physics phd uw madison

• University of Wisconsin-Madison

DEGREE Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics, PhD

Doctoral degree in nuclear engineering

As a PhD student in nuclear engineering and engineering physics, you’ll gain deeper experience studying the interaction of radiation with matter. With a strong emphasis on engineering and applied science, you’ll be able to focus on any of several areas, including researching, designing, developing and deploying fission reactors; fusion engineering; plasma physics; radiation damage to materials; applied superconductivity and cryogenics; and large-scale computing in engineering science.

At a glance

Nuclear engineering and engineering physics department, learn more about what information you need to apply., how to apply.

Please consult the table below for key information about this degree program’s admissions requirements. The program may have more detailed admissions requirements, which can be found below the table or on the program’s website.

Graduate admissions is a two-step process between academic programs and the Graduate School. Applicants must meet the minimum requirements of the Graduate School as well as the program(s). Once you have researched the graduate program(s) you are interested in, apply online .

GRE scores are optional. Applicants may submit GRE scores, but are not required to do so. Applications without scores are not placed at a disadvantage.  However, received scores will be considered as part of our holistic evaluation of applications.

Application Requirements and Process

For admission to graduate study in Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics, an applicant must have a bachelor’s degree in engineering, mathematics, or physical science, and an undergraduate record that indicates an ability to successfully pursue graduate study. International applicants must have a degree comparable to a regionally accredited US bachelor’s degree. All applicants must satisfy requirements that are set forth by the  Graduate School . 

It is highly recommended that students take courses that cover the same material as these UW-Madison courses before entering the program:

Descriptions of course content can be accessed through Guide . Students may enter without having taken these courses. However, in such cases the students must inform their advisors, who will help them plan courses of study that will provide adequate background for our department’s graduate curriculum.

The Graduate School requires a minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 basis on the equivalent of the last 60 semester hours from the most recent bachelor’s degree. In special cases, students with grade point averages lower than 3.0 who meet all the general requirements of the Graduate School may be considered for admission on probation.

Advisor Selection Process

PhD applicants are encouraged to identify potential faculty advisors and seek a confirmation. Review the department  Research and People websites and contact those whose research interests align with yours. Only faculty members listed with the titles of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor, can serve as graduate advisors. Do not contact Emeritus faculty, Lecturers, Research Scientists, or Faculty Associates. You are also encouraged to inquire about possible funding opportunities. If a faculty member agrees to be your advisor, ask the person to email an acknowledgment to [email protected] .

Application Materials

Each application must include the following:

• Graduate School Application
• Academic transcripts
• Statement of purpose
• Three letters of recommendation
• GRE Scores (optional – see below for additional information)
• English Proficiency Score (if required)

Application Fee

Academic transcript.

Within the online application, upload the undergraduate transcript(s) and, if applicable, the previous graduate transcript. Unofficial copies of transcripts are required for review and official copies are required for admitted applicants. Please do not send transcripts or any other application materials to the Graduate School or the Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics department unless requested. Review the requirements set by the  Graduate School  for additional information about degrees/transcripts.

Statement of Purpose

The University of Wisconsin-Madison Graduate School and the Department of Nuclear Engineering & Engineering Physics have the following guidelines for the Statement of Purpose:

• Have you read an article by one or more faculty members?
• Has your advisor specifically directed you to this program?
• Do you have other ties to this program and/or school?
• Pick out the pertinent facts about your academic and professional interests that make you a good fit with the program and institution to which you are applying. (A statement of purpose is not a place to list everything you have done.)
• Describe research experiences regardless of whether they are related to your current interests. 
• Being self-motivated, curiosity-driven, and goal-oriented are important qualities for aspiring PhDs in Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics. To provide evidence of these qualities, you may write about relevant experiences you have had. 
• Perseverance and the ability to overcome adversity are also important. Again, discuss relevant experiences you may have to provide evidence. 
• Mention extra-curricular achievements to illustrate additional dimensions of your personality. 
• Explain (briefly) any incongruity in your application material, such as a low semester grade. 
• Our page limit is two and a half pages, but there is no obligation to write long statements.

For more information from the Graduate School, please review their  webpage . 

Upload your resume in your application.

Three Letters of Recommendation

These letters are required from people who can accurately judge the applicant’s academic and/or research performance. It is highly recommended these letters be from faculty familiar with the applicant. Letters of recommendation are submitted electronically to graduate programs through the online application. See the  Graduate School for FAQs  regarding letters of recommendation. Letters of recommendation are due by the deadline listed above. 

English Proficiency Scores

Every applicant whose native language is not English, or whose undergraduate instruction was not in English, must provide an English proficiency test score. The UW-Madison Graduate School accepts TOEFL, IETLS, and Duolingo scores. Your score will not be accepted if it is more than two years old from the start of your admission term. Country of citizenship does not exempt applicants from this requirement. Language of instruction at the college or university level and how recent the language instruction was taken are the determining factors in meeting this requirement.

For more information regarding minimum score requirements and exemption policy, see the Graduate School Requirements for Admission .

Application submission must be accompanied by the one-time application fee. It is non-refundable and can be paid by credit card (MasterCard or Visa). Additional information about the application fee may be found here (scroll to the ‘Frequently asked questions).

Fee grants are available through the conditions  outlined here by the Graduate School .

Reentry Admissions

If you were previously enrolled as a graduate student in the Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics program, have not earned your degree, but have had a break in enrollment for a minimum of a fall or spring term, you will need to re-apply to resume your studies. Review the Graduate School requirements for previously enrolled students . Your previous faculty advisor (or another Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics faculty advisor) must be willing to supply advising support and should email the Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics Graduate Student Services Coordinator regarding next steps in the process.

If you were previously enrolled in a UW-Madison graduate degree, completed that degree, have had a break in enrollment since earning the degree and would now like to apply for another UW-Madison program; you are required to submit a new student application through the UW-Madison Graduate School online application. For Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics graduate programs, you must follow the entire application process as described above.

Currently Enrolled Graduate Student Admissions

Students currently enrolled as a graduate student at UW-Madison, whether in Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics or a non-Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics graduate program, wishing to apply to this degree program should contact the Graduate Admissions Team to inquire about the process and deadlines several months in advance of the anticipated enrollment term. Current students may apply to change or add programs for any term (fall, spring, or summer).

If you have questions, contact  [email protected] .

Tuition and funding

Tuition and segregated fee rates are always listed per semester (not for Fall and Spring combined).

View tuition rates

Graduate School Resources

Resources to help you afford graduate study might include assistantships, fellowships, traineeships, and financial aid.  Further funding information is available from the Graduate School. Be sure to check with your program for individual policies and restrictions related to funding.

Program Resources

Offers of financial support from the Department, College, and University are in the form of research assistantships (RAs), teaching assistantships (TAs), project assistantships (PAs), and partial or full fellowships. Prospective PhD students that receive such offers will have a minimum five-year guarantee of support. The funding for research assistantships comes from faculty research grants. Each professor decides on his or her own research assistantship offers. International applicants must secure a research assistantship, teaching assistantship, project assistantship, fellowship, or independent funding before admission is final. Funded students are expected to maintain full-time enrollment.  See the program website for additional information on current research activities.

Additional Resources

International student services funding and scholarships.

For information on International Student Funding and Scholarships, visit the  International Student Services website .

In the Department of Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics, we strive to design and deploy unique world-class experimental and computational capabilities to translate novel discoveries into transformative technologies. Having a broad range of laboratory facilities and collaborative centers at the right scale for energy and mechanics research is a hallmark of the department. The technologies we develop can solve challenges in energy, health, space, security and many other areas.

View our research

Curricular Requirements

Minimum graduate school requirements.

Review the Graduate School minimum  academic progress and degree requirements , in addition to the program requirements listed below.

Required Courses

Students must fulfill the coursework requirements for the nuclear engineering and engineering physics MS  degree whether receiving the MS degree or going directly to the PhD. They must complete an additional 9 credits of technical coursework (numbered 400 and above), beyond the coursework requirement for the MS. These additional 9 credits must have the “Grad 50%” attribute. Candidates must take three technical courses numbered 700 or above; must satisfy the PhD technical minor requirement; and must satisfy the PhD non-technical minor requirement.

The candidate is also required to complete, as a graduate student, one course numbered 400 or above in each of the following Areas: fission reactors; plasma physics and fusion; materials; engineering mathematics and computation (see Area Coursework Examples below).

MS Coursework Requirements

The following courses, or courses with similar material content, must be taken prior to or during the course of study: N E 427 Nuclear Instrumentation Laboratory ; N E 428 Nuclear Reactor Laboratory or N E 526 Laboratory Course in Plasmas ; N E 408 Ionizing Radiation or N E/​MED PHYS  569 Health Physics and Biological Effects .

Thesis Pathway 1

Maximum of 12 credits for thesis; at least 8 credits of Nuclear Engineering ( N E ) courses numbered 400 or above; remaining credits (also numbered 400 or above) must be in appropriate technical areas 2 ; at least 9 credits must be numbered 500 and above; up to 3 credits can be seminar credits.

Non-Thesis Pathway 1

At least 15 credits of Nuclear Engineering ( N E ) courses numbered 400 or above; remaining 15 credits (also numbered 400 or above) must be in appropriate technical areas 2 ; at least 12 credits must be at numbered 500 or above; up to 3 credits can be seminar credits.

For both the thesis and non-thesis options, only one course (maximum of 3 credits) of independent study ( N E 699 Advanced Independent Study , N E 999 Advanced Independent Study ) is allowed.

These pathways are internal to the program and represent different curricular paths a student can follow to earn this degree. Pathway names do not appear in the Graduate School admissions application, and they will not appear on the transcript.

Appropriate technical areas are: Engineering departments (except Engineering and Professional Development), Physics, Math, Statistics, Computer Science, Medical Physics, and Chemistry. Other courses may be deemed appropriate by a student’s faculty advisor.

Area Coursework Examples

These courses are examples that would meet the requirement and are not meant to be a restricted list of possible courses. The candidate is required to complete one course in each of the following areas:

Non-Technical Minor Requirements

PhD candidates must complete one of the following four study options prior to receiving dissertator status. As this is a formal Department requirement, the student should select a Non-Technical Minor early in the program, and must complete it to achieve dissertator status (see below). The Non-Technical Minor must be planned with the help of the candidate’s advisor and must be approved by the Department Non-Technical Minor Advisor except for Study Option IV which must be approved by the Department faculty. A Non-Technical Minor Approval Form is available from the Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics Graduate Coordinator, and must be filed prior to submission of the doctoral plan form. Courses numbered below 400 may be used as a part of the Non-Technical Minor.

Study Option I

Technology-Society Interaction Coursework. This option is intended to increase the student’s awareness of the possible effects of technology on society and of the professional responsibilities of engineers and scientists in understanding such side effects. These effects could, for example, involve the influence of engineering on advancement of human welfare, on the distribution of wealth in society, or on environmental and ecological systems.

Suggested courses for fulfilling Option I include:

Study Option II

Humanistic Society Studies Coursework. The basic objectives of this option are to help prepare the student to bridge the gap between C.P. Snow’s “Two Cultures.” Snow’s 1959 lecture thesis was that the breakdown of communication between the “two cultures” of modern society – the sciences and the humanities – was a major hindrance to solving the world’s problems. Study might be designed to give a greater appreciation of the arts such as the classics, music, or painting, or it might be designed, for example, as preparation for translating technical information to the non-technical public.

Suggested areas of study to fulfill Option II include Anthropology, Area Studies, Art, Art History, Classics, Comparative Literature, Contemporary Trends, English (literature), Foreign Languages (literature), Social Work, Sociology, and Speech. Under either Option I or II, the student must take 6 credits of coursework. The courses must be approved by the student’s advisor and the non-technical minor advisor, and the 6 credits should be concentrated in one topical area. Grades in these courses need not meet the Departmental Grade Policy. However, note that all grades in courses numbered 300 or above courses (including grades for Non-Technical Minor courses) are calculated in the Graduate School minimum 3.0 graduation requirement.

Study Option III

Foreign Culture Coursework. This option is intended for the student who desires to live and work in a foreign nation or work with people of a foreign culture. Examples include studies of the history of a foreign nation, of the political stability of a region of the world, of the culture of a particular group within a nation, or of the spoken language of a foreign nation. For Option III the student must take six credits of courses under all of the same conditions and requirements as for Option I and II unless choosing language study. For the latter case, the student must attain a grade of C or better in all courses. If the student has previous knowledge of a language, it is required that either courses beyond the introductory level will be elected or that another language will be elected.

Study Option IV

Technology-Society Interactions Experience. There are many possible technology-society interactions that might be more educational and meaningful for the student as an actual experience than coursework. For example, the student might run for and be elected to a position of alderperson in the city government. Consequently, this option allows the student to pursue a particular aspect of the interaction using his own time and resources.

Study Option IV activity must be planned with the student’s advisor and be approved by the faculty. The effort required should be equivalent to 6 credits of coursework. Upon completion of this program, the student will prepare a written or oral report.

Note: Students from countries in which English is not the native language have inherently fulfilled these non-technical study goals and are exempt from these formal requirements.

Graduate Student Services [email protected] 3182 Mechanical Engineering 1513 University Ave., Madison, WI 53706

Carl Sovinec, Director of Graduate Studies [email protected]

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Thematic VISP Track: Physics

The UW–Madison Physics Department awarded its first PhD in 1899. Since then our students have earned degrees in virtually  every area of physics , and our  faculty have played key roles in myriad important research efforts. We are training over 170 PhD students as the next generation of physics researchers who are already earning recognition and making significant accomplishments in their field. Each year, our instructional teams teach introductory physics to nearly 2,000 undergrads from majors across campus. International students are a significant component of our graduate degree student cohort.

Program Overview

Participants in the VISP thematic track in Physics are invited to interface with faculty undertaking cutting-edge research at a leading US university, with our first-rate undergraduate and graduate students, and with our many remarkable and helpful staff, to participate in weekly Physics and Astronomy colloquia (with refreshments!) and daily seminars in research areas such as machine learning in physics, AMO and quantum computing, plasma physics, high energy physics, astrophysics, and fundamental theory, to enjoy the undergraduate Physics Club, annual Department Picnic, and other departmental events, and to exploit opportunities for supervised independent study as well as explore our comprehensive curriculum.

The University of Wisconsin–Madison physics department consists of members with varied national origin, ethnic background, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, gender, age, physical ability, and religion. As a community, we are committed to being positive and inclusive in all regards.

The UW-Madison overview , our undergraduate handbook , and our majors general information webpages   provide an introduction to our program.

Student Support

From the time you apply to the end of your stay, the VISP staff will be there to assist you. As a VISP participant you have full access to all academic and student support services, such as libraries, computer labs, clubs, and sports facilities; the opportunity to participate in VISP sponsored social and cultural events; and upon completion you will receive an official UW–Madison transcript.

Participants in this thematic track may contact the department for information about courses and programs not otherwise available through the VISP program office and online sources.

Program Eligibility

Participants must meet the  VISP eligibility criteria  for admission into this program. This Thematic Track admits students at the  Undergraduate, Graduate, or Dissertator level .

Physics courses beyond the introductory level do not necessarily have explicit prerequisites in mathematics but are mathematical and quantitative in nature. VISP students interested in taking intermediate and advanced physics courses as part of this VISP thematic track program should have completed or are in the process of completing intermediate math classes.

Available Terms

Fall and Spring semesters and during the Summer Term. Most Physics courses are offered during both the fall and spring semesters. Summer Term courses are available at the introductory level.

Academics & Course Offerings

The study of physics begins with understanding familiar phenomena at the macroscopic scale and advances to exploring and understanding the submicroscopic quantum universe and the universe at stellar, galactic, and cosmological scales. Physics courses beyond the introductory level do not have explicit prerequisites in mathematics but are mathematical and quantitative.

Students in our VISP Physics thematic track may select from many interesting and challenging classes at the introductory to the graduate level. Course descriptions and prerequisites are available through the UW-Madison public course search and at the Physics Department website .

For in-depth advising regarding Physics course choices–especially for upper-level classes, please contact a physics advisor . Students may register for any course, regardless of requisites with the consent of the course instructor .

For enrollment, course access, and wait list questions, please contact [email protected] .

Cost of Attendance

Estimated cost of attendance  information is available on the VISP website.

Application Instructions

Submit your  VISP application and in your essay please include: “I am applying for the Physics VISP track.”

Questions?  Please contact the  VISP coordinators .

Interested in learning more?

Fill out this form to learn more about our non-degree programs.

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Physics Graduate Student Council

Who are we.

We are a group of physics graduate students at UW-Madison working to improve the well-being and success of graduate students in the Department of Physics.

How can I help?

Students: you can participate in or help organize one of many activities we plan to host this year. Consider joining one or more of our four committees if you would like to get involved.

Non-students (e.g. faculty, alumni): reach out to one of the officers if you have something in mind. We’re eager to collaborate!

Got an idea for an activity you think the PGSC should host? Get in touch with one of the officers!

PGSC Election Results for 2021-2022

Hello everyone, Thank you to everyone who voted in the PGSC elections! The results are in and your new PGSC Officers for the 2021-2022 school year will be Cameron Kuchta, President Luca Riitano, Vice President …

Recent Events

Recent Virtual Events – Spring 2021

PGSC has had fun hosting virtual social events for grad students this semester! In January we hosted virtual trivia night; see below for photos of our trivia contestants and hosts! Last week, first year representative …

Launching PGSC Social Pods

PGSC is launching a new program to create groups of people with similar interests via slack/email/etc. We hope this will be useful in connecting you with like-minded individuals with whom you can explore your hobbies. …

APS Webinar: From Passion to Action

Watch panelists present and answer questions regarding police brutality and the abysmal lack of support and representation of Black physicists  here . 

ParticlesForJustice

Read our statement in observance of #Strike4BlackLives here .

Program Funding

The Department of Medical Physics continues to provide financial support to over 95% of the students in the graduate program, a statistic that has remained approximately constant since the initial award of CAMPEP accreditation in 1988. The university administers several different forms of financial support for graduate students: fellowships, scholarships, traineeships, loans, work-study, and by far the most common for our graduate students, research, teaching, or project assistantships. Fellowships and assistantships are awarded based on merit, while financial aid (loans and work-study) awards are need based.

Graduate assistantships, traineeships, and some fellowships are awarded directly by the department. Students applying for admission with financial support must have their application complete with supporting documentation by December 1 to assure consideration for admission and financial support to begin the following fall. The following paragraphs summarize each form of merit-based award. Recipients of research assistantships, traineeships, and fellowships are expected to devote full time to their study and research and to make satisfactory progress toward their graduate degree.

University Fellowships

Advanced opportunity fellowships (aof).

This program is designed to increase the number of underrepresented students who receive graduate and advanced professional degrees from UW-Madison. A nominee must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident, admitted to or enrolled in graduate study in the department, and affiliated with one of the following groups: African-American, American Indian, Alaskan Natives, Mexican-American, Puerto Rican or Southeast Asians from Vietnam, Laos, or Cambodia. Economically disadvantaged individuals not belonging to one of these minority groups may apply also.

Department Funding

Department awards are made to academically competitive candidates. Most awards are made on an annual (12-month) basis.

Lab Rotation Funding Awards

A limited number of these awards are provided to students using funds awarded to the department by the SMPH and/or Graduate School. They provide support for the first semester with the stipulation that the student will choose a specific mentor and program for support for the second semester and beyond.

Research Assistantships (RA)

By far the largest source of financial assistance. Research Assistantships are made available by individual professors to students who have decided on their field of research. Most departmental RA appointments are made on a half-time basis for an annual (12 month) period. Students who reach dissertator status generally are funded at a higher level.

Teaching Assistantships

Teaching Assistantships are awarded on an academic year basis (9 months) to graduate students that are beyond their first year of graduate study. These appointments are usually at the level of one-quarter time.

NIH NRSA Traineeships

The Department of Medical Physics is the recipient of an NIH National Research Service Award, with seven pre-doctoral positions and three post-doctoral positions. Pre-doctoral appointments provide support while the student completes his/her PhD dissertation research and are normally made to students who have passed their Preliminary Examination. Appointments are made on an annual (12-month) basis and require a full-time graduate load.

NIH F31 Fellowships and Grants

Select students are encouraged to apply for individual research grants from NIH, including F31 grants.

Other Institutional Training Grants

Medical Physics faculty participate as trainers on various other NIH-supported institutional training grant programs. This participation provides additional training grant funding opportunities for qualified students. One of these, the Biotechnology Training Program (BTP) Grant, has the objective to educate scientists in biology and medicine whose training and experience cross traditional disciplinary boundaries. Trainees receive PhD degrees in their chosen field, such as bacteriology, chemistry, medical physics, or computer science. Students minor in a cross discipline; for instance, a medical physicist would take classes in biology.

AAPM Fellowships

Program students are typically competitive for support by AAPM graduate student fellowships.

An interdisciplinary PhD in Structural and Computational Biology and Quantitative Biosciences

Welcome Biophysics Class of 2023!

The Biophysics program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is a broad inter-departmental inter-disciplinary Ph.D. program that joins the quantitative biosciences, with research at the cross-section between many biological disciplines (biochemistry, chemistry, physics, bioengineering, computational biology, neuroscience, cell biology, and so on).

How to apply

Our research areas include structural biology (CryoEM, NMR, X-ray crystallography), advanced spectroscopy, microscopy and imaging, high-throughput methods, and the integration of experimental and computational methods applied to macromolecular modeling, as well as to system and synthetic biology.

These cutting-edge approaches are used by the laboratories affiliated with the program to study a variety of important biological phenomena and to develop new technologies. Our goal is to prepare our students of diverse backgrounds with rigorous interdisciplinary and quantitative training for a future in research and teaching in academia and in industry and alternative careers.

55 55 Faculty Trainers

14 14 Departments

5.2 5.2 Average years to graduation

UW-Madison’s Graduate School moves to Office of the Provost

After a transition spanning several months, the Graduate School will move administrative homes on July 1, 2024, from a component of the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research to reporting to the Office of the Provost.

“UW–Madison has a long history of excellence in graduate education and research funding for graduate students,” says Dean of the Graduate School William J. Karpus. “The new structure ensures that we are even better positioned to support the success of our over 11,000 master’s and doctoral students.”

For over a century, oversight of research and graduate education at UW–Madison was under a single individual who held the title of dean and vice chancellor for research. In 2014, at the recommendation of the Faculty Senate and a faculty-led task force, the university formed the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education (OVCRGE), with the Graduate School housed within.

William J. Karpus was hired in 2015 as the first dean of the Graduate School in the OVCRGE. Under Karpus’s leadership, restructuring of the Graduate School has enhanced organizational partnerships, improved support and preparation of graduate students for a variety of career options, increased graduate stipends by nearly 80%, and grown the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF)-derived support for graduate students from $7.5M to $12.5M.

The nature of graduate education nationally has evolved in that same period. Karpus says, “In recent years, we’ve seen an increased focus on flexibility and access to high-quality graduate education that also prepares students for a wide spectrum of career outcomes, there’s been growth in demand for professional development, we’ve seen an increased focus on inclusion and mentorship, and we’ve needed to increase graduate assistant stipend rates.”

In December 2023, after campus-wide listening sessions and shared governance engagement, the Faculty Senate voted and Chancellor Jennifer L. Mnookin approved to move the reporting line of the Dean of the Graduate School to the Provost and to rename the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education title to Vice Chancellor for Research.

The change better aligns the academic mission of the Graduate School with the academic portfolio of the Office of the Provost. It also makes the reporting line for the Graduate Dean consistent with other deans at UW–Madison and across peer institutions. The Dean of the Graduate School will retain a “dotted” reporting line to the Vice Chancellor for Research, maintaining the inextricable link between graduate education and research.

“Research is a fundamental part of graduate education at UW–Madison, ranging from work in laboratories and the field, to archival scholarship and clinical support. The Graduate School plays a vital role in our research infrastructure, supporting innovation and discovery in service to the Wisconsin Idea,” says interim vice chancellor for research Cynthia Czajkowski. “The OVCR, with resources from WARF, will continue to support graduate education and student fellowships.”

“Our graduate students, faculty, and staff across the university will not notice changes on a day-to-day basis,” says Karpus. “The level of service and support that our organization provides will remain the same; however, the restructuring signifies a turning point where the Graduate School becomes more agile, adaptable, better integrated into the academic enterprise of the university, and ultimately more innovative as a national leader in graduate education.”

Learn more about the Graduate School through its most recent annual report , data resources , and strategic priorities .

The Graduate School, at a glance

• Doctoral degrees conferred (2022-2023): 817
• Master’s degrees conferred (2022-2023): 2,732
• Applications for admission (2023-2024): 22,879
• Total new enrollments, matriculants (2023-2024): 3,591
• Total graduate enrollment (2023-2024): 11,461
• WARF endowment for student support (FY23): $16.2 million
• Graduate School employees (FTEs): 25

Source: Graduate School Data Explorer

A brief history of graduate education at the University of Wisconsin–Madison

• 1882: The first master’s degree was awarded, 34 years after the university’s founding and over 20 years before a graduate education unit was created. The first PhD was awarded by the university in 1892.
• 1904: The UW–Madison Graduate School was created, with astronomer G.C. Comstock as its director, who was named dean a decade later.
• 1917: The Research Committee was formed and ultimately became dedicated to providing resources for faculty research.
• 1925: Biochemist and professor Harry Steenbock and his colleagues founded The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF). In the years to come, the WARF endowment has become a critical source of funding that supports and develops the research and graduate education enterprises of the university.
• 2014: The Faculty Senate approved a reorganization of leadership in the university’s research and graduate education enterprise, dividing the responsibilities into two positions – the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education and the Dean of the Graduate School.
• 2015: Marsha Mailick was appointed as Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education.
• 2015: William J. Karpus was chosen as first Dean of the Graduate School following the creation of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education position.
• 2023: The Faculty Senate voted to move the reporting line of the Dean of the Graduate School to the Provost and to change the title “Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education” to “Vice Chancellor for Research.” The Dean of the Graduate School has a strong “dotted” reporting line to the Vice Chancellor for Research, which maintains the inextricable link between graduate education and research, as well as funding streams for graduate student support.
• 2024: The Graduate School reports to the Office of the Provost.

Source: The Graduate School Celebrates 100 Years (2004)

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Y. Appendix 8: Change in Advisor Due to Advisor Departure

Change in advisor triggered by the advisor or co-advisor’s departure from uw–madison.

(Scenario: A student’s advisor or co-advisor retires or leaves the university)

Approved by HSRP Faculty, March 10, 2024

A change in advisor is not necessarily required when a student’s advisor or co-advisor leaves UW-Madison. There are four options to consider for the student’s academic progress.

• Option A: Faculty who retire or otherwise leave UW–Madison can automatically maintain their graduate faculty status at UW–Madison for one year ( see section 3.05c ). Students should discuss with the advisor or co-advisor leaving or retiring and ask if they will be willing to continue in their advising capacity and maintain the advisor/advisee relationship.If the student is more than one year from defending their thesis or dissertation, annual extensions of graduate faculty status can be approved by the departmental executive committee and the approval of the Graduate Faculty Executive Committee, as outlined in Section 3.0.5c .
• Option B: The student could discuss with the faculty member leaving if they would like to remain in a co-advising capacity from their new academic institution or be a member of the student’s thesis or dissertation committee, as outlined in policy number UW-1232 and UW policy 1201 . This option would need to be approved by the HSRP program faculty.
• Option C: If the advisor is going to a different university, the student should explore the possibility of continuing to work with the advisor or co-advisor by transferring to the individual’s new campus, particularly when no other faculty at UW–Madison are familiar with or have expertise in the student’s research topic.
• Option D: If the student cannot relocate along with the advisor or co-advisor, or the advisor/co-advisor does not maintain the graduate faculty status, then a new advisor should be identified through the process described in Section 2 (below). Changing an advisor in this scenario does not necessarily mean that a student must restart their thesis or dissertation research. The student’s thesis, preliminary exam or dissertation committee should determine if it is reasonable to continue the project or perform complementary research with a new advisor for completion of the project in a timely manner.

For each Option described above, the HSRP program will honor funding commitments (primarily length of funding) made to the student as outlined in the letter of acceptance to the HSRP program, and as long as the student meets the satisfactory progress criteria and is in good standing in the HSRP program. The criteria for being in good standing is based on their annual progress report.

2. Finding a new advisor

This process is the same as outlined in Section 4 in the student-initiated advisor change document.

HSRP Handbook

• A. Program Overview More
• B. Important Addresses & Websites More
• C. New Graduate Student Checklist More
• D. General Information for Graduate Students More
• E. Campus and College Resources More
• F. Department Services More
• G. Financial Support – Overview More
• H. Financial Aid More
• I. Master’s Degree Requirements More
• J. Doctoral Degree Requirements More
• K. Doctoral Degree – Preliminary Exams More
• L. Doctoral Degree – Dissertation & Final Exams More
• M. Satisfactory Progress: Expectations More
• N. Satisfactory Progress: Conduct More
• O. Adequate Progress (Remedies and Resources) More
• P. Academic Leave & Exceptions More
• Q. Grievance Policy More
• R. Appendix 1: Travel Training & Certification More
• S. Appendix 2: Course Descriptions & Example Courses More
• T. Appendix 3: Written Preliminary Exam: Information for Candidates More
• U. Appendix 4: Hostile and Intimidating Behavior More
• V. Appendix 5: Forms More
• W. Appendix 6: Change Advisor (Initiated by Advisor) More
• X. Appendix 7: Change Advisor (Initiated by Student) More
• Y. Appendix 8: Change in Advisor Due to Advisor Departure More

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Alumni Marketing Specialist

• Madison, Wisconsin
• COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL & LIFE SCIENCES/OFFICE OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
• Communications and Marketing
• Partially Remote
• Staff-Full Time
• Opening at: Jun 28 2024 at 14:45 CDT
• Closing at: Jul 15 2024 at 23:55 CDT

Job Summary:

The College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) is a top-ranked engine of scientific discovery, with researchers working in biological sciences; health and nutrition; food and agriculture; environmental sustainability; and business, communication and society. Academically, the college offers research-based, hands-on teaching of undergraduates; world-class graduate programs; and short courses, workshops and other programs for industry and community members. Our outreach activities bring the work of the college to Wisconsin businesses, farms, organizations and communities throughout the state. As part of the External Relations marketing team, the Alumni Marketing Specialist will work both independently and collaboratively to plan, coordinate and implement various event strategies, alumni and stakeholder engagement efforts and communications to support the college's strategic goals and initiatives. This position combines creativity, critical thinking, a passion for high quality stakeholder experiences and an ability to plan major events. This position requires an understanding of the needs and interests of the college's stakeholders and the ability to work with a variety of internal and external constituencies. The alumni marketing specialist is responsible for assisting with marketing projects, planning events to build stronger alumni and stakeholder relationships and enhance annual giving efforts. The College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) is committed to maintaining and growing a culture that embraces diversity, inclusion, and equity, believing that these values are foundational elements of our excellence and fundamental components of a positive and enriching learning and working environment for all students, faculty, and staff. At CALS, we acknowledge that bias, prejudice, racism, and hate have historically occurred in many forms that cause significant and lasting harm to members of our community. We commit to taking actions each day toward a college that is inclusive and welcoming to all. 

Responsibilities:

• 30% Develops, implements, and maintains strategic marketing plans based on research and established strategies
• 30% Develops, implements, and disseminates marketing materials through various communication mediums utilizing appropriate technologies and techniques
• 20% Collects, analyzes, prepares, summarizes, and disseminates data and trends relevant to ongoing or future marketing activities
• 5% Tracks and reconciles department spending
• 15% Develops and implements alumni and stakeholder engagement through events, communications, and other channels

Institutional Statement on Diversity:

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals. The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world. For more information on diversity and inclusion on campus, please visit: Diversity and Inclusion

Required Bachelor's Degree

Qualifications:

Required Qualifications: -2 years professional experience in any of the following areas: marketing, communications, development, event planning -Demonstrated ability to cultivate partnerships and build relationships such as stakeholder engagement through events, communications, presentations, trainings, etc. -Demonstrated success in event management including strategy, planning, executing and budget management -Providing excellent customer service and guest experiences -Organizational skills, project management skills and attention to detail (plan/develop projects; troubleshoot obstacles; organize complex tasks; implement and adhere to deadlines; maintain records) -Experience with data reporting, evaluation and analytics -Basic graphic design experience (Canva, Adobe Suite or equivalent graphic design program) -Experience with Microsoft PowerPoint, Excel, email marketing software, CRM software and website content management -Experience representing cultural differences in marketing and communications materials Preferred Qualifications: -Alumni relations experience, including events and/or communications -Experience executing fundraising programs -Experience with Eloqua -Experience with WordPress -Social media experience (e.g., creating posts)

Full Time: 100% This position may require some work to be performed in-person, onsite, at a designated campus work location. Some work may be performed remotely, at an offsite, non-campus work location. Normal hours are 7:45am - 4:30pm, Monday through Friday. Occasional nights and weekends may be required for this position.

Appointment Type, Duration:

Ongoing/Renewable

Minimum $55,000 ANNUAL (12 months) Depending on Qualifications The minimum salary for this position is $55,000. However, final salary will depend on experience and qualifications. Employees in this position can expect to receive benefits such as generous vacation, holidays, and paid time off; competitive insurances and savings accounts; retirement benefits. Additional benefits information can be found at: https://www.wisconsin.edu/ohrwd/benefits/download/fasl.pdf . 

Additional Information:

-Criminal Background Check may be required. -A 12-month evaluation period may be required. -Occasional nights and weekends may be required for events. -The successful applicant will be responsible for ensuring eligibility for employment in the United States by the start of the appointment. University sponsorship is not available for this position.

How to Apply:

Click on the "Apply Online" button to start the application process. You will be prompted to upload the following documents/Application Materials: Resume (required) - Detail your educational and professional background Cover letter (required) - Refer to your related work experience Event case study (required) - Please submit a summary of an event you've planned, detailing your responsibilities and roles and the outcomes. Please keep to a maximum of one page. It's important that your cover letter and resume reflect your experience for this position related to the Qualifications section. Your application materials will be used during our evaluation to determine your qualifications as they relate to the job. The most qualified applicants will be invited to participate in the next step of the selection process. Please note that your resume, cover letter, and event case study will be used to evaluate your written communication skills. Materials will be evaluated for the following: grammar, spelling, punctuation, organization, and clarity.

Jen Herbert [email protected] 608-265-4204 Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information.

Official Title:

Marketing Specialist(CM015)

Department(s):

A07-COL OF AG & LIFE SCIENCES/EXTRNAL AFFAIRS/COMP PRG

Employment Class:

Academic Staff-Renewable

Job Number:

The university of wisconsin-madison is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer..

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Graduate School Program Opens New Opportunities for International Students

Nithesh Chandrasekharan is an international student from Sri Lanka and India with a passion for novel experiences. A first-generation college student who thrives in collaborative work environments, Chandrasekharan came to the University of Wisconsin–Madison to learn, build skills, and identify future career paths while pursuing a Ph.D. through the Integrated Program in Biochemistry (IPiB).

Working in research labs as an undergraduate at James Madison University and now as a graduate student in Scott Coyle ’s lab gave Chandrasekharan a taste of what a career in academia would entail. He wished to seek opportunities in industry, too, so that he could clarify his career goals and use his time in graduate school to gain experiences that would ready him for life after graduation.

As an international student, Chandrasekharan’s options for industry-based experiences were limited. International students’ visas often prohibit off-campus paid work — including paid internships. This meant that opportunities such as the Biotechnology Training Program (BTP), which requires that trainees complete a paid internship, were unavailable to him.

Fortunately for Chandrasekharan, an internship pilot program at UW–Madison has opened the door for international students to get a feel for life in the biotech industry. UW’s Graduate School Industry Internship Program , which grew from the opportunities available through BTP, will soon enter its third year. Participation is available to students with dissertator status and aims to enhance doctoral students’ competitiveness for a variety of careers beyond academia.

“The internship program provides a valuable experiential learning opportunity for our graduate students that will both enhance their research skillset as well as prepare them for success in their future scientific careers,” explains William Karpus, dean of the Graduate School.

The program’s internship requirements are flexible and can meet the parameters of international students’ visas. With a wide range of internship options, students like Chandrasekharan can build skills and relationships in any life science field.

“The opportunities are rather limited for international students,” says Chandrasekharan. “I’m so thankful to [BTP director] Brian Fox for setting a precedent with BTP and to the Graduate School for starting this pilot program. It’s allowed me to see how my scientific knowledge can be applied and expanded in a different context.”

Chandrasekharan applied and was accepted as a graduate school intern at Aldevron , a biotechnology company in Madison, WI. The internship’s emphasis on protein purification fit well with his skills and interests. “In the Coyle Lab, we can bioengineer proteins and grow them in different types of cells. We break the cells apart and purify what’s left until we isolate the protein we want to study. We can then use that protein in different experiments to gain better understanding about the biological processes that protein is involved in,” explains Chandrasekharan. “Companies like Aldevron can use these same techniques to produce engineered proteins for clients in biomedical research and other fields.”

Aldevron’s internship program has strong support from Tom Foti, the vice president and general manager of the company’s Protein Business Unit. Foti, who had his own transformative internship during his undergraduate years at North Dakota State University, sees value in biotech internships beyond building research skills. “I always dreamed that when Aldevron expanded we’d be able to have interns here,” says Foti. “Our interns don’t just participate in the science, they learn how a high performing workplace culture operates from the inside and how to be part of a team. I think that’s very important for young scientists trying to decide if industry is for them.”

Aldevron’s internship is rigorous and competitive. Their selection process mirrors that used to select their employees: scientific acumen is just as important as curiosity and critical thinking skills. For the interns who are selected, Foti and his team are committed to training the next generation of industry scientists. Chandrasekharan and the three other interns in his cohort participated in the training, problem solving, and decision making that comes with industry-based applied science.

This approach was just what Chandrasekharan was looking for. “One of the biggest reasons I wanted to do an industry internship was that I wanted to see how bench science connects to the business and managerial side of biotech,” recalls Chandrasekharan. “I wanted to see if I’m a good fit for that part of the work. They showed me how I can translate my Ph.D. skills into managing projects, working as a team to solve problems, and communicating with stakeholders about the science. I learned how to think about optimizing technical workflows while working toward clients’ goals. These are all things that build off my Ph.D. work but required me to recontextualize my skills and knowledge.”

Chandrasekharan left his internship ready to complete his doctoral research and pursue a career in the biotech industry. He hopes to be just one of many international students able to gain clarity through the Graduate School Industry Internship Program. “There’s nothing like firsthand experience,” says Chandrasekharan. “My hope is that this program is successful and becomes a long-term option for international students who want to apply academic training in a novel setting.”

Written by Renata Solan.

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Wu Liu, clinical physicist who developed imaging techniques and treatments for cancer, dies at 51

Wu Liu, known for his sense of humor and optimism, was a national expert in radiation treatments for eye cancer.

June 25, 2024 - By Jennifer Welsh

Wu Liu, PhD, an associate professor of radiation oncology at Stanford Medicine who spent his career creating new imaging techniques and radiation treatments for cancer, died May 14 after a diagnosis of brain cancer last year. He was 51.

“Though Liu’s time with Stanford Medicine was far too short, his impact will be enduring,” said Lloyd Minor , MD, dean of the Stanford School of Medicine and vice president for medical affairs at Stanford University. “He was a gifted clinician and an indispensable part of our cancer radiology program, developing new treatments for cancers of the eye.”

Liu’s clinical focus was developing and improving cancer treatments for patients using radioactive sources. These treatments, called brachytherapy, involve placing radioactive materials near tumors to damage cancer cells. He was especially instrumental at the Stanford Cancer Center , where he designed treatment plaques tailored to each patient with an optimal distribution of radioactive materials, his colleagues said. This treatment substantially improved patient comfort and treatment accuracy.

“He was a national expert in brachytherapy, the go-to person for eye plaque brachytherapy,” said Lei Xing , PhD, a professor of radiation oncology. “I appreciated his high standard of work and strong ability to take on responsibilities and initiatives. He was an ideal colleague to have around any clinic.”

During his career as a medical physicist, Wu published more than 42 peer-reviewed papers in leading journals. He also taught medical physics residents and helped develop the curriculum for the radiation physics residency program.

“Wu accomplished a lot. During his time as a postdoc in my lab, he spearheaded several projects to track the tumor motions in real time and made significant contributions to radiation therapy techniques,” said Xing, the Jacob Haimson and Sarah S. Donaldson Professor. “His work sparked significant research and clinical activities in radiation oncology, leading to much-improved patient care.”

Not only was Liu an excellent, patient-focused researcher, but he was also “an easygoing, sociable, family-focused person,” his friend and colleague Ruijiang Li , PhD, associate professor of radiation oncology, said of Liu, who leaves behind a wife and daughter. “He was open-minded, generous, humble and true to himself. Wu is known for his sense of humor and optimism.”

A dear friend and close colleague

Liu’s family said he combined modesty and ambition with a strong intellect. He appreciated that his research helped others and cared deeply for his family and friends.

“We lost a dear friend and a close colleague,” Li said. “His death gives us another personal reason, as cancer researchers, to find better ways to detect cancer early and treat cancer.”

Wu Liu on a family trip to Scotland. Courtesy of the Liu family

Born in Beijing, China, on July 23, 1972, Liu was the youngest of the family by a long stretch — 18 years from his next-youngest sibling. His father was a magazine editor, and his mother was a book proofreader.

Liu attended high school in Beijing, then earned a bachelor’s degree in astronomy from Nanjing University and a master’s degree in astrophysics from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing.

He switched to medical physics when he moved to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he earned a master’s degree in computer science in 2006 and a PhD in medical physics in 2007. Shortly after, he joined Stanford Medicine as a postdoctoral scholar in Xing’s lab.

There, Liu developed new ways to deal with patient movement during image-guided radiation therapy, including using artificial intelligence to improve the cancer treatment.

“He was a postdoc who every lab would like to have,” Xing said. “He was a highly motivated and great team player. He made his mentors look good and made me proud.”

After his postdoctoral studies, Liu took a position at Yale-New Haven Hospital as an assistant professor of radiation oncology. In 2019, Liu returned to California as an associate professor of radiation oncology at Stanford Medicine. His work in the clinic included planning, checking and delivering brachytherapy and external beam radiation treatments and performing checks, calibration and quality assurance evaluations on radiation machinery.

Liu went on leave after his diagnosis of glioblastoma in August 2023 but kept up with his collaborators to discuss their projects and offered guidance to his trainees.

Soccer enthusiast and family man

In graduate school, Liu was an extroverted, talkative and popular person, his wife, Nina Hsieh, said. He liked to be the center of the conversation. They met at a party in a student apartment complex and married in May 2003.

He wooed her with his astronomy, poetry and literature knowledge, especially a Chinese epic tale, “The Romance of the Three Kingdoms.”

His decency and integrity as a human being served as a model for us all.

Hsieh said Liu enjoyed making people laugh and had a positive attitude toward life, even during the most challenging times.

“Wu was humble, dedicated and true to himself, and he would stand up for what he believed in,” Li said. “I will miss our late-night beers, the hourlong chats during hikes, and how we were equally bad at tennis.”

Besides playing tennis badly, Liu’s hobbies included studying history and traveling the world. Hsieh said that during his travels, he liked to visit universities and walk around their campuses. They also took regular family ski trips to Lake Tahoe, where Liu spent his time on the slopes conquering black diamonds. He also liked to hike, visiting state parks and coastal areas with his daughter.

He was well known for his love of soccer: “I felt that his passion toward soccer was only slightly less than his passion toward his research and clinical responsibilities,” Xing said.

Liu and Hsieh’s daughter, Sienna, was born in 2013. Sienna was Liu’s favorite person to share his love of soccer with, whether kicking the ball in the park behind their house or taking her to Stanford women’s soccer games.

“Although he was very busy with his job, he liked to spend time with family. He never forgot a birthday, anniversary or holiday and liked to celebrate them,” Hsieh said. “His decency and integrity as a human being served as a model for us all.”

Liu was a member of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine and the American Society for Radiation Oncology. He was on the board of editors for the Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics , served on the physics committee for the American Brachytherapy Society, and was a member of the science council and research grants evaluation subcommittee for ASTRO.

Liu is survived by his wife, Nina Hsieh, and daughter, Sienna Liu, of Palo Alto, California. His mother, Xingguang Gan; brother, Xiaoxin Liu; and sister, Xueqing Liu, all of Beijing, survive him, along with multiple nieces and nephews. His father, Tai Liu, preceded him in death.

• Jennifer Welsh Jennifer Welsh is a freelance writer

About Stanford Medicine

Stanford Medicine is an integrated academic health system comprising the Stanford School of Medicine and adult and pediatric health care delivery systems. Together, they harness the full potential of biomedicine through collaborative research, education and clinical care for patients. For more information, please visit med.stanford.edu .

Hope amid crisis

Psychiatry’s new frontiers

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• Catalog Home
• Physics: Research, MS

This is a named option within the  Physics MS . The master of science research degree program in physics requires the completion of a directed master's project and thesis in the student's area of interest, 30 credits of graduate work (including the core course requirements), and passage of the qualifying examination at the master's level. It is designed to strengthen the student's background and experience in physics, and enhance the opportunities for employment as a physicist or in physics education.

The research program in physics is unusually broad in scope with active experimental and theoretical research programs in astrophysics; atomic, molecular, and optical physics; biophysics; condensed matter physics; elementary particle physics; nuclear physics; particle physics theory; phenomenology; and plasma physics. This broad range of research opportunities makes the department especially attractive to beginning students who have not yet chosen a field of specialization.

Research specialties include:

Theoretical Physics

Astrophysics; atomic, molecular, and optical physics; condensed matter physics; cosmology; elementary particle physics; nuclear physics; phenomenology; plasmas and fusion; quantum computing; statistical and thermal physics; string theory.

Experimental Physics

Astrophysics; atomic, molecular, and optical physics; biophysics; condensed matter physics; cosmology; elementary particle physics; neutrino physics; experimental studies of superconductors; medical physics; nuclear physics; plasma physics; quantum computing; spectroscopy.

The MS named option in Research is offered for work leading to the PhD. Students may not apply directly for the master’s, and should instead see the  admissions information for the PhD .

Students may also apply to the MS named option in Quantum Computing.

Graduate School Resources

Resources to help you afford graduate study might include assistantships, fellowships, traineeships, and financial aid.  Further funding information is available from the Graduate School. Be sure to check with your program for individual policies and restrictions related to funding.

Minimum Graduate School Requirements

Named option requirements.

Review the Graduate School minimum academic progress and degree requirements , in addition to the program requirements listed below.

Mode of Instruction

Mode of Instruction Definitions

Accelerated: Accelerated programs are offered at a fast pace that condenses the time to completion. Students typically take enough credits aimed at completing the program in a year or two.

Evening/Weekend: ​Courses meet on the UW–Madison campus only in evenings and/or on weekends to accommodate typical business schedules.  Students have the advantages of face-to-face courses with the flexibility to keep work and other life commitments.

Face-to-Face: Courses typically meet during weekdays on the UW-Madison Campus.

Hybrid: These programs combine face-to-face and online learning formats.  Contact the program for more specific information.

Online: These programs are offered 100% online.  Some programs may require an on-campus orientation or residency experience, but the courses will be facilitated in an online format.

Curricular Requirements

Required Courses

All graduate degree candidates are required to take five core courses:

Graduate School Policies

The  Graduate School’s Academic Policies and Procedures  provide essential information regarding general university policies. Program authority to set degree policies beyond the minimum required by the Graduate School lies with the degree program faculty. Policies set by the academic degree program can be found below.

Named Option-Specific Policies

Prior coursework, graduate credits earned at other institutions.

Refer to the Graduate School: Transfer Credits for Prior Coursework policy.

Undergraduate Credits Earned at Other Institutions or UW-Madison

Up to 7 credits in courses numbered 500 or above may be used to satisfy minimum degree requirements.

Credits Earned as a Professional Student at UW-Madison (Law, Medicine, Pharmacy, and Veterinary careers)

Credits earned as a university special student at uw–madison.

With program approval, students are allowed to transfer no more than 15 credits of coursework numbered 500 or above taken as a UW–Madison University Special student. Coursework earned ten or more years prior to admission to a master’s degree is not allowed to satisfy requirements.

Grade of B or better in all coursework and a minimum cumulative graduate GPA of 3.0 are required.

Advisor / Committee

All students are assigned a temporary advisor upon matriculation. The responsibility to acquire (choose and be accepted by) a major professor (permanent advisor) is entirely with the student. Acceptance for MS Research by a professor depends on the professor’s appraisal of the student’s potential for research and on the ability of the professor to accept a student at that time. Usually, the major professor will be able to offer support in the form of a research assistantship, but this is not always the case, and occasionally a student may need to work as a teaching assistant while performing thesis research.

Graduate students should begin research work as early as possible. Students are encouraged to acquire a major professor (advisor) and begin research by the end of the second semester. Students who do not acquire a research advisor and begin research by the end of their third semester may be dropped from the program.

All MS candidates are required to write a master's thesis and present their research in a seminar. All master's theses must be approved a committee comprised of the student's advisor and two other members, at least one additional faculty member. 

Credits Per Term Allowed

Time limits.

Refer to the Graduate School: Time Limits policy.

Grievances and Appeals

These resources may be helpful in addressing your concerns:

• Bias or Hate Reporting  
• Graduate Assistantship Policies and Procedures
• Office of the Provost for Faculty and Staff Affairs
• Employee Assistance (for personal counseling and workplace consultation around communication and conflict involving graduate assistants and other employees, post-doctoral students, faculty and staff)
• Employee Disability Resource Office (for qualified employees or applicants with disabilities to have equal employment opportunities)
• Graduate School (for informal advice at any level of review and for official appeals of program/departmental or school/college grievance decisions)
• Office of Compliance (for class harassment and discrimination, including sexual harassment and sexual violence)
• Office Student Assistance and Support (OSAS)  (for all students to seek grievance assistance and support)
• Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards (for conflicts involving students)
• Ombuds Office for Faculty and Staff (for employed graduate students and post-docs, as well as faculty and staff)
• Title IX (for concerns about discrimination)

Students should contact the department chair or program director with questions about grievances. They may also contact the L&S Academic Divisional Associate Deans, the L&S Associate Dean for Teaching and Learning Administration, or the L&S Director of Human Resources.

• Professional Development

Take advantage of the Graduate School's  professional development resources to build skills, thrive academically, and launch your career. 

Program Resources

Students are encouraged to attend Graduate School sponsored Professional Development events and participate in Graduate School Professional Development resources, such as the Individual Development Plan (IDP).

More detail about each faculty member and the research areas can be found on the Physics website.

Yang Bai, Professor Baha Balantekin, Eugene P. Wigner Professor Vernon Barger, Van Vleck Professor and Vilas Research Professor Keith Bechtol, Associate Professor Kevin Black, Professor Stanislav Boldyrev, Professor Uwe Bergmann, Martin L. Pearl Professor in Ultrafast X-Ray Science Tulika Bose, Professor Victor Brar, Van Vleck Associate Professor Duncan Carlsmith, Professor Daniel Chung, Professor Susan Coppersmith, Emeriuts Robert E. Fassnacht Professor and Vilas Research Professor Kyle Cranmer, Professor & Data Science Institute Director Sridhara Dasu, Professor Jan Egedal, Professor Mark Eriksson, John Bardeen Professor and Department Chair Ilya Esterlis, Assistant Professor Lisa Everett, Professor Ke Fang, Assistant Professor Cary Forest, Prager Professor of Experimental Physics Pupa Gilbert, Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor Francis Halzen, Gregory Breit Professor, Hilldale Professor, & Vilas Research Professor Kael Hanson, Professor Aki Hashimoto, Professor Matthew Herndon, Professor Robert Joynt, Emeritus Professor Albrecht Karle, Professor Roman Kuzmin, Dunson Cheng Assistant Professor Alex Levchenko, Professor Lu Lyu (aka Lu Lu), Assistant Professor Dan McCammon, Professor Robert McDermott, Professor Moritz Muenchmeyer, Assistant Professor Yibin Pan, Associate Professor Brian Rebel, Professor Mark Rzchowski, Associate Chair and Professor Mark Saffman, Professor John Sarff, Professor Gary Shiu, Professor Paul Terry, Professor Peter Timbie, Professor Justin Vandenbroucke, Associate Professor Maxim Vavilov, Professor Thad Walker, Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor Sau Lan Wu, Enrico Fermi Professor, Hilldale Professor, and Vilas Research Professor Deniz Yavuz, Professor Ellen Zweibel, William L Kraushaar Professor of Astronomy & Physics

Affiliated Faculty

David Anderson, Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering Paul Campagnola, Professor, Biomedical Engineering Jennifer Choy, Assistant Professor, Engineering Physics Elena D'Onghia, Professor, Astronomy Chang-Beom Eom, Professor, Materials Science & Engineering Chris Hegna, Professor, Engineering Physics Sebastian Heinz, Professor, Astronomy Mikhail Kats, Associate Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering Jason Kawasaki, Associate Professor, Materials Science & Engineering Irena Knezevic, Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering Alexandre Lazarian, Professor, Astronomy Daniel Rhodes, Assistant Professor, Materials Science & Engineering Oliver Schmitz, Professor, Engineering Physics Micheline Soley, Assistant Professor, Chemistry Carl Sovinec, Professor, Engineering Physics Richard Townsend, Professor, Astronomy Ying Wang, Assistant Professor, Materials Science & Engineering Jun Xiao, Assistant Professor, Materials Science & Engineering

• Requirements

Contact Information

Physics College of Letters & Science MS Physics: Research physics.wisc.edu

Sharon Kahn, Graduate Coordinator [email protected] 608-262-9678 2320F Chamberlin Hall 1150 University Ave. Madison, WI 53706

Kevin Black, Associate Chair for Graduate Programs [email protected] 608-262-1232 4217 Chamberlin Hall 1150 University Ave. Madison, WI 53706

Graduate School grad.wisc.edu

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• Nondegree/​Visiting Student Guide
• Pharmacy Guide
• School of Medicine and Public Health Guide
• Undergraduate Guide
• Veterinary Guide

Samyak Jain

Email: sjain278@wisc.edu

Year of Admission: 2024