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The Applied Physics Ph.D. program bridges the McCormick School of Engineering and Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, providing research options across multiple departments including Physics, Biomedical Engineering, Chemistry, Earth & Planetary Sciences, Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, and Materials Science & Engineering. Serving as a collaborative nexus for nine distinct departments, this graduate program equips students for scientific and technological careers in both academic and industrial settings, while enabling them to earn their doctorate within a five-year timeframe.
Admitted students must hold a U.S. bachelor’s degree or a comparable non-U.S. degree from a regionally accredited institution.
Results of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
A minimum TOEFL score of 577 (paper test), 233 (computer test), or 90 (Internet-based test) is required for admission to Northwestern. Non-native English-speaking students who wish to work as Teaching Assistants must take the TOEFL-iBT (Internet-based Test) and achieve a minimum score of 26 on the oral part. The paper and computer TOEFL exams are not acceptable to serve as a Teaching Assistant; these qualify you only for admission. Students who have previously scored a 45 on the old TSE (Test of Spoken English) exam can also serve as Teaching Assistants.