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University to Offer Integrated Master's Physics Degree Program This Fall

Friday, August 3rd, 2012


Texas Border Business ---

BROWNSVILLE – The Department of Physics and Astronomy at The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College will debut this fall a way for students to earn two degrees in five years.

The Integrated Master’s Program in Physics enables accepted students to earn a bachelor’s degree in multidisciplinary studies with a concentration in physics and mathematics and a master’s degree in physics with an emphasis on applied physics. Students’ core curriculum and required major classes are spread through the five years. Electives in the fourth year are filled with graduate classes.

“Once a student is in the program the semester-to-semester program is mapped out,” said Dr. Soma Mukherjee, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy.

Students will be exposed early in their higher education to research with faculty members.

“Whatever career path they might choose, the opportunities they will get to present their findings at national and international conferences enables their confidence to build up,” said Mukherjee.

Students who earn a graduate degree in physics can pursue careers in academic fields like gravitational wave astronomy, nanobiophysics and radio astronomy that can lead to doctoral degrees and faculty positions. Students can also work in the industrial sectors with applied physics training in fields like optics, nanotechnology or software development with computational physics backgrounds.

James Murray, 18, a sophomore from Brownsville and a graduate of Porter High School, is one of the more than 20 students who will start the program this fall. He is also a university Arecibo Remote Command Scholar.

“It’s five years for a master’s degree versus six or seven years,” he said. “In some fields it will take you a while to get a master’s because of the research.”

 For more information on the degree program contact the Department of Physics and Astronomy at 956-882-6779. TBB

 

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