Class Profile

Class Size

35

Average Age

28

Average Work Experience

3 Years

Language Test Scores

Minimum Score

6.5 / 9

Minimum Score

68 / 90

Minimum Score

99 / 120

Minimum Score

134 / 160

Diversity

California:

20%

Florida:

5%

Illinois:

4%

Texas:

10%

New York:

30%

Others:

31%

Admissions

Application Requirements

What Really Matters When Applying

• Passport

  Required

• Statement of Purpose

  Required

• Resume

  Required

• IELTS

  Required

• Class 12 Marksheets

  Required

• Academic LOR

  Required

• Transcript

  Required

• Class 10 Marksheets

  Required

• Professional LOR

  Required

• Professional LOR

  Required

• Application Fee

  120

Career Outcomes

Median Earnings After Graduation

$1,10,000 / year

Graduation Rate

95%

Top recruiters

Eli Lilly and Company

Pfizer

AstraZeneca

AbbVie

Amgen

Merck

Gilead Sciences

Bristol-Myers Squibb

St Giles

Merck KGaA

Eli Lilly

Johnson Controls

Catholic Relief Services

Bristol Old Vic

Pfizer Inc.

Fees and Funding

Tuition Fees

$70,000 / year

Overall Cost

$85,000 / year

FAQs

• Is financial aid available?

  

  As a rule, assistantships, grants, scholarships, and fellowships are not available to students in master's degree programs, including the medical physics program. That said, Columbia’s Office of Financial Aid and Educational Financing seeks to ensure that all academically qualified students have enough financial support to enable them to work toward their degree. Part-time employment is one form of support. Each year a second year student is invited by the medical physics faculty to serve as a grader and/or recitation leader for select first-year courses. Second year students may also be hired by individual instructors to assist with on-going research. In addition, there are part-time employment opportunities (non-work study positions) available at the University, although part-time work that provides some experience in medical physics is usually difficult to find. Of necessity, students who accept full-time positions on- or off-campus drop down to part-time student status. International students may work on campus up to 20 hours per week during the academic year and full-time during vacations. If you are a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident you may be eligible to receive Federal Student Loans. In order to determine your eligibility, you must file a Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA). You may complete the application online by visiting www.fafsa.ed.gov; for a paper copy, contact the Office of Financial Aid and Educational Financing. International students can apply for private student loans with a cosigner who is a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident. For further information regarding loan and payment options, please contact the Office of Financial Aid and Educational Financing by telephone at 212-854-3711, by email at [email protected], or by mail at Columbia University Office of Financial Aid, 407 Lerner Hall, MC 2802, New York, NY 10027.

• What are the admission requirements?

  

  GRE: While the GRE general test is not required for admission to the MS Program, a good score on the physics subject test can help your application and is recommended. We are looking for GRE quantitative scores at 159 (750 previous scoring system) and above. Columbia’s GRE institutional code is 2111; a department code is not needed. GRE scores are valid for five years. GPA: A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required. We look at all grades, but more closely at physics and math grades; we are looking for well-prepared applicants with a strong background in physics and math. Language requirement: Applicants who earned their undergraduate degree in a country in which English is not the official and spoken language must take either the TOEFL or the IELTS test. Only one test is required. TOEFL and IELTS scores are valid for two years. For more information, please see: Graduate Engineering: Standardized Test Scores. Because of the critical importance of communication skills for medical physicists, MS degree candidates in the Medical Physics Program must demonstrate proficiency in English (speaking, reading, writing, and oral comprehension). The medical physics faculty may make enrollment in English language courses a condition for admission to the Program and/or may subsequently recommend that an admitted student enroll in English language courses based on an assessment of the student’s English language skills in the classroom. Applicants are reminded that to be competitive when they apply for professional positions and/or residencies after graduation, they must be able to demonstrate proficiency in English. Thus, if remediation is needed, applicants will be urged to take steps to improve their English language skills as soon as possible. Other requirements: three letters of recommendation from professors and/or professionals in the field, a personal statement that addresses interests, career goals, preparation, and relevant experience (volunteer and/or paid, clinical and/or research), a resumé or Curriculum Vitae, a non-refundable application fee, and an official provisional transcript. An official transcript showing conferral of the bachelor’s degree is required before matriculation. While an interview is not required for admission, applicants may be contacted by telephone. Deadline: February 15 is the priority deadline for submission of applications and all supporting documents for MS programs for the following Fall term. Applications received by June 30 are considered on a space-available basis. Since admission is competitive, no decisions are made until we receive and review all applications for a given year that are submitted by February 15. This procedure precludes our granting conditional admission in advance. For more information, see: https://gradengineering.columbia.edu/graduate-admissions/application-requiremen

• What background do I need for this program?

  

  A bachelor's degree (BS or BA) in physics, applied physics, or one of the physical sciences, including physics courses at least equivalent to a minor and mathematics through Ordinary Differential Equations, as well as a working knowledge of computer programming and basic probability and statistics*, is required for admission. In addition, because of possible ABR review requirements, we strongly recommend that applicants have taken at least one biological science course. An applicant who was not an undergraduate physics major or who does not have an advanced degree in physics, must have taken physics training at least equivalent to an undergraduate minor in physics. This training must include at least three upper level physics courses. To be competitive, applicants should have taken physics courses at least through Classical Mechanics, Modern Physics, Atomic Physics, Electricity and Magnetism, and Quantum Mechanics. If these courses are taken after completion of the undergraduate degree, they must be taken at an accredited four-year college. * Statistics: at least one course such as Intro to Probability and Statistics or documented equivalent experience. Computer: at least one course that includes a programming component, or documented equivalent experience.