Program Statistics
Visit Master's Program Statistics for statistics such as program admissions, enrollment, student demographics and more.
Physics
Degree Types: PhD, MS
Graduate Programs in Physics prepare students for careers in research, teaching, or industry. Students first acquire a strong theoretical background in quantum mechanics, statistical physics, electrodynamics, and classical mechanics.
Our department is particularly strong in multi-disciplinary research, with joint faculty in materials science, chemistry, and electrical engineering. Theoretical research in many fields is carried out with the aid of parallel supercomputers on campus and at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications in Champaign, Illinois. We also have strong ties to the Argonne National Laboratory, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, and ground-based observational facilities around the nation.
It is not unusual for students to conduct the bulk of their research with physicists outside the department, and in some cases outside the nation.
Additional resources:
Program Contact
Contact Nou Yang
Graduate Program Assistant
847-491-3685
Degree Requirements
The following requirements are in addition to, or further elaborate upon, those requirements outlined in The Graduate School Policy Guide.
Master's
Physics is a broad subject, ranging from pondering the origins of the universe to designing better electronic memory devices.
Young students and junior researchers from around the world are welcome to obtain a solid basis in the fundamentals of physics and to pursue their particular interests and professional goals at Northwestern.
The master's program in Physics is designed to meet the needs of individuals who have the interest and skills needed to learn physics but who will not spend several years in graduate school earning a doctorate. Students are meant to complete the requirements within four quarters, starting with basic "core" courses in classical mechanics, electrodynamics, quantum mechanics and statistical physics, followed by a number of elective courses drawn from many departments at Northwestern.
The keyword for the program is flexibility - students should be empowered to study what is most relevant to their goals.
For inquiries, please contact the Director of the master's program, Andrew Geraci.
Within the master's program, there are two paths to completion, called "Standard" and "Broad." They share the same core requirement.
Standard Path:
- Five core courses (see below)
- Four elective courses (see below)
- Master's Thesis
- Either an in-depth reading project, or a research project, supervised by an appropriate faculty member, similar to PHYSICS 499-0 Independent Study
- Thesis to be presented for evaluation
- Should be completed by end of summer quarter
Broad Path:
- Five core courses (see below)
- Seven elective courses (see below)
The Standard Path to the master's degree should be completed within one calendar year; the nine courses would be taken during the winter, fall and spring quarters and the master's thesis would be written during the summer. The Broad Path would be completed typically in 15 months; nine courses would be taken during the winter, fall and spring quarters, and the additional three courses would be taken in the fall quarter of the second year.
Core Courses: To be completed in fall & winter quarters
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| PHYSICS 411-0 | Classical Mechanics (fall) |
| PHYSICS 412-1 | Quantum Mech (fall) |
| PHYSICS 412-2 | Quantum Mechanics (winter) |
| PHYSICS 414-1 | Electrodynamics (winter) |
| PHYSICS 416-0 | Introduction to Statistical Mechanics (winter) |
Elective Courses: At least four from this list, during spring and fall quarters.
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| PHYSICS 411-1 | Methods of Theoretical Physics |
| PHYSICS 412-2 | Quantum Mechanics |
| PHYSICS 412-3 | Quantum Mechanics |
| PHYSICS 414-2 | Electrodynamics |
| PHYSICS 420-0 | Statistical Physics |
| PHYSICS 422-1 & PHYSICS 422-2 & PHYSICS 422-3 | Condensed-Matter Physics and Condensed-Matter Physics and Condensed-Matter Physics |
| PHYSICS 424-1 & PHYSICS 424-2 | Particle Physics and Particle Physics |
| PHYSICS 426-0 | Nonlinear Optics |
| PHYSICS 430-0 | Nonlinear Dynamics & Chaos |
| PHYSICS 432-1 & PHYSICS 432-2 | Many-Body Theory and Many-Body Theory |
| PHYSICS 434-0 | Quantum Fluids, Solids, and Gases |
| PHYSICS 435-0 | Soft Matter Physics |
| PHYSICS 436-0 | Mesoscopic and Nanometer Scale Physics |
| PHYSICS 445-1 & PHYSICS 445-2 | General Relativity and General Relativity |
| ASTRON 421-0 | Observational Astrophysics |
| ASTRON 425-0 | Stellar Astrophysics |
| ASTRON 429-0 | Extragalactic Astrophysics and Cosmology |
| ASTRON 443-0 | Stellar Structure and Evolution |
| ASTRON 448-0 | Interstellar Matter and Star Formation |
| ASTRON 449-0 | Stellar Dynamics |
Degree Requirements
The following requirements are in addition to, or further elaborate upon, those requirements outlined in The Graduate School Policy Guide.
MS Degree Requirements for PhD Students
Students enrolled in the Ph.D. program have the opportunity to obtain a formal master's degree as they work toward completion of the Ph.D. These requirements are as follows:
- Completion of seven core courses in the first year
- Completion of five or more elective courses in the second year
- GPA of 3.0 or higher
PhD
Total Units Required: 13
(All but electives are required for the MS degree.)
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| Core Courses | |
| PHYSICS 411-0 | Classical Mechanics |
| PHYSICS 412-1 & PHYSICS 412-2 & PHYSICS 412-3 | Quantum Mech and Quantum Mechanics and Quantum Mechanics |
| PHYSICS 414-1 & PHYSICS 414-2 | Electrodynamics and Electrodynamics |
| PHYSICS 416-0 | Introduction to Statistical Mechanics |
| Elective Courses | |
| PHYSICS 411-1 | Methods of Theoretical Physics |
| PHYSICS 420-0 | Statistical Physics |
| PHYSICS 421-0 & PHYSICS 422-2 & PHYSICS 422-3 | Introduction to Superconductivity and Condensed-Matter Physics and Condensed-Matter Physics |
| PHYSICS 424-1 | Particle Physics |
| PHYSICS 426-0 | Nonlinear Optics |
| PHYSICS 427-0 | Quantum Optics |
| PHYSICS 428-1 & PHYSICS 428-2 & PHYSICS 428-3 | Quantum Field Theory and Quantum Field Theory and Relativistic Quantum Field Theory |
| PHYSICS 430-0 | Nonlinear Dynamics & Chaos |
| PHYSICS 432-1 & PHYSICS 432-2 | Many-Body Theory and Many-Body Theory |
| PHYSICS 434-0 | Quantum Fluids, Solids, and Gases |
| PHYSICS 435-0 | Soft Matter Physics |
| PHYSICS 436-0 | Mesoscopic and Nanometer Scale Physics |
| PHYSICS 440-0 | Advanced Topics in Nuclear Physics |
| PHYSICS 441-0 | Statistical Methods for Physicists and Astronomers |
| PHYSICS 442-0 | Advanced Topics in Particle Physics |
| PHYSICS 445-1 & PHYSICS 445-2 | General Relativity and General Relativity |
| PHYSICS 450-0 | Advanced Topics in Condensed Matter |
| PHYSICS 460-0 | Advanced Topics in Statistical Physics |
| PHYSICS 465-0 | Advanced Topics in Nonlinear Dynamics |
| PHYSICS 470-0 | Introduction to Biological Physics: From Molecules to Cells (IBiS 410) |
| PHYSICS 480-0 | Advanced Topics in Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics |
Other PhD Degree Requirements
- Examinations: There is no longer a written qualifying exam. Should a student’s grades in the core courses fall below a 3.0, the student will be required to sit for an oral qualifier with a chosen committee.
- Research/Projects: original research project of publishable quality
- PhD Dissertation: none specified beyond the PhD degree requirements outlined in the Current Students section of the web site
- Final Evaluations: none specified beyond the PhD degree requirements outlined in the Current Students section of the web site