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Why Pursue a Master's Degree in Physics

UTSA’s Department of Physics and Astronomy offers the 5th largest graduate program of Physics in Texas. This joint program offers graduate students the opportunity to work one-on-one with their advisors in the UTSA Physics faculty and other core scientists from the Southwest Research Institute Space Science and Engineering Division.

Research

The Department of Physics and Astronomy offers research opportunities in six principal areas:

  • Astrophysics and Cosmology
  • Biophysics
  • Computational Physics
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Materials Science
  • Nanotechnology and Ultramicroscopy

Collaboration is encouraged among different research groups, across campus, and with other institutions, including the Space Physics and Instrumentation Graduate program with Southwest Research Institute.

Admission & Application Requirements

Applications are submitted through the UTSA Graduate Application. Please upload all required documents (listed below) on your UTSA Graduate Application. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure completion and submission of the application, a nonrefundable application fee, and all required supporting documents are on file with UTSA by the appropriate application deadline.

Physics (MS)
  Required Degree Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university in the United States or have proof of equivalent training at a foreign institution.
  Minimum GPA 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) Departments may consider GPA of last 60 semester credit hours
  Coursework Completed adequate credit hours or foreign institution equivalent coursework as preparation for the program.
  Transcripts* Required from all institutions attended; international transcripts must be recorded/translated to English
  Credential Evaluation Required if you have earned university-level credit from foreign institutions. Submit an evaluation of your transcripts from Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) directly from the graduate admission application platform
  English Language Proficiency 550 TOEFL Paper / 79 TOEFL Internet / 6.5 IELTS / Duolingo 100
  Purpose Statement Required
  Resume Required
  Letters of Recommendation 2 academic or professional reference(s) demonstrating your attributes for successful completion of this program (you will request these through the Graduate Admissions Application; let your recommenders know of your deadline to ensure submissions are on time)
*Unofficial transcripts will be taken into consideration for admissions; however, if admitted into the program, you must submit official transcripts to the University.
Apply 2024-25 Application Apply 2025-26 Application

Application Deadlines

Applicants are encouraged to have their admission file completed as early as possible. All applications, required documents and letters of recommendation, if applicable, must be submitted by 5:00 PM U.S. Central Time on the day of the deadline. Deadlines are subject to change.

Physics (MS)
Timing on Admission Decision: Completed applications will be reviewed for admission after the deadlines below. Decisions will be made and sent to applicants within a few weeks after the review date.
Application Deadlines for: Priority International Domestic
Spring 2025 Not Available November 1 December 1
Summer 2025 Not Available May 1 May 1
Fall 2025 March 1 June 1 June 1
Spring 2026 Not Available November 1 December 1
Summer 2026 Not Available May 1 May 1

Funding Opportunities

A limited number of teaching or research assistantships and fellowships are available to qualified students. Financial assistance is limited and awarded on a competitive basis.

For information about graduate fellowships, click below.

Learn more

Career Options

UTSA prepares you for future careers that are in demand. The possible careers below is data pulled by a third-party tool called Emsi, which pulls information from sources like the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Census Bureau, online job postings, other government databases and more to give you regional and national career outlook related to this academic program.


The Master’s in Physics offers students the opportunity to pursue graduate coursework in a variety of basic Physics fields, including:

  • Mechanics: classical, quantum, statistical and fluid
  • Electrodynamics
  • Biophysics
  • Plasma Physics and Magnetohydrodynamics
  • Solid State Physics
  • Optics: nonlinear, biophotonics, and lasers
  • Mathematical & Computational Physics

Other special topics courses will include:

  • Theoretical Physics
  • General Relativity
  • Cosmology
  • Advanced Condensed Matter Physics
  • Quantum Field Theory
  • Particle Physics.

This program is housed on UTSA’s Main Campus. Courses are offered at various times of the day generally scheduled later in the afternoon.

Graduate Advisor of Record

Kathryn Mayer, PhD

210-458-8278

Kathryn.Mayer@utsa.edu