May 09, 2024  
2023-2024 Graduate Catalog 
    
2023-2024 Graduate Catalog

Physics Major, MS


Earning a Master’s in Physics, students develop expertise for scientific problem solving and find an area of interest for specialization in physics.

Concentrations (Optional) and Options Available


Astrophysics — ThesisProject, Course Only with Comprehensive Exam
Atomic, Molecular, Optical, and Low Temperature Physics — ThesisProject, Course Only with Comprehensive Exam
Biophysics — ThesisProject, Course Only with Comprehensive Exam
Chemical Physics — ThesisProject, Course Only with Comprehensive Exam
Condensed Matter and Surface Physics — ThesisProject, Course Only with Comprehensive Exam
Elementary Particle Physics — ThesisProject, Course Only with Comprehensive Exam
Geophysics — ThesisProject, Course Only with Comprehensive Exam
Mathematical and Computational Physics — ThesisProject, Course Only with Comprehensive Exam
Nuclear and Relativistic Heavy Ion Physics — ThesisProject, Course Only with Comprehensive Exam
Theoretical Physics — ThesisProject, Course Only with Comprehensive Exam

Campus Code


Knoxville Campus

UTSI Campus

Thesis Option


Credit Hours Required


30 graduate credit hours beyond the bachelor’s degree

Required Courses (All Concentrations)


Concentration Specific Courses


  • Geophysics Concentration
    • 12 credit hours selected from geology (GEOL), geophysics (PHYS), and/or physics (PHYS) as approved by the major professor and/or committee.

Non-Course Requirements


  • All first-year graduate students are required, for advising purposes only, to take a diagnostic examination in undergraduate physics during the fall semester registration period.
  • Present an acceptable thesis
  • Pass an oral examination on course material and thesis.

Project Option


Credit Hours Required


30 graduate credit hours beyond the bachelor’s degree

Required Courses (All Concentrations)


Non-Course Requirements


  • All first-year graduate students are required, for advising purposes only, to take a diagnostic examination in undergraduate physics during the fall semester registration period.
  • The candidate must pass an oral examination on course material and on the project representing the culmination of an original research project completed by the student.
  • A written report must be approved and accepted by his/her committee and the department head.
  • An electronic version of the written report must be submitted to the permanent electronic archive of the Physics Department.

Coursework Only with Comprehensive Exam Option


NOTE: Students seeking the Coursework Only with Comprehensive Exams Option must apply to the Director of the Graduate program for permission to enroll under this program.

Credit Hours Required


30 graduate credit hours beyond the bachelor’s degree

Required Courses (All Concentrations)


Non-Course Requirements


  • All first-year graduate students are required, for advising purposes only, to take a diagnostic examination in undergraduate physics during the fall semester registration period.
  • Pass a written examination administered by his/her committee

Five-Year BS/MS Program – Physics Major, MS


Qualified students completing a BS degree from a department of the Tickle College of Engineering or the College of Arts and Sciences who have added a physics minor by completing the requirements listed under the Five-Year BS with Physics Minor-MS program in the Undergraduate Catalog, must apply to the department’s graduate committee for permission to enroll under this program. Six credit hours of 400-level courses required for a minor in physics combined with a BS engineering degree may be applied toward a master’s degree (project option or non-thesis option) in physics during a fifth year following the award of the BS. This program is designed for students attending the University of Tennessee for the Master of Science degree because other universities may not accept these courses for graduate credit since they were used to satisfy requirements for an undergraduate program. Significant components of the program are:

  • Students must have an overall GPA of 3.40 in required course work. Conditional admission may be granted after completing the required 100- and 200-level requirements for the minor while full admission is granted after enrolling in the final semester of courses required for all BS and minor course requirements with a minimum overall GPA of 3.40.
  • Students must at least be conditionally admitted to the program prior to taking graduate courses for both their minor and master’s degree. All courses taken for graduate credit must be approved by the graduate program director. Students admitted to the program must request permission from the Graduate School to take approved courses for graduate credit.
  • Students admitted to the program must also follow the normal procedure for admission to the Graduate School. Admission of students into this program must be approved by the department and the Graduate School. Students will not be eligible for assistantships until they are enrolled as graduate-level students in the Graduate School.

Five-Year Program Project Option