Curriculum
The Master of Engineering in Instrumentation and Applied Physics is an intensive professional degree program that can be completed in nine months while on campus.
The program is designed as a unique discovery experience, offering greater technical depth than is possible in an undergraduate program, while providing the tools you'll need to successfully work within multidisciplinary teams. The coursework provides opportunities to become proficient within your technical discipline at the graduate level, and the background to become an effective professional physicist.
Students need to complete the following coursework requirements:
- Minimum of 16 credit hours of required physics coursework
- 12 hours elective coursework
- 4 hours of professional development
Required coursework (16 credit hours)
| Course |
Title | Meeting times | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physics 503 | Instrumentation Physics: Applications of Machine Learning | Two 75-minute classes per week | 4 |
| Physics 523 | Instrumentation and Applied Physics Project (two semesters) | Two 3-hour classes each week | 8 |
| Physics 524 | Survey of Instrumentation and Laboratory Techniques | Two 50-minute classes per week | 2 |
| Physics 525 | Survey of Fundamental Device Physics | Two 50-minute classes per week | 2 |
| Total | 16 |
Elective coursework (12 credit hours)
Students graduating with eight or more credit hours of electives in a single area (such as Aerospace Engineering) will be eligible to receive a non-transcriptable subspecialization credential in that area, in addition to their master’s degree. To verify the award of this credential, the recipient should request a letter from the Department of Physics confirming the award of the credential, since the graduate’s transcript will include the courses taken towards the credential, but will not mention the subspecialization credential itself.
Here are a few sample programs you might consider following; please look through the long list of possible electives below and build your own curriculum as suits your interests. Keep in mind that some courses may specify prerequisites, and some may require the permission of the instructor for students to enroll in the course. Please see the websites of courses that interest you for more information.
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| PHYS 427 | Thermal & Statistical Physics |
| PHYS 436 | Electromagnetic Fields II |
| PHYS 460 | Condensed Matter Physics II |
| PHYS 487 | Quantum Physics II |
| PHYS 505 | Classical Electromagnetism |
| PHYS 508 | Mathematical Physics I |
| PHYS 509 | Mathematical Physics II |
| PHYS 514 | Modern Atomic Physics |
| PHYS 540 | Astrophysics |
| PHYS 561 | Condensed Matter Physics II |
| PHYS 565 | Theory of Semiconductors and Semiconductor Devices |
| PHYS 580 | Quantum Mechanics I |
| PHYS 598 CPA | Computational Physics and Astrophysics |
Students graduating with eight or more credit hours of electives in this area will be eligible to receive a subspecialization credential in Instrumentation and Aerospace Engineering.
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| AE 412 | Viscous Flow & Heat Transfer |
| AE 416 | Applied Aerodynamics |
| AE 420 | Finite Element Analysis |
| AE 433 | Aerospace Propulsion |
| AE 452 | Introduction to Nonlinear Dynamics and Vibrations |
| AE 485 | Spacecraft Environment and Interactions |
| AE 504 | Optimal Aerospace Systems |
| AE 512 | Molecular Gas Dynamics |
Students graduating with eight or more credit hours of electives in this area will be eligible to receive a subspecialization credential in Instrumentation and Astronomy.
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| ASTR 404 | Stellar Astrophysics |
| ASTR 501 | Radiative Processes |
| ASTR 502 | Astrophysical Dynamics |
| ASTR 503 | Observational Astronomy |
| ASTR 504 | Theoretical Stellar Physics |
| ASTR 505 | Star Formation |
| ASTR 506 | Galaxies |
| ASTR 507 | Physical Cosmology |
Students graduating with eight or more credit hours of electives in this area will be eligible to receive a subspecialization credential in Instrumentation and Atmospheric Sciences.
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| ATMS 404 | Risk Analysis in Earth Science |
| ATMS 410 | Radar Meteorology |
| ATMS 411 | Satellite Remote Sensing |
| ATMS 500 | Dynamic Meteorology |
| ATMS 535 | Aerosol Sampling and Analysis |
No subspecialization credential available.
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| BIOE/ECE 414 | Biomedical Instrumentation |
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Students graduating with eight or more credit hours of electives in this area will be eligible to receive a subspecialization credential in Instrumentation and Civil and Environmental Engineering.
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| CEE 401 | Concrete Materials |
| CEE 405 | Asphalt Materials I |
| CEE 406 | Pavement Design I |
| CEE 408 | Railroad Transportation Engrg |
| CEE 409 | Railroad Track Engineering |
| CEE 434 | Environmental Systems I |
| CEE 437 | Water Quality Engineering |
| CEE 441 | Air Pollution Sources, Transport and Control |
| CEE 442 | Environmental Engineering Principles, Physical |
| CEE 450 | Surface Hydrology |
| CEE 451 | Environmental Fluid Mechanics |
| CEE 457 | Groundwater |
| CEE 458 | Water Resources Field Methods |
| CEE 461 | Reinforced Concrete I |
| CEE 465 | Design of Structural Systems |
| CEE 470 | Structural Analysis |
| CEE 471 | Structural Mechanics |
| CEE 472 | Structural Dynamics I |
| CEE 473 | Wind Effects on Structures |
| CEE 483 | Soil Mechanics and Behavior |
| CEE 545 | Aerosol Sampling and Analysis |
| CEE 582 | Consolidation of Clays |
| CEE 586 | Rock Mechanics and Behavior |
| CEE 588 | Geotechnical Earthquake Engrg |
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
No subspecialization credential available.
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| CHBE 421 | Momentum and Heat Transfer |
Students graduating with eight or more credit hours of electives in this area will be eligible to receive a subspecialization credential in Instrumentation and Computer Science.
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| CS/ECE 407 | Cryptography |
| CS 411 | Database Systems |
| CS 424 | Real-Time Systems |
| CS 425 | Distributed Systems |
| CS 431 | Embedded Systems |
| CS 437 | Topics in Internet of Things |
| CS 439 | Wireless Networks |
| CS 450 | Numerical Analysis |
| CS 461/ ECE 422 | Computer Security I |
| CS 473 | Algorithms |
| CS 543 | Computer Vision |
| CS 555 | Numerical Methods for PDEs |
| CS 565 | Human-Computer Interaction |
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Students graduating with eight or more credit hours of electives in this area will be eligible to receive a subspecialization credential in Instrumentation and Electrical and Computer Engineering.
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| ECE 401 | Signal Processing |
| ECE 402 | Electronic Music Synthesis |
| ECE 414 | Biomedical Instrumentation |
| ECE 416 | Biosensors |
| ECE 418 | Image & Video Processing |
| ECE 420 | Embedded DSP Laboratory |
| ECE 421 | Neural Interface Engineering |
| ECE 422 | Computer Security I |
| ECE 431 | Electric Machinery |
| ECE 437 | Sensors and Instrumentation |
| ECE 443 | LEDs and Solar Cells |
| ECE 455 | Optical Electronics |
| ECE 457 | Microwave Devices & Circuits |
| ECE 464 | Power Electronics |
| BIOE/ECE 467 | Biophotonics |
| ECE 470 | Introduction to Robotics |
| ECE 476 | Power System Analysis |
| ECE 481 | Nanotechnology |
| ECE 486 | Control Systems |
| ECE 489 | Robot Dynamics and Control |
| ECE 491 | Numerical Analysis |
| ECE 520 | EM Waves & Radiating Systems |
| ECE 522 | Emerging Memory and Storage Systems |
| ECE 523 | Plasma Technology of Gaseous Electronics |
| ECE 528 | Analysis of Nonlinear Systems |
| ECE 535 | Theory of Semiconductors & Devices |
| ECE 538 | 2D Material Electronics and Photonics |
| ECE 540 | Computational Electromagnetics |
| ECE 558 | Digital Imaging |
| ECE 570 | Nonlinear Optics |
| ECE 572 | Quantum Opto-Electronics |
Food Science and Human Nutrition
Students graduating with eight or more credit hours of electives in this area will be eligible to receive a Graduate certificate, pending approval by the Grainger College of Engineering, in Instrumentation and Food Science and Human Nutrition.
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| FSHN 414 | Food Chemistry |
| FSHN 418 | Food Analysis |
| FSHN 460 | Food Processing Engineering |
| FSHN 464 | Beverage Science & Technology |
| FSHN 465 | Principles of Food Technology |
| FSHN 466 | Food Product Development |
| FSHN 480 | Basic Toxicology |
| FSHN 574 | Value added biotransformation |
| FSHN 576 | Food Safety for Global Food Security |
Students graduating with eight or more credit hours of electives in this area will be eligible to receive a subspecialization credential in Instrumentation and Geology.
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| GEOL 411 | Structural Geol and Tectonics |
| GEOL 432 | Mineralogy and Mineral Optics |
| GEOL 436 | Petrology and Petrography |
| GEOL 440 | Sedimentology and Stratigraphy |
| GEOL 470 | Introduction to Hydrogeology |
| GEOL 561 | Geomicrobiology & Geochemistry |
| GEOL 562 | Isotope Geology |
| GEOL 571 | Contaminant Fate and Transport |
| GEOL 573 | River Morphodynamics |
Students graduating with eight or more credit hours of electives in this area will be eligible to receive a subspecialization credential in Instrumentation and Health Technology.
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| HT 502 | Human Factors Methods for Health Technology |
| HT 503 | Hardware Engineering for Health Technology |
| HT 504 | Software Engineering for Health Technology |
Students graduating with eight or more credit hours of electives in this area will be eligible to receive a subspecialization credential in Instrumentation and Information Sciences.
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| IS 445 | Data Visualization |
| IS 464 | Information Assurance |
| IS 477 | Data Management, Curation & Reproducibility |
| IS 515 | Information Modeling |
| IS 525 | Data Warehousing and Business Intelligence |
| IS 537 | Theory & Practice of Data Cleaning |
| IS 541 | Copyright for Information Professions |
| IS 543 | Digital Preservation |
Students graduating with eight or more credit hours of electives in this area will be eligible to receive a subspecialization credential in Instrumentation and Mathematics.
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| MATH 413 | Intro to Combinatorics |
| MATH 415 | Applied Linear Algebra |
| MATH 441 | Differential Equations |
| MATH 442 | Intro Partial Diff Equations |
| MATH 446 | Applied Complex Variables |
| MATH 461 | Probability Theory |
| MATH 463 | Statistics and Probability I |
| MATH 473 | Algorithms |
| MATH 481 | Vector and Tensor Analysis |
| MATH 541 | Functional Analysis |
| MATH 545 | Harmonic Analysis |
| MATH 552 | Numerical Methods for PDEs |
Students graduating with eight or more credit hours of electives in this area will be eligible to receive a subspecialization credential in Instrumentation and Mechanical Engineering.
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| ME 400 | Energy Conversion Systems |
| ME 402 | Design of Thermal Systems |
| ME 403 | Internal Combustion Engines |
| ME 404 | Intermediate Thermodynamics |
| ME 410 | Intermediate Gas Dynamics |
| ME 411 | Viscous Flow & Heat Transfer |
| ME 412 | Numerical Thermo-Fluid Mechs |
| ME 420 | Intermediate Heat Transfer |
| ME 430 | Failure of Engrg Materials |
| ME 445 | Introduction to Robotics |
| ME 447 | Computational Design and Dynamics of Soft Systems |
| ME 452 | Num Control of Mfg Processes |
| ME 458 | Additive Manufacturing and Product Design |
| ME 460 | Industrial Control Systems |
| ME 461 | Computer Cntrl of Mech Systems |
| ME 471 | Finite Element Analysis |
| ME 472 | Introduction to Tribology |
| ME 481 | Whole-Body Musculoskel Biomech |
| ME 482 | Musculoskel Tissue Mechanics |
| ME 483 | Mechanobiology |
| ME 487 | MEMS-NEMS Theory & Fabrication |
| ME 501 | Combustion Fundamentals |
| ME 502 | Thermal Systems |
| ME 504 | Multiphase Systems & Processes |
| ME 522 | Thermal Radiation |
| ME 530 | Fatigue Analysis |
| ME 540 | Control System Theory & Design |
| ME 546 | Analysis of Nonlinear Systems |
| ME 586 | Mechanics of MEMS |
Materials Science and Engineering
No subspecialization credential available.
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| MSE 402 | Kinetic Processes in Materials |
| MSE 403 | Synthesis of Materials |
| MSE 405 | Microstructure Determination |
| MSE 406 | Thermal-Mech Behavior of Matls |
| MSE 420 | Ceramic Materials & Properties |
| MSE 422 | Electrical Ceramics |
| MSE 440 | Mechanical Behavior of Metals |
| MSE 441 | Metals Processing |
| MSE 443 | Design of Engineering Alloys |
| MSE 450 | Polymer Science & Engineering |
| MSE 455 | Macromolecular Solids |
| MSE 456 | Mechanics of Composites |
| MSE 458 | Polymer Physics |
| MSE 460 | Electronic Materials I |
| MSE 464 | Magnetic Materials and their Applications |
| MSE 466 | Materials in Electrochem Syst |
| MSE 470 | Design and Use of Biomaterials |
| MSE 473 | Biomolecular Materials Science |
| MSE 474 | Biomaterials and Nanomedicine |
| MSE 480 | Surfaces and Colloids |
| MSE 485 | Atomic Scale Simulations |
| MSE 487 | Materials for Nanotechnology |
| MSE 488 | Optical Materials |
| MSE 501 | Kinetic Processes in Materials |
| MSE 581 | Advanced Electron Microscopy |
| MSE 582 | Surface Physics |
| MSE 583 | Dynamics of Complex Fluids |
| MSE 584 | Point and Line Defects |
Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering
Students graduating with eight or more credit hours of electives in this area will be eligible to receive a subspecialization credential in Instrumentation and Nuclear Technology.
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| NPRE 402 | Nuclear Power Engineering |
| NPRE 421 | Plasma and Fusion Science |
| NPRE 429 | Plasma Engineering |
| NPRE 435 | Radiological Imaging |
| NPRE 441 | Radiation Protection |
| NPRE 442 | Radioactive Waste Management |
| NPRE 445 | Interaction of Radiation with Matter |
| NPRE 455 | Neutron Diffusion & Transport |
| NPRE 470 | Fuel Cells & Hydrogen Sources |
| NPRE 475 | Wind Power Systems |
| NPRE 526 | Plasma-Material Interactions |
Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences
Students graduating with eight or more credit hours of electives in this area will be eligible to receive a subspecialization credential in Instrumentation and Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences.
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| NRES 401 | Watershed Hydrology |
| NRES 403 | Watersheds and Water Quality |
| NRES 406 | Fluvial Geomorphology |
| NRES 474 | Soil and Water Conservation |
| NRES 480 | Human-Wildlife Interactions |
| NRES 488 | Soil Fertility and Fertilizers |
Students graduating with eight or more credit hours of electives in this area will be eligible to receive a subspecialization credential in Instrumentation and Statistics.
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| STAT 400 | Statistics and Probability I |
| STAT 408 | Actuarial Statistics I |
| STAT 420 | Methods of Applied Statistics |
| STAT 424 | Analysis of Variance |
| STAT 425 | Statistical Modeling I |
| STAT 428 | Statistical Computing |
| STAT 429 | Time Series Analysis |
| STAT 431 | Applied Bayesian Analysis |
| STAT 433 | Stochastic Processes |
| STAT 440 | Statistical Data Management |
| STAT 530 | Bioinformatics |
| STAT 558 | Risk Modeling and Analysis |
| STAT 571 | Multivariate Analysis |
| STAT 575 | Large Sample Theory |
| STAT 587 | Hierarchical Linear Models |
Theoretical and Applied Mechanics
Students graduating with eight or more credit hours of electives in this area will be eligible to receive a subspecialization credential in Instrumentation and Theoretical and Applied Mechanics.
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| TAM 412 | Intermediate Dynamics |
| TAM 413 | Fund of Engrg Acoustics |
| TAM 416 | Introduction to Nonlinear Dynamics and Vibrations |
| TAM 424 | Mechanics of Structural Metals |
| TAM 428 | Mechanics of Composites |
| TAM 435 | Intermediate Fluid Mechanics |
| TAM 445 | Continuum Mechanics |
| TAM 451 | Intermediate Solid Mechanics |
| TAM 456 | Experimental Stress Analysis |
| TAM 470 | Computational Mechanics |
| TAM 514 | Elastodynamics and Vibrations |
| TAM 524 | Micromechanics of Materials |
| TAM 531 | Inviscid Flow |
| TAM 532 | Viscous Flow |
| TAM 534 | Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics & Rheology |
| TAM 549 | Asymptotic Methods |
| TAM 551 | Solid Mechanics I |
| TAM 555 | Fracture Mechanics |
Professional development coursework (4 credit hours)
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| TE 450 | Startups: incorporation, funding, contracts, and intellectual property | 3 |
| TE 460 | Lectures in engineering entrepreneurship | 1 |
| TE 461 | Technology entrepreneurship | 3 |
| TE 466 | High-tech venture marketing | 2 |
| TE 565 | Technological innovation and strategy | 2 |
| TE 566 | Finance for engineering management | 2 |
| Choose 4 credit hours from the courses listed above, or with approval of the program coordinator, other courses in Business, Law, or Economics. | ||
| Total | 4 | |
Sample programs
Students graduating with eight or more credit hours of electives in a single area (such as Aerospace Engineering) will be eligible to receive a Graduate Certificate in that area. Here are a few sample programs you might consider following; please look through the long list of possible electives above and build your own curriculum as suits your interests. Keep in mind that some courses may specify prerequisites, and some may require the permission of the instructor for students to enroll in the course.
| Course | Title | Hours | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall semester | |||
| PHYS 503 | Instrumentation Physics: Applications of Machine Learning | 4 | required |
| PHYS 523 | Instrumentation and Applied Physics Project (two semesters) | 4 | required |
| PHYS 524 | Survey of Instrumentation and Laboratory Techniques | 2 | required |
| CEE 408 | Railroad Transportation Engrg | 3 | elective |
| TE 461 | Technology Entrepreneurship | 3 | professional development |
| TE460 | Lectures in Engineering Entrepreneurship | 1 | professional development |
| Spring semester | |||
| PHYS 523 | Instrumentation and Applied Physics Project (two semesters) | 4 | required |
| PHYS 525 | Survey of Fundamental Device Physics | 2 | required |
| CEE 411 | RR Project Design & Constr | 4 | elective |
| CEE 410 | Railway Signaling & Control | 3 | elective |
| AE 435 | Electric Space Propulsion | 4 | elective |
| Course | Title | Hours | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall semester | |||
| PHYS 503 | Instrumentation Physics: Applications of Machine Learning | 4 | required |
| PHYS 523 | Instrumentation and Applied Physics Project (two semesters) | 4 | required |
| PHYS 524 | Survey of Instrumentation and Laboratory Techniques | 2 | required |
| TE 461 | Technology Entrepreneurship | 3 | professional development |
| TE460 | Lectures in Engineering Entrepreneurship | 1 | professional development |
| Spring semester | |||
| PHYS 523 | Instrumentation and Applied Physics Project (two semesters) | 4 | required |
| PHYS 525 | Survey of Fundamental Device Physics | 2 | required |
| AE 419 | Aircraft Flight Mechanics | 4 | elective |
| AE 434 | Rocket Propulsion | 4 | elective |
| AE 435 | Electric Space Propulsion | 4 | elective |
| Course | Title | Hours | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall semester | |||
| PHYS 503 | Instrumentation Physics: Applications of Machine Learning | 4 | required |
| PHYS 523 | Instrumentation and Applied Physics Project (two semesters) | 4 | required |
| PHYS 524 | Survey of Instrumentation and Laboratory Techniques | 2 | required |
| STAT 400 | Statistics and Probability I | 4 | elective |
| Spring semester | |||
| PHYS 523 | Instrumentation and Applied Physics Project (two semesters) | 4 | required |
| PHYS 525 | Survey of Fundamental Device Physics | 2 | required |
| SE 400 | Engineering Law | 4 | professional development |
| STAT 425 | Statistical Modeling I | 4 | elective |
| STAT 530 | Bioinformatics | 4 | elective |