Physics

MS in Physics - Medical Physics

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The Physics Department at Cleveland State University and the Taussig Cancer Institute and the Imaging Institute at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation have collaborated since 2001 to offer an MS degree in Physics focused on medical physics. For students graduating from this program, their transcript indicates that they are receiving an MS in Physics with Medical Physics Specialization.  This MS program is the only program of its kind in Northeast Ohio. The Medical Physics Specialization has received accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Education Programs (CAMPEP) effective January 2012 through December 2022: http://www.campep.org/campeplstgrad.asp.  

Catalog Access

CONTACT

Please send inquiries to  Dr. Petru S. Fodor, Physics Department Chair.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

To be considered for admission to the Medical Physics Specialization, applicants have to follow the application submission procedure listed on the  College of Graduate Studies website (grad.engagecsu.com/apply). Consideration will be given to applicants with an undergraduate degree in physics or other areas of science or engineering with physics education equivalent to a minor in physics (see more detailed information on undergraduate physics preparation below).

All students applying for the MS program must take the GRE general test (verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing).  The quantitative reasoning portion of the GRE has to be at least in the 50th percentile. Students whose undergraduate training is not in the United States must also take the TOEFL and meet the international admission requirements for graduate students (csuohio.edu/international-admissions/graduate-admission-requirements).

All applicants must submit two letters of recommendation, a personal statement, and a resume.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT

Admitted students are eligible for support through graduate assistantships awarded at the discretion of the department. The data in the table below reflects the levels of support in the academic year 2019-2020. The dollar amounts for the stipends vary from one semester to another depending on available departmental funds, teaching experience, and academic performance.

Type

Support

Obligation

Number of new assistantships offered per year

Teaching Assistantship

stipend: $3,500-4,500/semester

tuition waiver: 9 credits/semester of in-state tuition*

20 hours of TA per week

6

* The tuition waiver of 9 credit hours/semester covers only in-state tuition costs for a full-time student. Current tuition rates for all students including non-resident domestic and international are posted at: csuohio.edu/bursar/tuition-and-fees.

DEGREE COMPLETION REQUIREMENTS

The Medical Physics specialization includes the following courses (33 credits):

  • PHY 515: Introduction to Biological Physics, 4cr 
  • PHY 520: Computational Physics, 4cr
  • PHY 530: Medical Radiation Physics, 3cr
  • PHY 531: Radiation Biology, 2cr
  • PHY 532: Radiation Safety, 2cr
  • PHY 535: Radiation Therapy Physics, 3cr
  • PHY 540: Medical Imaging Physics, 3cr
  • PHY 565: Image Processing, 4cr
  • PHY 660: Electronics, 4cr
  • PHY 598: Clinical Observation and Research Project, 4cr

Undergraduate Physics Preparation:

The best preparation for an MS degree in medical physics is a BS degree in physics. Applicants who have an undergraduate degree in other areas of science or engineering (e.g., electrical engineering, biochemical engineering, mechanical engineering, or nuclear engineering) must have physics training equivalent to a Minor in Physics. To meet the requirements for a minor in physics, the following courses should be taken:

  1. Three calculus courses (offered at CSU as MTH 181, MTH 182, and MTH 281)

  2. Two semesters of calculus-based introductory-level physics courses (offered at CSU as PHY 241 and PHY 242)

  3. Three advanced upper-level physics courses. ​At CSU, these can be three from the following recommended list:

    • PHY 325: Introduction to Theoretical Physics, 3cr

    • PHY 330: Introduction to Modern Physics, 3cr (strongly recommended)

    • PHY 340: Mechanics and Vibrations I, 3cr

    • PHY 350: Electricity and Magnetism I, 3cr

    • PHY 440: Quantum Physics I, 3cr

    • PHY 474: Thermal Physics, 4cr

    • PHY 475: Statistical Physics, 3cr 

Such an undergraduate physics preparation is required by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Education Programs (CAMPEP). It is also part of the requirement for taking Part I of the certification examination offered by the American Board of Radiology (ABR). See the following webpage on ABR’s random audit process: www.theabr.org/sites/all/themes/abr-media/pdf/ICMPRandomAuditofApplications.pdf

Undergraduate Preparation in Anatomy and Physiology:

Students lacking a suitable Anatomy and Physiology course must remedy the deficiency by taking a course approved by the program director, e.g. CSU's BIO 266 course. This course must be successfully completed before the MS degree can be conferred.

STUDENT STATISTICS

Admission Statistics MS, Medical Physics Specialization Program

Year

Number Applied*

Number Offered Admission*

Number Entered in the Program

Average GPA of Entering Students

2007

-

-

6

3.48

2008

-

-

8

3.62

2009

-

-

2

3.27

2010

-

-

1

3.92

2011

-

-

3

3.40

2012

-

-

3

3.59

2013

20

11

3

3.73

2014

27

14

6

3.71

2015

14

9

5

3.47

2016

21

12

5

3.33

2017

30

9

3

3.43

2018

29

17

6

3.374

2019

24

16

8

3.504

2020

12 0 0 N/A
2021 0 0 0 Admissions to the program have been frozen during this academic year.

* The MSc program received initial accreditation in 2012.

Job Placement Statistics MS, Medica Physics Specialization Program

Year

Number 

of graduates

Placement after graduation

Board (ABR) Certified**

Clinical

Residency

PhD program

Medical dosimetry program

Research

Other*

 

2007

6

5

 

1

      4

2008

3

2

       

1

2

2009

6

4

 

1

   

1

4

2010

6

5

       

1

3

2011

3

2

     

1

  1

2012

1

         

1

 

2013

2

1

1

        1

2014

4

 

1

 

1

 

2

2

2015

4

1

 

 

 

 

3

1

2016

6

1

3

1

 

 

1

1

2017

7

 

5

2

 

 

 

 

2018

4 1 2       1  

2019

4   2       2  

2020

6 1 4       1  
2021 7 1 5       1  

* The Other category includes graduates who are working in other professions or are currently seeking employment. **As of March 2021.

 (Last updated March 2nd, 2022)