About The Department of Physics

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The Department of Physics at the University of Colorado Boulder is internationally renowned for outstanding teaching, research and service. Home to award-winning research labs, educators and Nobel Laureates, the CU Department of Physics is at the forefront of the physics discipline, with an accomplished faculty devoted to undergraduate and graduate research and education.

Rich in history, strong in spirit and dedicated to excellence, we provide a comprehensive theoretical and hands-on educational experience to our Undergraduate, Graduate and Post-Doctoral students.

Physics by the Numbers

Honors and Awards

Ìý Ìý4 Nobel Prizes since 2001

Ìý Ìý4 MacArthur Genius FellowsÌý

Ìý Ìý11 members of the National Academy of Sciences

Student enrollment and degrees

Ìý Ìý316ÌýPhD students

Ìý Ìý485Ìýphysics and engineering physics majors

Ìý Ìý100 undergraduate degrees awarded annuallyÌý

US News & World Report Graduate School Rankings (2023)

Ìý Ìý#1 best public university in atomic, molecular, and optical phyics

Ìý #4Ìýbest public university in quantum physics

Ìý #4Ìýbest public university in condensed matter physics

Scholarship and fellowships

Ìý ÌýOver $66,000 in named graduate fellowship funding awarded each year

Ìý Over $108,000 in scholarships awarded in 2023-2024

Ìý Ìý29ÌýQuantum Fellows in 2023-2024

Faculty and research activity

Ìý 60Ìýtenured and tenure-track faculty

Ìý Ìý$83Ìýmillion in research expenditures in 2023

National labs and institutes

Ìý Ìýour faculty hold joint appointments with 6 national labs and institutes including JILA, NIST, NREL, LASP, RASEI, and BioFrontiers