Masters in Physics in USA

The physics department offers Master of Science degrees with several options. The standard physics MS can be obtained by taking a specified set of courses without an MS thesis. Alternatively, an MS thesis may substitute for 8 credit hours of coursework. Both of these options may be pursued either full time or part time. Upon completion of the MS in Physics degree, students should be able to apply graduate-level knowledge and solve problems in the areas of electrodynamics, quantum mechanics, classical mechanics, statistical mechanics, and advanced mathematical methods.

Students choose physics at UB because it combines excellence with diversity. By acquiring a rigorous foundation of basic knowledge and skills, as well as hands-on research experience, our graduates are equipped with the necessary tools to embark in any career which values technical aptitude and analytical thinking, as well as the ability to adapt to changes. Most of our graduates are employed as university or college faculty, or in senior technical or managerial positions in industrial, commercial, or research institutions.

The Department of Physics and Astronomy offers the Master of Science degree in Physics. This degree is designed for students wishing to prepare themselves for
doctoral study, for work in a research and technology position, or for teaching at the community college level. 

General Description of the Graduate Program

The Department of Physics and Astronomy in the College of Arts and Sciences offers courses of study and research that normally lead to the Ph.D. degree. The M.A degree is awarded either as a terminal degree, or to students on the way to the Ph.D. degree. The Master of Science in Scientific Instrumentation program is provided for those interested in instrumentation for physical research. A Master of Arts in Teaching program, from the School of Professional Development, is available for students seeking to teach physics in high schools.  An Advanced Graduate Certificate in Accelerator Science is offered, which can be taken concurrently with a PhD or Masters degree.

Students may find opportunities in various areas of physics not found in the department or in related disciplines at Stony Brook in such programs as Medical Physics, Chemical Physics, Atmospheric and Climate Modeling, Materials Science and at Brookhaven National Laboratory or Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.

The entire faculty participates in teaching a rich curriculum of undergraduate, graduate, and professional development courses, including many courses on special topics of current interest. PhD and MSI students must fulfill one year of teaching. PhD students are encouraged to participate in research as early as possible and to begin their thesis research no later than the beginning of their third year. The typical length of time to the Ph.D. is four to six years, whereas the Master's in Scientific Instrumentation is a two-year program that involves a thesis project in instrumentation design or development. The minimum time to earn the M.A. degree is two semesters and one Summer, but it usually takes two years.

The Stony Brook Physics graduate program has been highly ranked in national surveys for the quality of its graduate program, its faculty, and the impact of its published research. It strives to make a graduate education in physics intellectually stimulating and educationally rewarding.

The Master of Engineering in Engineering Physics program is exciting, emphasizing the accretion of the student’s physics and engineering skills. This is a continuance of the Department of Physics and Astronomy’s innovative Engineering Physics discipline.

Specialized courses in the student’s research interest and allied fields precede a written thesis. M.S. degree candidates must pass an oral exam on the thesis work. A non-thesis option requiring 36 course credits is also available.

Are you interested in combining physical, biological and medical sciences in a professional setting? Are you interested in state-of-the-art research?

The MS degree program in physics is designed for completion over a two-year period.

The applied physics concentration is built around a core curriculum designed to give the candidate a thorough foundation in the major fields of physics. This concentration includes a research thesis (one year). Physics faculty offer a wide range of cutting-edge research projects.

The medical physics concentration is a joint program with the Department of Radiation Oncology (Brody School of Medicine) and accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Education Programs (CAMPEP) (www.campep.org/campeplstgrad.asp). It is designed as a terminal degree program with a substantial clinical component that enables its graduates to move into a career in diagnostic or therapeutic medical physics. A research thesis is optional. Instead, students participate in a clinical rotation (20 hours per week, for one semester) to gain valuable insights and first-hand practical experience in a clinical setting.

The health physics concentration is designed to fill an urgent need for trained health physics professionals brought about by resurgence in the development of nuclear power, an expansion of programs in national security, and an ageing cadre of current health physics professionals. Also in this concentration, a research thesis is optional. Instead, students participate in an internship (10â??16 weeks over the summer) in an academic, clinical or industrial setting to experience a realistic workplace for a health physicist.

When you study physics and astrophysics at UND, the universe is your classroom. The most fundamental of all the sciences, physics and astrophysics offers fascinating insights into how the world works.

The graduate program at UND is characterized by small classes and a collaborative approach. You'll work closely with acclaimed faculty on cutting-edge research on topics like solid-state physics, materials science and astrophysics, and you'll contribute to the field by writing an original thesis.

Through the master's program in Physics & Astrophysics at UND, you'll gain:

• Competency in graduate-level mechanics, electromagnetism, quantum mechanics, theoretical methods and more
• In-depth research skills
• Strong oral presentation skills
• Experience in writing research papers
• The analytical skills required to work as a professional physicist

The Department of Physics at Western Illinois University offers a program of graduate study leading to the Master of Science degree in Physics. Our approach is designed to be flexible enough to allow students?even with different undergraduate backgrounds?the opportunity to prepare themselves for careers or further study in the field of physics. The program provides the advantage of a caring, small department atmosphere with very committed professors, together with the opportunity to participate in cutting-edge research projects that will prepare the graduate student for challenging Ph.D. programs in top research universities or competitive jobs after graduation.

The T. C. Jenkins Department of Biophysics offers outstanding undergraduate biophysics majors the opportunity to advance their education through a combined, 5-year B.A., M.A. program. Candidates for this program must be current biophysics undergraduates with a departmental GPA of 3.5 or greater and a strong research history. All bachelor’s requirements must be completed before matriculating into the Master’s program.

The Master's program in physics provides an education within experimental and theoretical physics and aims at giving the candidates a broad professional background in physics. The candidate can focus the program towards a variety of topics based on ongoing research activities at the Physics Department.

Physicists study natural phenomena in the world—everything from the subatomic scale to the vastness of the universe. Because physics is the study of how the world works, it is often considered one of the most fundamental of all the sciences and the reason many graduate students choose to earn a master’s in physics.

Scientific and technological advances in society are in part the result of physicists who work in theoretical analysis (developing ideas and using advanced mathematical and experimental tools to perform validation tests on theories) or in applied research. Graduates develop expertise for this scientific problem-solving with a master’s in physics from Florida Tech.

Physicists are found in many aspects of society from space exploration, high-tech companies (telecommunications or semiconductors, for example), and research firms, to medicine, product development, manufacturing, oil and gas, and more. A master’s in physics can also give students a chance to find an area of interest for specialization such as space physics, astronomy, astrophysics, geophysics, or engineering.

All graduate students in physics must plan their entire program with the advice and approval of a departmental advisor.

The program of graduate studies in physics emphasizes research work, but also includes teaching experience as an essential element. Research and thesis opportunities are at present available in the fields of astrophysics and cosmology, atmospheric, ocean and quantum optics, biological physics, complexity, condensed matter/energy materials physics, elementary particle theory.