Programs
Bloomington Campus
Master of Science in Environmental Science Joint Degree Programs
Dual M.S.E.S.-M.S. in Physics
Master of Science in Environmental Science–Master of Science in Physics (M.S.E.S.-M.S.)
Department of Physics
This dual master’s program is a 51-credit hour (two-year) program that gives the student more depth and breadth than is possible in a single degree. The student must complete a minimum of 21 credit hours in each of the degree programs. M.S. in Physics and M.S.E.S. degrees are awarded concurrently after the student has completed the requirements for both degrees.
Application, Admission, and Degree Planning
The student must apply to the Department of Physics and be accepted into the MS in Physics degree program and apply to the O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA) and be accepted into the Master of Science in Environmental Science (MSES) degree program. The students must design their dual-degree curriculum in consultation with the graduate advisor of the Physics Department and the program director for the MSES program in O'Neill. Both must approve the course choices on a semester-by-semester basis. The students will use a multi-semester planning form and a degree program checklist for this purpose; a blank copy of each is attached to this proposal. The dual-degree program is designed to be completed in two (2) years, but must be completed within six (6) years.
Physics MS admissions requirements:
Physics P221, P222, P301 (or equivs)
Math M211,212,311 (or equivs)
O'Neill MSES admissions requirements:
Differential and integral calculus - Math M211 or equivalent
One semester of inorganic chemistry with lab - C103 or C117 and C127, or equivalent
Requirements
The dual M.S. in Physics and M.S.E.S. in the O'Neill program requires a minimum of 51 credit hours distributed among six components: physics core; O'Neill core; economics, policy, and law competencies; tool skills; a physics or O'Neill concentration; and professional experience. At least 2 of the physics courses must be at 500-level or higher. Details provided below.
Physics Core (9 credit hours)
Choose three of the following (core choices may not double count in the concentration)
| PHYS-P 331 | Theory of Electricity and Magnestism I | (3 cr.) |
| PHYS-P 340 | Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics | (3 cr.) |
| PHYS-P 350 | Applied Physics Instrumentation Lab | (3 cr.) |
| PHYS-P 453 | Introduction to Quantum Mechanics | (3 cr.) |
| PHYS-P 454 | Modern Physics | (3 cr.) |
| PHYS-P 460 | Modern Optics | (3 cr.) |
| PHYS-P 510 | Environmental Physics (credit not given for both P 510 and E 574 within a student's program) | (3 cr.) |
| PHYS-P 511 | Quantum Mechanics | (3 cr.) |
| PHYS-P 551 | Modern Physics Laboratory | (3 cr.) |
| PHYS-P 556 | Statistical Physics | (3 cr.) |
| PHYS-P 575 | Introduction to Biophysics | (3 cr.) |
O'Neill Core (9 credit hours)
Choose three of the following (core choices may not double count in the concentration)
| SPEA-E 515 | Fundamentals of Air Pollution | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 536 | Environmental Chemistry | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 538 | Statistics for Environmental Science | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 552 | Environmental Engineering | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 574 | Energy Systems (credit will not be given for both E574 and P510 within a given student’s program) | (3 cr.) |
O'Neill Economics, Management, and Policy Competency (6 credit hours)
| SPEA-E 513 | Enivornmental Project Management | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 543 | Environmental Management | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-R 532 | Water Policy and Economics | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-R 625 | Environmental Economics and Policy | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-R 645 | Environmental Law | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-R 674 | Energy Economics and Policy | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-S 596 | Sustainable Development | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-V 517 | Public Management Economics | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-V 550 | Energy Law | (3 cr.) |
Other courses may be approved by the O'Neill advisor
Tool Skill Courses (Typically 3–6 credit hours)
Students are encouraged to acquire competency in analytical methods by focusing on tool skills appropriate to their professional objectives. Courses should be selected in consultation with faculty advisors from both programs. Tool skill courses may double count with the concentration, but degree credit totals must still be met.
| PHYS-P 540 | Analog and Digital Electronics | (3 cr.) |
| PHYS-P 548 | Mathematical Methods for Biology | (3 cr.) |
| PHYS-P 583 | Signal Processing and Information Theory in Biology | (3 cr.) |
| PHYS-P 609 | Computational Physics | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 502 | Water Quality Modeling | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 518 | Vector-based Geographic Information Systems | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 529 | Application of Geographic Information Systems | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 554 | Groundwater Flow Modeling | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 560 | Environmental Risk Analysis | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-P 507 | Data Analysis and Modeling for Public Affairs | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-P 541 | Benefit Cost Analysis | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-P 562 | Public Program Evaluation | (3 cr.) |
Other courses may be approved by the O'Neill advisor
Capstone course (3 credit hours)
Students must enroll in a 3-credit O'Neill capstone course (SPEA-V 600 – only environmentally-oriented sections as approved by the O'Neill program director, SPEA-E 560 Environmental Risk Analysis, or SPEA-E 517 Best Management Practices for Healthy Urban Watersheds). The capstone course may double-count in concentration, if desired, but degree totals must still be met. The capstone requirement may be waived for students who apply for Professional Experience credit.
Experiential Requirement (0-3 credit hours)
- Approved internship (SPEA-E 589)
- MS research (PHYS-P 802) or MSES research internship (SPEA-E 589)
The experiential requirement may be waived for students who file for Professional Experience credit.
Physics-O'Neill Concentration (21 credit hours)
Must include at least 6 credit hours from Physics and at least 6 credit hours from O'Neill. Remaining courses to be chosen from graduate classes from either unit, with advisors’ consent.
O'Neill concentration options
Any O'Neill core course from the list above that was not used for core credit.
| SPEA-E 501 | Human Behavior and Energy Consumption | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 502 | Water Quality Modeling | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 503 | Natural Gas: Technical and Policy Challenges | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 514 | Changing Landscape of Toxic-Chemical Regulation | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 517 | BMP Design for Healthy Urban Watersheds | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 518 | Vector-based Geographic Information Systems | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 520 | Environmental Toxicology | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 539 | Aquatic Chemistry | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 542 | Hazardous Materials | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 554 | Groundwater Flow Modeling | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 555 | Intro to Coding for Environment and Policy | (1 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 555 | Python Programming for Environment and Policy | (1 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 555 | Using R for Environment and Policy | (1 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 555 | Fluid Mechanics | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 555 | Renewable and Nuclear Energy | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 555 | Watershed Hydrology | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 560 | Environmental Risk Analysis | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 562 | Solid and Hazardous Waste Management | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 564 | Organic Pollutants: Environmental Chemistry and Fate | (3 cr.) |
| SPEA-E 591 | Climate Change Impacts on Natural Resources | (3 cr.) |
Physics concentration options
| PHYS-P 508 | Current Research in Physics | (3 cr.) |
| PHYS-P 510 | Environmental Physics | (3 cr.) |
| PHYS-P 551 | Modern Physics LaboratoryStatistical Physics | (3 cr.) |
| PHYS-P 556 | Statistical Physics | (3 cr.) |
| PHYS-P 557 | Solid State Physics | (3 cr.) |
| PHYS-P 572 | Radiation Oncology Physics | (3 cr.) |
| PHYS-P 578 | Radiation BiophysicsModeling and Computation in Biophysics | (3 cr.) |
| PHYS-P 581 | Signal Processing and Information Theory in Biology | (3 cr.) |
| PHYS-P 583 | Signal Processing and Information Theory in Biology | (3 cr.) |
| PHYS-P 609 | Computational Physics | (3 cr.) |
Concentration options from other departments
| GEOG-G 551 | Physical hydrology | (3 cr.) |
Other courses from Physics, O'Neill, (including research courses SPEA-E 625 or PHYS-P 802 or other departments may be used in the concentration with approval of both advisors.