Graduate Program

    Students wishing to enter the M.S. or the Ph.D. programs in Physics must have an undergraduate degree in physics or its equivalent. Their undergraduate program of studies must have included courses in thermodynamics, electricity and magnetism, quantum mechanics and classical mechanics.

    The department also offers the M.S. and the Ph.D. degree in Physics with a concentration in Biomedical Physics.

    The Optical Science and Engineering (OSE) M.S. and Ph.D. programs are multidisciplinary and assume an undergraduate background in physics, optics or a related engineering discipline.

    There is no foreign language requirement for graduate degrees in physics or OSE. Proficiency in at least one computer language is encouraged.

    Under the terms of an agreement between the University of New Mexico and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), candidates for a doctoral degree in Physics or Optical Science and Engineering may conduct research for the dissertation at LANL. Certain conditions have been specified by LANL for the acceptance of students for research at Los Alamos, and each case is considered on an individual basis. See Center for Graduate Studies at Los Alamos in the General Information Section of this catalog.

    Please visit the Physics and Astronomy Department Web site for additional information, specific admission criteria, application forms and directions.


    Application Deadlines

    International students and students who are seeking financial aid must submit materials no later than:

    Fall semester: January 15
    Spring semester:   August 1


    Deadlines for domestic students who are not seeking financial aid are:

    Fall semester: June 1
    Spring semester: October 1


    Degrees Offered

    M.S. in Physics

    The Master of Science in Physics is offered under either Plan I (with thesis) or Plan II (without thesis). Under Plan I, a minimum of 24 credit hours of graduate work in physics and mathematics (exclusive of thesis) is required. Under Plan II, 32 credit hours of graduate work in physics and mathematics are to be taken. Included in this 32 credit hours must be at least 4 credit hours in research problems courses (551, 552, 650).

    Under both plans, the graduate work offered for the master’s degree must include PHYC *466, 503, 505, 511 and 521. In addition, if material equivalent to one of the advanced labs (PHYC *476L, *477L or *493L) is not included in the student’s prior education, one of these courses must also be taken for the graduate degree. Details must be discussed with a graduate advisor each semester.

    A master’s degree program in physics is also offered at the Los Alamos Center for Graduate Studies.

    M.S. in Optical Science and Engineering

    The Optics Program is jointly administered by the Department of Physics and Astronomy and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. It features an internship option under which a student can apply qualified industrial/government laboratory research along with successfully completed course work toward the degree.

    Current research areas: advanced materials, atom optics, biomedical optics, fiber optics, laser physics, lithography, nanostructures, nonlinear optics, optical imaging, optical sensors, optoelectronics, photonic integrated circuits, quantum optics, spectroscopy, and ultra-fast phenomena.

    See the Graduate Interdisciplinary Studies section of the catalog for degree requirements. Other program information is available online.

    Ph.D. in Physics

    The Doctor of Philosophy in Physics requires a minimum of 48 credit hours of graduate work exclusive of dissertation. These credit hours must include PHYC *466, 503, 505, 511, 521, 522/ASTR 537, four seminars (PHYC 500 and/or 501), and four electives chosen from a list of courses specified on the Department’s Graduate Handbook. Details must be discussed with a graduate advisor each semester.

    Ph.D. in Optical Science and Engineering

    The Optics Program is jointly administered by the Department of Physics and Astronomy and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Considerable interactions occur with the Center for High Technology Materials and the optical research groups at the Air Force Research Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, Los Alamos National Laboratory and other organizations in Albuquerque that offer extensive opportunities for research work toward the degree.

    Current research areas: ultra-fast optics and photonics, laser physics and engineering, optical imaging, quantum optics, optoelectronic devices, fiber lasers and amplifiers, optical communication, optical materials, optical lithography, nonlinear optics, integrated optics, quantum computing, bio-optics, non-photonics, and laser cooling.

    See the Graduate Interdisciplinary Studies section of the catalog for degree requirements. Other program information is available online.

    Nanoscience and Microsystems Engineering M.S. and Ph.D. Degree Program

    This department participates in the interdisciplinary Nanoscience and Microsystems Engineering program; for more information, see the Graduate Interdisciplinary Studies section of this Catalog.


    Courses

    ASTR 101. Introduction to Astronomy. (3)



    ASTR 101L. Astronomy Laboratory. (1)



    ASTR 109. Selected Topics in Astronomy. (3 to a maximum of 12 Δ)



    ASTR 270. General Astronomy. (3)



    ASTR 270L. General Astronomy Laboratory I. (1)



    ASTR 271. General Astronomy. (3)



    ASTR 271L. General Astronomy Laboratory I. (1)



    ASTR *421. Concepts of Astrophysics I. (3)



    ASTR *422. Concepts of Astrophysics II. (3)



    ASTR *423. Radio Astronomy. (3)



    ASTR *426. Optics and Instrumentation. (3)



    ASTR *427. Topics in Planetary Astronomy. (3)



    ASTR *455. Problems. (1-3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



    ASTR 456. Honors Problems. (1 to a maximum of 2 Δ)



    ASTR 536. Advanced Astrophysics I. (3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



    ASTR 537. Advanced Astrophysics II. (3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



    NONE 102. Introduction to Physics. (3)



    NONE 102L. Physics Laboratory. (1)



    NONE 103. Selected Topics in Physics. (3 to a maximum of 12 Δ)



    NONE 105. Physics and Society. (3)



    NONE 108. Introduction to Musical Acoustics. (3)



    NONE 108L. Musical Acoustics Laboratory. (1)



    NONE 110. Introduction to Applied Physics. (3)



    NONE 151. General Physics. (3)



    NONE 151L. General Physics Laboratory. (1)



    NONE 152. General Physics. (3)



    NONE 152L. General Physics Laboratory. (1)



    NONE 157. Problems in General Physics. (1)



    NONE 158. Problems in General Physics. (1)



    NONE 160. General Physics. (3)



    NONE 160L. General Physics Laboratory. (1)



    NONE 161. General Physics. (3)



    NONE 161L. General Physics Laboratory. (1)



    NONE 167. Problems in General Physics. (1)



    NONE 168. Problems in General Physics. (1)



    NONE 262. General Physics. (3)



    NONE 262L. General Physics Laboratory. (1)



    NONE 267. Problems in General Physics. (1)



    NONE 290. Computational Physics. (3)



    NONE **300. Topics in Physics & Astronomy. (1-3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



    NONE **301. Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics. (3)



    NONE **302. Introduction to Photonics. (3)



    NONE **302L. Optics Lab. (3)



    NONE **303. Analytical Mechanics I. (3)



    NONE **304. Analytical Mechanics II. (3)



    NONE **306L [308L]. Junior Laboratory. (3)



    NONE **307L. Junior Laboratory. (3)



    NONE 311. Problems in Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics. (1)



    NONE 313. Problems in Analytical Mechanics I. (1)



    NONE 314. Problems in Analytical Mechanics II. (1)



    NONE **327. Geophysics. (3)



    NONE **330. Introduction to Modern Physics. (3)



    NONE 331. Problems in Introduction to Modern Physics. (1)



    NONE **366. Mathematical Methods of Physics. (4)



    NONE *400. Seminar. (1 to a maximum of 3 Δ)



    NONE *405. Electricity and Magnetism I. (3)



    NONE *406. Electricity and Magnetism II. (3)



    NONE *410. Chemistry and Physics at the Nanoscale. (3)



    NONE 415. Problems in Electricity and Magnetism I. (1)



    NONE 416. Problems in Electricity and Magnetism II. (1)



    NONE *430. Introduction to Solid State Physics. (3)



    NONE *450. Introduction to Subatomic Physics. (3)



    NONE 451 / 551. Problems. (1-3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



    NONE *452. Research Methods. (1-3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



    NONE 456. Honors Problems. (1 to a maximum of 2 Δ)



    NONE *463. Advanced Optics I. (3)



    NONE *464. Laser Physics I. (3)



    NONE *466. Methods of Theoretical Physics I. (3)



    NONE *467. Methods of Theoretical Physics II. (3)



    NONE 468. Problems in Methods of Theoretical Physics I. (1)



    NONE *476L. Experimental Techniques of Optics. (3)



    NONE *477L. Experimental Techniques of Optics. (3)



    NONE 480. Special Topics in Physics and Astronomy. (3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



    NONE *491. Intermediate Quantum Mechanics I. (3)



    NONE *492. Intermediate Quantum Mechanics II. (3)



    NONE *493L. Contemporary Physics Laboratory. (3)



    NONE *495. Theory of Special Relativity. (3)



    NONE 496. Problems in Intermediate Quantum Mechanics I. (1)



    NONE 497. Problems in Intermediate Quantum Mechanics II. (1)



    NONE 500. Advanced Seminar. (1-3 to a maximum of 12 Δ)



    NONE 501. Advanced Seminar. (1-3 to a maximum of 12 Δ)



    NONE 503. Classical Mechanics I. (3)



    NONE 505. Statistical Mechanics and Thermodynamics. (3)



    NONE 511. Electrodynamics. (3)



    NONE 521. Graduate Quantum Mechanics I. (3)



    NONE 522. Graduate Quantum Mechanics II. (3)



    NONE 523. Quantum Field Theory I. (3)



    NONE 524. Quantum Field Theory II. (3)



    NONE 529. Condensed Matter I. (3)



    NONE 531. Atomic and Molecular Structure. (3)



    NONE 534. Plasma Physics I. (3)



    NONE 535. Plasma Physics II. (3)



    NONE 536. Advanced Astrophysics I. (3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



    NONE 542. Particle Physics I. (3)



    NONE 545. Introduction to Cosmic Radiation. (3)



    NONE 551 / 451. Problems. (1-4 to a maximum of 16 Δ)



    NONE 552. Problems. (1-4 to a maximum of 16 Δ)



    NONE 554. Advanced Optics II. (3)



    NONE 559. Internship in Optical Science and Engineering. (3)



    NONE 566. Quantum Optics. (3)



    NONE 568. Nonlinear Optics. (3)



    NONE 569. Advanced Topics in Modern Optics. (3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)



    NONE 570. Theory of Relativity. (3)



    NONE 571. Quantum Computation. (3)



    NONE 572. Quantum Information Theory. (3)



    NONE 580. Advanced Plasma Physics. (3)



    NONE 581. Advanced Topics in Physics and Astrophysics. (3 to a maximum of 12 Δ)



    NONE 599. Master's Thesis. (1-6, no limit Δ)



    NONE 650. Research. (1-12 to a maximum of 24 Δ)



    NONE 699. Dissertation. (3-12, no limit Δ)



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    Office of the Registrar

    MSC11 6325
    1 University of New Mexico
    Albuquerque, NM 87131

    Phone: (505) 277-8900
    Fax: (505) 277-6809