Professor John Kielkopf with then doctoral graduate students Karen Collins and Jeffrey Hay at the 0.5 meter telescope at…

Graduate

An MS, an accelerated BS/MS and a research-intensive PhD – work with faculty in astrophysics, quantum science, photonics, materials and particle physics at a growing graduate program.

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Advanced Study in Physics and Astronomy

Graduate training that connects physics with scientific computing, engineering and mathematics – and opens doors far beyond the lab.
Physics, MS

Physics, MS

Preparation for PhD-level work in physics or a related STEM field, or a science-related career in education or industry – built on strong analytical and problem-solving skills and the links between physics, computing, engineering and mathematics.
Accelerated BS/MS in Physics

Accelerated BS/MS in Physics

Current UofL physics majors take three graduate courses (9 credit hours) as undergraduates that apply to both degrees, shortening the path to the MS. The Kielkopf Scholarship provides graduate tuition support for accelerated students.
Physics, PhD

Physics, PhD

A typically five-year program for research careers in government, industry and academia. The first two years mirror the non-thesis MS; the remaining three are devoted to dissertation research in one of the department’s active research groups.

Why Our Graduate Program

Restored in 2008, our PhD program has grown steadily and now graduates about five doctoral students a year. Graduate students join research groups in observational astronomy and exoplanets, high-energy physics with the Belle II experiment at Japan’s SuperKEKB accelerator, nanoscale materials for energy, ion-trap quantum simulation, photonics and ultrafast optics, and computational materials modeling on the department’s PACER cluster – and present their work at the Graduate School conference and national meetings.

How to Apply

Apply through the Graduate School. Applicants with a bachelor’s degree in physics from an accredited institution are eligible for the PhD; students with degrees in related fields such as mathematics, chemistry and engineering are also considered. The department has no program-specific deadlines or materials beyond the Graduate School’s requirements. Questions? Contact the Director of Graduate Studies, Prof. Gamini Sumanasekera, at gamini.sumanasekera@louisville.edu.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

Connect with our graduate team to learn more about the MS, the accelerated BS/MS or the PhD, discuss your research interests or plan a visit.

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How to Apply
Email the Director of Graduate Studies