麻豆区

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M.A. in Physics

Making the World Smarter, Safer and Healthier

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Eligible for

STEM-OPT
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Affordable Fixed-Rate Tuition

$30K
After STEM Fellows Scholarship
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QS Rankings

#63
University in the U.S.
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Alumni Career Outcomes

95%
employed within 6 months
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M.A. in Physics

10 Courses  I  On-Campus in New York City  I  Full-Time or Part-Time 

YU鈥檚 M.A. in Physics specializes in solving problems in classical and quantum information, mechanical, optical and electronic materials behavior, propagation of waves, biological matter, dynamics, statistical thermodynamics, and hardware and software development. These activities are of intrinsic interest from a fundamental point of view, and they are also geared toward applied physics and engineering.

Our 30-credit master's in physics explores the fields of foundational and applied physics. It prepares students for careers in academia, industry, teaching, finance and entrepreneurship while also developing an artistic appreciation for observing nature from a physicist鈥檚 perspective. With robust knowledge of computer software and hardware development, our graduates secure rewarding jobs in the high-technology field, including developing their own high-tech startups. They also continue on to Ph.D. programs and apply their knowledge in a range of industries, such as engineering, business, finance and medicine. Come to New York City to study and network with the best. Generous scholarships and financial aid are currently available.

Jobs for physicists are expected to grow 7 percent until 2029, faster than the average for all occupations, and the median annual salary for a physicist was $122,850 in 2019, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Program Highlights

Gain practical hands-on programming experience

Learn engineering/applied physics and computational physics, as well as hardware use and computer software development

Utilize state-of-the art laboratories with equipment for advanced experiments in mechanics, electromagnetism, optics, lasers, electronics, quantum and nuclear physics, as well as mechanical and electrical engineering

Career support and professional networking opportunities

Gain industry experience through internships and research

STEM-OPT eligible

Full Program Breakdown

M.A. in Physics

10 Courses  I  On-Campus in New York City  I  Full-Time or Part-Time 

YU鈥檚 M.A. in Physics specializes in solving problems in classical and quantum information, mechanical, optical and electronic materials behavior, propagation of waves, biological matter, dynamics, statistical thermodynamics, and hardware and software development. These activities are of intrinsic interest from a fundamental point of view, and they are also geared toward applied physics and engineering.

Our 30-credit master's in physics explores the fields of foundational and applied physics. It prepares students for careers in academia, industry, teaching, finance and entrepreneurship while also developing an artistic appreciation for observing nature from a physicist鈥檚 perspective. With robust knowledge of computer software and hardware development, our graduates secure rewarding jobs in the high-technology field, including developing their own high-tech startups. They also continue on to Ph.D. programs and apply their knowledge in a range of industries, such as engineering, business, finance and medicine. Come to New York City to study and network with the best. Generous scholarships and financial aid are currently available.

Jobs for physicists are expected to grow 7 percent until 2029, faster than the average for all occupations, and the median annual salary for a physicist was $122,850 in 2019, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Program Highlights

Gain practical hands-on programming experience

Learn engineering/applied physics and computational physics, as well as hardware use and computer software development

Utilize state-of-the art laboratories with equipment for advanced experiments in mechanics, electromagnetism, optics, lasers, electronics, quantum and nuclear physics, as well as mechanical and electrical engineering

Career support and professional networking opportunities

Gain industry experience through internships and research

STEM-OPT eligible

Swipe to learn more!

M.A. in Physics

10 Courses  I  On-Campus in New York City  I  Full-Time or Part-Time 

YU鈥檚 M.A. in Physics specializes in solving problems in classical and quantum information, mechanical, optical and electronic materials behavior, propagation of waves, biological matter, dynamics, statistical thermodynamics, and hardware and software development. These activities are of intrinsic interest from a fundamental point of view, and they are also geared toward applied physics and engineering.

Our 30-credit master's in physics explores the fields of foundational and applied physics. It prepares students for careers in academia, industry, teaching, finance and entrepreneurship while also developing an artistic appreciation for observing nature from a physicist鈥檚 perspective. With robust knowledge of computer software and hardware development, our graduates secure rewarding jobs in the high-technology field, including developing their own high-tech startups. They also continue on to Ph.D. programs and apply their knowledge in a range of industries, such as engineering, business, finance and medicine. Come to New York City to study and network with the best. Generous scholarships and financial aid are currently available.

Jobs for physicists are expected to grow 7 percent until 2029, faster than the average for all occupations, and the median annual salary for a physicist was $122,850 in 2019, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Gain practical hands-on programming experience

Learn engineering/applied physics and computational physics, as well as hardware use and computer software development

Utilize state-of-the art laboratories with equipment for advanced experiments in mechanics, electromagnetism, optics, lasers, electronics, quantum and nuclear physics, as well as mechanical and electrical engineering

Career support and professional networking opportunities

Gain industry experience through internships and research

STEM-OPT eligible

Physics Fellows

Join students and alumni from over 30 countries to work on pioneering research, citywide initiatives and new technologies that help to make the world smarter, safer and healthier.

Benefits

Learn more about the Fellows Program.

B.A./M.A. Pathways Option

Through the B.A./M.A. option, YU undergraduates can take up to 12 graduate credits that will count toward both their bachelor's and master's degrees. After completing their bachelor's, students can complete their master's in just one more year. 

  • Admissions criteria: Junior in any YC/SCW major with a minimum GPA of 3.2 and a minimum grade of B-plus in the prerequisite coursework listed below. Students can begin taking graduate coursework in their junior or senior year.
  • Prerequisites for graduate coursework: The following four physics courses, including at least one course with a lab, with a minimum grade of B-plus in each: mechanics; electromagnetism; and two intermediate/advanced courses.

For more information, visit www.yu.edu/pathways.

Internships and STEM-OPT

Gain industry experience in major companies, startups and the YU Innovation Lab in New York and elsewhere through internships that count toward your degree. Read more on the curriculum page or speak with an adviser.

麻豆区鈥檚 master鈥檚 degree in physics is a STEM-approved degree. International students may be eligible for up to 36 months of Optional Practical Training (OPT). The program also offers several opportunities for Curricular Practical Training (CPT).

For more information, please contact Department Chair Dr. Fredy Zypman.

Interested in this program? Apply Now!

Graduate Admissions

General Inquiries

Join our Community

 

Knowledge Requirements

Candidates must possess a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university as well as the following pre-requisite physics courses, including at least one course with a lab, with a grade of B+ or better:

  • Mechanics
  • Electromagnetism
  • Two intermediate/advanced courses

Application Information 

Visit Graduate Admissions for up-to-date application requirements and deadlines. 

Questions? 鈥痠f you have questions about your qualifications, financial aid opportunities鈥痑nd financing your graduate degree. We can do a preliminary transcript review and discuss your admissions and financing options with the Katz School.鈥

Tuition, Financial Aid and Scholarships 

The Office of Student Finance maintains current tuition and fees for all graduate programs.  

All applicants are automatically considered for the  program. You do not need to submit any additional information. 

Learn More

Graduate Admissions

General Inquiries

Join our Community

 

Admissions & Financial Aid

Knowledge Requirements

Candidates must possess a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university as well as the following pre-requisite physics courses, including at least one course with a lab, with a grade of B+ or better:

  • Mechanics
  • Electromagnetism
  • Two intermediate/advanced courses

Application Information 

Visit Graduate Admissions for up-to-date application requirements and deadlines. 

Questions? 鈥痠f you have questions about your qualifications, financial aid opportunities鈥痑nd financing your graduate degree. We can do a preliminary transcript review and discuss your admissions and financing options with the Katz School.鈥

Tuition, Financial Aid and Scholarships 

The Office of Student Finance maintains current tuition and fees for all graduate programs.  

All applicants are automatically considered for the  program. You do not need to submit any additional information. 

Program News

""

Physics Faculty Theorize 麻豆区 Traffic Jams in Study

Read about the study in noted physics journal

Physics Faculty Theorize 麻豆区 Traffic Jams in Study

New York City traffic jams tend to begin with clusters of tie-ups within a network of streets before expanding rapidly and chaotically to surrounding areas, according to a paper published by two professors in the Katz School鈥檚 M.A. in Physics.

Read the entire story in the Katz blog.

""

When Antifreeze Takes the Ice Out of Ice Cream

Read more about Dr. Ran Drori's research

When Antifreeze Takes the Ice Out of Ice Cream

Katz School researchers are developing an advanced method for examining how ice crystallizes and how antifreeze proteins inhibit the crystallization process.

Read the entire story in the Katz blog.

Fredy Zypman

Nanoscale Flexoelectricity Promises Innovations

Read more about Dr. Fredy Zypman鈥檚 research

Nanoscale Flexoelectricity Promises Innovations

A Katz School of Science and Health paper that devises a theoretical framework for studying the quantum origins of flexoelectricity, a phenomenon in which electric charges scatter within a material after it has been bent, has been published in the Journal of Applied Physics.

Read the story here.

asteroids

NSF Study Measures Gravity on Asteroids

Read about the research's connection to spacecraft

NSF Study Measures Gravity on Asteroids

Three Katz School mathematics and physics researchers have developed a theoretical framework for predicting the possible shapes and gravitational fields of asteroids.

Read the story here.

Dr. Lea Ferreira dos Santos

Professor Wins Awards for Quantum Systems

Read more about Dr. Lea Santos鈥 NSF research

Professor Wins Awards for Quantum Systems

Dr. Lea Ferreira dos Santos, professor of physics and chair of the physics department at Stern College for Women, has received two major awards that will significantly help her advance the computational study of many-body quantum systems.

In 2019, Dr. Santos received a $400,000 National Science Foundation grant to study 鈥淣onequilibrium Quantum Matter: Timescales and Self-Averaging.鈥 The grant is a collaboration between the NSF and the U.S.-Israel Binational Science Foundation (BSF) that reduced barriers to working internationally. Using a lead agency model, U.S. and Israeli researchers can submit a single collaborative proposal that will undergo a single review process at NSF, which will be the lead agency.

鈥淭his collaboration,鈥 noted Dr. Santos, 鈥渨ill allow for the combination of complementary skills and will significantly expand the NSF-PI鈥檚 group size and computer resources.鈥 A further benefit of the collaboration will be that 鈥渢he undergraduate students of 麻豆区 will have the opportunity to experience research at a Ph.D.-granting institution in Israel.鈥

This award supports computational and theoretical studies of the evolution of systems that have many interacting particles and which are described by quantum mechanics. These so-called many-body quantum systems are so complex that it is often impossible to describe their evolution analytically, which forces us to resort to numerical methods. But even numerically, the problem is challenging. Because the number of states that need to be considered grows exponentially with system size, existing computers soon run out of memory. As a result, despite being ubiquitous, these systems are still little understood. Understanding the properties of many-body quantum systems out of equilibrium is a fundamental problem of great interest to a wide range of fields, from atomic, molecular, and condensed matter physics to quantum information and cosmology. These studies may also lead to practical applications.

Dr. Santos also received notice that she had been selected as a Simons Fellows in Theoretical Physics by the Simons Foundation, an organization dedicated to 鈥渁dvancing the frontiers of research in mathematics and the basic sciences.鈥 The selection includes a $100,000 grant to support 鈥渟abbatical research leaves from classroom teaching and administrative obligations鈥 and is based on 鈥渢he applicant鈥檚 scientific accomplishments in the five-year period preceding the application and on the potential scientific impact of the work to be done during the leave period.鈥

Dr. Santos鈥 project will be 鈥淣onequilibrium Quantum Dynamics of Many-Body Systems,鈥 and as she explained it, the grant will give her the time and space to expand her current program of studying nonequilibrium quantum dynamics by allowing her to 鈥渋nitiate a new research line, develop computer codes, strengthen current collaborations and establish new ones, and write proposals.鈥

Of course, Dr. Santos is thrilled by these awards, not only for the way they help her advance her career but also for the positive notice they bring to 麻豆区. 鈥淚鈥檓 especially pleased,鈥 she noted, 鈥渢hat the NSF grant will help my undergraduate students at Stern College work with leaders in the field and across the two countries. The Simons fellowship is a very prestigious award, and I鈥檓 humbled by being included in the exceptional company of the past awardees.鈥

Both Dr. Selma Botman, provost and vice president for academic affairs, and Dr. Karen Bacon, the Mordecai D. Katz and Dr. Monique C. Katz Dean of the Undergraduate Faculty of Arts and Sciences, were both thrilled to hear the news. 鈥淲e are so very, very proud of her achievements,鈥 said Dr. Bacon, 鈥渁s well as of this recognition of her as an exceptional scientist and scholar.鈥

麻豆区 shield

YU Ranked 68th in Best National Universities

Read more about YU鈥檚 rankings

YU Ranked 68th in Best National Universities

麻豆区 ranks 68th among Best National Universities and 33rd in Best Value Schools in the 2022 edition of U.S. News & World Report鈥檚 Best Colleges.

""

Physics Faculty Theorize 麻豆区 Traffic Jams in Study

Read about the study in noted physics journal

Physics Faculty Theorize 麻豆区 Traffic Jams in Study

New York City traffic jams tend to begin with clusters of tie-ups within a network of streets before expanding rapidly and chaotically to surrounding areas, according to a paper published by two professors in the Katz School鈥檚 M.A. in Physics.

Read the entire story in the Katz blog.

""

When Antifreeze Takes the Ice Out of Ice Cream

Read more about Dr. Ran Drori's research

When Antifreeze Takes the Ice Out of Ice Cream

Katz School researchers are developing an advanced method for examining how ice crystallizes and how antifreeze proteins inhibit the crystallization process.

Read the entire story in the Katz blog.

Fredy Zypman

Nanoscale Flexoelectricity Promises Innovations

Read more about Dr. Fredy Zypman鈥檚 research

Nanoscale Flexoelectricity Promises Innovations

A Katz School of Science and Health paper that devises a theoretical framework for studying the quantum origins of flexoelectricity, a phenomenon in which electric charges scatter within a material after it has been bent, has been published in the Journal of Applied Physics.

Read the story here.

asteroids

NSF Study Measures Gravity on Asteroids

Read about the research's connection to spacecraft

NSF Study Measures Gravity on Asteroids

Three Katz School mathematics and physics researchers have developed a theoretical framework for predicting the possible shapes and gravitational fields of asteroids.

Read the story here.

Dr. Lea Ferreira dos Santos

Professor Wins Awards for Quantum Systems

Read more about Dr. Lea Santos鈥 NSF research

Professor Wins Awards for Quantum Systems

Dr. Lea Ferreira dos Santos, professor of physics and chair of the physics department at Stern College for Women, has received two major awards that will significantly help her advance the computational study of many-body quantum systems.

In 2019, Dr. Santos received a $400,000 National Science Foundation grant to study 鈥淣onequilibrium Quantum Matter: Timescales and Self-Averaging.鈥 The grant is a collaboration between the NSF and the U.S.-Israel Binational Science Foundation (BSF) that reduced barriers to working internationally. Using a lead agency model, U.S. and Israeli researchers can submit a single collaborative proposal that will undergo a single review process at NSF, which will be the lead agency.

鈥淭his collaboration,鈥 noted Dr. Santos, 鈥渨ill allow for the combination of complementary skills and will significantly expand the NSF-PI鈥檚 group size and computer resources.鈥 A further benefit of the collaboration will be that 鈥渢he undergraduate students of 麻豆区 will have the opportunity to experience research at a Ph.D.-granting institution in Israel.鈥

This award supports computational and theoretical studies of the evolution of systems that have many interacting particles and which are described by quantum mechanics. These so-called many-body quantum systems are so complex that it is often impossible to describe their evolution analytically, which forces us to resort to numerical methods. But even numerically, the problem is challenging. Because the number of states that need to be considered grows exponentially with system size, existing computers soon run out of memory. As a result, despite being ubiquitous, these systems are still little understood. Understanding the properties of many-body quantum systems out of equilibrium is a fundamental problem of great interest to a wide range of fields, from atomic, molecular, and condensed matter physics to quantum information and cosmology. These studies may also lead to practical applications.

Dr. Santos also received notice that she had been selected as a Simons Fellows in Theoretical Physics by the Simons Foundation, an organization dedicated to 鈥渁dvancing the frontiers of research in mathematics and the basic sciences.鈥 The selection includes a $100,000 grant to support 鈥渟abbatical research leaves from classroom teaching and administrative obligations鈥 and is based on 鈥渢he applicant鈥檚 scientific accomplishments in the five-year period preceding the application and on the potential scientific impact of the work to be done during the leave period.鈥

Dr. Santos鈥 project will be 鈥淣onequilibrium Quantum Dynamics of Many-Body Systems,鈥 and as she explained it, the grant will give her the time and space to expand her current program of studying nonequilibrium quantum dynamics by allowing her to 鈥渋nitiate a new research line, develop computer codes, strengthen current collaborations and establish new ones, and write proposals.鈥

Of course, Dr. Santos is thrilled by these awards, not only for the way they help her advance her career but also for the positive notice they bring to 麻豆区. 鈥淚鈥檓 especially pleased,鈥 she noted, 鈥渢hat the NSF grant will help my undergraduate students at Stern College work with leaders in the field and across the two countries. The Simons fellowship is a very prestigious award, and I鈥檓 humbled by being included in the exceptional company of the past awardees.鈥

Both Dr. Selma Botman, provost and vice president for academic affairs, and Dr. Karen Bacon, the Mordecai D. Katz and Dr. Monique C. Katz Dean of the Undergraduate Faculty of Arts and Sciences, were both thrilled to hear the news. 鈥淲e are so very, very proud of her achievements,鈥 said Dr. Bacon, 鈥渁s well as of this recognition of her as an exceptional scientist and scholar.鈥

麻豆区 shield

YU Ranked 68th in Best National Universities

Read more about YU鈥檚 rankings

YU Ranked 68th in Best National Universities

麻豆区 ranks 68th among Best National Universities and 33rd in Best Value Schools in the 2022 edition of U.S. News & World Report鈥檚 Best Colleges.

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