The Department of Physics offers graduate programs leading to a Master of Science (M.S.) in Physics and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Physics. During the first two years of the program, students complete a track of core courses (including Mathematical Physics, Classical Mechanics, Electromagnetism, Quantum Mechanics, and Statistical Mechanics). <br>The M.S. program can be completed through the combination of completing the core coursework and a research thesis, or completing the core coursework and passing a Comprehensive Examination. <br><br>In addition to their coursework, Ph.D. students also gain research experiences during their first two years. In subsequent years, Ph.D. students specialize within a chosen subdiscipline for their research training, which culminates in their dissertation.<br>The program aims to prepare students for careers in scientific research or teaching. Formal course work provides a broad treatment of fundamental physics as well as an introduction to specialized physics topics. Original research, the central component of the Doctor of Philosophy program, is intended both to establish the student as a scientific researcher and to expand humanity's knowledge of the physical universe.