ETH Zurich Masters Difficulty/Workload

[hayes_ryan02]

Hi everyone,

I’m currently considering pursuing a Master's in Quantum Engineering at ETH Zurich, and I’d like to get some insights on how the academic difficulty at ETH compares to what I experienced during my undergraduate studies in the US. I completed my BS in Physics and Minor in Computer Science at Emory University, graduating with a 3.96 GPA.

Given my strong background in physics and computer science, I’m curious about how the Master's program at ETH Zurich might compare to the undergraduate experience I had at Emory, especially in terms of workload and academic expectations. Specifically, I’m wondering:

1. For those who’ve attended ETH Zurich, how does the difficulty of the Master’s program compare to the undergraduate experience in the US, particularly in rigorous fields like Physics and Computer Science?

2. How does the workload at ETH for Master’s students compare to what US universities expect for a Master’s program—is it more or less demanding?

3. Coming from a high-level US university, how challenging was the transition to ETH in terms of academic rigor, work-life balance, and general expectations?

4. What was the balance like between theoretical coursework, research, and hands-on/experimental work?

5. For someone with a strong physics and computer science background like mine, how much additional preparation should I expect to do for ETH’s Master's program?

6. Is there a significant shift in expectations between the undergraduate system in the US and the graduate system at ETH, especially in terms of independent study and research?

I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who has experienced the transition from a US undergraduate program to a Master’s at ETH Zurich or who can provide some perspective on how these two systems compare in terms of difficulty and workload.

Thanks in advance for your help!