Graduate Advisor: Dr. David Donnelly, email
The student should verify information in this section with the official university catalog.
Requests for catalog and application forms should be addressed to the following:
Texas State UniversityPhysics, M.S.
Materials Physics, M.S.
Physics, M.S., Thesis Option. The standard program that leads to a 30-hour Master of Science degree requires six hours of thesis, PHYS 5312 and PHYS 5331, nine to 12 hours in physics, six to nine hours in another science (mathematics, computer science, chemistry, or biology) or, if a no minor option is selected, six to nine hours in physics and/or other sciences with prior approval. The Physics Department offers an especially strong opportunity for thesis research in experimental solid state and materials physics.
Physics, M.S., Non-thesis Option. The 36-hour Master of Science degree program without a thesis is also available. This optional program requires six hours of course work in lieu of the thesis and six hours of additional course work in physics.
Materials Physics, M.S. The Materials Physics M.S. is a thesis only degree which stresses experimental materials physics primarily related to the semiconductor and other high tech materials industries. The program leads to a 35-hour Master of Science degree in Materials Physics. The Materials Physics M.S. degree requires six hours of thesis, PHYS 5110 (taken twice), PHYS 5320, PHYS 5324, and PHYS 5398. In addition 18 elective hours must be chosen from PHYS 5312, 5314, 5322, 5326, 5327, 5328, 5329, 5331, 5370, with up to nine hours of free electives permitted (with prior departmental approval).
Research. Research is an important component of our graduate program. Faculty research interests include historical astronomy and astronomical computing, magnetic and semiconductor materials fabrication and analysis, thin film electrical characterization, scanning probe microscopy, and infrared spectroscopy. Major research instrumentation includes magnetron and dual ion beam sputtering vacuum systems, scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive spectroscopy capabilities, atomic force microscope, scanning tunneling microscope, thin film optical characterization equipment, high resolution x-ray analysis equipment, vibrating sample magnetometer, and FTIR spectrometer.
Regular Admission. Unconditional admission is usually given to students who meet the University’s requirements for regular admission and who have in addition a 3.00 GPA or better on a 4.0 scale for undergraduate upper-division (junior and senior level) physics and whose programs include credit for upper division courses in modern physics, mathematical physics or equivalent, classical mechanics, electromagnetic field theory, and quantum mechanics. Students who meet these expectations, but have a GPA between 2.50 and 3.00 and a Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general score of 1100 (verbal and quantitative combined) or higher on file in the graduate office when the application is considered, may also be granted unconditional admission. Students with course work as described above with a GPA below 2.50 may be granted conditional admission with the requirement that their GPA in their first semester of graduate work be above 3.0.
Conditional Admission. Students who meet the above expectations except for credit in coursework for one of the areas specified may be granted conditional admission with the requirement of background course work to make up the deficiency.
Exceptions. Students not meeting the expectations for regular admission or conditional admission stated above but who do meet the University’s requirements for regular admission may petition the department for admission.
Assistantships are available on a limited basis. Applications should be submitted by June 1. Inquiries and/or applications for assistantships should be mailed to:
Chair, Department of Physics
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