At the core of all science, physics helps us understand chemical reactions, protein folding, the Earth’s interior, and the life cycle of stars. Physicists invented the semiconductor, the laser, and the electron microscope. They play key roles in the design and operation of spacecraft and in the development of electronic and optical instrumentation. The Department of Physics and Astronomy faculty are experts in lasers and optics, computational physics, condensed matter, astrophysics, and physics education research. The department receives on average approximately $1.8 million annually in external funding for sponsored research.
See the Department of Physics and Astronomy website.
University Admission Requirements
Applicants must submit a complete graduate application through the CSU Cal State Apply system and meet all the university admissions requirements . Applicants from countries in which the native language is not English must achieve a minimum English-language proficiency test score as indicated on the Graduate Program Test Requirements webpage.
Students can be admitted to either classified or conditionally classified standing.
Admission to Graduate Standing - Classified
Students admitted with classified standing will have an undergraduate degree in Physics or other STEM discipline with classes completed in upper-division Mechanics, Electricity and Magnetism and Quantum Mechanics.
Admission to Graduate Standing - Conditionally Classified
Conditional acceptance means that the candidate must fulfill specific requirements in order to be eligible to apply for advancement to candidacy. These conditions will be stipulated as part of the acceptance agreement between the faculty adviser and the applicant. Failure to fulfill these requirements will result in disqualification from the program.
Advancement to Candidacy
The university requirements for advancement to candidacy for the master’s degree are outlined in the Graduate Policies and Procedures section. Students should seek advancement to candidacy as soon as possible for their given program and on the advice of their graduate program coordinator. Graduate students may submit a Petition for Advancement to Graduate Candidacy form to the Graduate Admissions & Program Evaluations (GAPE) office after satisfying the following: achieved classified status; completed a minimum of nine letter-graded units with all grades “C” or higher; fulfilled the Campus Graduate Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (CGGWAR) requirement; achieved a minimum cumulative and program 3.0 GPA, and, graduate within the seven-year time limit for degree completion. Graduate students must submit their petition no later than one semester prior to graduating. Courses that satisfy the CGGWAR are listed in the course requirements for the program.
Each semester, students should consult with their graduate advisor to develop a schedule of courses. Students admitted as conditionally classified must satisfy the requirements listed in their acceptance agreement before advancing to candidacy. Students who have achieved classified standing in the master’s degree curriculum must next advance to candidacy for the degree.
Program of Study Requirements
Students must complete all residency, curriculum, unit, GPA, and culminating experience requirements as outlined in the Graduation Requirements section of the Graduate Policies and Procedures . Students must comply with all other graduate requirements contained in this catalog.
Course Requirements
Students must complete program requirements, which consists of 30 semester units of approved work. The student consults with their advisor to select a thesis or project topic.
At SJSU, students must pass the Campus Graduate Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (CGGWAR). This requirement is satisfied by the completion of PHYS 200W or PHYS 220E with a grade of “B” or better.
Culminating Experience
Plan A (Thesis)
Thesis: The thesis must meet university requirements as stipulated in the Graduate Policies and Procedures section of this catalog and in the SJSU Master’s Thesis and Doctoral Dissertation Guidelines. It will be written under the guidance of the candidate’s research committee chair with the assistance of the research committee. The MS thesis document must be approved by the student’s research committee before submission. Typically, the research committee will provide the candidate feedback during the Thesis Defense and may request changes to the thesis before final approval. Oral Thesis Defense: All MS candidates are required to present a public seminar based on their research project.
Plan B (Project)
Written Project: The written project must be a manuscript describing the student’s research project, written following a professional journal’s format for submission. It will be written under the guidance of the candidate’s research committee chair with the assistance of their research committee. The manuscript must be approved by the student’s research committee. Typically, the committee will provide the candidate feedback during the Project Defense and may request changes to the manuscript before final approval.
