威斯康星大學麥迪遜分校

The Master of Science degree is a professional program that requires the completion of a directed master's project and thesis in the student's area of interest, 30 credits of graduate work, and passage of the qualifying examination at the master's level. It is designed to strengthen the student's background and experience in physics, and enhance the opportunities for employment as a physicist or in physics education.

The research program in physics is unusually broad in scope with active experimental and theoretical research programs in astrophysics; atomic, molecular, and optical physics; biophysics; condensed matter physics; elementary particle physics; nuclear physics; particle physics theory; phenomenology; and plasma physics. This broad range of research opportunities makes the department especially attractive to beginning students who have not yet chosen a field of specialization.

Theoretical Physics

Astrophysics; atomic, molecular, and optical physics; condensed matter physics; cosmology; elementary particle physics; nuclear physics; phenomenology; plasmas and fusion; quantum computing; statistical and thermal physics; string theory.

Experimental Physics

Astrophysics; atomic, molecular, and optical physics; biophysics; condensed matter physics; cosmology; elementary particle physics; neutrino physics; experimental studies of superconductors; medical physics; nuclear physics; plasma physics; quantum computing; spectroscopy.

The Department of Physics has a diverse group of graduate students who come from many countries around the world. There are typically 150–200 graduate students in the department. Virtually all students admitted receive financial support in the form of teaching or research assistantships and fellowships.

Learning outcomes

• Mastery of the core physical concepts (classical mechanics, electricity and magnetism, quantum mechanics, and statistical mechanics)
• Articulates, critiques, or elaborates the theories, research methods, and approaches to inquiry or schools of practice in physics.
• Identifies sources and assembles evidence pertaining to questions or challenges in physics.
• Demonstrates understanding of the physics in an historical, social, or global context
• Selects and/or utilizes the most appropriate methodologies and practices.
• Evaluates or synthesizes information pertaining to questions or challenges in physics.
• Communicates clearly in ways appropriate to the field of physics
• Recognizes and applies principles of ethical and professional conduct.