Physics

New York City is one of the world’s most energetic centers of frontline physics research. The CUNY Graduate Center, located in the heart of midtown Manhattan, is a central part of this active community, represented by faculty from various colleges across the University. As a doctoral student in our Ph.D. Program in Physics you will begin your scientific career in this inspiring environment.

Our Ph.D. Program in Physics is designed to prepare you for a career working at the forefront of experimental, theoretical, and computational research in physics. At the same time, in our increasingly interdisciplinary world, many fields look to physicists for their quantitative expertise and creative problem solving skills. Our program provides broad interdisciplinary course and research opportunities that will help to prepare you for diverse career options in the life sciences, information technology, media and policy, and even finance and business.

The CUNY Ph.D. Program is a consortium program, comprised of eight member colleges, which boast several renowned theoretical research departments and world-class experimental facilities. With over 100 research-active faculty working in almost all fields of physics, we are one of the largest physics graduate programs in the United States. Our faculty are also well funded, with CUNY physics departments drawing over $12 million in grants in 2016.

The multi-billion dollar Advanced Science Research Center (ASRC), part of the CUNY Graduate Center, houses the most advanced experimental and fabrication research facilities in the Northeast.

In addition to the extensive resources within CUNY, the Graduate Center has close associations with Brookhaven National Laboratory, the American Museum of Natural History, the Centers for Computational Astrophysics and Computational Quantum Physics at the Flatiron Institute, several New York area medical research centers, and other major New York universities.

The Ph.D. program consists of a full curriculum of graduate coursework, with a rigorous foundation in the fundamentals of modern physics and a broad selection of specialty electives. However, research is the focus of our program, and during your first year of coursework you will interact with multiple research groups. This experience will provide you with the insight needed to select the right dissertation topic and advisor as you enter the intensive research phase of your Ph.D. in years two through five.

Acceptance into the Ph.D. Program in Physics comes with 5 years of support, regardless of citizenship, on a CUNY Science Scholarship — including a competitive financial aid package of over $30,000, full tuition waiver, affordable individual and family health-care insurance, and family leave benefits.

Physics at CUNY Colleges: ASRC Photonics, Baruch College, Brooklyn College, City College of New York, Hunter College, Lehman College, NYC College of Technology, Queens College, College of Staten Island, and York College.