Physics

Ball State University has been identified by the American Institute of Physics as one of 22 schools with the strongest professional master's degree programs. Over the years, students and faculty in the Department of Physics and Astronomy have experienced outstanding successes, including the following recent accomplishments:

$1.5 million grant awarded from Indiana's 21^st Century Fund to create a Computational Nanoscience Research Center.
One of six institutions sharing a $5.76-million grant from the American Physical Society over a five-year period, to improve the preparation of future K-12 teachers.
$600,000 grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy that is supporting the experimental "Research and Development of a New Field Enhanced Low Temperature Thermionic Cathode that Enables Florescent Dimming and Load Shedding without Auxiliary Cathode Heating."
Member of the Southeastern Association for Research in Astronomy (SARA). This consortium operates a 1-meter reflecting telescope located at Kitt Peak National Observatory in southern Arizona, one of the world's premier sites for astronomical research.
Research programs in Astrophysics, Medical Physics, Nuclear Physics, and Particle Physics.

Degrees Offered

Master of Science (M.S.) in Physics
Master of Arts (M.A.) in Physics
Master of Arts in Education (M.A.E.) in Physics
Master of Arts in General Science (M.A.G.S.)
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Science
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Science Education

Thesis research is required for the M.S. and Ed.D. degrees. A research paper or creative project is required from the M.A. and M.A.E. in physics, and the M.A.G.S. programs.

Application/Admission Requirements

Applicants must submit or possess the following:

Graduate School application form and transcripts of all previous graduate and undergraduate course work.
Candidates must have a GPA of 2.75 or above. In addition, GRE scores, experience, and letters of reference are evaluated in the admission process.
For candidates whose native language is other than English, a TOEFL score of 550 or higher is expected.
International students must apply through the Rinker Center for International Programs.

Graduate Assistantships

Both teaching and research assistantships are available for qualified candidates. These assistantships include tuition remission and an approximate stipend of $10,000 for academic year. (Students are responsible for the dedicated fees.)

Contact Information

Dr. Thomas Robertson Chairperson
Department of Physics and Astronomy
Ball State University
Muncie IN 47306
(765) 285-8860
Fax: (765) 285-5674
trobertson@bsu.edu