Doctor of Philosophy in Physics

Prepare required documentation, including:

Official transcripts from all previously attended institutions

Statement of purpose outlining your interests and career goals

Three letters of recommendation

TOEFL or IELTS (if applicable), GRE General Test (optional), Physics Subject Test (optional)

Complete the online application. Please be sure to pay applicable domestic or international program fees.

Make sure you meet discipline-specific requirements, which are listed in the Academic Catalog. Please note that these criteria are to be used only as an approximate guide for prospective students. The number of available slots in our program varies from year to year. Simply meeting the criteria will not guarantee admission, and conversely, falling somewhat short of these criteria will not completely preclude admission either. Ultimate admission decisions will be based on a comprehensive review of all application materials in the context of the resources available to our program at this time.

Accepted students will typically show the following characteristics that we have ordered most important (transcript) to the least important (optional GRE scores)

Transcript: Evidence that you have taken and succeeded in a challenging sequence of courses that demonstrate your readiness to study graduate-level physics (cumulative GPA on a four-point scale greater than or equal to 3.0).

Personal statement: Evidence-based indication that you can complete the degree program. If you have research ambitions, then you should also provide a clear, succinct indication that your research interests align with those of potential research advisors. Additionally, it would be helpful to indicate any potential vision that you have regarding your career intent

Letters of recommendation: Evidence-based support for the student and their ability to complete the degree program and that the student shows the creativity and internal motivation necessary to pursue research. Letters of recommendation are optional for admission to the MS program but are required for consideration to receive an appointment as a graduate teaching assistant (GTA). You may submit a maximum of three, but at least one is required for GTA consideration.