Prospective Students - Graduate

Physics

Areas of Study and Research

The graduate program in physics is one of the largest and strongest in the country, with leading research programs in essentially all areas of physics, including atomic, molecular, and optical physics, condensed matter and materials physics, elementary particle physics, nuclear physics, geophysics, plasma physics, biophysics, geophysics, history and philosophy of physics, and physics education research, while astrophysics, and chemical physics are offered in conjunction with other departments on campus. A new Applied Physics Certificate Program offers increased flexibility in the course for curriculum students with an applied bent.

A special aspect of our program are the excellent opportunities for our students to perform their PhD, research at one of the many world-class research institutes in the Boulder area, including JILA, NIST (National Institute for Standards and Technology), NREL (National Renewable Energy Lab), NCAR (National Center for Atmospheric Research), and NOAA (National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Association), etc.

Degrees Offered

MS
Requires 30 semester hours including a thesis, or 30 hours coursework without a thesis; minimum GPA 3.00; two semesters or three summers’ residence minimum. The comprehensive exam is required toward the end of the program (PhD level comprehensive exam is usually taken, which more than satisfies the MS requirement).

PhD
Requires 30 semester hours of coursework plus 30 doctoral thesis hours; 3.00 minimum GPA with no grades lower than B-; six semesters residence minimum; no written exam required; oral exam required within one year of completion of coursework; and dissertation requirements in accordance with the Graduate School (30 credit hours). There is no foreign language requirement.

Admission

Graduate School Minimum Admissions Standards
Individual graduate departments may have additional or more restrictive standards by which they evaluate graduate applicants. However, the Graduate School at CU-Boulder has established minimum standards for graduate admission. Applicants must:

1. Hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university, or have done work equivalent to that required for such a degree.
   
2. Show promise of ability to pursue advanced study and research, as judged by the student’s scholastic record.
   
3. Have adequate preparation to enter graduate study in the chosen field.
   
4. Have at least a 2.75 (2.00=C) undergraduate grade point average. Note: Applicants who cannot meet this undergraduate standard may still secure regular admission if they have completed 9 semester hours of relevant graduate course work with at least a 3.25 average.
   

Physics Admissions Requirements
Applicants must:

1. Hold a baccalaureate degree or its equivalent from an accredited college or university.
2. Complete the general GRE and the GRE physics subject exam.
3. Non-English speaking applicants must complete the TOEFL exam. If you have completed one year of full-time academic study at a U.S. institution, this requirement can be waived.
4. Provide three letters of recommendation.
5. Please fill out the application cover sheet and mail it in to the physics department.

All applications must be submitted online. It is strongly recommended that letters of recommendation be completed on-line as well.

Financial Support Available
Nearly all of our admitted students receive financial support through teaching or research assistantships. Additional fellowships are often awarded to especially strong applicants.

Application Information and Deadlines   Fall admission Yes Application deadline January 1 International application deadline December 1 Financial assistance application deadline January 1   Spring admission No   Summer admission No

Contact Information

University of Colorado at Boulder
Department of Physics
Graduate Program Assistant
Duane Physics E1B32
390 UCB
Boulder, CO 80309-0390
Phone: 303-735-0519
Fax: 303-492-3352
E-mail: physics@colorado.edu
Website: physics.colorado.edu