Main function of the faculty is to produce the academic and practical personnel who have mastered the laws and principles of physics through hands-on experiments and acquired profound knowledge of modern physics.

The Faculty of Science which was created at the founding of Kim Il Sung University was renamed Faculty of Physics & Math in September, 1947, which was divided into the Faculty of Physics and Faculty of Math in September, 1960.

The faculty is made up of 4 departments (Acoustics, Geophysics, Astronomy, General Physics), 4 institutes(Condensed Matter Physics, Optoelectronics, Theoretical Physics, Applied Physics) and one laboratory(Physics Education)

The courses offered by the faculty are optoelectronics, condensed matter physics, applied physics, space observation instruments and modern physics.

The subjects taught in the faculty are General Physics, Mathematical Physics, Atomic Physics, Statistical Physics, Solid State Physics, Materials Physics, Quantum Theory on Multi-particle world, Laser Physics, Acoustics, Astronomy, Magnetic Substance Physics, Crystal Physics, Physical Optics, Quantum Theory of Field, Theory on Elementary Particles, Digital Signal Processing and Super High Pressure Physics.

The faculty is staffed by 130 professionals including an academician, 3 candidate academicians, lecturers and researchers including 40 Ph. D. holders. Over 40 of them are professors or associate professors.

Student enrollment of the faculty is over 1000.


Introduction to Curriculum For Foreign Students

Regular course (4 years) and continuous course (6 years) are underway in the Faculty of Physics at the moment.

Students are supposed to get a bachelor’s degree in Physics after they have finished the former, while those in the latter get a Master’s degree.

The regular course aims at providing strong foundations and improving practical abilities while getting ready for higher education.

It has compulsory and elective subjects.

1. Compulsory subjects consist of social science subjects, general basic subjects and basic major subjects.

General basic subjects include Mathematical Analysis, Algebra & Geometry, Linear Algebra, Probability and other mathematical subjects and English, which were selected, as the basis of general physics and theoretical physics, to improve logical thinking ability for further education and to read foreign references and communicate fluently.

Basic major subjects, on the other hand, consist of subjects that lay foundation for physics major students and their teaching durations have also been set according to the specific situation of the country and other world’s top-ranking universities.

114 credits should be obtained from compulsory subjects all together.

2. Elective subjects consist of general basic subjects and major subjects. The former, as the basis of the major subject to be selected, aims at providing necessary foundations for research work and training all-round talents.

General elective subjects are made of Mathematics and other Natural Science subjects (2~3 credits), Applied Programming subjects (6 credits), Physical Education subjects (2 credits), Literature and Art subjects (2 credits), which means that 12~13 credits should be obtained altogether.

Major elective subjects consist of those that are basic to major section and other sub-sections.

13 credits should be obtained in major elective subjects, whereas 4 in general major elective subjects.

The regular course does not have a separate duration for graduation thesis but sums up all the practice contents in the major selected to make it a graduation thesis of regular course.

The purpose of the postgraduate course, as a continuous course, is to train research-oriented talents by acquiring high-level major knowledge, conducting research and writing a dissertation.

Every subject in the course is elective, without any compulsory subjects.

40 credits should be obtained in this course; 30 in the 10th term and the other 10 to the end of the course.

In the postgraduate course the major fundamental subjects chosen in the regular course will be continued for 4 weeks to get 5 credits; curriculum of these subjects is divided into two parts, 36 lectures given and 90 hours of self-study.

Mathematics and other natural science subjects will be given for 3 weeks, each week with 40 hours, to get 5 credits through 36 hours of lecture and 84 hours of self-study.

25 credits must be obtained in major subjects for 15 weeks in all; each subject needs 126 hours in 3 weeks to get 5 credits.

Research work is carried out for 62 weeks, during which a master’s thesis is written.


Bachelor Programme (4 Years)

Compulsory Subjects (114 Credits)

Social Subjects

Name of SubjectsCreditsSemestersSessions per WeekExam TypeMisc.
Korean History73,441
Logic2222
Socialist Constitution and Legal Regulations2322
Juche Philosophy55,621
Total16

General Basic Subjects

Name of SubjectsCreditsSemestersSessions per WeekExam TypeMisc.
English181~741
Mathematical Analysis111~341
Algebra and Geometry2122
Linear Algebra2222
Probabilities2522
Total35

Basic Major Subjects

Name of SubjectsCreditsSemestersSessions per WeekExam TypeMisc.
General Physics171~361
Modern Physics5441
Classical Mechanics5561
Electrodynamics5561
Quantum Mechanics5651
Statistical Physics5651
Mathematical Methods in Physics5441
Solid State Physics4751
General Physics Experiments71~342
Modern Physics Experiments2762
Physical Electronics2442
Fundamentals of Information Techniques1122
Total63

Elective Subjects (29 Credits)

Mathematics and Natural Science Subjects (General Basic Elective)

Name of SubjectsCreditsSemestersSessions per WeekExam TypeMisc.
Complex Functions262Pass/Fail
Differential Equations262Pass/Fail
Group Theory262Pass/Fail
Lie Algebra262Pass/Fail
Chemistry362Pass/Fail
Biology362Pass/Fail
Experimental Design262Pass/Fail
Integral Equations and Variation Method262Pass/Fail
Total2~3

Applied Programming Subjects (General Basic Elective)

Name of SubjectsCreditsSemestersSessions per WeekExam TypeMisc.
Modern Web Language2432
Fundamentals of Information Processing using Matlab2432
Scientific Document Preparation in LaTeX2532
Introduction to Application of Computer Networks2532
Introduction to Linux Operating System2732
Mathematica and Scientific Calculation2732
Total6

Physical Education Subjects (General Basic Elective)

Name of SubjectsCreditsSemestersSessions per WeekExam TypeMisc.
Swimming11,21Pass/Fail
Volleyball11,21Pass/Fail
Basketball11,21Pass/Fail
Table-tennis11,21Pass/Fail
Tennis11,21Pass/Fail
Handball11,21Pass/Fail
Badminton11,21Pass/Fail
Total2

Literature and Art Subjects (General Basic Elective)

Name of SubjectsCreditsSemestersSessions per WeekExam TypeMisc.
Popular Dance112Pass/Fail
Vocal Music132Pass/Fail
Instrumental Music132Pass/Fail
Total2

Major Section Elective Subjects

Name of SubjectsCreditsSemestersSessions per WeekExam TypeMisc.
Fundamentals of Theoretical Physics105~821
Practices in Theoretical Physics35~822
Introduction to Optics105~821
Design of Optical Experiments and Instruments35~822
Introduction to Condensed Matter Physics105~821
Experiments in Solid State Physics and Materials Design35~822
Calculational Physics105~821
Experiments and Practices in Calculational Physics35~822
Thermal Physics105~821
Experiments and Practices in Thermal Physics35~822
Solar Energy Physics105~821
Experiments and Practices in Solar Energy Physics35~822
Solid State Electronics105~821
Experiments and Practices in Physical Electronics35~822
Medical Physics105~821
Experiments and Practices in Medical Physics35~822
Astronomy105~821
Experiments and Practices in Astrophysics35~822
Seismology105~821
Experiments and Practices in Geophysics35~822
Acoustics105~821
Experiments and Practices in Acoustics35~822
Total13

General Major Elective Subjects

Name of SubjectsCreditsSemestersSessions per WeekExam TypeMisc.
Optical System Design using ZeMax26~832
Lighttool and Calculation of Ligh Intensity26~832
Ansys and Laser Treatment Simulations26~832
3D Laser Printing Techniques26~832
Computer Measurement Control System26~832
Holography26~832
Introduction to Photometry26~832
Computer-aided Spectrometry26~832
Quantum Communication26~832
Master Equation Method26~832
Quantum Algorithms26~832
Optomaterials Design26~832
Interferometry26~832
Fabrication Techniques for Resinoid Bond Diamond Grinding Wheel26~832
Fabrication Techniques for Metallic Bond Diamond Grinding Wheel26~832
Diamond Synthesizing Techniques26~832
Fabrication Techniques for Ferroelectric PZTs26~832
Fabrication Techniques for Ferrite Materials26~832
Fabrication Techniques for Rare Earths Magnets26~832
Fabrication Techniques for Rigid Nano Composite Covering Materials26~832
Simulations for Material Properties26~832
Nanomaterial Fabrications using High Energy Ball Mill26~832
Viscosity Measurement for Viscous Liquid26~832
Fabrication Techniques for Polymer Nano Fiber Materials26~832
Material Simulations with Molecular Dynamics26~832
Supersonic Wave Generator26~832
Electroacoustic Instruments26~832
Labview for Acoustic Signal Processing26~832
ANSYS and MATLAB for Acoustics26~832
Acoustic Instruments Design using Solid26~832
Acoustic Simulation Software Odeon26~832
Digital Processing of Seismographic Signals26~832
Application of Magnetotelluric Method26~832
Principles and Applications of Sensor Techniques26~832
Application of GIS26~832
Measurement Techniques for Biopotential26~832
Signal Processing for Biomedical Engineering26~832
Electronic Circuit Simulation26~832
Electrophysiology26~832
Thermal Pump26~832
Thermal Engine26~832
Vacuum Techniques26~832
Heat Exchanger26~832
Solar Radiation Energy26~832
Design methods for Solar Thermal System26~832
Solar Cell Measurement26~832
Solar Cell Materials26~832
Radiowave Measurement26~832
Lie Algebra26~832
General Theory of Relativity26~832
CCD Astronomy26~832
Measurement Techniques for Satellite Orbit26~832
Computer-aided Measurement Techniques26~832
MEMS Techniques26~832
Total4

Master Programme (2 Years)

100% Elective Subjects (30 Credits)

Basic Major Elective Subjects

Name of SubjectsCreditsSemestersSessions per WeekExam TypeMisc.
Quantum Field Theory51021
Introduction to Optics51021
Introduction to Condensed Matter Physics51021
Calculational Physics51021
Thermal Physics51021
Medical Physics51021
Solid State Electronics51021
Astronomy51021
Seismology51021
Acoustics51021
Total5

Major Section Elective Subjects

Name of SubjectsCreditsSemestersSessions per WeekExam TypeMisc.
Theory of Quantum Liquids51021
Standard Model51021
Path Integral Methods in Statistics51021
Green Function Methods51021
Theory of Phonons51021
Microtheory of Superconductors51021
Quantum Electrodynamics of Media51021
Nonstandard Model51021
Superstring Theory51021
Introduction to Lie Group and Lie Algebra51021
Spectroscopy51021
Design Methods of Optical Instruments51021
Fibre Optics51021
Physical Optics51021
Infrared Measurement Techniques51021
Information Optics51021
Applied Optics51021
Fundamentals of Nonlinear Optics51021
Quantum Information Physics51021
Nano-optics51021
Physics of Femtoseconds51021
Gas Laser51021
Quantum Optics51021
Advanced Applied Thermodynamics51021
Calculational Hydromechanics51021
Calculational Electrothermal Physics51021
Artificial Environtology51021
Micromagnetics51021
Application of Computers in Magnetism Research51021
Physics of Magnetic Materials51021
Superhigh Pressure Techniques51021
Superhigh Pressure Physics51021
Superhard Materials51021
Theory of Solids51021
Nano-diamonds51021
Hard Coating Techniques51021
Ferromagnetic Resonance51021
Crystal Physics51021
Thin Film Physics51021
Magnetooptics materials and devices51021
Ferrites and Their Application51021
Physical Properties of Composite Materials51021
Dynamics of Sintering51021
Physics of Ferroelectric Materials51021
Crystal Growth51021
Nanomaterials and Mechanical Alloying51021
Rare Earths Permanent Magnets51021
Nanomaterials Design51021
Transport Theory of Nanostructure51021
Carbon Nanomaterials51021
Electrostatic Spinning and Nanofibre51021
Nanomaterials and Nanotechniques51021
Superconducting Materials51021
Superconductor Electronics51021
Superconductor Physics51021
High-temperature Supercondictivity51021
Solar Physics51021
Radioastronomy51021
Solar System Structure51021
Gravitational Field Theory51021
Kinematics of Artificial Satellites51021
Cosmology51021
Applied Geophysics51021
Digital Measurement Techniques for Earthquakes51021
Underground Visualization Techniques51021
Inverse Problems in Geophysics51021
Seismic Waves in Viscoelastic Media51021
Vulcano Seismology51021
Aseismic Engineering51021
Ultrasonics51021
Underwater Acoustics51021
Nonlinear Acoustics51021
Acoustics of Solids51021
Acoustic Signal Processing51021
Noise Cybernetics51021
Psychoacoustics51021
Acoustics for Urban Environment51021
Acoustics of Porous Media51021
Medical Measurement Instruments51021
Bioelectromagnetics51021
Calculational Biophysics51021
Physics of Polymers51021
Ansys and Technical Calculations51021
Applications of Computer Networks51021
Developing Information System51021
Monte-Carlo Methods in Physics51021
Power Generation using Solar Energy51021
High-temperature Techniques for Solar Energy51021
Solar Radiation Spectrum51021
Thermodynamics for Solar Cells51021
Hardware Descriptor Language51021
ARM Processors51021
Semiconductor Optoelectronics51021
Sensor Fusion Techniques51021
MEMS Design51021
Total25