The University of Central Florida offers a Master of Science in Physics. Research opportunities are available in condensed matter physics, nanostructure devices, surface science, optical physics, complex systems, biophysics, atomic and molecular physics, physics education and planetary/space science.
The Physics MS program requires a minimum of 30 credit hours beyond the bachelor's degree and offers students a thesis and nonthesis option. All students take 12 credit hours of core courses, and then the remaining 18 credit hours consist of both electives and thesis or directed research according to the option chosen.
Total Credit Hours Required: 30 Credit Hours Minimum beyond the Bachelor's Degree
The Master of Science in Physics program is flexibly designed to prepare students for the widest possible range of industrial careers or for further study at the doctoral level.
Program Prerequisites
Students entering the Physics graduate program with regular status are normally expected to have completed coursework generally required for a bachelor's degree in physics, including mechanics, electricity and magnetism, thermal and statistical physics, and quantum mechanics.
Degree Requirements
Required Courses
12 Total Credits
- Complete the following:
- PHY5606 - Quantum Mechanics I (3)
- PHY5346 - Electrodynamics I (3)
- PHY5524 - Statistical Physics (3)
- PHY6246 - Classical Mechanics (3)
Elective Courses
12 Total Credits
- Complete 1 of the following
- Both thesis and nonthesis students take electives in consultation with their advisers. Out of the 18 elective credit hours at least 12 credit hours of formal course work are required and not more than 6 credit hours of 5000-level elective courses are counted toward the degree. At least 6 credit hours of thesis or 3 credit hours of directed research for the nonthesis option are required. Otherwise, elective selection is intended to be very flexible to meet student needs and interests. Electives may be chosen following one of the suggested specializations below, or a different program of study may be followed with academic adviser approval.
Materials Physics Specialization- Complete all of the following
- Earn at least 12 credits from the following:
- PHY6624 - Quantum Mechanics II (3)
- PHY6347 - Electrodynamics II (3)
- PHZ6426 - Condensed Matter Physics I (3)
- PHZ6428 - Condensed Matter Physics II (3)
- PHZ5505 - Plasma Physics (3)
- PHZ5432 - Introduction to Soft Condensed Matter Physics (3)
- PHY5715 - Physical Basis of Life (3)
- PHY5933 - Selected Topics in Biophysics of Macromolecules (3)
- PHZ6420 - First Principles Computational Methods in Condensed Matter Physics (3)
- PHY6938 - Special Topics (3)
- EEE5356C - Fabrication of Solid-State Devices (4)
- Other graduate courses from Physics, Math, Optics, Materials Science, Engineering require approval by the student's adviser and the Graduate Program Director.
Optical Physics Specialization- Complete all of the following
- Earn at least 12 credits from the following:
- PHY6624 - Quantum Mechanics II (3)
- PHY6347 - Electrodynamics II (3)
- PHY6938 - Special Topics (3)
- OSE6111 - Optical Wave Propagation (3)
- OSE6115 - Interference and Diffraction (3)
- OSE6526C - Laser Engineering Laboratory (3)
- OSE6455C - Photonics Laboratory (3)
- OSE6347 - Quantum Optics (3)
- OSE5312 - Light Matter Interaction (3)
- Other graduate courses from Physics, Math, Optics, Materials Science, Engineering require approval by the student's adviser and the Graduate Program Director
Space Physics Specialization- Complete all of the following
- Earn at least 12 credits from the following:
- PHY6624 - Quantum Mechanics II (3)
- PHY6347 - Electrodynamics II (3)
- PHZ5505 - Plasma Physics (3)
- AST5334 - Extrasolar Planets and Brown Dwarfs (3)
- EAS5315 - Rocket Propulsion (3)
- EAS6405 - Advanced Flight Dynamics (3)
- EAS6507 - Topics of Astrodynamics (3)
- OSE5041 - Introduction to Wave Optics (3)
- EEL5820 - Image Processing (3)
- Other graduate courses from Physics, Math, Optics, Materials Science, Engineering require approval by the student's adviser and the Graduate Program Director.
Theory/Computational Physics Specialization- Complete all of the following
- Earn at least 12 credits from the following:
- PHY6624 - Quantum Mechanics II (3)
- PHY6347 - Electrodynamics II (3)
- PHZ6420 - First Principles Computational Methods in Condensed Matter Physics (3)
- PHY6938 - Special Topics (3)
- PHZ6426 - Condensed Matter Physics I (3)
- PHZ6428 - Condensed Matter Physics II (3)
- PHY6667 - Quantum Field Theory I (3)
- PHY7669 - Quantum Field Theory II (3)
- PHZ5505 - Plasma Physics (3)
- OSE6347 - Quantum Optics (3)
- OSE5312 - Light Matter Interaction (3)
- Other graduate courses from Physics, Math, Optics, Materials Science, Engineering require approval by the student's adviser and the Graduate Program Director.
Thesis/Nonthesis Option
6 Total Credits
- Complete 1 of the following
Thesis Option- Earn at least 6 credits from the following types of courses: PHY 6971 - Thesis Students who choose the thesis option are required to conduct a program of original scientific research or some investigation involving a creative element and to submit a written thesis detailing these investigations. An oral defense and examination of the thesis is required. These six credit hours count towards the 18 hours of required electives for the degree (12 required hours as specified above). Unless waived, an exit interview conducted by the Graduate Program Director is required after passing the thesis defense.
Nonthesis Option- Complete all of the following
- Nonthesis students are required to take 15 total credit hours of electives from the list of elective specializations shown above (12 required for all students, 3 additional for Nonthesis). In addition, they must take a minimum of 3 credit hours of directed research. The three credit hours of directed research count towards the 18 hours of required electives for the degree. In the directed research course, students work on a research project under the supervision of a faculty member and are required to present a final report as well as a written comprehensive exit examination*. The Graduate Program Director will arrange this exam. Unless waived, the exit exam is followed by an exit interview.
- Earn at least 3 credits from the following types of courses: Additional Elective Course from their specialization
- Earn at least 3 credits from the following:
- PHY6918 - Directed Research (1 - 99)
- *Note: When applicable, students in the non-thesis MS degree program may request the Graduate Program Director’s approval to satisfy the MS exit exam and final report with the completion of the Physics PhD written candidacy exam.
Independent Learning
0 Total Credits
- Students pursuing a nonthesis master's degree must take at least one directed research course as part of their elective work. In this course, students will work on a research project under the supervision of a faculty member and present a final report.
Grand Total Credits: 30
Application Requirements
For information on general UCF graduate admissions requirements that apply to all prospective students, please visit the Admissions section of the Graduate Catalog. Applicants must apply online. All requested materials must be submitted by the established deadline.
Financial support is not usually provided to MS students. Those who are interested in financial support may manifest it in their application or consider applying to the PhD program instead.
In addition to the general UCF graduate application requirements, applicants to this program must provide:
- One official transcript (in a sealed envelope) from each college/university attended.
- The GRE is not required for admission to this program.
- Résumé.
- Statement of goals. The final 1-2 paragraphs of each applicant's personal statement should make explicitly clear which research areas and faculty they have interest in working with within our program.
- Three letters of recommendation.
- Applicants applying to this program who have attended a college/university outside the United States must provide a course-by-course credential evaluation with GPA calculation. Credential evaluations are accepted from World Education Services (WES) or Josef Silny and Associates, Inc. only.
Note: Applicants to the MS Bridge Program that are admitted with a GPA below the minimum required may not exceed 50% of the total number of admitted MS students.
Meeting minimum UCF admission criteria does not guarantee program admission. Final admission is based on an evaluation of the applicant's abilities, past performance, recommendations, match of this program and faculty expertise to the applicant's career/academic goals, and the applicant's potential for completing the degree.
Application Deadlines
| Physics MS | *Fall Priority | Fall | Spring | Summer |
| Domestic Applicants | Nov 15 | Nov 15 | Dec 1 | |
| International Applicants | Nov 15 | Nov 15 | Jul 1 | |
*Applicants who plan to enroll full time in a degree program and who wish to be considered for university fellowships or assistantships should apply by the Fall Priority date.
Financial Information
Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see the College of Graduate Studies Funding website, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.
Fellowship Information
Fellowships are awarded based on academic merit to highly qualified students. They are paid to students through the Office of Student Financial Assistance, based on instructions provided by the College of Graduate Studies. Fellowships are given to support a student's graduate study and do not have a work obligation. For more information, see UCF Graduate Fellowships, which includes descriptions of university fellowships and what you should do to be considered for a fellowship.
