About

The purpose of the Physics M.S. and Ph.D. degrees are to prepare students for a career in Physics Research or in education at the university level. The program achieves this with a custom program for each student set up by their advisor and their advising committee. At the M.S. level students will learn to formulate, conduct and report on research, and in the case of Ph.D. the students will be able to conduct these steps independently.

Available Options

  • Post-Bachelor’s Track
  • Post-Master’s Track

Accreditation

For information regarding accreditation at UNLV, please head over to Academic Program Accreditations.

Learning Outcomes

  • Understand electromagnetic theory at the graduate level.
  • Understand quantum theory at the graduate level.
  • Understand mathematical methods for physics at the graduate level.
  • Understand statistical physics at the graduate level.
  • Perform an original research project at the doctoral level.
  • Communicate scientific topics to a scientific audience.
  • Possess strong background of knowledge in physics and mathematics.
  • Solve doctoral-level problems in physics.
  • Communicate the critical importance of physics in society.
  • Possess the confidence and ability to be an independent thinker.

Career Possibilities

Students who obtain the Doctor of Philosophy in Physics typically develop critical skills that are very beneficial to a wide array of professions. Such skills include but are not limited to: data analysis, computer modeling, data measurement, high technology awareness/familiarity/expertise, ability to conduct independent scholarship/experimentation, leadership, writing/communication proficiency, mathematical expertise, creativity (“thinking outside of the box”) and critical thinking/analytical reasoning. The level of skills will depend on the nature of the Ph.D. thesis project (e.g. experimental or theoretical) but in general, physicists are considered to be deep thinkers and problem solvers. They are thus aggressively sought out for high-level jobs in many areas of human endeavor. As the bedrock of all science, mastery in physics (which by necessity includes mastery in mathematics) gives students confidence and ability to solve a wide variety of problems that are critically and widely relevant to society.

Soon after obtaining their Ph.D., many physicists first seek postdoctoral positions - particularly for those wishing to engage in research for their careers to garner more experience and develop their research interests/directions. After this experience, Ph.D.-level physicists typically obtain faculty positions (visiting professor, professor in residence, assistance, associate and full professor) in academic/degree-granting institutions (private and public universities with graduate level degree programs, four year colleges, professional schools and community colleges). These faculty positions are typically offered by physics departments but physicists can also be hired by chemistry, geology, materials science, atmospheric science, applied math, history of science, engineering, medical physics, and biology departments depending on their particular thesis project/field of expertise. Physicists may also teach in K-12 educational institutions (public and private) with additional teaching certification.

Physicists with Ph.D.s frequently obtain positions in national laboratories (operated by the Department of Energy, NASA, and also Department of Defense) directing and conducting research projects associated with national security (weapons research), energy (e.g. nuclear and renewable energy and battery research), climate change, and many other areas of national interest.

Physicists are often hired by private companies in research- and leadership- based positions, many of which are technology-based (e.g. Raytheon and Tesla). Many of today’s technological innovations that drive our economy (e.g. the transistor, laser, x-ray machines, NMR/MRI, CCD cameras, microwave ovens, etc.) were developed by physicists who in many cases founded companies creating these technologies.

Many physicists have been hired by financial firms due to their proficiency in data analysis and market modeling/prediction.

Recent graduates from the UNLV Ph.D. program in physics have obtained tenure track faculty positions in four year colleges, postdoctoral and technical staff member positions at NSTEC, Pacific Northwest Laboratory, and Los Alamos National Laboratory. Some have become senior scientists at private companies such as Acton Research.

Requirements

Doctor of Philosophy - Physics

Plan Description

The purpose of the Physics M.S. and Ph.D. degrees are to prepare students for a career in Physics Research or in education at the university level. The program achieves this with a custom program for each student set up by their advisor and their advising committee. In the case of Ph.D. the students will be able to conduct these steps independently.

For more information about your program, including your graduate program handbook and learning outcomes, please visit the Degree Directory.

Plan Admission Requirements

Application deadlines

Applications available on the UNLV Graduate College website.

  1. Applicants with a master's degree in physics must have at least 15 credits of graduate-level course work in physics with a grade of B or better and a 3.25 GPA in the master's program.
  2. All domestic and international applicants must review and follow the
    Graduate College Admission and Registration Requirements.
  3. Letter of intent.
  4. Three letters of recommendation – at least one from an individual familiar with the applicant's academic performance and potential for degree completion. These letters of recommendation will be requested by and must be submitted through the Graduate College online application system.​

Students are accepted into a degree program as described in the Graduate Catalog. The faculty and corresponding sub-disciplines and sub-plans within the described programs are subject to change at any time.

Plan Requirements

 See Subplan Requirements below.

Subplan 1: Post-Bachelor's
Subplan 2: Post-Master's

Subplan 1 Requirements: Post-Bachelor's

Total Credits Required: 60

Course Requirements

Required Courses – Credits: 18

Elective Courses – Credits: 18

Complete 18 credits of 600- or 700-level AST or PHYS courses, or other advisor-approved courses.

Seminar Course – Credits: 6

Complete 6 credits of the following, including three acceptable presentations. A total of three acceptable presentations in three different semesters during the six semesters of enrollment required.

Dissertation – Credits: 18

Degree Requirements

  1. Students must complete a minimum of 60 credits.
  2. A minimum grade of B- is required in each course. An overall GPA of 3.00 or better is required on all course work that is part of the degree program.
  3. In consultation with their advisor, a student will organize a thesis committee of at least three departmental members. In addition, a fourth member from outside the department, known as the Graduate College Representative, must be appointed. An additional committee member may be added at the student and department's discretion. Please see Graduate College policy for committee appointment guidelines.
  4. Each student's advisory committee will carry out an annual review of the student's progress.
  5. Course work taken outside the Physics & Astronomy Department must have departmental approval.
  6. Satisfactory performance on a written qualifying examination on advanced undergraduate physics must be fulfilled during the first two years in the graduate program. Students who fail to pass the exam within the specified timeline will be placed on academic probation and will be allowed one retake of the exam. Failure to pass the retake or meet the requirements of academic probation will result in separation.
  7. A dissertation of high quality. The doctoral dissertation reports the results of significant original research, performed independently by the student, written in lucid scientific prose.
  8. Satisfactory performance on a final examination that will consist of an oral defense of the dissertation.

Subplan 2 Requirements: Post-Master's

Total Credits Required: 30

Course Requirements

Required Courses – Credits: 6-12

Complete 6-12 credits from the following list of courses:

Seminar Course – Credits: 0-6

Complete 0-6 credits of the following, including three acceptable presentations.

Dissertation – Credits: 18

Degree Requirements

  1. Students must take an advisor approved combination of the coursework listed above, completing a minimum of 30 credits. Additional credits may be required to address student deficiencies or build specialized expertise.
  2. The total number of Required Courses and Graduate Seminar Courses will be determined in consultation with the student's advisor.
  3. A minimum grade of B- is required in each course. An overall GPA of 3.00 or better is required on all course work that is part of the degree program.
  4. In consultation with their advisor, a student will organize a thesis committee of at least three departmental members. In addition, a fourth member from outside the department, known as the Graduate College Representative, must be appointed. An additional committee member may be added at the student and department's discretion. Please see Graduate College policy for committee appointment guidelines.
  5. Each student's advisory committee will carry out an annual review of the student's progress.
  6. Course work taken outside the Physics & Astronomy Department must have departmental approval.
  7. Satisfactory performance on a written qualifying examination on advanced undergraduate physics must be fulfilled during the first two years in the graduate program. Students who fail to pass the exam within the specified timeline will be placed on academic probation and will be allowed one retake of the exam. Failure to pass the retake or meet the requirements of academic probation will result in separation.
  8. A dissertation of high quality. The doctoral dissertation reports the results of significant original research, performed independently by the student, written in lucid scientific prose.
  9. Satisfactory performance on a final examination that will consist of an oral defense of the dissertation.

Plan Graduation Requirements

The student must submit and successfully defend their dissertation by the posted deadline. The defense must be advertised and is open to the public.

After the dissertation defense, the student must electronically submit a properly formatted pdf copy of their dissertation to the Graduate College for format check. Once the dissertation format has been approved by the Graduate College, the student will submit the approved electronic version to ProQuest. Deadlines for dissertation defenses, format check submissions, and the final ProQuest submission can be found here

Students may apply for graduation up to two semesters prior to completing their degree requirements. All required forms must be submitted to the graduate college via the Grad Rebel Gateway.

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Department of Physics and Astronomy

The Department of Physics and Astronomy offers comprehensive programs on two of the most basic and fundamental sciences–physics and astronomy. Physics is the study of matter, energy, motion, and force. Its concepts help us understand how the universe behaves. Astronomy studies the universe beyond the earth’s atmosphere, including celestial objects and the formation and development of the universe.

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College of Sciences

The School of Life Sciences offers programs that meet the needs of students intending to enter the workforce or pursue advanced training in the sciences, medicine, and other professional and technical fields. We provide a well-rounded foundation in natural, physical, and mathematical sciences that can set students up for successful careers and professional programs.

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