Web Page: http://www.umsl.edu/~physics/index.html
Degrees and Areas of Concentration
The Department of Physics & Astronomy offers course work leading to the B.A. in physics, the B.S. in physics, and in cooperation with the College of Education,the B.A. in physics with teacher certification and the B.S. in education with an emphasis in physics.
The department offers meritorious junior and senior students opportunities to participate in teaching and research to help prepare them for the independent effort required in industry or graduate school. The department's faculty members have a diversity of interests and are active in various experimental and theoretical research areas.
Graduate work leading to the Master of Science in physics is also offered. The M.S. in physics program combines a sound basis in the fundamental areas of classical and modern physics from both a theoretical and an applied perspective. The program is designed to enable students with undergraduate backgrounds in physics or other technical areas to further their professional development and maintain and improve their technical development. The program is offered almost entirely in the evening to serve students who are employed locally. The department offers the Ph.D. degree in cooperation with the University of Missouri-Rolla Physics Department. Students must satisfy the UM-Rolla admission standards, and the UM-Rolla Qualifying Exam in Physics is required of UM-St. Louis Ph.D. students. However, all course work and dissertation research may be completed while the student is in residence at UM-St. Louis.
Career Outlook
Many of our students have been successful in subsequent graduate studies in astronomy and meteorology, as well as in physics. Our alumni have pursued graduate studies and earned doctorate degrees at institutions such as Cornell University, University of Wisconsin, Washington University, and University of Chicago. The many students who elected a career in industry are now working in a variety of settings for such firms as International Business Machines, Emerson Electric, Southwestern Bell, Hewlett-Packard, Boeing, and the National Center for Atmospheric Research. Several former students are currently teaching physics in high schools around the St. Louis area.