Physics (MS and PhD) Contact Information and Application Instructions
| College: | Arts and Sciences | |||
| Department: | Physics and Astronomy | 100 Physics and Astronomy | (505) 277-1514 | F: (505) 277-1520 |
| Chair: | Richard Rand | rjr@unm.edu | (505) 277-1517 | F: (505) 277-1520 |
| Graduate Faculty Contact: | James Thomas | jthomas@unm.edu | (505) 277-8490 | F: (505) 277-1520 |
| Staff Advisor: | Alisa Gibson | agibson@unm.edu | (505) 277-1514 | F: (505) 277-1520 |
Degrees Offered:
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Application Instructions
The following information is provided to help the prospective student successfully apply for admission to the Physics MS and PhD graduate programs at the University of New Mexico. Although Graduate Studies strives to keep this information up-to-date, we still encourage you to visit the program's website to verify application deadlines, instructions, and required materials.
International students (including non-U.S. citizen permanent residents) generally must complete additional steps to apply to a graduate program at UNM and demonstrate English proficiency. Please see the Global Education Office's International Admissions website for more information.
Application Deadlines | |
| Fall Admission | December 21st Late applications may be considered. |
| Spring Admission | August 1st |
Application Materials and Instructions | |
| APPLICATION CATEGORY | SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS |
| Educational Background | You must have an undergraduate degree in physics or a related field to enter the M.S. or the Ph.D. programs in Physics. Your undergraduate curriculum should typically have included upper division courses in statistical mechanics, thermodynamics, electricity and magnetism, quantum mechanics, and classical mechanics. Students must have earned a minimum of a 3.0 GPA (on a U.S. 4.0 scale) or comparable grade point average in upper-division (junior and senior level) work and in any graduate work already completed. Upload transcripts for all universities and colleges attended. |
| Program of Interest | Select: College of Arts and Sciences > Physics and Astronomy > Physics. At least one interest must be selected. We strongly encourage you to list a few Physics & Astronomy Department faculty you are interested in working with. |
| Test Scores | General GRE test and Physics GRE subject test scores are optional. You may submit your scores if you wish, but it will not hurt your application if you do not submit your GRE scores. |
| Letter of Intent | This is your opportunity to tell the program faculty about yourself. It does not need to be extremely detailed, but should provide information about your areas of research interest, previous experience, and your goals. Provide a personal statement that clearly identifies your area of research interest and if you are inclined towards theoretical or experimental research. Visit the department research page and list a few Physics & Astronomy Dept. faculty you are interested in working with. This list is helpful to process your application, but if admitted, you are free to pursue work with any department faculty member (see FAQs). |
| CV/Resume | Provide a Curriculum Vitae (academic resume) that highlights your academic, research, and any other accomplishments you would like the admissions committee to know about. |
| Relevant Coursework | Enter information for all physics, astronomy, and math courses you have taken at the upper-division and graduate level, converted to a 4 or scale (see FAQs). |
| Assistantship Interest | Ultimate decisions regarding admission offers and financial aid (in the form of Teaching/Research Assistantships) are made by the department's Graduate Selection Committees. Depending upon budgetary restrictions, we provide TAs for up to two years pending continued satisfactory performance of teaching/grading duties. After the first two years, students typically find employment as Research Assistants (RAs) with one of our faculty. What is expected in the TA letter? Provide a very brief statement of whether you request a Teaching Assistantship. If you have a different source of funding (e.g. a fellowship or an expected research appointment), please describe this. Otherwise, one sentence stating “I request a TA” or “I do not request a TA” is sufficient. |
| Recommendations | Assign three academic references to submit letters of recommendation through the online application system. |
Contact for Questions and Further Information | |
| Sr. Academic Advisor | Alisa Gibson agibson@unm.edu 505-277-1514 |
Click here to visit the program website | |
