About the Program

Graduate work leading to the PhD degree is offered in the Department of Physics. Students may petition for an MA degree on their way to a PhD. Please note that the department will not consider applications from students who intend to work toward the MA degree only. In certain cases, students may petition for a terminal MA degree. Research is a major part of the PhD program, and research opportunities exist across the full spectrum of theoretical and experimental physics in astrophysics and cosmology, atomic, molecular and optical physics, biophysics, condensed matter, elementary particles and fields, fusion and plasma, low temperature physics, mathematical physics, nuclear physics, quantum information, space physics, and statistical mechanics.

At the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, extensive opportunities exist for research in astrophysics, elementary particle and nuclear physics, condensed matter physics and materials science, and plasma and nuclear physics. Space physics, interplanetary studies, solar plasma research, physics of the upper atmosphere, and cosmological problems are pursued both in the Physics Department and at the Space Sciences Laboratory.

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Admissions

Admission to the University

Uniform minimum requirements for admission

The following minimum requirements apply to all programs and will be verified by the Graduate Division:

1. A bachelor’s degree or recognized equivalent from an accredited institution;
2. A minimum grade-point average of B or better (3.0);
3. If the applicant comes from a country or political entity (e.g. Quebec) where English is not the official language, adequate proficiency in English to do graduate work, as evidenced by a TOEFL score of at least 570 on the paper-and-pencil test, 230 on the computer-based test, 90 on the iBT test, or an IELTS Band score of at least 7 (note that individual programs may set higher levels for any of these); and
4. Enough undergraduate training to do graduate work in the given field.

Applicants who already hold a graduate degree

The Graduate Council views academic degrees as evidence of broad research training, not as vocational training certificates; therefore, applicants who already have academic graduate degrees should be able to take up new subject matter on a serious level without undertaking a graduate program, unless the fields are completely dissimilar.

Programs may consider students for an additional academic master’s or professional master’s degree if the additional degree is in a distinctly different field.

Applicants admitted to a doctoral program that requires a master’s degree to be earned at Berkeley as a prerequisite (even though the applicant already has a master’s degree from another institution in the same or a closely allied field of study) will be permitted to undertake the second master’s degree, despite the overlap in field.

The Graduate Division will admit students for a second doctoral degree only if they meet the following guidelines:

1. Applicants with doctoral degrees may be admitted for an additional doctoral degree only if that degree program is in a general area of knowledge distinctly different from the field in which they earned their original degree. For example, a physics PhD could be admitted to a doctoral degree program in music or history; however, a student with a doctoral degree in mathematics would not be permitted to add a PhD in statistics.
2. Applicants who hold the PhD degree may be admitted to a professional doctorate or professional master’s degree program if there is no duplication of training involved.

Applicants may only apply to one single degree program or one concurrent degree program per admission cycle.

Any applicant who was previously registered at Berkeley as a graduate student, no matter how briefly, must apply for readmission, not admission, even if the new application is to a different program.

Required documents for admissions applications

1. Transcripts:  Upload unofficial transcripts with the application for the departmental initial review. Official transcripts of all college-level work will be required if admitted. Official transcripts must be in sealed envelopes as issued by the school(s) you have attended. Request a current transcript from every post-secondary school that you have attended, including community colleges, summer sessions, and extension programs.
   If you have attended Berkeley, upload unofficial transcript with the application for the departmental initial review. Official transcript with evidence of degree conferral will not be required if admitted.
2. Letters of recommendation: Applicants can request online letters of recommendation through the online application system. Hard copies of recommendation letters must be sent directly to the program, not the Graduate Division.
3. Evidence of English language proficiency: All applicants from countries in which the official language is not English are required to submit official evidence of English language proficiency. This requirement applies to applicants from Bangladesh, Burma, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Latin America, the Middle East, the People’s Republic of China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, and most European countries. However, applicants who, at the time of application, have already completed at least one year of full-time academic course work with grades of B or better at a U.S. university may submit an official transcript from the U.S. university to fulfill this requirement. The following courses will not fulfill this requirement: 1) courses in English as a Second Language, 2) courses conducted in a language other than English, 3) courses that will be completed after the application is submitted, and 4) courses of a non-academic nature. If applicants have previously been denied admission to Berkeley on the basis of their English language proficiency, they must submit new test scores that meet the current minimum from one of the standardized tests.

Admission to the Program

The Department of Physics ordinarily admits only those applicants who have scholastic records well above a B+ average and who have completed the equivalent of the undergraduate major in physics. This program includes upper-division courses in mechanics (4 semester units), electromagnetism and optics (8 semester units), statistical and thermal physics (4 semester units), quantum mechanics (8 semester units), and advanced undergraduate laboratory (5 semester units). Courses in atomic, nuclear and solid state physics, astronomy and applied mathematics are recommended as electives. Not all courses in the major are required for admission. Some courses required for the major program but not previously taken may have to be made up in the first year of graduate work. Applicants are required to submit a list of courses taken in physics and mathematics with course number, and applicable textbook, as well as a list of courses in progress.

In determining the admissibility of a prospective graduate student the Department attempts to carefully weigh all relevant factors, including transcripts of academic work, scores on the GRE, letters of recommendation, any research experience, and a statement of purpose. We recognize the diverse experiences of our applicants and therefore encourage them to submit supporting materials.

The graduate program in physics is designed for those intending to pursue work leading to the PhD. After completing the necessary course work requirements, an MA degree can be awarded. However, the Department does not consider applications from those intending to work toward the MA degree only.

Doctoral Degree Requirements

Normative Time Requirements

Students enter the program with different training and backgrounds and because thesis research by its very nature is unpredictable, the time-frame for individual students will vary. Nevertheless, failure to meet the goals set forth here without appropriate justification may indicate that the student is not making adequate progress towards the PhD, and will therefore prompt consideration by the Department and possibly by Graduate Division of the student’s progress, which might lead to probation and later dismissal. See the Physics Department's website for more information on the expectations for the progress of a typical graduate student from admission to award of a PhD.

Time to Advancement

Curriculum

Preliminary Exams

The preliminary examination is a written examination and is designed to ensure that students command a broad spectrum of undergraduate physics prior to engaging in graduate research. The written exam is composed of four sections, and all four sections of the preliminary exam are offered at the beginning of both Fall and Spring semesters. Additional information can be found on our website .

QE

After the beginning of research and no later than completion of four semesters of research, the student is expected to take an oral qualifying examination covering his or her research field and related areas. The examination is administered by a four-member committee (consisting of three physics and one outside faculty member) approved by the Graduate Council.

Further details can be found on our website .

Teaching Opportunities

Students who meet the December deadline will automatically be considered for GSI positions. Additional information is available on the department's website .

Non-native speakers of English must prove their proficiency in spoken English before they can hold GSI positions. Additional information is available on the department's website .

Courses

Physics

Faculty

Professors

Mina Aganagic, Professor. Particle physics.
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Mr. Robert Joseph Birgeneau, PhD, Professor. Physics, phase transition behavior of novel states of matter.
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Steven Edward Boggs, Professor. Astrophysics, cosmology, supernovas, physics, gamma-ray telescopes, radioactive nuclei, nucleosynthesis, gamma-ray emission.
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Raphael Bousso, PhD, Professor. Physics, quantum mechanics, gravity, unified description of nature, string theory, quantum properties of black holes, the geometry of spacetime, covariant entropy bound, cosmological constant.
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Dmitry Budker, Professor. Modern atomic physics, discrete symmetries, samarium, dysprosium, ytterbium, spectral line broadening, parity nonconservation, magnetometry, atomic collisions, NV diamond, fundamental physics.
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Carlos J. Bustamante, PhD, Professor. Nanoscience, structural characterization of nucleo-protein assemblies, single molecule fluorescence microscopy, DNA-binding molecular motors, the scanning force microscope, prokaryotes.
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Michael F. Crommie, Professor. Physics, electronic properties of atomic-scale structures at surfaces, atomic-scale structures, morphology and dynamics of mesoscopic systems, atomic manipulation, visualizing low dimensional electronic behavior.
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Robert C. Dynes, Professor. Condensed matter physics and materials science.
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Joel Fajans, Professor. Astrophysics, plasma processing, physics, basic plasma physics, non-neutral plasmas, basic plasma physics experiments, pure electron plasma traps, cyrogenic plasmas, plasma bifurcations, basic non-linear dynamics, autoresonance.
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Roger W Falcone, Professor. X-rays, plasma physics, lasers, physics, materials, atomic physics, coherent control, ultrafast.
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Reinhard Genzel, Professor. Physics, existence and formation of black holes in galactic nuclei, the nature of the power source, the evolution of (ultra)luminous infrared galaxies, gas dynamics, the fueling of active galactic nuclei, the properties evolution of starburst galaxies.
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Lawrence J. Hall, Professor. Physics, standard model of particle physics, symmetries of nature, the symmetry of the electroweak interaction, spacetime symmetries: weak scale supersymmetry, constrained theories for the quark and charged lepton masses, supersymmetric theory.
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Wick Haxton, Professor. Astrophysics, neutrino physics, nuclear astrophysics, tests of symmetries and conservation laws in nuclear and particle and atomic physics, many-body theory, effective theories.
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Beate Heinemann, PhD, Professor. Particle physics.
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Frances Hellman, Professor. Condensed matter physics and materials science.
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William L. Holzapfel, Professor. Cosmology, physics, measurement and interpretation of anisotropies of the cosmic microwave background, the universe, density of energy, baryonic matter in the universe, the degree angular scale interferometer, the arcminute cosmology bolometer array.
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Petr Horava, Professor. Cosmology, physics, quantum geometry, particle physics, string (and M-) theory, quantum gravity.
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Bob Jacobsen, Professor. Physics, high energy physics, LEP collider and detectors, CKM matrix, B meson decays, CP violation in the B system.
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Edgar Knobloch, Dsc, Professor. Astrophysics, geophysics, physics, nonlinear dynamics of dissipative systems, bifurcation theory, low-dimensional behavior of continuous systems, the theory of nonlinear waves, pattern formation in fluid systems, reaction-diffusion systems.
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Yury G Kolomensky, Professor. Particle physics, precision measurements, electroweak interactions, neutrino physics, QCD, BaBar, E158, CUORE, Mu2e.
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Alessandra Lanzara, Professor. Nanostructures, physics, solid-state physics, complex novel materials, correlated electron systems, temperature superconductors, colossal magneto-resistance manganites, organic material, fullerenes, nanotubes, nanosphere, nanorods.
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Dung-Hai Lee, Professor. Physics, theoretical condensed matter, organization principles enabling microscopic degrees of freedom to behave cooperatively, matter and their formation mechanisms, low dimensional quantum magnets, strongly correlated Fermi and Bose fluids.
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Adrian T Lee, Professor. Physics.
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Robert G Littlejohn, Professor. Plasma physics, nonlinear dynamics, physics, atomic, molecular, optical, and nuclear physics, dissipation in many-particle systems, semiclassical treatment of spin-orbit forces in nuclei, normal form theory for mode conversion or Landau-Zener transition.
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Steven G. Louie, Professor. Nanoscience, nuclear magnetic resonance, semiconductors, metals, physics, fullerenes, nanotubes, condensed matter theory, surfaces, defects, nanostructure materials, clusters, many-electron effects in solids.
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Kam-Biu Luk, Professor. Physics, particle physics, neutrinos coming from the nuclear processes in the sun, neutrino oscillation, anti-neutrinos, neutrino mixing parameters, nuclear instrumentation, data mining.
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Joel E. Moore, Professor. Physics, nanotubes, condensed matter theory, the properties of, electron-electron interactions, zero-temperature phase transitions, interaction effects in nanoscale devices, quantum phase transitions.
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Hitoshi Murayama, PhD, Professor. Physics, particle physics, the universe, fundamental constituents of matter, Higgs boson, anti-matter, neutrino oscillations, finite value of the cosmological constant, triple coincidence of energy densities.
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Jeffrey B. Neaton, Professor.

Yasunori Nomura, Professor. Electroweak symmetry, developing new ideas and building realistic models in particle physics, particle physics theory and cosmology, hidden extra spatial dimensions and supersymmetry, physics of the multiverse, multiverse and quantum gravity.
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Joseph W. Orenstein, Professor. Physics, optics, electromagnetic radiation, probe condensed matter systems, light waves, transmission and reflection coefficients, high-Tc superconductors organic molecular crystals, quasiparticles, origin of superconductivity, terahertz spectroscopy.
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Saul Perlmutter, Professor. Cosmology, dark energy, physics, astrophysics experiments, observational astrophysics, supernovae, accelerating universe.
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Zi Q. Qiu, PhD, Professor. Physics, novel behavior of the quantum magnetism in magnetic nanostructures, oscillatory interlayer coupling, the giant magnetoresistance, condensed matter experiment, technology applications, molecular beam epitaxy, artificial structures.
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R. Ramesh, Professor. Processing of complex oxide heterostructures, nanoscale characterization/device structures, thin film growth and materials physics of complex oxides, materials processing for devices, information technologies.
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Uros Seljak, Professor.

Marjorie D Shapiro, Professor. Physics, particle physics, particle experiments, probing the most basic interactions in nature, quarks, leptons, collider detector, the atlas experiment, electroweak symmetry breaking, mass, design of the silicon strip detectors, pixel detectors.
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James L. Siegrist, Professor. High energy physics, particle experiments, large hadron collider, ATLAS, high center of mass energies, collider detectors, development of instrumentation and software, dark matter direct detection, non-proliferation, physical sciences and oncology.
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Dan M. Stamper-Kurn, Professor. Atomic physics, the use of ultra-cold neutral atoms, studies of microscopic and macroscopic quantum phenomena, cavity quantum electrodynamics, Bose-Einstein condensation, precision and quantum measurement.
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Mr. Ashvin Vishwanath, PhD, Professor. Theoretical physics, physics, condensed matter theory, quantum condensed matter, systems of many quantum particles, dilute atomic gases, optical lattices, strongly correlated materials, fractionalization, unconventional quantum phase transition.
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Martin White, PhD, Professor. Cosmology, formation of structure in the universe, dark energy, expansion of the universe, cosmic microwave background, quasars, redshift surveys.
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Jonathan Wurtele, Professor. Physics, stability, plasma theory, advanced accelerator concepts, intense laser-plasma interaction, the basic equilibrium, radiation properties of intense charged particle beams, simulation and the development of proof-of-principle experiments.
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Alex Zettl, Professor. Physics, condensed matter physics, fullerenes, condensed matter experiments, characterize novel materials with unusual electronic and magnetic ground states, low-dimensional and nanoscale structures, superconductors, giant magnetoresistance materials.
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Associate Professors

Ori J. Ganor, Associate Professor. Physics, string theory, -theory, F-theory, matrix-models, noncommutative geometry, six-dimensional theories and their large N limit, supersymmetric field theories, coupled quantum systems, nonperturbative and strong-coupling, nonlocal behavior, space.
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Jan T. Liphardt, Associate Professor.

Irfan Siddiqi, PhD, Associate Professor. Condensed matter physics, superconducting qubits, quantum limited amplifiers, quantum circuits.
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Assistant Professors

Michael Robert Deweese, PhD, Assistant Professor. Machine learning, computation, systems neuroscience, auditory cortex, neural coding.
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Hartmut Haeffner, PhD, Assistant Professor. Precision measurements, quantum information and computation, ion traps, quantum state engineering, decoherence, quantum simulations, quantum energy transport, quantum chaos, cryogenic electronics.
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Oskar Hallatschek, PhD, Assistant Professor.

Gabriel Orebi Gann, Ba Dphil Ma MSC, Assistant Professor.

Surjeet Rajendran, Assistant Professor.

Ahmet Yildiz, PhD, Assistant Professor.