Master of Science

Health Physics Emphasis

The Health Physics Emphasis of the M.S. in Physics is a thesis program that will prepare students for radiation protection careers leading to upper technical and management levels in industry, universities, medicine, national laboratories, government, nuclear power and radioactive waste management.

The minimum admission requirements are admission to the Graduate School and a baccalaureate degree in a physical or biological science or engineering. The basic program requirements are 30 credits of which 15 credits must be at the 600 course level. Six of the fifteen 600 level credits may be thesis. The normal core program is listed below. Students who are prepared with some education and experience in Health Physics will likely not need all of the elective health physics courses. Therefore, the program of the student will be determined in consultation with the student's advisor and committee and can include electives to meet their needs. An oral examination in defense of the thesis is required.

Required Courses                                                                                                       Credit

            PHYS 588 - Radiobiology                                                                              3

            PHYS 601 - Quantitative Methods in Physics                                               3          

            PHYS 605 - Rad. Enviro. Mon. & Surveillance                                             3          

            PHYS 610 - Radiation Regulations                                                              3          

            PHYS 650 - Thesis                                                                                         6          

Electives - May be required if not taken at the undergraduate level.

            PHYS 509 - Intro Nuclear Physics                                                                 3          

            PHYS 516 - Intro to Nuclear Measurements                                                  3

            PHYS 531 - Radiation Physics I                                                                   3

            PHYS 532 - Radiation Physics II                                                                  3          

            PHYS 533 - External Dosimetry                                                                    3          

            PHYS 534 - Internal Dosimetry                                                                     3          

            PHYS 555 - Topics in Health Physics I                                                         2          

            PHYS 556 - Topics in Health Physics II                                                        2          

            PHYS 592 - Colloquium in Physics (may be repeated)                                 1          

Other Suggested Electives

            PHYS 511 - Accelerator Health Physics                                                        3

            PHYS 512 - Environmental Health Physics                                                               3

Other Electives (cont.)                                                                                                Credit 

            PHYS 513 - Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene                                          3

            PHYS 517 - Industrial Ventilation & Aerosol Physics                                  3 

            PHYS 518 - Nonionizing Radiation Protection                                              3

            PHYS 519 - Radiological Emergency Planning                                             3 

            PHYS 520 - Reactor Health Physics                                                              3 

            PHYS 501 - Modern Physics                                                                         3          

            PHYS 503 - Advanced Modern Physics                                                        3          

            PHYS 504 - Advanced Modern Physics                                                        3

            PHYS 599 - Medical Applications                                                                 3

            BIOS 562 - Freshwater Ecology                                                                   3          

            BIOS 576 - Ecology of Water Pollution                                                        3

            NS&E 502- Intro to Nuclear Engineering                                                      3          

            NS&E 544- Nuclear Fuel Cycles                                                                   3

            GEOL 530 - Principles of Hydrogeology                                                       3          

            MATH 530- Linear Algebra                                                                          3

            MATH 560- Differential Equations                                                               3          

            MGT 512 - Individual & Organizational Behavior                                        3 

            MGT 573 - Human Resource Management                                                   3

            SPCH 208 - Group Communication                                                               3

            SPCH 552 - Conflict Management                                                                 3