The curriculum provides a broad scientific and methodological background linking fundamental physics to the study of complex systems, biological processes, and technological innovation. It combines solid training in modern experimental, theoretical, and computational physics with interdisciplinary applications to life
sciences, soft and active matter, and applied technologies. The program is designed to equip students with flexible and transferable skills, suitable both for advanced academic studies and for innovation-driven professional environments.

Physics at the interface with life and technology

With no mandatory courses, this particularly flexible curriculum allows students to build a personalized study path across a wide range of advanced physics topics, experimental techniques, modeling approaches, and data analysis methods, com-plemented by laboratory activities. Students learn to investigate biological, soft, and complex systems using the conceptual and quantitative tools of physics, addressing phenomena that span molecular, mesoscopic, and macroscopic scales.

The curriculum fosters a cross-disciplinary mindset, highlighting the unifying role of physical laws in living systems and technologies. At the same time, it emphasizes the transfer of physical principles to applied contexts, where physics naturally interfaces with engineering, mathematics, computer science, medicine, and other applied fields. The broad scope, covering both fundamentals and applications, together with a course in didactical methodologies, makes this curriculum particularly suitable also for students aiming at a career as high-school teachers or for students holding a technological Bachelor degree, e.g. in engineering.

Two complementary specialization tracks and an interdisciplinary path

The broad number of subjects and the flexible rules for elective choices support two main specialization tracks, while leaving room for interdisciplinary combinations.

The Biophysics and Soft Matter track focuses on the physics of biological systems and soft materials. Students acquire experimental and theoretical methods to study the structure, dynamics, and function of biomolecules, membranes, cells, colloids, and polymers. The track emphasizes quantitative modeling, predictive approaches, and modern experimental techniques such as advanced microscopy, spectroscopy, and simulations. It provides a unified physical perspective on living and soft matter, from molecular interactions to collective and emergent behavior, with applications in medicine, nanobiotechnology, and bio-inspired materials.

The Applied Physics and Innovation Technologies track addresses the application of physical principles to technological development and applied research. Students gain expertise in materials characterization, sensors, imaging techniques, flexible and functional materials, and in the modeling and optimization of physical systems relevant for industrial, environmental, and biomedical applications. The track promotes the integration of experimental physics, data-driven analysis, and innovation-oriented methodologies, preparing students for roles in R&D and technology transfer.

By combining fundamental physics courses, applied disciplines across biophysics and technology, and physics education, possibly complemented by courses in mathematical education, students may also build an interdisciplinary path particu-larly suited for teaching and outreach, aimed at transmitting scientific thinking and enthusiasm for physics in high-school environments.

Opportunities and perspectives

The final thesis project is developed within research groups active in biophysics, soft matter, and applied physics and partner laboratories, often in collaboration with interdisciplinary teams and industrial partners.

Graduates are well prepared for doctoral programs in physics, biophysics, materials science, and related interdisciplinary fields, as well as for research and R&D careers in biomedical, environmental, and high-technology sectors. Their ability to bridge fundamental physics, biological complexity, and technological applications positions them at the interface between scientific discovery, education, and innovation.