Cal State Fullerton - Department of Physics

Master of Science Degree in Physics

Program Highlights

Background: The California State University system is one of largest systems of public higher education in the world. It includes 22 campuses in urban, suburban, and rural regions of California. More than 325,000 students are enrolled, and the faculty numbers in excess of 16,000. Annually, the system awards more than 50% of the bachelor's degrees and 30% of the master's degrees granted in California. Approximately 80% of the K-12 teachers in California hold a degree from the Cal State system.

The California State University system is one of three systems of public higher education in the state. The University of California system is authorized to grant degrees through the doctoral level, and has as its primary responsibility graduate education and research. The California State University system is authorized to grant bachelor's and master's degrees, and has as its primary responsibility undergraduate education. The California Community Colleges are two-year institutions that offer both transfer curricula and terminal vocational education.

Cal State Fullerton was established in 1957 in the northeast corner of Orange County. It has grown to become a major suburban, comprehensive university that enrolls more than 25,000 students in a wide variety of undergraduate and graduate programs. The M.S. in Physics becomes the 46th graduate degree program offered by the university, and only the eighth master's degree program in physics to be offered by the 22 campus system. It is the first new graduate program in physics to be approved by the California State University system in more than 25 years.

The Department: The Physics Department at Cal State Fullerton places heavy emphasis on the quality of instruction in its courses. As a department we seek to achieve a balance between our teaching duties and our research activities that often is missing at the research universities. We emphasize small class size, individual attention to our students needs, and student involvement in research. We have a long tradition of undergraduate student participation in research, and we expect this to continue and expand with the inception of our graduate program. Although we are a small department (ten full-time faculty), we are well known for our scholarly activity and research. Our new M.S. degree program has been designed to serve the needs of students. It includes several features found in few other physics graduate programs. These include:

Convenient class times for both full-time and part-time students. All graduate classes will be offered in the late afternoon and evening for the convenience of students who hold full-time jobs.
Comprehensive exam, project or thesis study plans. Students may choose to satisfy the degree requirements either with course work and a comprehensive examination or with course work and a project or thesis.
Research opportunities in applied physics, basic physics, and physics teaching and pedagogy. The department has active programs in astronomy, astrophysics, atomic physics, condensed matter physics, optics, physics education and pedagogy, and surface physics. While students pursuing the thesis option (Plan B) are required to complete a research project, students in the comprehensive exam option (Plan A) also are allowed to undertake research projects. Visit our individual faculty pages for more information about our research and pedagogical work.
Flexible course options. Up to 12 units of electives are included in the study plans. With the approval of the graduate advisor and the Chair, students may include senior (400-level) and graduate (500-level) electives from other departments in the School of Natural Science and Mathematics and the School of Engineering and Computer Science. Students interested in physics teaching may elect courses in science education or teacher education (again with the approval of the graduate advisor and Chair).
Flexible thesis options. Students working in local industry or for local school districts may be able to undertake a thesis project related to their employment, and may be able to carry out significant parts of the work at their employment site - provided that appropriate arrangements can be worked out.
Liberal degree completion policy. Part-time students may enroll in just one course per semester if necessary, and may take up to five years to complete the program. At the same time, full-time students may complete the program in four semesters or less.
Low cost. Educational fees and tuition (non-resident students only) are very reasonable. They are among the lowest in the United States for graduate programs.
Excellent research facilities.

Our new Science Laboratory Center includes facilities for research in atomic physics, laboratory astrophysics, and atomic physics that rival laboratories found at major research universities.

Additional laboratory and computer facilities in McCarthy Hall support research in astronomy, astrophysics, atomic physics, condensed matter physics, optics, and surface physics. McCarthy Hall also houses a well-equipped machine shop, electronics shops, and a glass shop.
Convenient location. The campus is located adjacent to the 57 Freeway (Nutwood Ave. offramp), which provides easy access for students living or working in Orange County, eastern and southeastern Los Angeles County, western San Bernardino County, and western Riverside County. Both on-campus and off-campus dormitories and apartments are available for resident students. Fullerton is served by Amtrack; which provides rail service to San Diego and Los Angeles; and by Metrolink, which provides commuter rail service to Los Angeles. Both John Wayne/Orange County and Ontario International airports are within a 30 minute drive, and Los Angeles International is approximately 45 minutes away.
The climate in the area generally is temperate. For the current weather conditions click here.
To learn more about the area around Cal State Fullerton we suggest a visit to fullerton.online

To learn more about our department and our M.S. program follow one of these links.
[ Physics Homepage | Department Directory | Physics Faculty ]
[ M.S. Degree Page | M.S. Admission Requirements | M.S. Degree Requirements ]
[ Graduate Tuition/Fees/Financial Aid ]

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