Master’s in Applied Physics

WPI’s new master’s in applied physics lets you structure your own academic and professional path in areas ranging from photonics to medical physics.

With a commitment to using physics applications in research and interfaces with other disciplines, WPI’s new applied physics masters prepares you for work in academia, industry, government, and healthcare. Close collaboration with our faculty and access to our state-of-the-art facilities and labs will strengthen the work you do at WPI and the work you’ll do in your career.

A master’s in applied physics from WPI offers research choices that match your interests and reflect the needs in the industry. The degree program will prepare you for a career at national and international laboratories, industry, education, and academia. With a focused, cross-cutting research and challenging coursework, the applied physics master’s degree encourages exploration in areas at the interface of physics and other scientific disciplines.

Students in the program will choose from five concentrations, each of which hold a different impact for the world. With these five concentrations, you’ll dive into research that solves real-world problems and invites new approaches.

Biophysics and soft condensed matter
Medical physics
Nanoscience and technology
Photonics
Radiological sciences

Learn more about how WPI offers thorough and cutting-edge applied physics programs.

Research for Applied Physics Master’s Degree

You’ll find expanded opportunities in WPI’s collaborative, interdisciplinary research environment and state-of-the-art facilities. As you choose one concentration to focus your applied physics master’s degree studies on, you’ll find that our labs and facilities offer the resources needed to amplify the impact of your work.

Applied physics researchers will find space and equipment at the WPI Life Sciences & Bioengineering Center at Gateway Park, as well as labs such as the Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) Laboratory, the Center for Computational Nanoscience with Computer Clusters, and the photonics-focused Laboratory for Education & Application Prototypes (LEAP @ WPI/QCC).

Interested in degrees similar to the MS in applied physics? Explore our MS in physics.

WEBINARS

Graduate Studies Series.

Team members from Graduate & Professional Studies host quick and convenient webinars designed to highlight popular topics when starting grad school. Take a deep dive into specific areas of interest such as how to secure funding, how to ace your application, an overview of student services, and more!

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Faculty Profiles

Izabela Stroe

Associate Professor of Teaching, Physics

For me, Physics is like a sandbox. It gives me the opportunity to play and discover, test, be creative, learn something new. At the same time, I am passionate about passing the thrill of discovery to my students. Teaching is a two-way street in which both parties get enriched fro [...]

Lyubov Titova

Professor, Physics

Qi Wen

Associate Professor, Physics

Professor Wen is an experimental biophysicist who is interested in applying physical methods to understand biological phenomena. By measuring the mechanical properties of living cells and the mechanical interaction between cells and ECM, he aims to understand how cells convert ex [...]

Kun-Ta Wu

Associate Professor, Physics

Dr. Wu is an active researcher with a focus on soft matter and biophysics, which is an interdisciplinary field that encompasses physics, biology, and engineering. His work centers on the study of active fluids, which are a class of soft materials that comprise self-propelling par [...]

Padmanabhan Aravind

Professor, Physics

In my 25 plus years at WPI, I have been actively engaged in teaching and research at a variety of levels. Our Projects Program is the place where these two activities naturally come together, and the Major Qualifying Projects (or senior theses) I have guided over the years have b [...]

Nancy Burnham

Professor, Physics

Nancy Burnham graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1987 with a Ph.D. in Physics. Her dissertation concerned the surface analysis of photovoltaic materials. As a National Research Council Postdoctoral Fellow at the Naval Research Laboratory, she became intereste [...]

David Medich

Professor, Physics

I perform experimental and computational (Monte Carlo) research in the field of applied nuclear physics with a focus on Medical and Health Physics. Presently my research group is investigating: 1) developing a unique technique to enable ultrahigh-resolution in-vivo functiona [...]

Doug Petkie

Professor and Department Head, Physics

I am delighted to collaborate with students and colleagues to enhance WPI's global impact. WPI offers a vibrant and dynamic environment that emphasizes experiential learning and interdisciplinary research, with near-peer mentorship spanning the undergraduate and graduate programs [...]

Earn a Traditional MS in Physics

Are you interested in investigating traditional physics as a career path? Explore our MS in Physics, which challenges students to work on boundary-pushing, hands-on research. Already have a master's and exploring PhD options? WPI’s doctorate in physics prepares you for a career in academia or industry. As a PhD student, you’ll study biophysics and nanoscience alongside word-renowned faculty. Find out more about our PhD in Physics.

Do You Need to Earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Applied Physics First?

If you’re interested in applied physics but need a foundation, WPI’s Applied Physics BS gives you the knowledge and shows you how to apply it to real-world problems facing physicists and scientists around the world.

Maybe you’re just fascinated by physics on the small scale but don’t want to major in the field? WPI’s minor in nanoscience can give you the background you want. Explore our minor in nanoscience to enhance your understanding.

Similar Majors

Research for Applied Physics Master’s Degree

Graduate Studies Series.

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Earn a Traditional MS in Physics

Do You Need to Earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Applied Physics First?

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