Master of Science in Radiological Sciences and Protection, Medical Physics Option

At a Glance

Flexibility

Part Time | Full Time
Delivery Options

On Campus
Degree

MS

Medical Physics Program Overview

Gain education and training in radiation sciences, radiation protection, medical applications of radiation, and dosimetry (including laboratory work and clinical internship) with UMass Lowell's Medical Physics program.

Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Educational Program (CAMPEP), our master's program collaborates with local and regional teaching hospitals and cancer centers in the Boston area to provide you with cutting-edge education in therapeutic and imaging medical physics.

The program duration is designed to be two years plus one summer semester, although the typical academic plan may be different due to elective courses and the length of thesis research.

Curriculum

Our master's program requires a combination of didactic courses, laboratories, clinical training and a thesis of publishable quality. Elective courses may be taken to meet particular educational needs, especially for the student’s research.

Students in the program qualify for and are expected to take the American Board of Radiology (ABR) Part-1 Exam by the second year of their study. Historically, most students have concentrated on therapy physics but because faculty and the cooperating hospitals also have imaging and nuclear medicine research projects, over the last decade a number of students have focused on other medical physics specialties as well.

The clinical component provides the students with training dominantly in radiation therapy, but diagnostic imaging traineeships are also available.

For complete program details, please visit the Academic Catalog.

For students entering Fall 2024 and beyond.

Core Courses
Course Number	Course Name	Credits
Total		43
RADI.5010	Radiation Safety and Control - I	3
RADI.5090	Nuclear Instrumentation	3
RADI.5330	External Dosimetry and Shielding	3
RADI.5620	Radiation Biology	3
RADI.5650	Radiation Therapy Physics	3
RADI.5980	Medical Imaging - I	3
RADI.6980	Medical Imaging - II	3
RADI.6050	Radiation Interactions and Transport	3
RADI.6060	Monte Carlo Simulation of Radiation Transport	3
RADI.6650	Advanced Radiation Therapy Physics	3
RADI.6760L	Graduate Medical Physics Internship	1-3^‡
RADI.6860L	Advanced Medical Physics Internship	1-3^‡
BMBT.5200	Ethical Issues in Biomedical Research	1^†
PHYS.7200	Medical Physics Seminar	0-1*
PHYS.7010	Physics Colloquium	0^¶
RADI.7430 OR PHYS.7430	Thesis Research	6
HSCI.5510§	Clinical Pathophysiology§§	3

Curriculum Summary
Total credits required for the degree	43
Number of courses required for the degree	17

† The Bioethics course offered by the Radiological Society of North America is equivalent and can be taken in lieu of this course. Please submit a Graduate Academic Petition to have the RSNA course accepted towards the completion of the Medical Physics Degree.
* Students enroll in PHYS 7200 for all semesters of their studies. Only one of them can be taken for credit, in which they usually present their thesis work as public seminar. Waiver may be obtained from the course director if this course conflicts with clinical rotation schedule.
¶ All graduate students in the Physics Department are required to take Physics Colloquium. MS students typically take this course for 0 credit hours. Waiver may be obtained from the course director if this course conflicts with clinical rotation schedule.
§ and §§ Required course in Anatomy and Physiology - A graduate course in anatomy and physiology is a requirement for all Medical Physics students. Students who have taken an equivalent course in anatomy and physiology at another accredited institution may request a course transfer, subject to UML's credit transfer policy. For these students, the total number of courses required for degree is 16 and the total number of credits is 40. Students in this program must take a specific section of HSCI.5510 indicated by their coordinator.
‡ Required Clinical Rotations - Two clinical rotations, which typically take place during the Fall and Spring semesters of the second year or later, are required. Rotation in the summer semester is also possible. Each rotation consists of spending an average of 12 to 15 hours per week in the cooperating clinic (depending on the site) under the supervision of a Board-Certified clinical medical physicist. Depending on the time spent in the clinic, these courses carry flexible credits and are repeatable.<</li>

MS Thesis Research

A thesis, whose quality is sufficient for publication in the AAPM annual meeting or in an appropriate peer-reviewed scientific journal, is required. Students must take at least 6 credit hours of thesis research.

Updated 12/3/24

Medical Physics Career Outlook

UMass Lowell graduates are qualified for all medical physics specialties and prepared for residency programs, industrial positions and future ABR exams.

Medical professional analyzes color-enhanced images of brain.

Recent graduates have pursued further research training in medical physics programs offering a doctoral degree or accepted positions as:

Clinical residents
Medical physicists in a research laboratory
Medical physicists in industry

Tuition and Admissions

Eligible students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to be considered for financial assistance.

Complete the FAFSA

As a graduate student, you may qualify for federal student aid and other need-based scholarships. To be considered for financial assistance, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Learn more at UMass Lowell Graduate Aid.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is available to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and certain eligible non-citizens. Please visit Financial Aid if you have questions about your eligibility.

Kennedy College of Sciences master’s and doctoral applicants must submit:

An application
An application fee
A statement of purpose
Letters of recommendation
Official transcripts
Official test score report (required for some programs, waiver form available)

Note, all required materials must be received before the application package can be evaluated. If you need to introduce new references or add other supporting documents, log on to your application, click on “Program Materials” to update your application. Please note the new documents and references will be considered only if your application has not been reviewed for admission.

Chemistry and Polymer Science Ph.D. Applicants: All required documents must be received by the Office of Graduate Admissions by Feb. 15 to receive full consideration for Fall semester acceptance. Applications completed after this deadline will be considered for acceptance in the subsequent semester.

International Students: please see the additional application requirements.

Bachelor's to Master's Students: You will not need to apply via the application portal, Visit the Bachelor's to Master's page to learn about the process to transition to your desired master's program.

1. Online Application application

Applications are only being accepted using the online process. Instructions are included in the online application link.

Tips for accessing and completing the online application:

Capitalize your proper name.
Once the form is submitted, changes can only be made by calling the Office of Graduate Admissions at 978-934-2390.

Apply for Spring 2025

Apply for Summer 2025, Fall 2025, Spring 2026

app-fee 2. Application Fees

The application fee is $50 for each application and is non-refundable. Applications will not be processed until this fee is received or application fee waiver has been approved and delivered to the Office of Graduate Admissions.

3. Statement of Purpose statement

In a separate document, submit a brief statement indicating your immediate and long-range goals, relevant work history, academic honors/awards received, any teaching experience and/or research conducted/published that may be pertinent to your graduate program. Two page recommended maximum.

Note: If you are applying to more than one program, you will need to submit a program-specific statement of purpose with each application package.

4. Letters of Recommendation recommendation

Master's applicants need to submit two (2) letters of recommendation except Medical Physics applicants which requires three (3) letters of recommendation. Doctoral applicants will be asked to submit three letters of recommendation. You will be asked to provide (names and email addresses) referees during the application process, and that an automated request will be sent out after the completion of your application. Alternatively, you may use the graduate admissions recommendation form (pdf) to request letters of recommendations.

Recommendations should be from instructors who have taught you, ideally in the field to which you are applying. Recommendations may also be from employers or supervisors who are in a position to compare your performance to that of your peers. Please use the recommendation form for these.

5. Official Transcripts transcripts

Provide a complete and official transcript from the institution that awarded or will award you a bachelor’s degree. You may also include transcripts from other institutions at which you have taken relevant coursework. Please note that waiting for additional transcripts may delay review of your application.

Transcripts should be sent in sealed and signed envelopes mailed to the Office of Graduate Admissions. If you received your degree from UMass Lowell, it is not necessary for you to request a transcript, we are able to provide one for you.

UMass Lowell Graduate Admissions
GPS Center
839 Merrimack Street, 2nd Floor
Lowell, MA 01854-3941

International transcripts that do not clearly indicate to the Office of Graduate Admissions that you have received a four-year bachelor’s degree, the equivalent of an American bachelor's degree must be demonstrated before an application will be processed. Please note, the Office of Graduate Admissions reserves the right to have any application credential evaluated. Baccalaureate verification may be obtained for a fee at:

Center for Educational Documentation, Inc.
P.O. Box 170116
Boston, MA 02117
Telephone: 617-338-7171
Fax: 617-338-7101
Center for Educational Documentation website
World Education Services website

test-score 6. Official Test Score Report(s) (waived for most programs)

If your program requires one or more test scores reports, request that the appropriate agency send an official test score report for the GRE or GMAT to the Office of Graduate Admissions. UMass Lowell’s school code is 3911.

These programs require official test scores:

MS Computer Science
Ph.D. Computer Science
Medical Physics
Radiological Sciences

Get more information about standardized tests.

Some master's programs will waive the test score requirements under certain conditions.

Further information is available on the GRE/GMAT/MAT Waiver Forms webpage.

Please note:

Deadline for fall semester entry: January 15
Successful applicants typically have an undergraduate major in physics, engineering, or a similar technical field. Students with other undergraduate degrees may be accepted if the prerequisite coursework, equivalent to a minor in physics, is satisfied. Applicants with minor deficiencies (e.g., one of the required courses is missing) may be admitted with the provision of satisfying the prerequisite during the first year of graduate study. In cases when multiple prerequisite courses are lacking, we recommend that the student satisfactorily complete these courses before embarking on graduate studies in Medical Physics.
Review complete Admission Qualifications for the Medical Physics Program in the academic catalog.

Take the Next Step

Start your online application today!

Apply

Request More Information

Take a Virtual Tour of UMass Lowell

Launch virtual tour

Explore UMass Lowell from anywhere in the world. See the spaces where our students study, create, learn and live through a self-guided, interactive tour.

Find Graduate Resources

Questions? Contact Us!

Phone:
800-656-4723 (U.S. Students)
978-934-2390 (International Students)

Email:
Graduate_Admissions@uml.edu

For program questions or to connect with our current students, please contact:

Erno Sajo, Ph.D.
Phone: 978-934-3288
Email: Erno_Sajo@uml.edu