Physics

Master's and Doctoral Programs

Graduate opportunities

A graduate degree in Physics from the University of North Texas provides you with high-quality instruction, individual attention and access to an array of resources to support your studies and research.

The Department of Physics offers coursework leading to a Master of Science or Doctor of Philosophy degree in Physics. A valuable research experience is emphasized, starting at the master’s level. You’ll work with accomplished and respected faculty members in state-of-the-art research facilities. Among the faculty are four Fellows of the American Physical Society and editorial board members of several international journals.

During your studies, you may perform research in a variety of areas that include:

• Computational materials modeling
• Experimental accelerator-based materials modification and analysis
• Nonlinear dynamics and complex systems
• Quantum optics and nanophotonics
• Theoretical and experimental atomic physics
• Theoretical and experimental condensed matter physics

Success awaits

More than 50 full-time graduate students pursue research under the supervision of 19 faculty members, making our physics program one of Texas’ largest. A friendly and supportive team spirit characterizes the physics research laboratories and classrooms.

We also offer a variety of other valuable opportunities to prepare you for success. Our students routinely author and co-author refereed publications in professional literature. Students also regularly participate in national and international professional meetings, where they present their research results, begin establishing their reputations as scientists and develop important networks of contacts.

Our curriculum offers experience in solving important problems ranging from the fundamental to the applied. Doors will be opened to a variety of exciting fields and future career opportunities in education and academia, industry and the private sector, and at national laboratories and other government agencies.

Research opportunities and facilities

Students have the opportunity to participate in faculty-directed research that is funded by the National Science Foundation, the Air Force, the Army Research Office, NASA, the U.S. Department of Energy and industrial partners. There are numerous collaborative research opportunities involving interaction with scientists from prominent national institutions and Australia, Italy, Japan, Russia, Ukraine, Germany, Spain and Mexico.

Students have access to world-class research facilities within the department such as the:

• Ion Beam Modification and Analysis Laboratory, containing four electrostatic accelerators and ancillary equipment to support studies of materials modification and analysis by ion beams
• Optical Micro/Nanofabrication Laboratory, with instrumentation for development and fabrication of photonic and plasmonic devices and other nanophotonic structures
• Precision Atomic Physics and Laser Laboratory, equipped for the development of precision laser light sources and their application to fundamental tests of quantum electrodynamics
• Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Laboratory, which includes instrumentation for examination of nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes and graphene with atomic resolution
• Solid State Physics Laboratory, which is equipped for nanostructure synthesis and characterization and the development and study of nanoscale device applications
• Ultrafast Spectroscopy and Nanophotonics Laboratory, a laser-based laboratory where femtosecond pulses illuminate the subtleties of nanostructures and other exotic materials

In addition, students have access to campus research facilities such as:

• Center for Advanced Research and Technology, equipped with an extensive suite of instruments for micro and nano characterization of materials
• Nanofabrication Analysis and Research Facility, a clean room with synthesis, processing and testing capabilities for materials
• TALON, a high-performance cluster computing facility configured with 224 nodes and operating at speeds up to 20 teraflops

Attending UNT

Admission requirements

Master’s program

You must meet the admission requirements of the Toulouse Graduate School® and the department. Successful applicants usually have a minimum 3.0 GPA and a minimum GRE score of 152 on the quantitative portion and a score of 3.5 or higher on the analytical section. For more details, contact the Department of Physics or visit our website.

Doctoral program

Admission requirements to the doctoral program are similar to those for the master’s program. Admission to candidacy requires a satisfactory performance on the doctoral qualifying examination after completing the basic graduate physics curriculum, usually at the end of the second year of graduate study. More information about program admission is available on our website.

Degree requirements

M.S. degree

The M.S. degree may be earned by completing 36 semester hours using one of three options: write a thesis, complete a Research Problems in Lieu of Thesis with written report or pass the master’s terminal examination.

Ph.D. degree

The Ph.D. degree represents the attainment of a high level of scholarship and achievement in independent research. It requires a minimum of 60 semester hours beyond the master’s degree or 90 semester hours beyond the bachelor’s degree. After the qualifying examination, you’ll write and present a proposal for research, which must be approved by your graduate advisory committee. The research culminates with your written dissertation and oral defense, which must be approved by your advisory committee.

Financial assistance

Most full-time students are supported with an assistantship or fellowship. Our department offers graduate teaching assistantships at three different levels ranging from $1,680 to $2,280 per month for nine months and summer employment possibilities. Research assistantships also are frequently available for returning students. This aid is accompanied by an out-of-state tuition waiver and the possibility for competitive tuition remission grants.

You should apply at the earliest opportunity. New physics graduate students may be considered for other graduate-level fellowships. You must be nominated for the fellowships by the department.

Get more information about other financial assistance programs.