Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Physics

Modern research is fundamentally transdisciplinary: it cuts across science and technology and does not consider boundaries between traditional topics. Students trained in physics are in high demand across different disciplines in science and engineering, and a physicist's training adds an effective point of view to a wide variety of scientific endeavors.
According to Academics Analytics, the Rice University Applied Physics Graduate Program (APP) is currently ranked in the top 10 applied physics programs in the USA based on the Scholarly Research Index, in the company of Caltech and Stanford. Housed in the Smalley-Curl Institute under the aegis of the Office of Research and jointly supported by the School of Natural Sciences and the School of Engineering, Rice University APP is nevertheless unique. Based on the long tradition of combining knowledge from multiple disciplines pioneered by scientists and engineers of the Rice Quantum Institute in the 1970s, this program offers an interdisciplinary education for students who are interested in applying fundamental physics principles to cutting-edge research problems in modern science and engineering.

Through rigorous course work, APP students acquire a solid background in physics, including quantum mechanics, solid-state physics, electrodynamics, and statistical mechanics. Students then use their knowledge in physics to address and solve cutting-edge applied research problems. Currently, APP students are actively conducting research in photonics and plasmonics, nanomaterials and nanodevices, quantum and ultracold matter, neuroengineering and biotechnology, and theory and computation.

Transcripts of grades from all undergraduate and graduate schools attended. The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required of any student whose native language is not English. Your score must not be more than two years old and an official copy must be sent to the Graduate School directly from ETS. Students must score at least 90 on the iBT (internet-based) TOEFL, at least 600 on the paper-based TOEFL or score at least 250 on the computer-based TOEFL. For students who choose to take the IELTS in lieu of TOEFL, the minimum score is 7. GRE scores are not currently required for application. If you would still like to include them, the scores must not be older than five years, and an official copy must be sent to Rice University directly from the Educational Testing Service. Personal copies are not acceptable. Three (3) letters of recommendation are requested, and the online reference forms are required. These letters should normally be written by faculty who are familiar with your work and can address your potential for success in graduate school. We begin evaluation of the full application once two letters have been received. All letters of recommendation are due by January 6.