For most students, it is best to apply directly to the PhD program.

Students usually enter our department through the PhD program. It is not necessary to already have a Masters degree (i.e., a Bachelor's degree is sufficient) to be admitted directly to the PhD program. Financial support through graduate assistantships is awarded exclusively to students entering PhD program. We generally accept students into the MS program only if they have their own support (through a scholarship for example). 

Incoming PhD students primarily start their program in the Fall semester. This is also when we appoint nearly all available Graduate Assistantships. 

The Masters of Arts program can apply to either semester since the program is flexible and generally self-supporting. 

We support all admitted PhD student with a Graduate Assistantship  with a 12 month stipend of $26,780 plus a full tuition scholarship. The assistantship can either be a Teaching Assistantship (TA) or grant supported research (RA). Beginning graduate students are supported by a TA which  carries a part-time duties such as working in undergraduate labs, or tutoring beginning undergraduates, or grading. 

Each application is given individual attention. We try to gain a holistic picture of the preparation of each applicant through their grades, statement of purpose, CV, and letters of recommendation. We value strong grades and research experience, but we also factor in other qualities important to success in graduate school and beyond, such as independence, persistence, creativity, over-coming adversity .

The graduate physics programs at Kent State University offer solidly-based fundamental course work and the opportunity to do experimental or theoretical research with first-class scientists in Biological Physics, Nuclear and High Energy Physics, Soft Matter Physics, and Quantum Materials.  Our research groups enjoy international recognition in front-line areas of physics, we have excellent experimental and computational facilities, and we interact extensively with other strong research cen