APS Bridge Program

Bridge Fellows are carefully mentored from their arrival on campus. We intensively assess each fellow’s preparation to customize their selection of courses. During the semester, students meet with their mentors both individually and as a group. Advanced graduate students have office space adjacent to our Bridge Fellows, providing additional access and support.

Because the Ph.D. degree is based on research, we encourage our Bridge Fellows to become involved in research as soon as they can. We match students with research advisors at the beginning of the first semester of the program. In most cases, we expect Bridge Fellows to take no more than three courses per semester, totaling 9 to 11 credit-hours. This allows them to sign up for research credit hours, which count toward fulfillment of the research requirement for the M.S. degree.

Each Bridge Fellow’s courses are selected based on prior preparation, with the goal of completing the Ph.D. core curriculum within two years.

We offer many elective courses at advanced undergraduate/beginning graduate levels, including laboratory-based courses:

  • Modern Physics Lab (P301)
  • Instrumentation Lab (P350)
  • Electronics (P400/540)
  • Optics (P460)
  • Experiments in Modern Physics (P451/551)
  • Computing Applications in Physics (P410/609)

These hands-on courses provide excellent preparation for Ph.D.-level research. Core graduate courses include:

  • Classical Mechanics (one semester)
  • Statistical Mechanics (one semester)
  • Electromagnetism (two semesters)
  • Quantum Mechanics (two semesters)

To be eligible to apply, students must:

  • Have a bachelor’s degree in physics or a closely related discipline
  • Have completed an undergraduate degree by the time you enter the Bridge Program
  • Have earned a qualifying undergraduate degree in physics, applied physics, engineering physics, astrophysics, or another closely related discipline
  • Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
  • Satisfy one or more of the following criteria in the current academic year: you did not apply to a physics graduate program, or you applied to one or more physics graduate programs but were not accepted by any program
  • Be committed to improving diversity in physics

Application process

Applications to the IU Bridge Program are managed by the American Physical Society. After the APS forwards applications to our Bridge Program, we will select and interview students. We expect to complete offers of admission by mid-June.

Start your application on the APS Bridge Program website

Have questions?

Nelson Batalon Jr.

Nelson Batalon Jr.

Student Services Administrator