Program Overview

MSc in Medical Physics Program

The Master of Science in Medical Physics (MSc MEPH) combines in-depth knowledge and practical experience to educate and train qualified medical physicists in the areas of diagnostic imaging, radiation therapy, nuclear medicine, and radiation protection.

About the Program

The program aims to fulfill the needs of the country for competent medical physics practitioners. Students will utilize modeling, computer simulation, and experimental techniques as tools to analyze and understand different phenomena and processes. Graduates of the MSc will have acquired the advanced level of knowledge and experience to assume a career in hospitals, industry, and government, as well as continuing their studies to the Doctorate level.

Program Educational Objectives

The objectives of the MSc in Medical Physics program are to produce graduates who:

• Advance professionally and be recognized as leaders in their career.
• Apply their technical expertise to address the needs of society in a critical, creative, ethical, and innovative manner.
• Further develop their knowledge and skills through graduate education and professional schools.

Learning Outcomes

MSc in Medical Physics graduates will be able to:

• Apply medical physics knowledge, including core medical physics concepts and topics relating to the methods and techniques of clinical practice and research for the prevention, diagnosis, and safe treatment of human disease.
• Solve medical physics problems individually and collaboratively involving the integration of knowledge including basic and applied physics, mathematics, biological and physics sciences; development of theoretical solutions; use of various concept representations, computational methods, simulations, and experimental tests.
• Demonstrate skills related to posing new questions and solving problems in research, clinical, and industrial settings, including problem-solving, troubleshooting, experimental skills, coding and software use, data processing, and analysis.
• Organize and communicate about scientific and technical concepts for different audiences and contexts using various and appropriate communication methods and modalities.
• Develop familiarity with basic workplace concepts, issues, practices, professional conduct, and life skills, including ethical conduct and actions that are required of medical physicists.

Career Opportunities in Medical Physics

Medical Physics is an exciting and rapidly developing field, within which skilled professionals are in high demand. Integrating physics, medicine, and technology, medical physics is rich in opportunities for academic and clinical pursuit. The program will offer career and research pathways for graduates in physical science, biophysics, biomedical engineering, or equivalent, having substantial physics and mathematics components.

Program Structure

The MSc MEPH program consists of a minimum of 30 credit hours, distributed as follows:

• Program Core: 21 credit hours
• Master's Thesis: 9 credit hours
• Total: 30 credit hours

Program Requirements

Students seeking the degree of MSc in Medical Physics must successfully complete a minimum of 30 credit hours as specified in the program requirements, with a minimum CGPA of 3.0. Course selection should be made in consultation with the student's Main Advisor.

Program Core (21 credit hours)

• MEPH 620: Radiation Biology and Research Methods and Ethics (3 cr.)
• MEPH 630: Radiological Physics and Radiation Protection (3 cr.)
• MEPH 640: Physics of Radiotherapy (with Lab) (3 cr.)
• MEPH 650: Physics of Diagnostic Imaging (with Lab) (4 cr.)
• MEPH 660: Non-Ionizing Radiation Imaging (2 cr.)
• MEPH 680: Physics of Nuclear Medicine (3 cr.)
• MEPH 600/BMED 600: Physiological Systems (3 cr.)

Master's Thesis (minimum 9 credit hours)

Students must complete a Master's Thesis that involves creative, research-oriented work within the field of medical physics, under direct supervision of a full-time faculty advisor from the Physics Department, and at least one other full-time faculty who acts as a co-advisor.

Admission Criteria

Applicants seeking admission to a Master's degree program at Khalifa University must meet the following minimum criteria:

• Minimum level of English proficiency in the form of an iBT TOEFL (internet-based test) score of 91 or equivalent, an overall academic IELTS score of 6.5, or an EmSAT English score of 1550
• Minimum quantitative score of 150 in the general Graduate Record Examination (GRE) for all programs
• Statement of Purpose (500 – 1,000 words)
• Minimum of two referee recommendations
• Admission interview

In addition to the above requirements, applicants to the Master's in Medical Physics program must meet the following requirements:

• Completed BSc degree in Physics (or equivalent) with a minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.0 out of 4.0 (75%), or equivalent, from an accredited institution.

Study Plan

Students must consult with their respective advisors on the courses that they will enroll in, the required pre-requisites, and the thesis topic selection. Full-time graduate students must register for 9 to 12 credits, including thesis credits, during a regular semester (Fall and Spring) and a maximum of 6 credits during a Summer term. In the case of part-time students, the credit load is normally 6 credits during a regular semester as well as the summer term.

Typical Study Plan for Full-Time Students

Typical Study Plan for Part-Time Students