M.S. in Physics
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Program Title
Department(s)
Degree Designation
Optional Specialization/Concentration(s)
Program Description
With Thesis:
The student’s course of study and thesis topic must be approved by the student’s advisory committee. A thesis consists of directed research, usually of a nature which would be suitable for publication in a refereed journal, and a write-up of the research. An oral defense of the thesis is required. The thesis is an archival document published electronically and kept in the NMT Library.
Independent Study:
The student’s course of study must be approved by the student’s advisory committee. A student who elects not to write a thesis will instead write an independent study paper on a topic selected with guidance from their advisory committee. Unlike a thesis, this paper is not archived electronically by the NMT Library.
Preliminary Exam
All students are required to pass a preliminary exam (“prelim”). The prelim covers material in physics and mathematics normally included in the undergraduate physics curriculum. See the “Preliminary Exam Procedures” on the department website for further details.
Ph.D. students who wish to earn an M.S.
If a Ph.D. student would like to earn an MS while completing Ph.D. requirements, they may initiate the process by petitioning the department. They may choose either the thesis or independent study option. All coursework may count toward both the M.S. and Ph.D. degree. The independent study paper may be a dissertation proposal, a journal article, or another appropriate written product. For further details, see the Physics Department webpage.
- PHYS5001
- PHYS5002
- PHYS5079
- PHYS5009
- PHYS4025
- PHYS5005
- PHYS5026
- PHYS5027
- PHYS5008
- PHYS5010
- PHYS5018
While the listed courses are the simplest route to achieving this credit, a student may petition their committee and the department chair either with proposed substitute course work or other prior experience that demonstrates competence in any of these areas.
All students are required to pass a preliminary exam (“prelim”). The prelim covers material in physics and mathematics normally included in the undergraduate physics curriculum. The department offers the exam at the beginning of the Fall and Spring semesters. Although doctoral students take the same prelim as MS students, a higher score is required of them. There is an established time-line for passing the exam which is different for MS and PhD students. Failure to pass the exam with the required score and within the specified time usually results in dis-enrollment from the physics graduate program. See the “Preliminary Exam Procedures” on the department website for further details.
Graduate students wishing to petition to change from M.S. to Ph.D. status can do so no earlier than the end of their second semester and no later than Aug 1 of that year. The petition should include: a) a letter stating the reason for the petition, b) a copy of the first full-year of transcripts, c) a letter of support from the potential research advisor, d) any updates in scores (e.g. GREs, TOEFL/ELTS, Department Prelim) that should be considered as evidence of ability to pursue a Ph.D.
The petition should be copied in email to the Department Chair, Graduate Admissions Committee chair and Dean of the Graduate School. The Graduate Admissions committee will render a decision regarding the petition in writing to the petitioner, Chair and Dean no later than Sept 15 that year. This decision will include both an adjudication of the petitioner's request to pursue a Ph.D. as well as any potential funding commitments from the department.
If the student’s petition fails, the student may apply for readmission for the Ph.D. through the regular graduate admissions process after the M.S. degree is completed.