Overview

Students have opportunities for research in Biophysics, Computational Physics, Medical Physics, and Optics. The major research emphasis in the department is in the area of applied optics. The Department of Physics and Optical Science is the administrative coordinator of M.S. and Ph.D. programs in Optical Science and Engineering. These degree programs are interdisciplinary involving five science and engineering departments (Physics & Optical Science, Chemistry, Mathematics & Statistics, Electrical & Computer Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering & Engineering Science), the Center for Optoelectronics & Optical Communications, and the Center for Precision Metrology.

A second area of emphasis is in biophysics, where there is a strong interdisciplinary relationship with the Ph.D. programs in Nanoscale Science, Biology, Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, and Applied Mathematics.

The Applied Physics program of The University of North Carolina at Charlotte emphasizes basic and applied interdisciplinary education and research in many diverse areas that include:

Statistical and computational physics

Biological molecular motors

Protein folding, stability, and dynamics

Structural-based drug discovery

Nuclear molecular resonance spectroscopy

Observational astronomy

Micro-optics and nanophotonics

Fiber and integrated optics

Optoelectronic materials and devices

Biomedical optics

Optical interferometry and metrology

Optical fabrication

Nanoscale imaging and spectroscopy

Adaptive optics

Optical communication

Novel light-matter interactions

Quantum optics

Optical sensors and measurements

Concentrations

There are two concentrations within the M.S. in Applied Physics program that include both thesis and non-thesis degree options:

Applied Physics Concentration (Thesis or non-thesis option)

Applied Optics Concentration (Thesis option only)

Programme Structure

Courses include:

At the time of admission, up to 6 credit hours of graduate transfer credit may be accepted if approved by the Department of Physics and Optical Science and the Graduate School.

Students may, with departmental approval, apply up to 9 credit hours in non-cross-listed courses from graduate programs in related areas such as Bioinformatics, Biology, Chemistry, Engineering, Mathematics, and Nanoscale Science toward the 30 credit hour degree requirement.

All candidates for the degree must pass a final examination administered by their Advisory Committee.

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 12 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-08-18 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-08-01 00:00:00
Starting 2027-01-12 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-12-01 00:00:00

Language

English

Duolingo English Test

115

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

Schedule TOEFL®

IELTS

6.5

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Credits

30 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Charlotte, United States

Disciplines

Physics View 406 other Masters in Physics in United States

Join for free or log in to access our complete career info list.

Academic requirements

GPA

2.7

GRE^®

Required

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

115

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

Schedule TOEFL®

IELTS

6.5

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

Possess a Bachelor's degree in Physics, or a closely allied field, usually from an accredited college or university. Applicants from fields other than Physics may expect to be required to remove deficiencies in their physics background.

Present satisfactory scores on the aptitude portion of the Graduate Record Examination.

Possess an overall grade point average of at least 2.75 (based on a 4.0 scale) on all of the applicant's previous work beyond high school. The average in the major should be 3.0 or better.

Present satisfactory scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language, if the applicant is from a non- English speaking country.

Demonstrate evidence of sufficient interest, ability, and preparation in physics to adequately profit from graduate study, as determined by the Physics & Optical Science Department's Graduate Committee.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

20627 USD / year

≈ 20627 USD / year
Out-of-State

20627 USD / year

≈ 20627 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

4841 USD / year

≈ 4841 USD / year

Living costs

Charlotte

United States

1133 - 2060 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Financing

Interested in financing your studies? Find a student loan that works for you.

MPOWER Financing No cosigner. No collateral. No hidden fees.

Check your Eligibility

Get the funding you need to study in the U.S. or Canada - with a process that's fast, simple, and built for international students.

Flexible loans from US$2,001 to US$100,000
Fixed interest rates -- no inflation surprises
No upfront fees or prepayment penalties
Accepted at 500+ universities across the U.S. & Canada
100% online application -- instant conditional offer
Free visa & career support through our Path2Success program

Funding

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

In order for us to give you accurate scholarship information, we ask that you please confirm a few details and create an account with us.

Scholarships Information

Below you will find Master's scholarship opportunities for Applied Physics.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

On this page

About

Overview

Concentrations

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Living costs

Charlotte

Financing

Funding

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

Our partners