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About the Program

The Applied Physics Graduate Program is a joint PhD program between the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science and the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences which offers research opportunities from distinguished faculty in nine departments , including Physics & Astronomy, Chemistry, Electrical & Computer Engineering, and Materials Science & Engineering.

The Program seeks students who are passionate about pursuing graduate level research in Applied Physics with a strong undergraduate background in Physics. Our program prepares graduates for professional careers in science and technology, in academic institutions, national laboratories and industry. Recent Ph.D. graduates have started research and technical positions in academia, national laboratories (such as Argonne), and industry (including Intel). The Applied Physics Program is designed to allow students to complete their PhD studies in as little as five years. Students typically complete the required courses during the first year and focus their efforts on research starting in the summer of the first year in the program. Students in the Applied Physics Graduate Program can take advantage of the scholarships, learning opportunities, and other resources offered by both the McCormick School of Engineering and the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences.

Northwestern has a distinguished record of research and innovation in many areas of Applied Physics spanning both the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences and the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science. Many of the research programs in Applied Physics take advantage of opportunities for research at national facilities, particularly Argonne National Laboratory, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory and the National High Field Magnet Laboratory.

For a quick overview of the Applied Physics Graduate Program, check out our slide presentation.

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