Doctor of Philosophy in Physics

Physics is the study of the physical universe. By means of observation, experiment, theoretical constructions and computer simulations this science attempts to find the principles which describe the universe. Among the topics of physics are motion and force, energy, sound, electricity and magnetism, light, atomic and nuclear structure, nuclear reactions, electronic properties of conductors and semiconductors, materials important for energy applications, elementary particles and their interactions, particle accelerators, and the physics of living systems. The study of physics provides the basic understanding of nature and develops the analytical skills which are essential for progress in science and technology, e.g., conducting scientific research, solving environmental problems, advancing biomedical systems, and inventing cutting-edge technology.

All Official Transcripts. TOEFL PBT - 550. TOEFL IBT - 80. IELTS - 6.5.
A grade of 4.0 (A) on the qualifying examination based on firstyear graduatelevel physics courses in classical mechanics, quantum mechanics, electrodynamics, and statistical mechanics is required. This examination is offered in the fall and spring semesters and must be taken the first time that it is offered after the student has completed his or her first year of graduate study. Detailed regulations and sample examinations are available from the departmental office. A dissertation presenting the results of an original laboratory or theoretical investigation is required. One semester of halftime teaching is also required.
List specific faculty members whom you might be interested in working with. We generally recommend listing 2-4 people. You can refer to the graduate brochures linked to at the top of page for 1-page overviews of research by our faculty
Fill out the questions about Communications and Financial Aid. As mentioned above, we usually support our students through assistantships unless they have MSU or external fellowships. Most applicants should indicate that they want to be considered for financial support, unless the education is sponsored otherwise.
If an applicant is international, a section called Financial Support will appear. Note that teaching and research assistantships provided through the Department are sufficient to meet the requirements, but you can contact us if you have questions about this section.
Personal Statement: Please try to address the following topics in your personal statement:
Leadership experiences and other experiences that demonstrate your potential for distinctive professional or scholarly contributions. Such experiences can be academic, community-focused, or professional,
Contributions to a diverse (educational) community: these could relate to your personal history and experiences, research goals, and/or the promotion of understanding among persons of different backgrounds and ideas
Record of overcoming obstacles: these could be social, economic, personal. Examples include being the first person in your family to attend college and graduate school. or overcoming financial, personal, or other hurdles to pursue your education
Academic Statement: Be sure to list/address the following:
Motivate the subfield(s) you wish to focus on in graduate school (accelerator science and engineering, condensed matter physics, nuclear physics, high-energy physics, physics education research, biophysics, astrophysics, astronomy, or other) Are you interested in theoretical research or experimental research, or both? Are you interested in computational aspects of research?
How are your research interest related to opportunities in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at MSU? Motivate which research groups you are interested in working in? Be specific, but do not limit yourself to the research group of one faculty member. You want to show you have really thought about this, but not constrain yourself to one group which might not have many openings in a given year.
What are you research experiences? Included duration and type (e.g. REU) of experience and include products (a paper, presentations/posters, report etc). How have these experiences shaped your decision to apply to MSU? If you do not have many research experiences, explain what has shaped your decision to apply to MSU and perhaps why it was hard to perform research.
What is your overall academic record? Since you will submit your transcripts, you do not have to give detailed information about grades and GPA, but you can certainly highlight specific accomplishments (awards, prizes, fellowships) or explanations of your academic record.
Michigan State University requires at least three letters of recommendation, so you must list at least list three people who will submit letters of recommendation in support of your application in the References section.