Master's:
Although students are not admitted to study for a Master's, they may receive a Master's degree while studying for the Ph.D. For the Master's degree, there is a minimum residence requirement of three-quarters of full-time registration or the equivalent, nine quarter-length courses. In addition, a student must pass nine approved graduate courses and complete the experimental physics requirement, with a GPA of 2.5 or better overall. There is no thesis or foreign language requirement.

Doctorate:
There is a minimum residence requirement of nine quarters of full-time registration. The candidate must pass the advanced physics laboratory course or participate in a first-year experimental research experience, and also pass six advanced physics courses. Four of these advanced courses must be selected from course offerings in either three or four general categories associated with active areas of contemporary physics research; the remaining two must be advanced, seminar-type elective courses. Other requirements include convening a first/introductory meeting of the Ph.D. Committee, a pre-oral meeting to discuss the substantive issues of the dissertation, defending the dissertation before the candidate's Ph.D. Committee, and submitting a paper based on the dissertation to a recognized journal. Normally, at the pre-oral meeting, preceding submission of the thesis, the Ph.D. Committee and the student decide whether the paper to be submitted will be a single-authored or multiple-authored paper.

The Department of Physics is committed to recruiting, retaining, and supporting diversity among its undergraduate majors and minors, graduate students, staff, and faculty. The department is comprises individuals from diverse cultures and backgrounds, we have a large international student population with students representing countries such as Australia, New Zealand, China, Egypt, Israel, Canada, and many more!

We are very proud to support and promote women in the sciences. The faculty and staff are dedicated to improving the experiences and opportunities for women interested in a STEM career. The student-run Women in Physics group meets regularly throughout the year and members are encouraged to participate in various regional and national conferences.