University of Colorado--Boulder

Ranked in 8 program s and 10+ specialt ies

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Biological Sciences

Program and Specialty rankings

  • # 32 in Biological Sciences  (tie)

Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Contact Information

MCD Biology , Boulder , CO 80309-0347

(303) 492-7230

[email protected]

  • # 27 in Chemistry  (tie)
  • # 8 in Physical

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Contact Information

Campus Box 215 , Boulder , CO 80309-0215

(303) 492-8979

[email protected]

Computer Science

  • # 40 in Computer Science  (tie)

Department of Computer Science Contact Information

430 UCB , Boulder , CO 80309-0430

(303) 492-6361

[email protected]

Earth Sciences

  • # 14 in Earth Sciences  (tie)
  • # 7 in Geology

Department of Geological Sciences Contact Information

2200 Colorado Avenue , Boulder , CO 80309-0399

(303) 492-2607

[email protected]

  • # 49 in Mathematics  (tie)

Department of Mathematics Contact Information

Campus Box 395 , Boulder , CO 80309-0395

(303) 492-3161

[email protected]

  • # 17 in Physics  (tie)
  • # 4 in Atomic / Molecular / Optical
  • # 13 in Condensed Matter  (tie)
  • # 11 in Quantum

Department of Physics Contact Information

390 UCB , Boulder , CO 80309-0390

(303) 735-0519

[email protected]

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  • Department of Physics

Boulder, CO

Department of Physics / Department of Physics is located in Boulder, CO, in a suburban setting.

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Physics - Master of Science (MS)

Students may obtain a master's degree as either an undergraduate student through the bachelor's–accelerated master's degree program or as a graduate student. 

Graduate students are generally only admitted to the PhD program in physics. Therefore, graduate students who have completed their PhD comprehensive exam or who are unable to complete the PhD program may earn an MS degree en route to a PhD degree. In certain circumstances, students can be admitted to the graduate program for a terminal master's degree, in which case the prerequisites are the same as for the doctoral program.

Bachelor's–Accelerated Master's Degree Program

Students may earn this degree as part of the Bachelor's–Accelerated Master's (BAM) degree program, which allows currently enrolled CU Boulder undergraduate students the opportunity to earn a bachelor's and master's degree in a shorter period of time.

For more information, see the Accelerated Master's tab for the associated bachelor's degrees:

  • Physics - Bachelor of Arts (BA)
  • Engineering Physics - Bachelor of Science (BSEP)

Requirements

Qualifying examination.

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) aptitude tests and advanced test in physics are normally used in place of a qualifying examination, and this examination is normally taken before the time of entry into the Graduate School.

Course Requirements

There are two separate plans for obtaining the master's degree, both of which require a total of 30 credit hours with a grade of B- or better at the 5000 level or above (up to 6 credit hours may be at the 3000 or 4000 level if approved by the physics graduate chair). All but 3 credit hours must be in physics (more credit hours may be allowed with permission of the physics graduate chair). A minimum of a B average (GPA of 3.0) must be maintained.

Degree Plans

Plan i: thesis option.

This plan requires 4–6 thesis credit hours and completion of five of the following courses with a grade of B- or better.

The student must write a thesis and present a talk to a three-member faculty committee.

Plan II: Non-Thesis Option

This plan requires completion of five of the following courses with a grade of B- or better.

The student must pass the comprehensive exam II, which is a three-section examination that includes a formal research review paper and a formal presentation, followed by a question and answer oral session.

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  • Events Calendar

PREP Undergrad Student Assistant II Position at NIST Electric Fields Probes and Rydberg Atom Sensor (PREP0002179)

This position is part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Professional Research Experience Program (PREP). NIST recognizes that its research staff may wish to collaborate with researchers at academic institutions on specific projects of mutual interest, thus requires that such institutions must be the recipient of a PREP award. The PREP program requires staff from a wide range of backgrounds to work on scientific research in many areas. Employees in this position will perform technical work that underpins the scientific research of the collaboration.

The Professional Research Experience Program (PREP) is a special partnership between the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the University of Colorado Boulder. PREP provides research opportunities to CU undergraduate and graduate students, as well as researchers with a Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD in NIST labs to gain research experience alongside NIST scientists.

In this project, the student will investigate the use of Rydberg atom-based electric field sensors and study the minimum sensitivity of these types of sensors.

Reseach Location

At NIST in the Electromagnetic Fields Group under the RF Technology Division.

Key Responsibilities

Setting up experiment; performing experiments; processing data; and attending meeting on data

Requirements

Undergrad student; knowledge of Matlab; knowledge of Excel; and oral and written communication skills

Length of term (if applicable) 

START DATE: ASAP 

END DATE: 6/30/2025

Eligibility to be in PREP

Undergraduate PREP researchers must maintain adequate progress toward a degree in a curriculum related to the NIST mission at the University of Colorado Boulder and should maintain a 3.0 Grade Point Average (GPA). If a student’s GPA goes below 3.0 during the period of participation in the program, continuation in the PREP program is ordinarily provisional on the student raising the GPA to 3.0 during the next academic term.

Hourly Rate

Interested in applying.

If interested, please send your resume/CV to Lisa Valencia at [email protected] . The finalist will be required to submit their resume, transcript, and one letter of recommendation.

Privacy Act Statement

Authority:  15 U.S.C. § 278g-1(e)(1) and (e)(3) and 15 U.S.C. § 272(b) and (c)

Purpose:  The National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) hosts the   Professional Research Experience Program (PREP)  which is designed to provide valuable laboratory experience and financial assistance to undergraduates, post-bachelor’s degree holders, graduate students, master’s degree holders, postdocs, and faculty.  

PREP is a 5-year cooperative agreement between NIST laboratories and participating PREP Universities to establish a collaborative research relationship between NIST and U.S. institutions of higher education in the following disciplines including (but may not be limited to) biochemistry, biological sciences, chemistry, computer science, engineering, electronics, materials science, mathematics, nanoscale science, neutron science, physical science, physics, and statistics. This collection of information is needed to facilitate administrative functions of the PREP Program.

Routine Uses:  NIST will use the information collected to perform the requisite reviews of the applications to determine eligibility, and to meet programmatic requirements. Disclosure of this information is also subject to all the published routine uses as identified in the Privacy Act System of Records Notices:  NIST-1: NIST Associates. 

Disclosure:  Furnishing this information is voluntary. When you submit the form, you are indicating your voluntary consent for NIST to use of the information you submit for the purpose stated.

  • NIST-PREP Jobs

IMAGES

  1. Grad programs earn high marks in 2019 U.S. News and World Report

    cu boulder physics phd requirements

  2. Program Overview

    cu boulder physics phd requirements

  3. Ph.D. in Physics Degree Requirements

    cu boulder physics phd requirements

  4. 2023 Physics and JILA Research Experience for Undergraduates

    cu boulder physics phd requirements

  5. 2023 Physics and JILA Research Experience for Undergraduates

    cu boulder physics phd requirements

  6. Physics at CU Boulder recognized for excellence

    cu boulder physics phd requirements

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COMMENTS

  1. Graduate Program Requirements

    To obtain a Ph.D. in Physics a student must: Complete 30 hours of course work at the graduate level (5000 level or above), with at least a B- in each class. At least 27 credit hours of courses must be in the College of Arts and Sciences Natural Sciences Division or the College of Engineering. At least 21 credit hours must be in physics.

  2. Graduate Application Information

    Department of Physics 390 UCB University of Colorado Boulder, CO 80309-0390. Delivery Address: Department of Physics Duane Physics E1B32 2000 Colorado Ave Boulder, CO 80309-0390: Phone: (303) 492-6952 Fax: (303) 492-3352 Email: [email protected] Directions and Parking About us

  3. Physics

    Course Requirements. To earn a PhD, candidates must complete 30 credit hours of graduate courses and 30 hours of dissertation credit. At least 27 of the 30 credit hours of coursework must be physics courses at the 5000 level or above; exceptions may be granted with the discretion of the associate chair of graduate studies.

  4. Graduate Degrees in Physics

    For program details, review the course catalog for the PhD in physics. Chemical Physics. Doctor of Philosophy. 30 credit hours of graduate coursework. 30 credit hours of doctoral dissertation. Chemical physics is a discipline at the interface between chemistry and physics. Chemical physics applies physical methods and theory to study molecular ...

  5. Physics < University of Colorado Boulder

    Coddington, Jan Lecturer; PhD, University of Colorado Boulder. Cooper, John Professor Emeritus; PhD, ... ASTR 5140 Requisites: Restricted to Physics (PHYS) or Astronomy (ASTR) graduate students only. ... Cannot be used for minimum credit hour requirements of graduate program. See also PHYS 7810 and PHYS 7820. May be repeated for a total of 7 ...

  6. University of Colorado--Boulder

    Department of Geological Sciences Contact Information. 2200 Colorado Avenue, Boulder, CO 80309-0399. (303) 492-2607. [email protected]. Website.

  7. Department of Physics

    Department of Physics at University of Colorado Boulder provides on-going educational opportunities to those students seeking advanced degrees. ... Master's Degree Requirements: Minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.75: Doctoral Degree Exam ... Assistantships Teaching Assistantships Health Care Benefits Institutionally-sponsored Loans Scholarship and ...

  8. Doctoral Degree Requirements < University of Colorado Boulder

    The minimum requirements for the AuD degree are 89 credit hours of coursework at the 5000 level or above. Unless otherwise specified by departmental requirements, all courses taken at the 5000 level or above that were taken for the master's degree at CU Boulder may be applied toward the PhD degree.

  9. Graduate Students

    The graduate studies program of the Department of Physics is intended for students pursuing a Ph.D degree in Physics. This involves approximately two years of coursework followed by four years of research, culminating in a dissertation documenting independent, original research. In addition to a Ph.D. in Physics, the department participates in ...

  10. Is the physics department really that good? : r/cuboulder

    Yes the physics program is good, but as an undergrad it does not matter a whole lot other than access to good research opportunities. Those rankings are more related to grad programs and research. CU is home to JILA and has a very large graduate physics enrollment, 4th in the country when I graduated. 42. Reply.

  11. Engineering Physics < University of Colorado Boulder

    Bachelor's Degree. Engineering Physics - Bachelor of Science (BSEP) Engineering physics provides students with a broad exposure to the basic physical theories and mathematical techniques underlying engineering. The program may be specialized to meet the student's interests through engineering electives.

  12. Muhammed Abdullah Unutmaz

    Muhammed Abdullah Unutmaz Post-Doctoral Associate - NIST/Research Faculty in CU Boulder, Department of Physics

  13. Applied Physics and Applied Sciences Tracks

    This program also allows students to take core courses from departments outside of physics when appropriate, to better prepare them for cutting-edge research at the interface between disciplines. To join this program, you must complete the Applied Physics and Sciences Tracks Interest Form before the end of your 3rd semester of graduate study.

  14. Graduate Program Requirements

    At least 21 credit hours must be in physics. The Topics in Scientific Writing course (PHYS7820) counts toward the 27 credit hours in A&S NS/Engineering but does NOT count toward the 21 credit hours in physics.听The听Applied Physics, Chemical Physics, and Geophysics programs have different requirements on classes that supersede this. To have ...

  15. Calvin Howes

    Bachelor of Science in Engineering Physics, a physics core with engineering electives at CU. Minor in Applied mathematics, with a focus on applied statistical experimentation. UCLA

  16. Venture Partners' Report Showcases Rising Innovation, National Acclaim

    These spanned the breadth of CU Boulder's research expertise, with innovations in climate tech, biotechnology, quantum science, optics and aerospace, to name a few. CU Boulder's commercialization arm, Venture Partners at CU Boulder, supports a groundbreaking pipeline translating research into real-world impact, as highlighted in their 2023 ...

  17. Bachelor of Arts in Physics

    Students studying physics must meet the general requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences as well as one of our three plans of study: Plan 1: Designed for students who plan to pursue graduate study in physics or go directly into professional employment. 45 credit hours of physics courses. Plan 2: Designed for students who wish to learn ...

  18. Physics

    Students must have a grade point average of at least 2.000 in the major in order to graduate, and no more than 45 credits in PHYS may be applied to overall graduation requirements. Students must complete the general requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences and the required courses listed below. Plans of Study.

  19. Admission Requirements < University of Colorado Boulder

    Transfer students are required to have an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher. Students with more than 36 credit hours must have completed an introductory course in the major they intend to pursue with a grade of B or better, and with a GPA of 3.0 or higher: Communication majors: Public Speaking OR Group Communication.

  20. A Nobel laureate walks into a first-year physics class…

    Cornell and Paul Beale, a CU Boulder professor of physics, created the course six years ago, in part to help students interested in pursuing physics to find community and support among like-minded peers. While other introductory physics courses are open to all majors, this one is specifically for physics, astrophysics and engineering physics ...

  21. Physics

    Course Requirements. There are two separate plans for obtaining the master's degree, both of which require a total of 30 credit hours with a grade of B- or better at the 5000 level or above (up to 6 credit hours may be at the 3000 or 4000 level if approved by the physics graduate chair). All but 3 credit hours must be in physics (more credit ...

  22. PhD students earn major NSF graduate research fellowships

    Dylan Meyer. Advisor: Scott Diddams Lab: Frequency Comb & Quantum Metrology Lab Bio: Meyer is a first-year PhD student in the FCQM group.He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Alabama in Electrical Engineering. My research proposal is the development of highly stable and robust millimeter wave time and frequency (T&F) transfer, supporting T&F transfer between atomic clocks.

  23. PREP Undergrad Student Assistant II Position at NIST Electric Fields

    CU PREP - Department of Physics 390 UCB University of Colorado Boulder, CO 80309-0390. Delivery Address: CU PREP - Department of Physics Duane Physics E1B32 2000 Colorado Ave Boulder, CO 80309-0390: Phone: (303) 492-4122 Email: [email protected] About us