Program: Physics - Computational Physics, Non-thesis, (MS) - University of Memphis

May 31, 2025

2025-2026 GRADUATE CATALOG {Editing in Progress}

This program provides computational training for students in physics.

Physics, (MS)

The MS program in physics is a two-year program tailored to provide experimental, theoretical and computational training to students in physics and materials science.

Program Admission Requirements

Minimum requirements:

A bachelor’s degree in physics or closely related discipline and a minimum of 20 semester hours of undergraduate physics, including upper division mechanics, electricity and magnetism, introductory quantum mechanics, and thermal physics, and approved mathematics courses in calculus and differential equations. The student must meet the Graduate School’s Minimum Admission Requirements to Masters Degree Programs.

International applicants are required to provide evidence of meeting the Graduate School’s English Language Proficiency Requirements.

(Meeting the minimum department standards does not entitle an applicant to admission. Meeting such standards only insures consideration of the application.)

Admission procedure:

Required Documents:

CV.
All undergraduate (and graduate, if any) transcripts.
Personal Statement.
(If English Proficiency Exam is needed): TOEFL or IELTS or Duolingo score.
(If GPA is not on 4.0 scale): Transcript evaluation by any credentialing agency listed on the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services web site (www.naces.org). (Report from WES iGPA calculator is acceptable).

Recommendations:

Two letters of recommendation are required.

Deadline:

Rolling Admissions

Timeline for Review:

Decisions are made within one month.

Program Requirements

After meeting the general degree requirements for admission to The Graduate School

After meeting the general degree requirements for admission to The Graduate School, students selecting Physics as a major will be assigned to the Department Graduate Committee, which must approve and direct their course of study.

Core requirements (9 credit hours)*:

Must take three of the four courses listed below:

PHYS 7100 - Classical Mechanics Credit Hours: (3)
PHYS 7200 - Quantum Mechanics Credit Hours: (3)
PHYS 7300 - Electrodynamics Credit Hours: (3)
PHYS 7520 - Statistical Mechanics Credit Hours: (3)

Computational Physics, non-thesis program (33 credit hours)

(Physics Program requirement*: 9 credit hours, Concentration requirement: 6 credit hours, Additional courses: 18 credit hours)

Must take two of the four courses listed below:

PHYS 6420 - Computational Skills in Physics Credit Hours: (3)
PHYS 7385 - Methods in Computational Physics Credit Hours: (3)
PHYS 7386 - Methods of Theoretical Physics Credit Hours: (3)
MATH 7721 - Adv Numerical Analysis Credit Hours: (3)

Sufficient additional courses numbered 6000 and above

Sufficient additional courses to satisfy a minimum of 33 semester hours, in which 9 may be in a collateral field of study. These courses must be approved by the graduate advisor. 23 semester hours must be taken in courses numbered 7000 or above.

Complete a survey

Complete a survey of an area of current research in computational physics and make an oral and written presentation based on this survey before a faculty committee. The subject of this survey must be approved by the departmental graduate committee at least one semester prior to graduation.