Requirements
Admission Requirements
Undergraduate Degree & GPA
You will need to have a maintained a minimum GPA of 2.75/4.00 during your undergraduate career. A physics undergraduate degree will be the best fit for our program but closely related degrees may be appropriate. An undergraduate degree in science or engineering with a strong mathematical preparation is required. If you have a non-technical undergraduate degree but wish to pursue an MS in Physics degree, an equivalence test (including basic but fundamental undergraduate mathematics and physics concepts) will be administered to verify your level of preparation to insure your success in the program.
GRE & TOEFL Scores
Applicants need a recommended GRE verbal score of 145 (380 on old scale) and a total recommended GRE score of 187 (840 on old scale). The subject GRE in physics is not required but it will be considered, if taken. For international students, applicants need to have earned a TOEFL score of 81, 213, or 550 on the internet-based, computer-based, or paper-based test, respectively. An alternative to TOEFL is IELTS, where the minimum score required is 6.5.
The GRE General Test including the verbal, quantitative, and analytical components must be taken. The scores must be received by the Graduate School before the application is sent to the Physics department for evaluation. The score report code for UL Lafayette is 6672. International students also need to take TOEFL or IELTS. In addition, three letters of reference are needed for all students, as well as other documents (the complete checklist is found on the Graduate School website).
How to Apply
If you're ready to earn your Master of Science from the UL Lafayette Department of Physics, visit the Graduate School to apply today!
Course Requirements
The specific courses taken and the choice of a secondary area pursued will be selected by the student in consultation with his/her advisor and the Graduate Coordinator of the Department of Physics. The following two tracks are available.
Thesis track
Most students are expected to be in the thesis track.
The prospective candidate must complete 34 semester hours of which 18 hours are in physics courses carrying graduate credit (not including PHYS 591, 592, 595, 596); 12 of these hours must be in 500-level physics courses. All students must complete the four-semester seminar sequence (PHYS 591, 592, 595, 596), the last two including (each) a seminar-style presentation. In addition, 6 semester hours must be completed in an approved secondary area, such as Math, Geology, Biology etc. The total requirement is completed with 6 credit hours of thesis in one of the physics research areas listed at the top. The candidates have to defend their thesis proposal before the second year of their program and successfully defend their thesis before graduation.
Non-thesis track
The prospective candidate must complete 37 semester hours of which 21 hours are in physics courses carrying graduate credit (not including PHYS 591, 592, 594, 595, 596); 12 of these hours must be in 500-level physics courses. All students must complete the four-semester seminar sequence (PHYS 591, 592, 595, 596), the last two including two seminar-style presentations. In addition, 6 semester hours must be completed in an approved secondary area, such as Math, Geology, Biology etc. In addition, all students must complete 6 credit hours of research (PHYS 594) in one of the physics research areas listed at the top. The total requirement is completed with the passing of a Comprehensive Examination covering the student's course work, research work, and basic topics in advanced mechanics and electromagnetism, before graduation.