About the Program

The PhD in applied physics prepares students for broad career options and not just academic positions. Like our master’s program, the PhD provides a framework that allows inclusion of capable, non-traditional candidates for a PhD. Unlike many PhD programs that seek to train academics, the constituency for this degree consists primarily of those who wish to work as independent researchers in high tech industries, positions that demand the independent thinking developed during PhD training. Our emphasis will be on problem solving broadly construed. We seek students for whom the discipline of thought inherent in advanced study of physics will be an aid in finding solutions to a broad spectrum of problems.

The program design is intended to accommodate local working professionals in a variety of sectors where physics skills, appropriately contextualized, would be useful for career advancement. The curriculum is considerably different from a traditional physics PhD structure. For example, there is a significantly greater emphasis on labs skills and data acquisition and a greater accommodation of cross-disciplinarily. At its core, the curriculum develops the “three-legged stool” of theoretical, experimental and computational skills, which together promote the widest range of applicability of core physics ideas.

The PhD is considered an extension of the applied physics master’s program. All students are admitted into the master’s program. Those who satisfy the requirements for candidacy will advance into the PhD. In certain special cases, direct admission to the PhD program will be considered for applicants with advanced credentials on a case-by-case basis.