Physics, M.S.

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Minimum Total Hours (Thesis): 30

Minimum Total Hours (Non-Thesis): 32

Program Code: M780

Required Courses

Thesis Option (standard)

Choose 14-16 hours of PHYS and/or ASTR courses at the 4000-level or above (note that 4000 level courses must carry graduate credit)14-16
PHYS 5980Research for Master's Thesis2-4
Choose 12 hours of other graduate coursework as approved by the advisory committee12
Total Credit Hours30

Thesis Option (Astrophysics)

ASTR 4303Stellar Astrophysics 10 or 3
Choose 6 hours of ASTR courses numbered 5000 or above6
Choose 12 credit hours of PHYS and/or ASTR courses at the 4000-level or above. (note that 4000 level courses must carry graduate credit)12
PHYS 5980Research for Master's Thesis2-4
Choose 5-10 hours of other graduate coursework as approved by the advisory committee, to bring total graduate credit hours to 305-10
Total Credit Hours30
1

If presented as undergraduate credit, this course does not count towards the 30 hours required for the degree. 

Non-Thesis Option

Choose 20 hours of PHYS and/or ASTR courses at the 4000-level or above (note that 4000 level courses must carry graduate credit) 120
Choose 12 hours of other graduate coursework as approved by the advisory committee12
Total Credit Hours32
1

May not include PHYS 5980. 

Notes

  • Non-thesis students must pass the internal departmental qualifying exams on Quantum Mechanics, Electrodynamics, and Classical & Statistical Mechanics.
  • The Comprehensive Exam can be either the General Exam for admission to doctoral candidacy (for students pursuing a doctorate) or a separate written paper and oral exam (for students exiting with a Masters).

General Requirements for all Master's Degrees

The master’s degree requires the equivalent of at least two semesters of satisfactory graduate work and additional work as may be prescribed for the degree.

All coursework applied to the master’s degree must carry graduate credit.

Master’s degree programs which require a thesis consist of at least 30 credit hours. All non-thesis master’s degree programs require at least 30 credit hours.

Credit transferred from other institutions must meet specific criteria and is subject to certain limitations.

Courses completed through correspondence study may not be applied to the master’s degree.

To qualify for a graduate degree, students must achieve an overall grade point average of 3.0 or higher in the degree program coursework and in all resident graduate coursework attempted. A student must also have at least a 3.0 in all coursework (including undergraduate coursework if any).

Additional information for master's degree students may be found in the Graduate College Bulletin.