An undergraduate degree in physics at MIT, with its emphasis on learning to solve problems, provides an excellent basis for graduate study in physics and related fields; it is also a great foundation for careers in industry, research, finance, management, law, medicine, or public policy.
Please see the Physics Department for specific information for prospective undergraduate students.
The Physics Department participates in the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) by providing positions for undergraduates with our faculty and in our research labs. General information about the UROP program including funding opportunities, application deadlines, guidelines, and other resources can be found at http://web.mit.edu/urop/.
The MIT Department of Physics has a graduate population of between 260 and 290 students, with approximately 45 students starting and graduating each year. Almost all students are pursuing a PhD degree in Physics, typically studying for 5 to 7 years.
The Astrophysics Division comes under the Department of Physics and is located in the MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research (MKI). The Division typically admits ~10 new astro graduate students every year. We particularly encourage underrepresented students to apply for admission. Please explore our current research groups, along with landing pages for our faculty and graduate students. For astrophysics-specific questions, prospective graduate students can contact Division Head Professor Scott Hughes or faculty members Michael McDonald and Matt Evans. Information about Physics admission, degree requirements, and general departmental information is available on the Physics website. Prospective graduate students can contact Graduate Programs Administrator Sydney Miller or Academic Administrator Cathy Modica in the Department of Physics if they have questions or need additional information.
Image credit: Gabor Furesz