School/College

Franklin College of Arts and Sciences
Old College
Athens, GA 30602-1732
Phone: 706/542-3400

Academic Department

Physics and Astronomy
Physics Building
Athens, GA 30602-2451
Phone: 706/542-2818

Contacts

Graduate Coordinator

Loris A. Magnani

706/542-2876

The University of Georgia Department of Physics and Astronomy offers comprehensive graduate degrees at both the masters and doctorate levels. Both degree programs have two main goals: achieving a broad background in physics or physics and astronomy through coursework and seminars, and developing independent research skills through the completion of an original thesis project.

Graduate students in this department are actively engaged in frontier research with their faculty mentors, publishing articles in the top physics and astronomy journals and presenting their work at national and international conferences. At present, the department has active experimental, theoretical, and computational research programs in a wide range of areas, including astronomy and astrophysics; atomic, molecular, and chemical physics; computational physics; condensed matter and statistical physics; and nuclear and elementary particle physics; nanotechnology; and biophysics. The department has numerous state-of-the-art computational and experimental research facilities. In addition, the department is home to the Center for Simulational Physics. Several faculty members work in nanoscale technology, collaborating with faculty from other disciplines at the UGA NanoSEC. Several other interdisciplinary research efforts in the department involve ongoing collaborations with researchers in other UGA departments, including Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Genetics, Geology, Instructional Technology, Physiology, and Statistics.

All graduate students must fulfill specific degree requirements. At the masters level with the thesis option, students must maintain a 3.0 grade-point average and take eight graduate-level courses, including at least three of the following four courses: Classical Mechanics I, Quantum Mechanics I & II, and Advanced Electromagnetic Theory I. The remaining 5 courses may be physics or astronomy courses at the 6000 or 8000 level. In addition, PHYS 7000 and 7300 (MS research, MS thesis writing) must be taken. To complete their degree, master's students must successfully defend a written thesis based on original research.

In the Department of Physics and Astronomy, we pride ourselves on the nurturing environment we provide for our graduate students through close interactions between students and faculty. We achieve this goal by maintaining a student-to-faculty ratio between one and two. As a result, we are able to address the needs of each student on an individual basis. Upon earning their degree, our students are well trained for careers in diverse areas, including basic and applied research, teaching, high-tech industry, and business. To illustrate this point, visit our Alumni page and see what our former students are doing now.

Degree

Code

Course Descriptions

MS

638

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