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| General Information | Admissions | MS Degree Requirements |
| Core Courses | Advanced Courses | Independent Study Projects |
| 1997-98 Class Schedules | 1998-99 Class Schedules |
Graduate Student Adviser: Ms
Kimberly Hawley ; telephone:
(206) 543-2488
Evening MS Degree Program Coordinator: Prof.
Joseph Rothberg
A graduate program emphasizing applications of physics is offered by the Department of Physics at the University of Washington. The program is specifically designed for people who are currently employed full time and have an undergraduate degree (or equivalent background) in physical science, engineering or mathematics. All classes are taught by full-time UW Physics faculty members.
Evening courses, which meet two nights per week, may be taken either individually or as a course of study leading to a master of science degree in physics. It is possible to fulfill the credit requirements for a master's degree by taking one evening course each quarter (excluding Summer Quarter) for three years. Students may take classes at a faster pace if they wish to complete the program in a shorter time.
Courses of study emphasizing particular areas can be arranged according to individual interests. Possibilities include laser physics, mathematical modeling and numerical analysis, optics, surface physics, and physics instrumentation.
The program includes a sequence of "core" courses encompassing both classical and quantum physics, as well as specialized courses, which are varied each year. The core courses, Electromagnetic Waves, Quantum Physics, and Applications of Quantum Physics, provide background for the study of specialized topics and introduce applications from the outset. They are especially designed for returning students who are beginning graduate study after several (or many) years in the workplace, and who have an interest in applied physics or related fields.
Technical courses on aspects of physics instrumentation are an important part of the program, as are advanced specialized courses of particular interest to research scientists and engineers. Courses taught in past years that may be repeated in the future have included: Contemporary Optics, Low-Temperature Physics and Cryogenics, Nuclear Instrumentation, Plasma Physics, Solid-State Physics, Surface Physics, Laser Physics, Fluid Mechanics, and Liquid Crystal Devices. The courses for the current academic year are listed below.
Students may take any individual course offered on a graduate non-matriculated basis, with permission of the faculty program coordinator. Under current rules, no more than 12 credits taken on a graduate non-matriculated basis can be applied to a graduate degree. For further information on registering as a non-matriculated student, contact the UW Continuing Education Program, (206) 543-2320.
Students enrolled in the master's degree program are expected to complete a supervised independent study project (PHYS 600, typically 3 to 9 hours/week) and to submit a brief written report on it. The project may be carried out with one of the research groups in the Physics Department, in certain other departments on campus, or at the student's place of employment subject to approval by the faculty coordinator. The project should involve experimentation, analysis, or instrumentation related to a problem of current interest. A brief written statement describing the project should be provided to the program coordinator before the independent study project commences. A final oral examination on the research project is required.
Examples of projects completed so far include: "Computer Simulation of Muon Collisions with Atoms," "Fabrication and Characterization of Superconducting Tunnel Junctions," "Impurity Effects on Charge Collection in Liquid Argon," "Laser Diode Stabilization Using External Optical Feedback," "Measurement and Optimization of the Atomic Beam Flux," "Phased Array Holography," and "Spectral Properties of Semiconductor Injection Lasers."
The current rules and policies for the Evening MS Degree Program can be found here.
For admission to the master's degree program, a student should have an undergraduate degree in a physical science, engineering, or mathematics. No entrance examination will be required. An average grade of 3.0 in junior- and senior-level physical sciences courses is required. Those interested in particular courses or the MS degree program are encouraged to discuss their backgrounds and interests with faculty members in the physics department. A faculty adviser to help plan a program of study is available to students who are admitted to the program.
Autumn Quarter courses begin around the end of September. Applications may be submitted at any time. Although the priority application deadline for the Autumn Quarter is 15 August, applications will be accepted on a space-available basis until a week before the quarter begins. Students are encouraged to apply earlier, but may begin taking classes as non-matriculated students prior to formal admission.
Students who wish to enroll in a course or to apply for admission should contact the Graduate Program Assistant, Department of Physics, Box 351560, University of Washington, Seattle, 98195-1560; e-mail: grad@phys.washington.edu; telephone: (206) 543-2488
The student must complete 36 credits of work at the 400 level or above. Of this, at least 18 credits must be at the 500 level or above. The core courses listed below (or equivalent) must be taken. A supervised independent study project (PHYS 600) (typically 3 to 9 hours including an oral presentation of results) is required. Students may complete the requirements in three years by enrolling in one late afternoon or evening class each quarter, excluding Summer Quarter. Appropriate courses in other departments may be applied for credit toward the degree, upon approval of the program coordinator.
The final requirement for your Evening MS degree is to perform an independent study project on a topic of your choice, under the supervision of a UW faculty member. Your project supervisor will normally serve as your faculty advisor. The faculty member need not be in the Department of Physics, but must be a member of the UW Graduate Faculty (most, but not all, UW faculty are also members of the Graduate Faculty). You will be expected to devote time equivalent to what you would spend taking a course, for at least one (typically two or three) quarters to complete the project. While working on the project, you will register for PHYS 600, Independent Study, for a number of credits agreed upon by your supervisor.
When your independent study is completed, you must turn in a written report, and present the results of your study orally to a committee of two faculty members, one of whom is your project supervisor (or a Physics faculty member designated by the Evening MS Degree Program Chair, if your project supervisor is from another department). Your supervisor will provide detailed guidance regarding the written report and oral exam. The written report is not a formal thesis, but typically has the format of a technical report of moderate length. You can ask the Graduate Student Adviser to show you reports submitted by previous students to get an idea of what is expected.
Examples of project topics, and some details on procedure for setting up your independent study project, can be found here.
An introduction to the concepts and methods of Quantum Physics. Topics include wave mechanics (de Broglie wavelength, uncertainty principle, Schrodinger equation), one-dimensional examples (tunneling, harmonic oscillator), general formalism of Quantum Physics, angular momentum and the hydrogen atom.
Detailed development of the methods of Quantum Physics to enable practical applications to various physical systems. Topics include a review of elementary quantum physics, followed by a study of perturbation theory, many-particle systems and quantum statistics, elementary scattering theory, and elementary theory of radiation. Emphasis varies from year to year. Prerequisite: PHYS 441 or equivalent.
This course introduces the principal concepts of electromagnetism and wave propagation. Topics include: electric and magnetic fields, electric and magnetic properties of materials, and electromagnetic waves with applications to optics and wave guides. Typical undergraduate preparation should include 30 credits in physical sciences or engineering.
Mathematical concepts (complex numbers, partial differentiation, etc.) are introduced as needed. Typical undergraduate preparation should include 30 credits in physical sciences, including PHYS 123 or equivalent, and PHYS 225 or equivalent. Students are helped to make up deficiencies in physics background and mathematics proficiency.
Course descriptions include links to the web page for the most recent class, where available. New courses may be introduced or existing course contents altered according to demand. Here are the course offerings for 1996-98:
Variational Principle, Lagrangian and Hamiltonian mechanics, phase space, nonlinear dynamics, approach to chaos, Lyapunov exponents, applications to physical systems. Numerical exercises to illustrate phenomena. Prerequisites: PHYS 126 and MATH 309 or equivalents.
Physics underlying laser design in the contect of common laboratory systems. Topics may include continuous and pulsed lasers; solid, liquid and gas gain media; Q-switching, mode-locking and resonator theory, non-linear optics, and others. Prerequisites: basic quantum mechanics, electromagnetism, and optics. Recommended: PHYS 541.
Applications of the symbolic algebra, evaluation, and plotting program Mathematica to problems in physics. Topics will include basic techniques for using Mathematica followed by applications in mechanics, electrostatics, quantum mechanics, and relativity and cosmology. Students will use Mathematica 3.0 operating on PCs in a computing-lab environment and possibly on their home computers.
Review of electromagnetic theory in terms of Maxwell's equations. Basic fluid mechanics and kinetic theory. Magnetohydrodynamics and plasma physics with the aim of providing an understanding of the principles underlying fusion reactors and other applications. Prerequisites: PHYS 543U.
Coordinated lecture and laboratory treatment of topics in
contemporary optics. Subjects include Fourier optics, lens
systems, interferometry, laser
optics, holography, polarization, crystal optics, laser and
conventional light sources, optical detectors. Prerequisites: PHYS 543U or equivalent.
Electronics for Physics Research (Physics 547U )
Electronic techniques as applied in physics research. Topics include noise, control-system analysis, operational amplifiers, lock-in amplifiers, precision power supplies and metering, data transmission, microprocessors. Several integrated measurement systems are examined in the context of specific research problems. Prerequisite: elementary electronics.
Introduction to the theory of solids: crystal structure in real space and reciprocal space, phonons, free electrons, band theory, semiconductors, Fermi surfaces and metals, superconductivity, and semiconductor devices. Prerequisite: Physics 441 or equivalent.
Course Credits Quarter Time PHYS 543U 4 Autumn MW 7-9 p.m. Electromagnetic Waves (Professor V. Chaloupka) PHYS 436U 4 Autumn TTh 7-9 p.m. Non-linear Dynamics and Chaos (Professor T. Burnett) PHYS 441U 4 Winter MW 7-9 p.m. Introduction to Quantum Physics (Professor R. J. Wilkes) PHYS 542U 4 Winter TTh 7-9 p.m. Numerical Methods (Professor J. Cramer) PHYS 541U 4 Spring MW 7-9 p.m. Applications of Quantum Physics (Professor R. Ingalls) PHYS 530U 4 Spring TTh 5-7 p.m. Laser Physics (Professor L. Sorensen) PHYS 600 varies ALL Arranged Independent Study or Research.
[Return to Table of Contents]
Course Credits Quarter Time PHYS 543U 4 Autumn MW 7-9 p.m. Electromagnetic Waves (Professor V. Chaloupka) PHYS 547U 4 Autumn TTh 7-9 p.m. Electronics for Physics Research (Professor T. Burnett) PHYS 441U 4 Winter MW 7-9 p.m. Introduction to Quantum Physics (Professor R. J. Wilkes) PHYS 578U 4 Winter TTh 7-9 p.m. Theoretical Solid State Physics (Professor R. Ingalls) PHYS 541U 4 Spring MW 7-9 p.m. Applications of Quantum Physics (Professor R. Ingalls) PHYS 545U 4 Spring TTh 7-9 p.m. Contemporary Optics (Professor L. Sorensen) PHYS 600 varies ALL Arranged Independent Study or Research.
Last updated on 12 March 1998
More information concerning the Evening MS program may be obtained by contacting the Graduate Program Assistant, Department of Physics, Box 351560, University of Washington, Seattle, 98195-1560; e-mail: grad@phys.washington.edu; telephone: (206) 543-2488
The University of Washington provides equal opportunity in education without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, or status as a disabled veteran or Vietnam era veteran in accordance with University of Washington policy and applicable federal and state statutes and regulations.
To learn more about the Physics
Department at the University of Washington, see the Physics Department Home Page.
For further information on graduate programs in Physics at UW
(including PhD programs), see the Graduate Program Web.