Graduate Programs
Welcome to the Graduate Program of the Department of Physics and Astronomy. We offer Doctorate (Ph.D.) and Masters (M.S.) degrees along with the Master of Engineering (M.E.) degree in Engineering Physics. Please see Graduate Degree Programs for more details on each degree.
Academic year (9 month) Teaching Assistantships pay $18,000 to $21,000, and include tuition waiver and subsidized health insurance (total value in excess of $50,000).
Graduate Programs
MST Program
The Maine Center for Research in STEM Education (RiSE Center) hosts an interdisciplinary Master of Science in Teaching program for prospective science and mathematics teachers; the physics concentration includes a research thesis on the learning and teaching of physical science. For more information about the MST Program, contact RiSE Center Director
Rm. 111 Estabrooke Hall
(207)581-1019 / (207)581-4678
The department typically has between 25 and 35 graduate students, primarily in the Doctoral program.
Degree programs are offered leading to the following:
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Master of Science
- Master of Engineering in Engineering Physics
Both the Doctoral and MS degrees require a thesis. The ME in Engineering Physics has both a thesis and non-thesis option. The Department generally does not offer any financial support for students in the non-thesis option.
Admission to the degree programs is competitive. We primarily admit students for the Fall semester with only occasional openings for the Spring semester. We begin review of completed applications in late January (apply through the Graduate School). We consider all eligible applicants for support. If support is not required, please be sure to note that in the application.
The department requires the GRE but not the subject GRE. If you have a subject score, feel free to report it to us. As the Physics exam is offered infrequently we will consider applications without the exam. We expect a Bachelor’s degree or higher in physics or a related field with at least a 3.0 in physics & math. For those from related fields we would like to see substantial advanced physics courses. The TOEFL or equivalent (see Graduate School website) is required for International students. The Graduate School requires a minimum iBT TOEFL score of 92 (7.0 on IELTS) to be considered for support as a TA.
See the Graduate School for application details.
Our programs have several advantages:
- small classes; effective student-faculty ratios
- access to wide array of research opportunities
- frequent colloquia and topical seminars
- opportunities to network with university, government, and industry lab professionals
Current Graduate Students: Look here for all forms.
Doctor of Philosophy
Typically a total of 5-6 years are needed to complete the Ph.D. degree for a student who enters the program with a bachelor’s degree. This time is approximately equally divided between course work and dissertation research. A dissertation presenting the results of an original investigation in a specialized area of physics is an essential feature of the program and must be completed and defended successfully. Requirements also include passing the Oral Proposal Defense within the prescribed timelines.
The program of study for each student in the Ph.D. program includes a minimum of 30 course hours. The following courses, or their equivalents, are required of all students:
- PHY 501 Mechanics
- PHY 502 Electrodynamics I
- PHY 574 Methods of Theoretical Physics I
- PHY 503 Quantum Mechanics I
- PHY 603 Quantum Mechanics II
- PHY 512 Statistical Mechanics
- PHY 510 Graduate Laboratory
- PHY 624 Solid State Physics I
In addition, students must take at least one advanced course, chosen from among the following:
- PHY 598 Continuum Mechanics
- PHY 602 Electrodynamics II
- PHY 575 Methods of Theoretical Physics II
- PHY 598 Statistical Mechanics II
- PHY 625 Solid State Physics II
Students must also take at least one research specialty elective course, which must be approved by the student’s dissertation advisory committee. These electives do not have to be PHY courses, and they can not be from among the 400-level PHY undergraduate core courses in Electricity and Magnetism, Quantum and Atomic Physics, Thermodynamics, Statistical Mechanics, Mathematical Methods, or Optics.
In general, additional courses beyond the above minimal requirements are expected to be included in a student’s program of study, at the discretion of the student’s dissertation committee (or the Department Graduate Coordinator prior to formation of the dissertation committee). Each of the 400-level undergraduate core courses may be taken for graduate credit under this additional course expectation.
Look up physics courses by their designators under Graduate Courses Offered.
Summary of Requirements
Graduate Thesis Committee: Must be formed by the end of the second semester.
Oral Comprehensive Examination: Ph.D. candidates must pass by the end of their seventh semester.
Helpful Examination Documents:
- Student’s guide to the Ph.D. Oral Exam
- Notification of Results of the Doctoral Comprehensive Examination – Students should print the form, fill in their name and ID and bring it to your defense.
- NSF-Format Proposal Guide
- NIH-Format Proposal Guide
Dissertation Defense: Must be passed within five years of passing the Oral Comprehensive Examination.
For more information about the Ph.D. in Physics, click here.
- Oral Exam Report Form – must be submitted 2 weeks before scheduled dissertation defense
Master of Science
The Master of Science program emphasizes both the understanding of physical phenomena and the development of physical measurement and research techniques.
Specialized courses in the student’s research interest and allied fields precede a written thesis. M.S. degree candidates must pass an oral exam on the thesis work.
Required Topics:
(offered every year)
- PHY 501 Mechanics
- PHY 502 Electrodynamics I
- PHY 503 Quantum Mechanics I
Recommended Topics:
- PHY 512 Statistical Mechanics
- PHY 574 & 575 Methods of Theoretical Physics I & II
- PHY 510 Graduate Laboratory (using modern instrumentation)
Look up physics courses by their designators under Graduate Courses Offered. For more information about the Master’s of Science in Physics, click here.
| Graduation Requirements: | |
|---|---|
| 24 credits | Graduate level courses |
| + 6 credits | Thesis work (includes oral examination) |
| 30 credits | Minimum credits for graduation |
Master of Engineering in Engineering Physics
The Master of Engineering in Engineering Physics program is exciting, emphasizing the accretion of the student’s physics and engineering skills. This is a continuance of the Department of Physics and Astronomy’s innovative and ABET-accredited Engineering Physics degree.
Specialized courses in the student’s research area of interest and allied fields precede a written thesis. M.S. degree candidates must pass an oral exam on the thesis work.
Required Courses
(choose 3 of 4)
- PHY 501 Mechanics I
- PHY 502 Electrodynamics I
- PHY 503 Quantum Mechanics I
- PHY 510 Graduate Laboratory
- Three electives (9 credits) from engineering course sequence
Recommended Topics
- PHY 512 Statistical Mechanics
- PHY 574 & PHY 575 Methods of Theoretical Physics
Look up physics courses by their designators under Graduate Courses Offered. For more information about the Masters’ of Science in Engineering Physics, click here.
| Graduation Requirements: | |
|---|---|
| 24 credits | Graduate level courses (PHY, ENG, MAT, CHY, other sciences) |
| + 6 credits | Thesis work, with oral exam (non-thesis option 36 approved course credits not including thesis credits.) |
| 30 credits | Minimum credits for graduation |
The Masters in Engineering Physics has a non-thesis option which replaces the six credits of thesis and an oral defense with 12 credits (typically 4 classes) of approved course work, for a total of 36 credits. The Department does not provide financial support for students in this program
The courses you will study in our department will furnish you with a sound foundation in basic and applied physics and astronomy. We will challenge you. And if you are willing to work, we will help you succeed.The following are the physics and astronomy courses offered for graduate level students at UMaine.
If you are interested in the courses of other departments on the UMaine campus, check these sources of information: UMaine Course Catalog for PHY and UMaine Course Catalog for AST
Graduate Level Physics Courses available:
- AST 598 Special Topics in Theoretical or Experimental Astrophysics
- PHY 500 Topics in Materials Science and Technology
- PHY 501 Mechanics
- PHY 502 Electrodynamics I
- PHY 503 Quantum Mechanics I
- PHY 510 Graduate Laboratory
- PHY 512 Statistical Mechanics
- PHY 513 Physical Meas. & Data Anal. With Microcomputers
- PHY 574 Methods of Theoretical Physics I
- PHY 575 Methods of Theoretical Physics II
- PHY 588 Graduate Seminar – Condensed Matter Physics
- PHY 598 Special Topics in Theor. or Exp. Physics
- PHY 602 Electrodynamics II
- PHY 603 Quantum Mechanics II
- PHY 624 Solid State Physics I
- PHY 625 Solid State Physics II
- PHY 688 Graduate Seminar
- PHY 699 Graduate Thesis
Advanced Undergraduate Courses available:
- AST 451 Astrophysics I
- AST 452 Astrophysics II
- AST 497 Topics in Astrophysics
- PHY 447 Molecular Biophysics
- PHY 454 Electricity and Magnetism I
- PHY 455 Electricity and Magnetism II
- PHY 462 Physical Thermodynamics
- PHY 463 Statistical Mechanics
- PHY 469 Quantum and Atomic Physics
- PHY 470 Nuclear Physics
- PHY 471 Nuclear Physics Laboratory
- PHY 472 Geometrical and Fourier Optics
- PHY 473 Modern Optics Laboratory
- PHY 476 Methods of Mathematical Physics
- PHY 480 Physics of Materials
- PHY 497 Topics in Physics
- PHY 499 Problems in Physics
For more information: Graduate catalog
This online resource lists all of the University of Maine graduate courses by Department. There is also a search function available. The available information includes:
- All UMaine courses listed by department
- Course designator and title (e.g. PHY 469 Quantum and Atomic Physics)
- Brief course descriptions
- Prerequisite courses (e.g. completed PHY 236, or instructor’s permission)
- Credit hours of study (e.g. Cr 3 is equal to 3 hours of in-class time per week).
On this page, you will find all the forms and documents you will need as a current graduate student in the Physics and Astronomy Department at the University of Maine. This includes Progress Reports, Programs of Study and links to Graduate School forms necessary for graduation.
Graduate Forms (for Current Students)
- First Year Research Visits Form
- Performance Learning Outcomes
- Graduate Student Progress Report (PDF)
- Program of Study (Master’s/Doctorate)
- Student Forms & Documents – Graduate School – University of Maine (umaine.edu)
For any questions regarding these forms, please contact Samuel Hess, Graduate Coordinator.
We love having visitors!
We invite you to contact us to set up a day to tour the department and have a chat with our faculty and current students!
If you are a potential graduate student, please contact Dr. Samuel Hess (um.grad.physics@maine.edu), our graduate coordinator, to set up a visit.
If you are interested in one of our undergraduate degrees, please contact Dr. John Thompson (umphysicschair@maine.edu), Department Chair, or Mariana Haletska (physics@maine.edu), Administrative Specialist.