Physics

Christina Keller, Program Director
Yongchen Sun, Graduate Director
Akeley-Lawrence, Room 201
414 E. Clark Street
Vermillion, SD 57069
Phone: (605) 677-5649
physics@usd.edu
www.usd.edu/physics

Degrees:

Master of Science in Physics

Graduate Faculty

Christina Keller, Associate Professor and Program Director of Physics, Ph.D., North Dakota State University. Specialization: Condensed Matter Physics and Physics Education.

Yongchen Sun, Associate Professor, Ph.D., Montana State University-Bozeman. Specialization: Laser Spectroscopy, Condensed Matter Physics

Dongming Mei, Assistant Professor, University of Alabama, Specialization: Neutrino Physics, Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics.

Program Description

The M.S. in Physics will prepare students for a variety of career paths, including further study leading to the Ph.D. 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 Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory (DUSEL). Examples of specialized research areas connected to DUSEL 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.

Admissions information/Application process

The following items have to be submitted by students who apply:

Completed application
Three letters of recommendation from parent institution instructors
General GRE scores
Official transcripts from all universities attended (Applicants must have at least a 3.0(B) grade point average in their undergraduate work.)
TOEFL scores (A minimum TOEFL score of 550 (on the paper-based test) or 213 (on the computer-based test) is required for international students from countries where English is not an official language.)