<p>I have seen people asking for ranking for Applied Physics programs in the US. US News doesn’t not rank applied physics. But one way to find out using US News is to look at the ranking of that school in few subareas in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Earth and Planetary physics, namely are fields like Condensed Matter Physics, Physical Chemistry, Optical Physics, Biophysics, and Geophysics and Oceanography. These are available information on US News. These few subfields are the important parts of Applied Physics. Applied Physics shares little with Engineering or in other words uses very small part of Engineering, which is in general large department. As a result, looking at the Engineering ranking is not very reflective. But, there are currently two available ranking for Applied Physics programs, and they are very accurate program ranking. Also, Gourman Report ranked Applied Physics programs years ago. It is very old. You can also look at which program was good at that time.</p>
<p>First is the Chronicle ranking,
[The</a> Chronicle: Faculty Scholarly Productivity Index](<a href=“http://chronicle.com/stats/productivity/page.php?year=2007&primary=4&secondary=124&bycat=Go]The”>http://chronicle.com/stats/productivity/page.php?year=2007&primary=4&secondary=124&bycat=Go)</p>
<p>This ranking is based on productivitiy and impact factor. Therefore some rather unknown schools get ranked in also. It is very accurate but doesn’t reflect the size of the programs. Another ranking which is very good and has been anticipated for a long time is the one recently issued by the National Academy of Sciences. This information is what National Academy of Science accumulate for years and came up with the ranking,
[Ranking</a> of Physics Graduate Schools — PhDs.org Graduate School Guide](<a href=“http://graduate-school.phds.org/rankings/physics/rank/__M_____________________________________________________________U]Ranking”>http://graduate-school.phds.org/rankings/physics/rank/__M_____________________________________________________________U)</p>
<p>Make sure pay attention when using this ranking because this ranking ranks the Applied Physics programs with Physics programs and with Astronomy programs. So how to look at it is just see which Applied Physics programs ranking higher relative to other Applied Physics programs because it is rather unfair and not representative when ranking Applied Physics with Physics and with Astronomy. This is because Physics programs are bigger in size and all of their results and publications count towards the quality of the programs for ranking whereas Applied Physics tends to devote a lot of its efforts and committment towards applications rather than pure science, therefore it is rather meaningless to compare them together, one is pure and one is applied, with complete different nature of work.</p>
<p>Hope this helps.</p>
<p>Is applied physics more connected with engineering than with pure science?</p>
<p>I mean, astrophysics and the geosciences are technically applied physics - but both are still pure science. I’m wondering if most applied physics departments cover those. Or if they cover something else.</p>
<p>This is a great question as most people don’t really have a clear idea about it. In general, Physics can be divided into two subfields, Pure and Applied Physics. So of course, Applied Physics is essentially Physics. Applied Physics faculties and Student thinks of themselves as Physicist. Applied Science is different from Engineering in the way that Applied Scientists might not be doing designs as Engineers typically do, but Applied Scientists often engage in researches that solves scientific problems which has implication to applications. Well, in modern research, there is very little distinction between the work scientists and engineers do. Many scientists are interested in engineering problems, and many engineers are interested in scientisfic questions. One thing I wish to correct is that Astrophysics is not part of Applied Physics, it is actuall a part of pure physics. Some Applied Physics departments includes some Astrophysics faculties, but typically those faculties are interested in researches such as designing lasers and other practical devices for Astrophysics. Geophysics, and Physics of Climate and Oceanography and Planetary Systems are Applied Physics. I believe many Applied Physics Programs offer it. In general, Applied Physics includes part of Physical Chemistry that’s more inclined to Physics, Optical Physics and Electromagnetic Systems and Devices, Condensed Matter Physics which is the largest part of Applied Physics, Surface Interface Physics, and Biological Physics. In almost all Applied Physics program involves most faculties affiliated with Physics, Physical Chemstry, Biology, Engineering, and Earth and Planetary Sciences. One thing is that most faculties in Applied Physics, though they might be from Physical Chemistry, Biology, and other fields, but have their background training in Physics. Some Engineering faculties might have their training in some Engineering discipline because some Engineering disciplines can be very science oriented. Since there is no contraints in research topics in Applied Physics, Applied Physics can be quite basic and also quite applied. It completely depends on the faculties. But their goals and interests are different from Physics which makes them Applied Physics.</p>
<p>Okay I see. Thanks for the very nice response!</p>
<p>Let’s see - are applied physics PhD programs just as difficult as pure physics PhD ones? Do applied physics PhD programs require you to go through Jackson’s Electrodynamics, for example? What about the other parts of the PhD physics core?</p>
<p>For all your talk about how Applied Physics isn’t related to engineering at all, here at Caltech the Applied Physics and Materials Science departments are in the process of merging. There’s actually a pretty huge overlap between the two fields, though there certainly are parts of both that are quite distinct.</p>
<p>Answering first question. Applied Physics is as difficult as Physics in curriculum. Different schools have very different policies. For example, for one curriculum I know, you have to take E&M (Jackson), one advanced quantum mechanics, one statistical mechanics, one solid state physics, and one soft condensed matter physics, such as fluid. Some other school requires the first three as core curriculum. And it is essentially that Applied Physics does slightly different work from Physics therefore other elective courses are different. It is hard to evaluate the difficulties among those elective courses. But in general, if you go to great schools, both Applied Physics and Physics are difficult and it is very hard to say which one is harder. Course-wise, I think they are very similar. But of course, your adviser is the most important part of deciding the difficulty of your PhD, depending on if his projects are hard or if he is demanding or not. There are some model curriculum online in different schools you can look at. But for the schools I was admitted, I think Applied Physics students have to take more courses in total than Physics.</p>
<p>I apologize if my statements were unclear or biased. Well, different schools are different, I applied to eight programs, at least for all the ones I applied, I visited the schools and what I explained is how I felt. And I have been in graduate schools for a few years, this is still what I feel after interacting with other people and faculties. Of course, I might be wrong. However, I was admitted to Caltech’s Applied Physics as well (not where I chose to attend), at least when I was admitted, Caltech’s Applied Physics had no intention of merging with Material Sciences. Caltech Applied Physics only has three faculties joint with Material Science, and most of the researches are very different. Caltech Applied Physics is very optical physics oriented. I will be very surprised if they merge. Of course, I might be wrong. Just as Stanford has Applied Physics and Material Sciences as separate departments. Stanford’s Applied Physics is in the Science school rather than Engineering. And the thing with Caltech is how would their admission requirements be when they join because Caltech Applied Physics requires GRE Physics subject test. Let’s see what happens. It is unlikely that departments in those well known university join because all departments are already established and have long traditions. And most good European universities offer Applied Physics as a degree options. For example the great Weizmann Institute of Science, essentially their Physics and Applied Physics are in the same department, it is based on the nature of your thesis will decide your degree either Applied Physics or Physics. </p>
<p>By and large, Applied Physics, Physics, and Engineering all have a certain degree of overlap. Modern research is interdisciplinary in the way that everything is somewhat related to everything. I definitely wasn’t trying to say Applied Physics is by all means not related to engineering at all. Indeed, most Applied Physics programs have some joint faculties with Engineering. What I am trying to say is, after all, Applied Physics is essentially a part of Physical Science rather than Engineering Science. Applied and Pure Physics are what is known to us as Physics. And more likely than not, Applied Physics students and faculties think of themselves as Physicists. But I am definitely not saying Applied Physics is not related to Engineering or Physics.</p>
<p>Ah, thanks again for the very nice response! 
Do you have an idea of how competitive applied physics programs are compared to physics ones? Do they weigh some components more heavily and others less heavily? (for example, PGRE, research, and GPA).</p>
<p>Hi InquisitiveOne, thanks very much for your attention. It is harder to say which one is harder to get in. I do have some insights here though. First, for most good Physics programs, Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, Caltech, and MIT, it is mostly the admission committee that makes decision on admission. I know many students who did their undergraduate in those schools and know faculties really well and have done quite well weren’t admitted. This is simply because in those programs, one faculty cannot decide the admission of the student. In other words, students are purely admitted on a competitive basis. For most good Applied Physics programs, like Harvard Stanford Caltech Berkeley and Cornell, it is half based on faculty recommendation and half based on admission committee. In other words, if a faculty really likes a talent or skill or background you have, even if you are not the strongest applicant, you can probably get accepted, so this way it might be easier than Physics department. However, if you are really good but not what the Applied Physics faculties are looking for, you might get declined whereas you might be admitted by Physics. So this is really hard to say which one is harder. It also depends on your background. if you come from an Applied Math or Pure Physics background, then applying to Physics is more appropriate. If you come from an Engineering, Physics, or Applied Physics background, then applying to Applied Physics is probably better for you. Indeed, for Applied Physics program, many student did a dual undergraduate degree in Engineering and Physics and some even did Engineering with a minor in Physics, biological physics, or Applied Physics. But of course, most student have solid background and were trained in Physics. But some Engineering disciplines like Material Science, Electrical Engineering (Device and Optics areas) and Chemical Engineering are very closed to Physics therefore students with these background and are ultimately interested in Physics are encouraged to apply to Applied Physics. Your undergraduate research also decide what you should apply. If you have done research in an applied discipline then it will be better that you apply to Applied Physics whereas if you did you undergraduate research in Pure Physics, then maybe Pure Physics is easier for you. However, you can still switch interest, but indicate the reason nicely in your application.</p>
<p>That’s a comprehensive explanation. Isn’t MIT the only place that doesn’t offer Applied Physics?</p>
<p>Yes, schools that offer applied physics include, Caltech, Stanford, Harvard, Berkeley, Yale, Columbia, Princeton (Plasma Physics), Cornell, Rice, and many others. For MIT, you can apply to EE, MSE, or Physics.</p>
<p>One thing, Princeton Plasma Physics is different program from Applied Physics. Some school only offers one department, however gives Applied Physics or Physics degree based on the nature of your work and adviser. I think this happens more often in Europe.</p>
<p>Anyone applying to Applied Physics? Which schools are you thinking?</p>
<p>applying to Harvard, Stanford, not sure others yet. Harvard welcomes undergrad Engineering major more and ranks highest, my priority.</p>
<p>can you find out admission percentage for those programs online?</p>
<p>Stanford has it on their website if you look at Admission. The incoming class is normally 20 to 30 students in a pool of 175-200. But of course, they probably admitted more than the incoming class. Harvard’s Applied Physics has an admission rate of 8% or 10% I think. This information was what I heard from the admission official when I called them. I am not very sure about other schools.</p>
<p>Don’t worry too much about the admission rate. The process sometimes is unpredictable. Apply to all unless you cannot satisfy the basic requirements for application.</p>
<p>Just out of curiosity, anyone applied to any applied physics programs? Deadlines are coming up.</p>
<p>I am curious what is the reason that some applied physics programs require GRE physics and some do not? The ones that do not require GRE physics, does that mean they also admit engineering background students?</p>
<p>Yes, Applied Physics programs that do not require GRE subject test typically welcome people with non physics background more than programs that require. But you still have to have a solid quantitative background to apply and also you have to show your interest in Physics.</p>
<p>I’ve applied to a lot of MSE programs, but I also applied to Harvard’s AP. I felt that they were more engineer-friendly. I’m still waiting to hear back from most of the schools. Has anyone else applied to applied physics programs?</p>