The department offers two Master's degree programs, which typically take 4-6 quarters to complete. Plan I requires 32 quarter hours of graduate coursework and a Master's thesis. Plan II requires 36 quarter hours of graduate coursework and passing an oral comprehensive exam. There is no foreign language requirement.

The bulk of the coursework for both plans consists of the core classes required of Ph.D. students: classical physics (200ABC), quantum physics (215AB), and statistical mechanics (219A). Plan I requires 8 additional units, and Plan II requires 12. Substitutions may be approved on an individual basis and may include a limited number of units of upper division undergraduate courses.

There are two options for the comprehensive exam. One is the Ph.D. Qualifying Exam. Alternatively, students can take a two-hour oral exam covering the material from the core graduate classes. The test is administered by three faculty members who are current or recent instructors of the core classes.

The department usually does not guarantee funding for Master's students. In most cases, students who wish to continue for a Ph.D. at UC Davis should apply directly to the Ph.D. Program.

Filing for a Master's Degree

You're eligible to file for a Master's Degree if: you've completed the first-year grad classes or had them waived; you've completed at least 36 units of 200-level classes; you don't have a Master's degree in physics from another university; and you have written a Master's thesis, passed the Ph.D. Qualifying Exam, or passed the Master's oral exam. You might be eligible even if you don't meet all those requirements, but you should ask the Vice Chair-Graduate Affairs individually.

If you're continuing in the Ph.D. program, a Master's is not a necessity. In principle it might be useful if something came up and you needed to leave the Ph.D. program so abruptly that you didn't have time to file for the degree.

To get the Master's degree, you must have advanced to candidacy for the degree (see Grad Studies form GS314) and file the Masters Report Form GS315 with Office of Graduate Studies. See Grad Studies forms here https://gradstudies.ucdavis.edu/current-students/forms-information.

Both forms need to be signed by the Vice Chair Graduate Affairs. Once you have departmental signatures, take the forms to Dutton Hall to pay the filing fee ($55 in 2025-26). Next, give the forms to the departmental Graduate Program Coordinator who will scan the one showing payment, just in case Grad Studies loses it. The forms will then be hand delivered to Graduate Studies by Physics Department staff.

When you fill out the list of classes on page 2 of GS314, include the first-year classes and any additional advanced classes needed to reach 36 units. You can include units from any 200-level classes, including colloquium or research units, but do not list any 300-level classes. For most of you, throwing in 295 or a 290 from your first year will be enough.