A cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale is preferred and a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 in major course work is required. Each graduate department may have additional "special admission requirements" which are noted on this page.

• Completed on-line application and signature page or
• Download the paper application (HTML) | (Acrobat)
• The non-refundable $45 application fee (Waivers accepted for FAMU Feeder Program and McNair Scholars)
• Official transcripts must be submitted directly from the Registrar’s Office from ALL colleges and universities attended
• GRE Scores (Only official score reports are accepted within 5 years of the test date) www.gre.org
• Statement of Academic and Research Interest
• Autobiographical Sketch (Personal biography)
• Resume
• Three letters of recommendation Word

For International Applicants

In addition to the requirements listed above you must meet the following:

• Official transcripts, certificates and/or mark/grade sheets must be sent directly from the college or university to the Office of Graduate Recruitment and Admissions, and must show proof of degree(s) earned, courses taken and marks/grades received. Also, ALL transcripts must be evaluated by World Education Services (www.wes.org) or AACRAO (www.aacrao.org) and be forwarded to Graduate Recruitment and Admissions.
• TOEFL Scores (Minimum computer-based score of 213 is required and only official score reports are accepted within 2 years of the test date) www.toelf.org

Master of Science

Two Master of Science options are available: plan A and plan B.

Plan A , the Thesis Option, requires a minimum of 30 credit hours of which 24 must be spent in course work and 6 in thesis work. Courses must include 216-210/211, 216-214/215 and 216-220. Additional recommended courses are 216-216/217, 216-218/219, 216-221 and 216-222/223. Students following plan A write and orally defend a Master's Thesis.

Plan B , the Comprehensive Examination Option, requires a minimum of 30 hours of course work (excluding research and thesis courses) and the successful completion of a Comprehensive Examination. Courses must include 216-210/211, 216-214/215, 216-220/221 and 216-222. Additional recommended courses are 216-216/217 and 216-218/219.

For both plans A and B, the student must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 to satisfy graduation requirements. Students who accumulate more than 10 semester hours of grades below B will not be permitted to continue in the M.S. Program.

Doctor of Philosophy

In addition to the M.S. requirements for Plan B described above, the student must complete 216-223 and a Ph.D. dissertation. A minimum of 72 credit hours (inclusive of M.S. hours obtained at Howard ) is required. The student is also required to pass a Ph.D. Qualifying Examination. The examination should be taken at the end of the student's first year, but must be taken not later than the end of the student's second year of graduate work. A year's deferral may be granted to students under special circumstances and/or those who enter the program with course deficiencies. Students may attempt the qualifying examination no more than twice. The second attempt must be made within one year after the first examination date.

After passing the Ph.D.. Qualifying Examination, as a condition for admission to candidacy, the students must present and defend a proposal for his/her doctoral dissertation research. Such proposals must be developed in consultation with a research advisor. Additional course work may be required by the student's dissertation committee. A doctoral dissertation must be written and defended orally in a formal public presentation. This final oral examination for the Ph.D. degree will encompass the specific research work that constitutes the dissertation as well as the student's general knowledge in physics.