MS degree recipients in physics are generally employed by industrial or government laboratories as either physicists or engineers. Some are hired as teachers by high schools and by two-year colleges. Holders of the PhD in physics will generally be hired as research and development physicists by industrial or government laboratories and as professors in universities (though this may require additional postdoctoral research experience). All of our recent graduates have found employment commensurate with their career goals and abilities.

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry offers MS and Ph.D. programs in chemistry and biochemistry. Both the MS and Ph.D. programs require the completion of an original research project and the presentation and defense of a thesis (dissertation). The MS degree is not a prerequisite for the Ph.D. The graduate program of study is divided into the areas of biochemistry, analytical, physical, organic, and inorganic chemistry. An active seminar program is viewed as an essential component of the graduate educational process and provides many opportunities for feedback and cross-fertilization of ideas from different areas. Each year faculty members present an overview of their research programs and highlight their latest discoveries. Students participate each year by presenting either literature discussions or seminars on their individual research projects. In addition, a number of national and international scientists from both academia and industry present talks during the year.

MAE offers MS and PhD degrees in Aerospace Engineering. MS students have three plan options: thesis, report, or coursework only. PhD students may start from a bachelor's or a master's degree. The faculty of the MAE department each have a vigorous research program and are always searching for excellent graduate students to join their group. If you are interested in working one-on-one with one of our faculty on an MS thesis or PhD dissertation.

The MS in Agribusiness focuses on the global competitive environment in food production and agribusiness. The increasing globalization of the food industry has highlighted the need for managers who have experience with the social, cultural, production, and consumption conditions in the major markets of the world. Course topics include accounting, marketing, agricultural marketing, price analysis, supply-chain management, and econometrics.

The nutrition and food science program focuses on the chemical and biological components of food and the ways in which these ingredients affect health. Students learn the chemical, biological, microbiological, nutritional, engineering and economic aspects of food, as well as the social impacts of the foods people eat, including how they affect various issues, including economy, psychology, and culture. Due to an increased awareness in recent years of how food directly affects the population’s health, there is a greater demand for professionals trained in nutrition and food science. The general public has begun to realize just how important it is to eat well-balanced meals. This means that the opportunities for careers in nutrition are at an all-time high.

The Applied Environmental Geoscience MS degree is a terminal degree program, requiring a combination of advanced courses selected from Geology offerings, as well as additional courses relating broadly to the Geosciences. The AEG-MS degree is also offered both through USU’s Statewide Campuses program. Distance offerings for the AEG-MS program are limited to broadcast (IVC) courses. A total of 32 credit hours is required for the AEG-MS. The recommended distribution is 29 credits of coursework and 3 credits of thesis. Approximately one-half of course credits should be from outside of Geology (e.g. Biology, Chemistry or Natural Resources).

Electrical engineers work with electronics, electricity, and electromagnetism, and electronic devices. Electrical engineering covers a broad range of application areas, including power generation and delivery, transportation (cars and airplanes), communication (radio, TV, wireless, telephones), robotics, computers (memory systems, displays, microprocessors), defense applications (navigation, radar, and secure communication), and consumer electronics (DVD and MP3 players).

Ecology is the scientific discipline concerned with the relationships between organisms and their past, present, and future environments. The Ecology Center at USU has had a string of directors known nationally and worldwide as premier scientists in the field of ecology, and students graduating with a degree in ecology are able to make contacts with influential faculty that can help them as they pursue prestigious post-doctoral programs and faculty positions at universities around the world. Additionally, the Ecology Center hosts a seminar series that brings famous scientists from all over the world to speak at USU.