The Department of Physics offers Ph.D. degrees through an increasingly strong, broad, and diverse graduate program that prepares our students for a wide range of careers in academia, industry, and government/non-profit organizations. The Ohio State University Department of Physics is in the top 10 nationally in number of PhD degrees granted. This is made possible by the breadth of our faculty research programs, which span many different subfields of physics, as well as interdisciplinary efforts in quantum information science, chemical physics and astrophysics.
We emphasize strong mentorship, a collaborative environment, and a deep commitment to student success. Our holistic approach includes academic excellence through a course curriculum designed with evidence-based methods from our physics education research group. Students develop professionally not only through their research, but through internship, mentoring, and leadership opportunities. Student well-being is fostered through community events, responsive leadership, and shared governance. This holistic approach to student success results in a high PhD completion rate ~ 75%, of which we are very proud.
Our graduates go on to pursue impactful careers in academia, national laboratories, industry, and education. The Department and a large network of Buckeye alumni help foster this transition in the U.S. and globally.


Visit the Grad Student Dashboard to view more statistics about the Department of Physics Grad Student Cohort.
*Our grad pages are currently undergoing updates, please bear with us as we work to improve the navigation and function of these pages for you!
Contact Us
General program inquiries including application questions should be emailed to asc-physgradstud@osu.edu
Prospective Students please visit our Prospective Student page. Do you have questions about the program? We'd love to get in touch with you! Inquiry Form
Contact Information (NOT for use for program application queries)
Jay Gupta
Vice Chair for Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs
Office: 1040F Physics Research Building
Email: gupta.208@osu.edu Phone: (614) 247-8457
Contact by email for appointment for any issues or questions requiring more than 5 minutes.
Carly Scopel
Graduate Studies Program Coordinator
Office: 1040E Physics Research Building
Email: scopel.6@osu.edu Phone: (614) 292-5611
Application or admissions questions should be sent to: asc-physgradstud@osu.edu
Work Schedule: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday on-campus. Monday and Friday remote/work from home
Please Contact by email for appointment for any issues or questions
Sierra Brimhall
Academic Program Services Specialist
Office: 1040 Physics Research Building
Email: brimhall.7@osu.edu Phone:
More Information
Our department boats a wide variety of research areas and is internationally recognized.
We encourage you to visit our research landing page, and check out each of our research areas:
Visit the websites of our various student organizations and groups to learn more about each!