As you may already know, the University of Arizona is one of the top research universities in the United States. Graduate study in Physics at the University of Arizona is vested in discovery. Our department is probing the limits of what’s known about the physical world, challenging boundaries, and exploring new directions. With internationally renowned programs and dedicated faculty who are leaders in their fields, we offer an environment that fuses cutting-edge research with teaching excellence.

As one of only 63 universities nationwide in the Association of American Universities (AAU) composing America’s leading research universities, we are ranked #20 among all public institutions in the United States in terms of research funding. In fact, the most recent data available shows we were ranked #6 amongst all universities in the United States – both public and private – in terms of research dollars for the physical sciences.

Graduate students in our department conduct research at a wide variety of locations, including laboratories within the Physics Departments itself, laboratories throughout campus, observatories on the mountaintops throughout southern Arizona, and international laboratories such as Fermilab (Chicago), Brookhaven (New York), and CERN (Switzerland). We are an active and dynamic department in which top-notch research is carried out across many disciplines and around the world. For years, we have been attracting an exceptionally well-motivated and diverse group of young scientists who have already been rising to the tops of their fields. Our graduate students have diverse interests and play a large and active role in the daily running of our department.

Current physics students hail from 15 different countries and from several different states throughout the United States. The University of Arizona is committed to fostering a diverse community with overall ethnic diversity of 34% on campus. Upon graduation, many of our students accept prestigious postdoctoral positions and ultimately faculty positions. Others take research positions in industry, as well as teaching positions in both public and private schools.

The University of Arizona has modern facilities and is one of the most beautiful campuses in the Western U.S., adjacent to a vibrant downtown full of fun restaurants and entertainment. Tucson is surrounded by magnificent 9000-foot mountains, canyons, hiking trails, two National Parks, and a desert of incredible beauty and variety. Add to that an average of over 330 sunny days per year and a low cost of living, and you have a location that is truly ideal.