Orange Alert

Graduate Study

Welcome to the graduate program in the Department of Physics at Syracuse University! We offer both a Ph.D. and an M.S. degree.

Apply for our program

Read more about our application process. For more information about the Ph.D. program, please see our Ph.D. FAQ. Should you have questions, please contact phyacademics@syr.edu.

For Fall 2023 admissions, our priority deadline is December 15, 2023, and the secondary deadline is January 15, 2024.

Click the apply button, navigate to graduate application, and click Physics!

Fast Facts and Highlights

  • Total Number of Students: ~100
  • Percentage of Women Students: 26%
  • Percentage of Black and Latino Students: 8%
  • Percentage of Students Supported on TA or RA: 100% (financial support)
  • Average time to degree: 6 years
  • Number of Faculty: 27
  • Research Fields: Biophysics, Computational Astrophysics, Cosmology, Gravitational Waves Astrophysics, Neutrinos, Quantum Information Science, Experimental Particle Physics, Soft Condensed Matter, High Energy Theory, Nuclear Physics

Physics Graduate Student Traditions: Mrs. Jennings Wooden Leg

mrs jennings wooden leg

PhyGO: The goal of PhyGO (Physics Graduate student Organization) is to enrich the lives and careers of the physics graduate student body members and support the overall physics department community. Toward this goal, Phy-GO holds social and professional development events throughout the year.

PhyGo leadership board 2023-2024

President: Daniel Paradiso, dparadis@syr.edu

Vice President: Matthew Todd, mrtodd@syr.edu

Treasurer: TBD

Secretary: Bridget Mack, bjmack@syr.edu

Event Coordinator: Ben Byrd, babyrd@syr.edu

Public Relations Officer: JT Paustian, jtpausti@syr.edu


Programs

Ph.D. in Physics

The Ph.D. degree is awarded to students who complete 48 credits of graduate-level coursework, pass a written qualifying examination, pass a research oral examination on the student’s proposed research, complete a written thesis based upon original research, and pass a thesis defense examination. Please see the Ph.D. in Physics page for a detailed description of the program.

M.S. in Physics

The degree can be achieved in any three different ways through a combination of coursework, thesis work and/or independent study. Please see the M.S. in Physics page for a detailed description of the program. Students in the Ph.D. program will satisfy the requirements of the M.S. and so may optionally claim the M.S. degree as they proceed towards the Ph.D.