This gives students practical training as well as an employment opportunity usually available only to graduate students. Independent investigations are encouraged for well-qualified students in their junior or senior year. Each student has the opportunity to work closely with a faculty member of his or her choice on a project of mutual interest. Any student in good standing who is interested may become a member. Sigma Pi Sigma , a national physics honor society, exists within the framework of the Society of Physics Students.
Membership is by invitation.
The Department of Physics offers a program leading to the Master of Science in Applied Physics. Graduate students in physics have opportunities for research in several areas. Howerver, the department's major research emphasis is in applied optics. The Physical Sciences Building, completed in 1985, provides space for many modern, well-equipped classrooms, teaching and research laboratories, and offices for the Physics Department. Computing facilities in the department include 16 Sun workstations that are connected via ethernet with the VAX and IBM mainframes at UNC Charlotte and with the CRAY Y-MP supercomputer at the Research Triangle Park.