## The Standard Model of Particle Physics

### Course objectives:

The course aims to give a broad introduction into the theoretical underpinnings of the Standard Model 
of Particle Physics, not only for students of theoretical physics and astrophysics but also to interested 
students of physics in general. In addition to being introduced to the fundamental building blocks of nature 
the student should also get an understanding of what their particular roles are. At the end of the course the 
students should be able to calculate simple processes and understand how they can be measured.

### Syllabus:

1. The particles of the Standard Model, historical introduction
2. Yang-Mills theory, spontaneous symmetry breaking, the Higgs mechanism
3. Electroweak symmetry breaking, weak interactions
4. Fermion masses, mixing angles, CP-violation
5. Anomalies
6. Precision tests of the Standard Model
7. Quantum chromodynamics
8. Effective field theory, heavy-quark physics
9. Beyond the Standard Model, grand unification

### Literature:

- Matthew D. Schwartz, Quantum Field Theory and the Standard Model, Cambridge University Press 2014
- Michael E. Peskin and Daniel V. Schroeder, An introduction to Quantum Field Theory, Perseus Books 1995
- David Griffiths, Introduction to Elementary Particles, John Wiley & Sons 1987
- Teaching methods: Lectures
- Assessment methods: Homework problems and oral exam.