These degrees are under the jurisdiction of the Graduate School. Refer to the Requirements for Graduation and the Graduate School sections of the University Catalogue for general regulations. All courses applied toward the degrees must be courses accepted by the Graduate School.
Following is a brief description of the departmental requirements for each of the degrees. You can also look at a typical program for the first two years of study, including required coursework and examinations.
Master of Arts in Physics
- The M.A. degree requires satisfactory completion of eight courses, exclusive of Phys-590.
- The required courses are Physics 504, 508a, and 558a.
- At least five courses must be at the 500 level or higher and the remaining courses at the 400 level or higher.
- At least five courses must be in physics.
- All required physics courses must be passed with a grade of B- or better.
- No upper division courses required for the B.A. in Physics may be counted for credit toward the M.A. degree.
- The departmental screening exam must be taken not later than the second semester of enrollment (summer excluded). This exam serves as the required comprehensive exam for the M.A. degree and a high level of performance is required.
Master of Science in Physics
- The M.S. degree requires satisfactory completion of a thesis plus seven courses, of which no more than one course may be Physics 590.
- The required courses are Physics 504, 508a, 558a, 594a and 594b (Master's Thesis).
- At least five courses must be at the 500 level or higher and the remaining courses at the 400 level or higher.
- At least five courses must be in physics.
- All required physics courses must be passed with a grade of B- or better.
- No upper division courses required for the B.A. in Physics may be counted for credit toward the M.S. degree
Dr. Stephan Haas leads the Computational Condensed Matter Theory group which studies quantum magnetism, superconductivity, and design of opto-electronic nano-scale devices. He also directs the graduate program.