The Doctor of Philosophy in Physics degree signifies that the recipient has acquired a broad and in-depth knowledge of the discipline and has demonstrated research competence meeting the national standards. Students accepted for the program typically possess a four-year bachelor鈥檚 degree in physics or related fields. Physicists are recognized for their ability to investigate secrets of the natural world through careful experimentation, theoretical modelling or computer simulations or a combination of these, the final goal being uncovering/validating/extending laws of nature. These skills acquired during the degree are highly valued not only in academia and research labs but also by a variety of industries. Our graduates have gained employment in academia as well as in research labs, industries and businesses in a wide range of areas including oil & gas, renewable energy, medical research, semiconductors (example: Intel Corporation), financial analysis, software/hardware development and data science.
Degree Requirements
Credit hours required for this degree: 54.0
September 2025
College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
Science & Research Building 1?,
3507 Cullen Blvd, Room 214?,
HOUSTON,
Texas,
77204, United States
Applicants are expected to have completed, or be in their last term of completing, a bachelor鈥檚 in physics or a related field, or a master鈥檚 degree, and have acquired a working knowledge of the basic areas of physics including mechanics, thermodynamics, and electromagnetism.
A cumulative GPA of 3.00 or better in the last 60 hours.
English Language Proficiency Requirements
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
The minimum TOEFL score required is 79 for the internet-based test. The minimum TOEFL score for the paper-based exam is 550.
IELTS (International English Language Testing Service)
The minimum IELTS score required is an overall score of a 6.5.
*There may be different IELTS requirements depending on your chosen course.
