UAH's Department of Physics & Astronomy seeks outstanding students to train, mentor, and assist in reaching their full potential as scientists and future leaders in science and society. Graduates have enjoyed exciting and fulfilling careers in academia and industry, including both government and the private sector. This degree denotes a much deeper understanding of the major areas of Physics, as well as one or more subspecialties such as astrophysics or optics.The time required can be as short as 1.5 years for the course-based option. The typical completion time for the thesis option is about 2 years. Within the thesis option, we offer the Optics and Photonics Curriculum, which is ideal for presently-employed students needing more advanced study in these areas.