General Relativity and Cosmology (FYS600)

The course gives an introduction to the General Theory of Relativity and its cosmological consequences.


Course description for study year 2025-2026

See course description and exam/assesment information for this semester (2024-2025)
Facts

Course code

FYS600

Version

1

Credits (ECTS)

10

Semester tution start

Spring

Number of semesters

1

Exam semester

Spring

Language of instruction

English

Offered by
Time table

View course schedule

Content

NB! This is an elective course and may be cancelled if fewer than 10 students are enrolled by January 20th for the spring semester.

The equivalence principle, metric, space time curvature, tensor analysis, Einsteins field equations, the Schwarzschild solution, tests of general relativity, relativistic stars, gravitational collapse, black holes, gravitational waves, homogenous and isotropic universe models, the early universe.

Learning outcome

The students shall master the physical principles and the mathematical formalism of the General Theory of Relativity, and know its most important physical consequences. They shall have knowledge of basic cosmological consequences and central cosmological models. They shall be able to comprehend the scientific literature of the field and use the theory to independently analyze simple problems.

Required prerequisite knowledge

None

Recommended prerequisites

FYS110 Astronomy, FYS300 Electromagnetism and Special Relativity, FYS500 Analytical Mechanics and Field Theory, MAT500 Mathematical Modelling

Exam

Form of assessment Weight Duration Marks Aid
Oral exam 1/1 1 Hours Letter grades None permitted

Oral exam is individual

Course teacher(s)

Course coordinator:

Alex Bentley Nielsen

Head of Department:

Bjørn Henrik Auestad

Method of work

6 hours lectures and problem solving per week.

Open for

Single Course Admission to PhD courses
Admission to Single Courses at the Faculty of Science and Technology
Mathematics and Physics - Master of Science Degree Programme Mathematics and Physics - Five Year Integrated Master's Degree Programme

Admission requirements

Must meet the admission requirements of one of the study programmes the course is open for.

Course assessment

The faculty decides whether early dialogue should be conducted in all or selected groups of courses offered by the faculty. The purpose is to gather feedback from students for making changes and adjustments to the course during the current semester. In addition, a digital evaluation, students’ course evaluation, must be conducted at least once every three years. Its purpose is to collect students` experiences with the course.

Literature

Search for literature in Leganto