Master of Science - Physics

The department of physics offers programs leading to both the master of science and doctor of philosophy degrees. The Master of Science - Physics can be earned with either a thesis or non-thesis option.

The department's research emphasis includes three areas of physics: condensed matter and materials physics; atomic, molecular, and optical physics; as well as astrophysics. Experimental and theoretical research opportunities are available in each of these areas. Graduate students in the department work with faculty on a wide range of problems, including the characterization of magnetic materials, predicting the properties of quantum and classical phase transitions, investigating electrical and thermal transport, determining electron-atom scattering events, computing the electronic structure of new materials, measuring and imaging ion-atom collisions, growing and characterizing exotic quantum materials, studying wave propagation in complex media, exploring quantum electrodynamics’ descriptions of few-electron atoms and ions, studying gravitational waves emitted by black holes and neutron stars; and exploring the expansion history of the universe.