Please refer to the Course Planning page for a general idea of when these courses are offered. For exact dates, times, locations, fees, and instructors, please refer to the course finder.
Ten courses must be completed within five years. For general M.Sc. students not applying for a concentration, the curriculum consists of four Applied Physics core courses and six electives. At least four of the courses must be in Applied Physics at the 700-level or higher. An Applied Physics elective may be substituted for a required course if the student has previously completed an equivalent graduate-level course. Only one C-range grade (C+, C, or C−) can count toward the master’s degree. All course selections outside of the Applied Physics core, elective, and/or the relevant concentration course requirements below are subject to advisor approval.
Core Courses
Select four (at least three must be from the first six).
| Course Number & Name | Course Format |
|---|---|
| Course Number & Name: 615.641 - Mathematical Methods for Physics and Engineering | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.642 - Electromagnetics | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.651 - Statistical Mechanics and Thermodynamics | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.653 - Classical Mechanics | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.654 - Quantum Mechanics | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.665 - Modern Physics | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.671 - Principles Of Optics | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.680 - Materials Science | Course Format: Synchronous Online |
Electives
Select six of the following:
| Course Number & Name | Course Format |
|---|---|
| Course Number & Name: 535.614 - Fundamentals of Acoustics | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.611 - Classical Physics | Course Format: In-person, Synchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.647 - Fundamentals of Sensors | Course Format: Asynchronous Online, In-person |
| Course Number & Name: 615.648 - Alternate Energy Technology | Course Format: Hybrid In-person and Synchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.662 - Introduction to Astrophysics | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.731 - Photovoltaic & Solar Thermal Energy Conversion | Course Format: In-person |
| Course Number & Name: 615.745 - Physics of Space Systems II | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.747 - Sensors and Sensor Systems | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.748 - Introduction to Relativity | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.751 - Modern Optics | Course Format: Asynchronous Online, Synchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.755 - Space Physics | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.757 - Solid State Physics | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.761 - Intro To Oceanography | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.762 - Applied Computational Electromagnetics | Course Format: Synchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.765 - Chaos and Its Applications | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.769 - Physics of Remote Sensing | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.772 - Cosmology | Course Format: Asynchronous Online, Synchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.775 - Physics of Climate | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.778 - Optical System Design and Modelling | Course Format: Synchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.780 - Optical Detectors & Applications | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.781 - Quantum Information Processing | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.782 - Optics and Matlab | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.800 - Applied Physics Project | Course Format: |
| Course Number & Name: 615.802 - Directed Studies in Applied Physics | Course Format: |
| Course Number & Name: 675.613 - The Bold Science Motivating and Enabled by our Engineering | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
Materials and Condensed Matter Core Courses
Students can elect to concentrate their studies in materials and condensed matter by completing a combination of courses from the Applied Physics (615.xxx), Electrical and Computer Engineering (525.xxx), and Materials Science and Engineering (515.xxx) programs. Four Applied Physics core courses are required. Of the remaining six courses, four or more must be 700 level materials and condensed matter courses selected from the Applied Physics (615.xxx), Electrical and Computer Engineering (525.xxx), and Materials Science and Engineering (515.xxx) programs. The remaining two electives can be from Applied Physics or other EP program. All course selections are subject to advisor approval.
| Course Number & Name | Course Format |
|---|---|
| Course Number & Name: 615.641 - Mathematical Methods for Physics and Engineering | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.642 - Electromagnetics | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.651 - Statistical Mechanics and Thermodynamics | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.680 - Materials Science | Course Format: Synchronous Online |
Materials and Condensed Matter Electives
Select at least four
| Course Number & Name | Course Format |
|---|---|
| Course Number & Name: 515.617 - Nanomaterials | Course Format: |
| Course Number & Name: 515.635 - Mechanical Properties of Materials | Course Format: |
| Course Number & Name: 525.606 - Electronic Materials | Course Format: Synchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 525.621 - Introduction to Electronics and the Solid State | Course Format: Synchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 535.684 - Modern Polymeric Materials | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 535.732 - Fatigue and Fracture of Materials | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 535.748 - Stress Waves, Impacts and Shockwaves | Course Format: In-person |
| Course Number & Name: 615.647 - Fundamentals of Sensors | Course Format: Asynchronous Online, In-person |
| Course Number & Name: 615.747 - Sensors and Sensor Systems | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.757 - Solid State Physics | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.800 - Applied Physics Project | Course Format: |
| Course Number & Name: 615.802 - Directed Studies in Applied Physics | Course Format: |
Photonics
Four Applied Physics core courses (EN.615.xxx), one Electrical and Computer Engineering core course (EN.525.xxx), three Photonics electives (700 level), and two electives from Applied Physics or another EP program must be completed.
Core Courses (Applied Physics)
Select 4 of the following:
| Course Number & Name | Course Format |
|---|---|
| Course Number & Name: 615.641 - Mathematical Methods for Physics and Engineering | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.642 - Electromagnetics | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.653 - Classical Mechanics | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.654 - Quantum Mechanics | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.665 - Modern Physics | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.671 - Principles Of Optics | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
Core Courses (Electrical and Computer Engineering)
Select 1 of the following:
| Course Number & Name | Course Format |
|---|---|
| Course Number & Name: 525.613 - Fourier Techniques in Optics | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 525.625 - Laser Fundamentals | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 525.691 - Fundamentals of Photonics | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
Photonics Electives
Select at least 3 of the following:
| Course Number & Name | Course Format |
|---|---|
| Course Number & Name: 525.613 - Fourier Techniques in Optics | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 525.625 - Laser Fundamentals | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 525.636 - Optics & Photonics Lab | Course Format: In-person |
| Course Number & Name: 525.691 - Fundamentals of Photonics | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 525.753 - Laser Systems and Applications | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 525.756 - Optical Propagation, Sensing, and Backgrounds | Course Format: Hybrid In-person and Synchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 525.772 - Fiber-Optic Communication Systems | Course Format: Synchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 525.796 - Introduction to High-Speed Optoelectronics | Course Format: Synchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 525.797 - Advanced Fiber Optic Laboratory | Course Format: In-person |
| Course Number & Name: 585.734 - Biophotonics | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.751 - Modern Optics | Course Format: Asynchronous Online, Synchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.778 - Optical System Design and Modelling | Course Format: Synchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.780 - Optical Detectors & Applications | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.781 - Quantum Information Processing | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.782 - Optics and Matlab | Course Format: Asynchronous Online |
| Course Number & Name: 615.800 - Applied Physics Project 1 | Course Format: |
| Course Number & Name: 615.802 - Directed Studies in Applied Physics 1 | Course Format: |
Apply Today
Complement your knowledge with principles that can be applied to almost every discipline of science, engineering, industry, and technology—from defense technology and business to public policy and biomedicine.