Research within the department is broadly defined in three categories: Theoretical and Experimental Condensed Matter Physics, which includes dynamics of quantum systems with application to electronic, magnetic, optical, structural, and thermal properties of nanomaterials (eg. fullerene-derived solids and nanotubes); quantum many-body physics, superconductivity and superfluidity, electronic properties of graphene and its derivatives, strongly-correlated electronic systems and quantum magnetism, spintronics, optical properties and magnetism of thin films, organic semiconductors and nanostructures (professors: Clougherty, Del Maestro, Kotov, Headrick, Furis); Astrophysics, the use of radio astronomy to study pulsars (Professor: Rankin); and Biological Physics, which includes use of Atomic Force Microscopy to study DNA, lipid membranes, and viruses; studies of the application of ultrasound to biological systems; protein crystallography to study the shapes of proteins and how function follows form. (Professors: Vanegas, Wu, Yang)

Master's degrees require a minimum of thirty credits; some programs require more. A minimum grade point average of 3.00 must be achieved. A minimum of fifteen graded credits used in compilation of the graduate GPA must be taken in residence at UVM following matriculation into the master's program. For international students whose native language is not English or who have not completed undergraduate degrees in English, Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores or IELTS scores must be submitted.