MS/PhD in Physics With Astrophysics Concentration

Apply NowWe offer a graduate degree in physics with a concentration in astrophysics.

The astrophysics concentration has a different sequence of core courses but otherwise has the same requirements as the physics MS and PhD.

  1. Course requirements for a Master of Science in Physics with a concentration in Astrophysics:
    Follows the same requirement for Plan I (non-thesis) and Plan II (thesis) M.S. Physics requirements for the number of credit hours. Under the Astrophysics concentration, the hours must include ASTR 536 and the choice of three of PHYS 466, 505, 511, 521 and ASTR 537. Details must be discussed with a graduate advisor each semester.
  2. Course requirement for a Ph.D. in Physics with a concentration in Astrophysics:
    Similar to the standard physics path, this requires a minimum of 48 semester hours of graduate work exclusive of dissertation, with the following course requirements:
    • Core courses: ASTR 536 and 537, and a choice of three from PHYS 466, 505, 511 and 521.
    • At least 3 of the 5 core courses must be completed with a B grade or better.
    • Four electives of which the following are recommended: ASTR 526, 538, 539 and PHYS 581 when the topic is Cosmology or High Energy Astrophysics. Details must be discussed with a graduate advisor each semester.
  3. Classical mechanics and Quantum mechanics requirement:
    Students taking the Astrophysics concentration will exit with either a Ph.D. or a M.S. degree in Physics. To ensure that they graduate with a sufficient level of knowledge and exposure to the important physics topics of classical mechanics and quantum mechanics, we will require incoming students to take one semester of undergraduate courses in these subjects (PHYS 491 and/or PHYS 303) unless they have taken equivalent courses previously.