Department of Physics, Applied Physics, and Astronomy
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
110 Eighth Street, Troy, New York 12180-3590 USA

Telephone:
(518) 276-6310
Fax: (518) 276-6680

For questions about our graduate program, contact our Graduate Student Coordinator, Nicole McQuade.

Requirements for Specializing in Biophysics

Graduate students specializing in biophysics are subject to the same minimum requirements with respect to "core" curriculum and examinations as other graduate students in physics.

At the Master's level, the biophysics program will include certain electives in biophysics, and the thesis research will be on a biophysical topic. At the Ph.D. level, advanced electives in biophysics would be taken, and the candidacy examination will emphasize topics in biophysics. As with the Master's thesis, the Ph.D. thesis research will be on a biophysical topic.

All students with weak background in biology are strongly urged to familiarize themselves, on an independent-study basis, with the contents of a typical introductory course in biology and to take, as remedial preparation, a course in physiology similar to BIOL-4270, Human Physiology. In all cases, advanced physics and biophysics electives will be selected with the help of the student's advisor.