a PhD in astrophysics, cosmology, particle physics, astroparticle physics, or space science, and for professional careers beyond academia. The skills acquired open up career opportunities in space agencies such as CNES, ESA, and ASI, in research organisations such as CNRS, CEA, CERN, INFN, and INAF, as well as in the space industry, high-technology companies, the New Space sector, scientific instrumentation, and the fields of data science and artificial intelligence.

The programme is scheduled to open in September 2027.

Programme coordinators: 

• Yvonne Becherini
• Hubert Halloin 

Programme overview

All courses are taught in English. Semester 1 combines in-person teaching at Université Paris Cité with synchronous courses delivered by UCLouvain and the University of Pisa. Semester 2 places greater emphasis on advanced specialisation, project-based learning, professional development and the research internship.

First Semester

Second semester

The second semester is specific to students enrolled at Université Paris Cité, as the partner universities devote the entire semester to the research internship. Students from all three universities nevertheless take part together in the Winter School and the Professional Development Workshop.