About

Are you interested in combining physical, biological and medical sciences in a professional setting? Are you interested in state-of-the-art research?

The MS degree program in physics is designed for completion over a two-year period.

The applied physics concentration is built around a core curriculum designed to give the candidate a thorough foundation in the major fields of physics. This concentration includes a research thesis (one year). Physics faculty offer a wide range of cutting-edge research projects.

The medical physics concentration is a joint program with the Department of Radiation Oncology (Brody School of Medicine) and accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Education Programs (CAMPEP) (www.campep.org/campeplstgrad.asp). It is designed as a terminal degree program with a substantial clinical component that enables its graduates to move into a career in diagnostic or therapeutic medical physics. A research thesis is optional. Instead, students participate in a clinical rotation (20 hours per week, for one semester) to gain valuable insights and first-hand practical experience in a clinical setting.

The health physics concentration is designed to fill an urgent need for trained health physics professionals brought about by resurgence in the development of nuclear power, an expansion of programs in national security, and an ageing cadre of current health physics professionals. Also in this concentration, a research thesis is optional. Instead, students participate in an internship (10â??16 weeks over the summer) in an academic, clinical or industrial setting to experience a realistic workplace for a health physicist.

ECU Advantage

The Physics Department is a research-oriented department with both masters and PhD programs and an active academic life. Students enjoy a lot of personal contact between faculty and students. Our faculty are involved in cutting-edge research in various areas of radiation physics, biomedical physics, medical physics and other areas. The medical physics concentration is CAMPEP accredited.

As an ECU student, you can research your future career in Steppingblocks. Explore real-world stats about your major, your interests, and your dream job title with data-powered career exploration tools designed for doers like you.

What You Will Study

Program Coordinator: Michael Dingfelder (127 Austin Building; 252-328-0882; dingfelderm@ecu.edu)

The Department of Physics offers the Physics, MS with concentrations in applied physics, health physics, and medical physics. Students seeking a master of science (MS) degree must apply and be admitted into one of the three concentrations. A satisfactory knowledge of a foreign language or an acceptable computer language is required. Attendance at a minimum of one-half of the regular Department of Physics seminars given during the student's residence in the graduate program is required.

The applied physics concentration requires minimum of 34 s.h. of courses and the completion of a thesis. The health physics concentration requires a minimum of 38 s.h. of courses, and, in addition, students must complete a 10-16 week rigorous practicum in applied health physics in an industrial, university or national laboratory setting in lieu of a thesis. The medical physics concentration requires a minimum of 39 s.h. of courses that include a minimum of 6 s.h. of clinical study in lieu of a thesis.

The degree requires a minimum of 34-39 s.h. as follows: 

1. Core - 7 s.h.
  • PHYS 5600 - Modern Electronics
  • PHYS 5601 - Modern Electronics Laboratory
  • PHYS 5900 - Computational Physics
  • PHYS 5901 - Computational Physics Laboratory
  • PHYS 6816 - Seminar
2. Concentrations - 27-32 s.h.

(Choose one concentration.)

    a. Applied physics concentration - 27 s.h.

    Note: PHYS 7000 may be repeated for registration status, but only 6 s.h. may count towards graduation. 

    • PHYS 5311 - Mathematical Physics I
    • PHYS 6200 - Thermodynamics and Statistical Physics
    • PHYS 6300 - Electrodynamics I
    • PHYS 6410 - Quantum Mechanics I
    • PHYS 7000 - Thesis (6 s.h.)
    • PHYS 7450 - Solid State Physics
      • Minimum 6 s.h. of electives from:
      • PHYS 6250 - Classical Mechanics
      • PHYS 6700 - Health Physics
      • PHYS 6715 - Biomedical Physics
      • PHYS 6900 - Introduction to Research
    b. Health physics concentration - 31 s.h.
    • HLTH 6011 - Introduction to Epidemiology
    • PHYS 6410 - Quantum Mechanics I
    • PHYS 6700 - Health Physics
    • PHYS 6750 - Risk Assessment, Risk Communication and Regulations
    • PHYS 6900 - Introduction to Research
    • PHYS 7730 - Radiation Instrumentation
    • PHYS 7740 - Special Problems in Radiation Dosimetry and Modeling
    • RONC 7370 - Biological Effects of Radiation
      • Minimum 6 s.h. of electives from:
      • PHYS 6200 - Thermodynamics and Statistical Physics
      • PHYS 6710 - Nuclear Medicine Physics
      • PHYS 6718 - Therapeutic Radiological Physics
      • PHYS 7450 - Solid State Physics
    c. Medical physics concentration - 32 s.h.
    • PHYS 5410 - Introduction to Quantum Mechanics
    • PHYS 6700 - Health Physics
    • PHYS 6710 - Nuclear Medicine Physics

    • PHYS 6718 - Therapeutic Radiological Physics OR
    • RONC 6718 - Therapeutic Radiological Physics

    • PHYS 6720 - Physics of Medical Imaging
    • PHYS 6722 - Physics of Medical Imaging Laboratory

    • PHYS 6992 - Radiation Therapy Physics OR
    • RONC 6992 - Radiation Therapy Physics

    • PHYS 6993 - Clinical and Medical Dosimetry OR
    • RONC 6993 - Clinical and Medical Dosimetry

    • RONC 7370 - Biological Effects of Radiation
      • Minimum 3 s.h. of electives from:
      • PHYS 6528 - Readings in Physics III
      • PHYS 6900 - Introduction to Research
      • PHYS 7992 - Clinical Rotation in Radiation Therapy Physics
      Minimum 3 s.h. of electives from:
      • PHYS 6715 - Biomedical Physics
      • PHYS 6750 - Risk Assessment, Risk Communication and Regulations
      • PHYS 7730 - Radiation Instrumentation
Notes:

Students in the medical physics concentration who have had an undergraduate course in quantum mechanics may substitute a 3 s.h. elective, listed above, for PHYS 5410.

In addition, a student in the medical physics concentration must demonstrate a satisfactory knowledge of human anatomy and physiology.

Termination rule: A student, because of inappropriate behavior in a clinical setting, will be immediately suspended by the instructor. A review by the Graduate Committee will determine if the student is eligible to continue in the medical physics option.

    For more information about this degree visit the university's academic catalogs.
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