Professional Master's Physics degrees

[Shackleford]

What do you guys think of these Professional Master's Physics or Professional M.S. Physics degrees? Who has the best ones? I found an old report online, but the list is definitely out-dated.

 

[Shackleford]

Anyone? lol.

 

[lisab]

Well I don't know enough to rank them, but my alma mater offers such a program. I've taken a few courses just to stay current. I think it's a good program, tailored mostly for those with an engineering background.

I do know its graduates are valued by employers in this area, especially Boeing.

 

[Shackleford]

Well I don't know enough to rank them, but my alma mater offers such a program. I've taken a few courses just to stay current. I think it's a good program, tailored mostly for those with an engineering background.

I do know its graduates are valued by employers in this area, especially Boeing.

I'm in the Houston area, so it would probably be a pretty good degree to have as well around here. I'm considering something like this or even an M.A. Physics. I don't intend on academic career.

 

[lisab]

My $0.02: having a master's is the 'sweet spot', if you're not considering a career in academia. It leaves you qualified for jobs that require an advanced degree, but you'd still be considered for jobs where the employer is looking for a bachelor's (i.e., not 'over qualified').

 

[Shackleford]

My $0.02: having a master's is the 'sweet spot', if you're not considering a career in academia. It leaves you qualified for jobs that require an advanced degree, but you'd still be considered for jobs where the employer is looking for a bachelor's (i.e., not 'over qualified').

That's good to know. Honestly, I have idea what career I want to have. No particular job stands out. I just know what I want to know - math and physics to a relatively advanced "degree." Fortunately, my present part-time job at an economic development organization affords me a plethora of industry contacts. My university doesn't offer an M.A. Physics or any kind of Professional Science Masters. I'm having to look across the country. I'll post the list of universities in a minute. I'm curious which ones are Tier 1, which would be a lateral move from my university, which would be a piece of cake but I'd still have a graduate degree, etc.

 

[Shackleford]

Kent State University

The Master of Arts in Physics is a highly flexible program that can be customized according to the constraints of the individual student. This flexibility is a good match for the needs of part-time students who continue to hold full-time employment in secondary education or in industry. Also, students in the Ph.D. program can apply for this M.A. degree after completing the requisite number of credit hours.

University of Texas - Dallas

Master of Science in Applied Physics
A minimum of 32 graduate credit hours are required. In order to receive the MSAP degree, students must successfully complete at least 16 semester credit hours of core courses. In addition to the core courses, 16 additional credit hours may be chosen from the physics elective courses or from electrical engineering, computer science, biology, geosciences, chemistry and management courses. The complete list of these courses may be obtained from the MSAP Graduate Advisor.

Ball State University

Master of Arts in Physics
If you are planning on getting an educational career or a job with less research, this program would be right for you.

You will take classes like thermodynamics and quantum mechanics.

In the thermodynamics course, you will be introduced to the laws of thermodynamics and the kinetic theory of gases.

Quantum mechanics is a challenging course that will review the barrier problems and problems involving perturbation theory, and one-electron atoms.

You must meet admission requirements of the Graduate School and take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or an equivalent exam.

http://prtl.uhcl.edu/portal/page/portal/SCE/Natural_Sciences/physics/Phys_ScienMS/Phys_PSM

 

[lisab]

One more to consider...

http://www.phys.washington.edu/academics/emsp/

 

[Shackleford]

One more to consider...

http://www.phys.washington.edu/academics/emsp/

I think I poo-pooed Washington for other reasons. lol.

Ideally, I'd like to stay in Texas, but I'm not entirely opposed to moving away to complete a graduate degree then moving back. I'm seriously considering the University of Houston - Clear Lake PSM since it's right down the street from where I work. However, I attend the University of Houston.

Here's another option I've thought about since I've seen them in undergrad - an MS in Physical Science. I would of course have my emphasis be in physics and minor in math, but it would be nice to get a broader "physical science" education at an advanced level.

http://www.marshall.edu/cos/degrees-ps-ms.asp