Masters Program

MS in Physics Requirements (as of Fall 2021)

To remain in good academic standing, a graduate student must maintain a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.0 in all courses taken for graduate credit after admission to a graduate degree program at the University of New Mexico.

1) Thesis and Non-Thesis Options

Plan I - Thesis Option:

• At least 24 semester hours of graduate coursework in physics and mathematics are required, together with at least 6 hours of Master's Thesis (Physics 599).
• Defense of a written thesis serves as a final examination. Announcement of Exam is due a minimum of 2 weeks prior to exam date. Please follow Graduate Studies Thesis Manuscript Submission Procedures. To form a thesis committee per GS, see Thesis Committee guidelines, plus MOU for LANL and SNL members or MOU for AFRL, NRAO, SNL members if pertinent. Thesis Formatting guidelines may be found on the GS site, the tab Formatting Aids has a link to a template for LaTeX.

Plan II - Non-Thesis Option:

• 32 semester hours of graduate coursework in physics and mathematics must be taken. At least 4 of the 32 hours must be in graded problems or research courses (Physics 552 or 650). These requirements also apply to those graduate students in the PhD program who are seeking a "MS 'on the way' to PhD".
• The 4 hours of 552 or 650 will serve as the Master’s Project for the Program of Studies.

2) Core Course Requirements

• 466 Methods of Theoretical Physics I
• 505 Statistical Mechanics and Thermodynamics
• 511 Electrodynamics I
• 521 Quantum Mechanics I

A grade of B- or above is required in each core course.

In order to graduate, a Program of Studies form must be submitted to GS by the following deadlines: March 1 for Summer graduation, July 1 for Fall graduation, October 1 for Spring graduation.

Master's students must maintain progress through the four core courses (466, 505, 511, and 521) at the following minimal rate:

Graduate Studies Completion Checklist and Deadlines

P&A Policy on Graduate Student Leaves of Absence

Graduate students wishing to take a leave of absence of a duration longer than 1 month during the academic term are required to notify the department's Academic Programs Coordinator in advance to request approval from the Graduate Committee. Failure to obtain advance written approval from the department may result in dismissal from the degree program. Approval of a leave of absence does not necessarily grant a postponement in the mandatory schedule for completion of the MS requirements. Students holding assistantships prior to beginning leaves of absence are not guaranteed assistantships upon their return to the academic program without prior approval from the Graduate Committee.