AEPHY-MS - Applied and Engineering Physics (MS)

Stanford undergraduates, regardless of undergraduate major, who are interested in a M.S. degree at the intersection of applied physics and engineering may choose to apply for the coterminal Master of Science program in Applied and Engineering Physics. The program is designed to be completed in the fifth year at Stanford. Students with accelerated undergraduate programs may be able to complete their B.S. and coterminal M.S. in four years.

Undergraduates must be admitted to the program and enrolled as a graduate student for at least one quarter prior to B.S. conferral. Applications are due on the last day of class of the Spring Quarter (June 1, 2022) for Autumn 2022 matriculation and at least four weeks before the last day of class in the previous quarter for Winter or Spring matriculation (November 9, 2022 for Winter matriculation, February 17, 2023 for Spring matriculation, and June 7, 2023 for Autumn 2023 matriculation). All application materials must be submitted directly to the Applied Physics department office by the deadlines. To apply for admission to the Applied and Engineering Physics coterminal M.S. program, students must submit the coterminal application which consists of the following:

• Application for Admission to Coterminal Master's Program

• Statement of Purpose

• Unofficial Transcript

• Two Letters of Recommendation from members of the Stanford faculty

University Coterminal Requirements

Coterminal master’s degree candidates are expected to complete all master’s degree requirements as described in this bulletin. University requirements for the coterminal master’s degree are described in the “Coterminal Master’s Program” section. University requirements for the master’s degree are described in the "Graduate Degrees" section of this bulletin.

After accepting admission to this coterminal master’s degree program, students may request transfer of courses from the undergraduate to the graduate career to satisfy requirements for the master’s degree. Transfer of courses to the graduate career requires review and approval of both the undergraduate and graduate programs on a case by case basis.

In this master’s program, courses taken three quarters prior to the first graduate quarter, or later, are eligible for consideration for transfer to the graduate career. No courses taken prior to the first quarter of the sophomore year may be used to meet master’s degree requirements.

Course transfers are not possible after the bachelor’s degree has been conferred.

The University requires that the graduate advisor be assigned in the student’s first graduate quarter even though the undergraduate career may still be open. The University also requires that the Master’s Degree Program Proposal be completed by the student and approved by the department by the end of the student’s first graduate quarter.

All coursework for the AEPHY-MS must be completed through Stanford.

Only coursework you took during and after the coterm quarters back term may be requested for course transfer. You can identify what your coterm quarter's back rule is by running a transcript report. Any courses taken after the program effective date (see screenshots below) are eligible for coterm course transfer.

Individual programs have the discretion to set their own policy regarding course transfer for their coterminal master's students, provided that no student counts a course taken earlier than the first/Autumn quarter of your sophomore year. The program's coterm quarters back policy is stated in the relevant department or program section of the Stanford Bulletin.

Any request for a course transfer from the undergraduate career is subject to approval of the undergraduate and graduate departments.

The Department of Applied Physics is committed to providing academic advising in support of graduate student scholarly and professional development. When most effective, this advising relationship entails collaborative and sustained engagement by both the advisor and the advisee. As a best practice, advising expectations should be periodically discussed and reviewed to ensure mutual understanding. Both the advisor and the advisee are expected to maintain professionalism and integrity.

The Applied Physics student services office is also an important part of the advising team. Staff in the office inform students and advisors about University and department requirements, procedures, and opportunities, and maintain the official records of advising assignments and approvals. 

Faculty advisors guide students in key areas such as selecting courses, designing and conducting research, developing of teaching pedagogy, navigating policies and degree requirements, and exploring academic opportunities and professional pathways.

Graduate students are active contributors to the advising relationship, proactively seeking academic and professional guidance and taking responsibility for informing themselves of policies and degree requirements for their graduate program.

For a statement of University policy on graduate advising, see the "Graduate Advising" section of this bulletin.

At the start of graduate study, each student is assigned a master’s program advisor: a member of our faculty who provides guidance in course selection, course planning, and in exploring short and long term academic opportunities and professional pathways. The program advisor serves as the first resource for consultation and advice about a student's academic program. Usually, the same faculty member serves as program advisor for the duration of master’s study. In rare instances, a formal advisor change request may be considered. See the Applied Physics student services office for additional information on this process.

The purpose of the master's program is to further develop knowledge and skills in Applied Physics and to prepare students for a professional career or doctoral studies. This is achieved through completion of courses, in the primary field as well as related areas, and experience with independent work and specialization.