The Graduate Program in Physics & Astronomy at the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

The Physics & Astronomy Department at UNC Chapel Hill is an APS Bridge Program Partnership Site offering a traditional PhD program with a commitment to improving student success through multi-level mentoring, flexible study plans, and a welcoming community. UNC is in the top ten nationally in federal research funding and all department graduate students who maintain satisfactory progress receive RA, TA, or fellowship support. Students have access to abundant telescope time and multiple astronomical instrumentation labs, a broad network of interdisciplinary nano/materials science and biomedical imaging research labs, one of the premier university-based nuclear physics labs in the nation, and superb computational facilities for modeling, visualization, and numerical simulation, with applications from astro/biophysical fluid dynamics to string theory. The department is also active in education research and offers training in evidence-based teaching methods as part of the graduate curriculum, along with many opportunities for outreach. UNC and nearby Duke and NC State surround the ``Research Triangle,'' one of the country's most active high-tech industry regions, yet Chapel Hill remains an affordable and beautiful place to live, a short drive from both the mountains and the sea.​