Drexel University offers both Master of Science (MS) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees in Physics, providing students with a rigorous education and the opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge scientific research. Whether you're preparing for a career in academia, industry, or government, Drexel’s graduate programs equip you with the knowledge and experience to lead in the field. Students work alongside internationally recognized faculty in diverse research areas, including:
The MS program offers advanced training in core and contemporary topics and can be completed in just two academic years. The PhD program emphasizes early engagement in research, with students typically beginning thesis work in their second year and participating in international collaborations and scholarly dissemination.
At Drexel, you’ll join a collaborative, research-driven community where discovery is a daily pursuit—and your contributions help shape the future of physics.
Degree Programs
Graduate Program Highlights
- Research beginning in the first year, with freedom to explore different areas of physics before choosing a thesis topic.
- Participation in worldwide research collaborations, including the largest sky surveys of our time (SDSS and LSST), the IceCube and LBNE neutrino experiments, and the PICO dark matter detection experiment
- Access to a a diverse range of experimental and research facilities
- Topical courses in areas of current research, including astrophysics, biophysics, nanoscience, nonlinear dynamics, particle physics, and solid state
- An active, tightly knit community of graduate students that enjoys dinners and outings together
- Physics Graduate Student Association, run by our students and funded by the University
- Graduate-student-only research seminars (with free lunch!)
- Interaction with world-renowned researchers who visit Drexel for our colloquium series, and the annual Kaczmarczik Lecture, which has featured several Nobel laureates
- Assistantships with 12-month stipend support, full-tuition remission, and free health insurance
- All coursework and exam requirements are finished in June of the second year; the MS in Physics is also awarded at that time.
Student-Faculty Collaboration
Faculty members and students in our physics graduate program are actively involved in collaborative research efforts, providing unique opportunities to carry out research in projects around the world such as the:
There is significant interaction between some of the research groups at Drexel University and the University of Pennsylvania, located blocks away from Drexel's campus.
Physics Colloquia and Seminars
The numerous colloquia and seminars hosted by the Department of Physics offer graduate students the opportunity to stay abreast of leading edge research in the field. In particular, weekly departmental colloquia feature invited speakers on a wide range of topics. University-sponsored distinguished lectures and the annual Kaczmarczik Lecture bring outstanding physicists –Knicole Colón, Francis Halzen, Nergis Mavalvala, Martin Rees, Frank Wilczek, John C. Mather, William Phillips, David Gross– to give standout lectures that attract national and regional attention. The graduate students themselves organize an active seminar series with speakers from their own ranks to remain up to date on each other's work. Research groups within the department also hold their own informal seminars.