Physics Department

Graduate Coordinator: Joel Sander, Ph.D.

Chair: Yongchen Sun, Ph.D.

Physics Program
Akeley-Lawrence Science Center, Room 201
414 East Clark Street
Vermillion, SD 57069
Phone: 605-658-6826
physics@usd.edu
www.usd.edu/physics

FACULTY

Professors:

Dongming Mei, Ph.D., University of Alabama. Specialization: Particle Physics, Nuclear Physics, and Astroparticle Physics.
Joel Sander, Ph.D., University of California-Santa Barbara. Specialization: Nuclear and Particle Physics.

Associate Professor:

Jing Liu, Ph.D., Technical University of Munich. Specialization: Nuclear and Particle Physics.
Yongchen Sun, Department Chair, Ph.D., Montana State University-Bozeman. Specialization: Laser Spectroscopy and Condensed Matter Physics.

Assistant Professor:

Varun Vaidya, Ph.D., Carnegie Mellon University. Specialization: Nuclear and Particle Physics.

DEGREE

Master of Science

SPECIALIZATION

Analytics for Large Data Sets

Accelerated Master of Science - Analytics for Large Data Sets
Doctor of Philosophy

Program Description

The graduate programs in physics will prepare students for a variety of career paths, including positions in academia, industry and at national labs. While degree candidates may pursue specialized research foci based on the research expertise of individual faculty members, the most significant goal of the program is to focus on research areas germane to the needs and special resources of the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF). Examples of specialized research areas connected to SURF include nuclear/particle physics and particle astrophysics involving next-generation neutrino detection; double beta-decay, dark matter searches and gravitational wave detection experiments, as well as condensed matter physics concentrating on novel low background radiation materials and devices.

WICHE Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) eligible program.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Completed Graduate Application form found at: https://www.usd.edu/grad/how-to-apply and a non-refundable application fee of $35.
Official transcript(s) verifying receipt of an undergraduate degree and previous graduate credit (in English or with translation). Transcripts must be complete (e.g., if currently enrolled, work-in-progress coursework must be included, foreign transcripts must include a grading scale, and for countries that issue, copy of degree certificate/diploma i.e., India, Nepal, etc.). The USD Graduate School and/or academic units retain the right to require credential evaluations from organizations, such as Educational Credential Evaluators/World Education Services (ECE/WES), for a student if such an evaluation is deemed necessary.
Applicants to the master’s program must have completed a baccalaureate in physics, although applicants with baccalaureate or graduate degrees in closely related fields may be considered. Applicants to the doctoral program will be considered with either an undergraduate or master’s degree in physics. Baccalaureate degree must be from an institution with institutional accreditation for that degree. A minimum undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 on conferred degree and/or graduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better, based on a 4.0 scale, on all graduate coursework is required for full admission. We may admit students on provisional status per university policy.
Applicants with degrees from countries other than the United States who have obtained a high school diploma, undergraduate, or graduate degree from an institutionally accredited American college or university or from an accredited institution in the approved list of English-speaking countries are not required to submit an approved English proficiency exam score. For all other applicants with degrees from other countries, a minimum score of 79 on the Internet-Based TOEFL (iBT), 550 on the Paper-Based TOEFL (PBT), 8.5 on the TOEFL Essentials, 6.0 on the IELTS Academic, 53 on the PTE, or 110 on Duolingo is required for graduate admission.
Applicants are required to submit a statement of purpose or goal statement. A statement of purpose should articulate how your background, expertise, and aspirations align with your decision to pursue graduate studies at USD’s Physics Graduate Program. Specifically, you should highlight how your past research experience has equipped you with the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in the program. Provide details on how your research area, methodologies, and outcomes have informed your academic and career goals, and how these relate to the research and educational opportunities available at USD.

Additional Program Admission Requirements:

Resume/CV.
Three (3) professional letters of recommendation, at least one of which must be from the student’s parent institution. Please share with your recommender the following: Letters of reference are an essential component of your application and should provide a comprehensive evaluation of your academic and research potential. The reference writer should explain why they believe you would thrive in the USD Physics Graduate Program based on your past achievements and potential for growth. They should specifically comment on your research experience, level of engagement, and the skills you have acquired. By presenting unique perspectives on your abilities, the reference writer should provide insights into your potential for future success. It is important that letters of references express the reference’s personal view for assessing how skills and abilities will translate to the USD Physics Graduate Program.

With permission of the graduate program, those who have not completed an undergraduate or master’s degree in physics may be admitted on a provisional basis. Students must complete coursework in the foundational areas of E&M, Classical Mechanics/Thermodynamics and Quantum Mechanics or demonstrate competence in those areas through some other mechanism prior to enrolling in graduate courses for which one or more of these undergraduate courses are prerequisites.

SCHOLARSHIPS

A limited number of graduate assistantships are awarded each year on a competitive basis to fully admitted, full-time, on-campus M.S. and Ph.D. students. For full consideration for a graduate assistantship, the priority deadline is February 1.

Application Deadline

Fall 2024 start
- Priority Deadline: February 1
- Final Deadline: Three weeks before the start of the semester
Spring 2025 start
- Final Deadline: Three weeks before the start of the semester
Fall 2025 start
- Priority Deadline: February 1
- Final Deadline: Four weeks before the start of the semester
Spring 2026 start
- Final Deadline: Four weeks before the start of the semester

Student Learning Outcomes for Physics (M.S.)

Students will demonstrate that they gain the field-specific knowledge expected of graduates of a graduate physics master’s program.
Students will demonstrate the ability to synthesize their field-specific knowledge base to address pertinent questions in their field.  
Students will demonstrate the ability to give clear presentations.  
Graduate students will exhibit academic and professional integrity as they demonstrate an understanding of the importance of low background radiation detection underground science to the state of South Dakota.

Student Learning Outcomes for Physics (Ph.D.)

Students will demonstrate the ability to synthesize their field-specific knowledge base to address pertinent questions in their field.
Students will demonstrate the ability to give clear presentations.   
Graduate students will exhibit academic and professional integrity as they demonstrate an understanding of the importance of low background radiation detection underground science to the state of South Dakota.