Program Overview

Applied Physics: Quantum and Nanotechnology, MS

Details

The Applied Physics Master’s in Quantum and Nanotechnology aims to build experimental skills needed for the rapidly growing quantum industry (quantum computing / quantum sensing / quantum networking) and its adjacent Nanotechnology industries (Microwave Devices, Integrated Photonics, MEMS/NEMS).

We believe graduate education should equip you with the skills that allow you to excel in your career: technical expertise, hands-on experience, and professional skills (including communication, leadership, and teamwork). Students gain these skills through focused coursework and labs, integrated professional development, and a nine-month paid internship.

Unlike traditional master’s programs, students spend the majority of their time gaining hands-on expertise working with:

• Nanofabrication (photolithography, deposition, etching, characterization, and factorial design of experiments)
• Microwave measurement equipment
• Dilution cryostat cryogenics and benchmarking superconducting qubits
• Free-space laser and atomic physics setups
• Lab-integrated data science, factorial experiments, and Python scripting (instrumentation control and data analysis)

After students complete the campus portion of the curriculum in the first two quarters, the students find six or nine-month paid internships or are paired with a faculty member where they get involved in a research project. After the completion of the program, the students graduate with an M.S. degree in Applied Physics.

Background

The University of Oregon pioneered the development of internship-based M.S. programs starting in 1998. The goal of these programs is to provide real-world knowledge, skills, and experience that allows students to excel in launching their professional career working in industrial research laboratories. Other existing internship-based MS programs include the Knight Campus Graduate Internship (tracks in: semiconductors, optics, polymers, bioinformatics, and sensors), the Advanced Materials Analysis and Characterization, and the Electrochemistry Masters Internship programs. All these programs have exceptionally high rates of internship and job placement (> 98%).

Schedule

How to Apply

Detailed description of the application process can be found on the Application page. We expect to open the admissions portal for Fall 2026 in October with applications Priority / early decision deadline February 15th, 2026. Applications will be accepted also after February 15th on a rolling basis until spots in the program are filled.

Tuition Cost

Tuition cost for 2025 – 2026 is expected to be $630 per credit hour. There is no difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition. The program consists of a total of 48-54 credit hours with an expected tuition cost (based on incoming class of 2024 rates) of $30,240-$34,020. Typical external internship compensation for two or three terms is expected in majority of cases to fully offset the tuition cost.

Housing

The Eugene-Springfield area offers generally affordable housing compared to other West-Coast cities with good public transit and protected bike paths running throughout the city. However, the timeline of the accelerated timeline of the MS internship program makes finding housing more difficult than for traditional programs. Once you are accepted to the program, we will solicit a housing contact list where you can connect with other accepted students to work together to find housing options. The University of Oregon has Graduate Student and Family Housing and also provides a web service to help students find off-campus housing.