Graduate Programs

In addition to the general master’s degree requirements, all students enrolled in the Master of Science degree in Physics must satisfy the following course requirements:

• All students must complete PHYS 501 (2) and 502 (2) in their first two semesters.
• PHYS 509 (3) 
•  PHYS 505 (3) or 521 (3) 
•  PHYS 579 (1),
• Graduate-Faculty seminar must be taken for the first four semesters. 6 credit hours chosen from PHYS 508 (3), PHYS 510 (3), PHYS 518 (3)

In addition, the student must take an additional 9 credit hours to be approved by their committee. Potential topics include advanced undergraduate or graduate courses in digital or analog electronics, control theory, optics, optical engineering, spectroscopy, NMR, laser physics, shop techniques, Materials (metals, ceramics, polymers), explosives, mechanical design, robotics, vacuum and cryogenic techniques. Students are reminded that it is possible to pursue a limited number of credits at other approved higher education institutions, and so this course work might also be pursued as part of an internship. PHYS 579 (1), Graduate-Faculty seminar, must be taken for the first four semesters. 

A candidate for the program should apply for admission no later than the end of his/her 5th regular semester of study through the regular graduate admissions process. The student must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0, and also specifically an average minimum GPA of 3.0 in all physics and mathematics courses to be eligible to apply for the program. Meeting the GPA criterion does not automatically guarantee admission to the program. Upon successful admission, during the student’s 7th semester, the candidate should select an advisory committee and research topic for the M.S. Students may apply Phys 509 (3 cr) to both the B.S. and M.S. degrees, however, all other courses must be counted toward either the B.S. or the M.S. exclusively. Phys 579 (1 cr) should be taken during semesters 7 through 10 (see sample curriculum online on the Department web pages). For the M.S. portion of the degree, the 6 credit-hours of required electives must be non-Physics courses at the 300-level or above and not explicitly counted toward the B.S. degree. The curriculum of study must be approved by the candidate’s committee, ideally in the 7th or 8th semester. The candidate M.S. student may take the department’s preliminary examination as soon as the 8th semester of study and must pass the examination at the M.S. level by the beginning of the 10th semester to remain in the program. A student may pursue either a M.S. with Thesis (6 cr) or a M.S. with Independent Study (3 cr), normally taken during the 9th and/or 10th regular semesters of study. The student is strongly encouraged to pursue research or take courses to apply toward the M.S. during the summer between the 8th and 9th semesters.

In addition to the degree requirements specified above, students completing their dissertation in astrophysics must also complete:

• 6 credit hours chosen from PHYS 426 (3), 564 (3), 565 (3), 566 (3). PHYS 426 must be completed unless the student has had equivalent material in previous courses. 
• 6 credit hours chosen from PHYS 425 (3), 562 (3), 563 (3), 567 (3).

In addition to the degree requirements specified above, students completing their dissertation in atmospheric physics must also complete:

• PHYS 427 (3), 428 (3)
• An additional 6 credit hours must be taken in areas pertinent to the student’s program. This can be achieved by taking PHYS 527 (3), 532 (3), 533 (3), 535 (3), 536 (3), and/or other courses approved by the student’s advisory committee.

The concentration in instrumentation teaches graduate physics with an additional focus on laboratory work and practical applications of physics concepts and technologies. The program aims to produce an experimental physicist with broad skills and background in one or more areas of scientific instrumentation. A graduate of this program should be able to create their own custom instrumentation for the study of new areas. The skills of such a graduate are explicitly transferable to industrial design and employment in national labs. In addition to the degree requirements specified above, students completing their Doctor of Philosophy in Physics with concentration in instrumentation must also complete: 

• Instrumentation Core: Physics 301, 536L, 545 and 580. 
• Specialized Math Requirement: Of the required 9- credit hours in advanced mathematics, 3 credit hours should be from either Math 587 OR Math 519 OR Math 588. 

Instrumentation Breadth Requirement: 9 additional units (assumed to be 3 courses), at least 6 of which are in an Engineering or Science area outside the Physics department for courses rated 300-level or above. Courses may be taken at another institution in consultation with the student's committee as appropriate to the area of study. Additional courses in the Physics department may include graduate level disciplinary courses beyond the Physics core. 

In addition to the degree requirements specified above, students completing their dissertation in mathematical physics must also complete:

• MATH 435 (3), 438 (3), 442 (3), 471 (3), 535 (3). These may be used to satisfy the 9 credit hours in mathematics required for all curricula. 
• An additional 6 credits in mathematics and 6 credits in physics, approved by the student’s advisory committee.