Accelerated Masters Program in Physics

Program Overview

Through an AMP, you can earn a Master of Science in as little as one additional year after completion of your bachelor’s degree. Students can double-count two pre-approved courses (6 credits) at the 200 (approved for graduate credit) or 300 level taken during their senior year towards both bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Students can take one additional pre-approved graduate course (3-credits) during their senior year that will count only towards the MS degree.

AMP students therefore require only 21-24 additional graduate credits to complete their MS following completion of their bachelor’s degree. Another bonus: there is no GRE required for admission to any CEMS AMP.

View the Accelerated Masters Program in Physics in the Graduate Catalogue

Curriculum

Minimum Degree Requirements

A total of 30 credits, including 15 credits of graded course work, at least 6 of which must be at the 6000-level, and:

Comprehensive Examination

At the start of their second semester at UVM, students are expected to sit for the written part of the Comprehensive Exam which covers Classical mechanics, Quantum Mechanics, Electricity and Magnetism, as well as Thermal Physics and Mathematical Physics.

Students are given 2 opportunities to pass the comprehensive exam. In addition to the written portion, there is also an oral portion that consists of a Master's thesis proposal given after the start of a thesis research project.
 

Admissions

Students must apply for the Accelerated Master’s Entry Pathway (AMP) during Spring semester of their Junior year. Students interested in the AMP can request information in writing from the Physics Department. Recommendation for admission will be based upon the student's prior academic record with particular attention paid to performance in upper-division 3000- or 4000-level physics courses. Following formal Graduate College admission to the Accelerated Master's Program, up to 9 credits of approved graduate course work may be taken that may be counted toward both the undergraduate and graduate degree requirements. The graduate credits taken prior to completion of the bachelor's must be in graded coursework only; independent study, research credits, internships and practica will not count towards the master's degree.  In addition, the courses taken must be approved by the student's graduate advisor.

Outcomes

Upon completion of the Accelerated Masters Program in Physics, students will be able to:

• Apply the laws of physics in classical mechanics, quantum mechanics, electrodynamics, and statistical mechanics at a level commensurate with current standards in physics.
• Demonstrate mastery of advanced physics within their chosen subfield (e.g. astronomy, condensed matter, biological, and engineering physics).
•  Demonstrate fluency in comprehension of the primary research literature in their chosen subfield
•  Conduct primary research literature searches in their chosen subfield.
• Complete an original, creative project that demonstrably advances human knowledge within their subfield.

Costs and Funding

Students pursuing a thesis-based MS are often supported as an undergraduate research assistant (URA) while still an undergraduate student, and then change to a graduate research or teaching assistant (GRA or GTA) when they graduate with their Bachelor’s degree and become a regular graduate student.

Students pursuing course-based or project-based MS degrees are typically self-funded. Self-funded AMP students will receive a partial tuition scholarship of 30% of the tuition cost for the remaining 21-24 graduate credits taken after completion of the Bachelor's degree, provided the student maintains a GPA of at least 3.0 in their graduate work  

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How and when do I apply?

Prospective AMP students must apply for admission through the Graduate College.

Applicants will automatically be considered for partial tuition scholarships; no separate application is necessary.

The AMP Permission form (PDF) is a required part of the application and requires both a signature from first, the Faculty Graduate Program Coordinator and then CEMS Graduate Program Coordinator, Jane Kimble, at cems.graduate.coordinator@uvm.edu (listed as the Undergraduate Dean’s Office signature).   Prospective AMP students must also notify the appropriate Graduate Program Director as to:

• which courses they would like to double-count for both Bachelor's and Master's degrees (for this they can consult a faculty and/or Graduate Program Director affiliated with the particular graduate program)
• whether they're planning to do a coursework only, project, or thesis option, and
• for project or thesis options, who has agreed to be their graduate advisor (note that upon starting their Master's degree, the thesis/project advisor can be changed)

Applications are typically completed in the second semester of the junior year, but must be completed at least one month before the semester in which the student wishes to take courses that will double-count for both Bachelor's and Master's degrees so that there is enough time to be admitted to the Graduate College before coursework that will double count is taken. 

AMP Permission form (PDF)