California Institute Of Technology
Bachelor degree
Aeronautics | California Institute Of Technology |
Undergraduates interested in Aeronautics should declare the Engineering and Applied Science option. A concentration in Aeronautics is available to Engineering & Applied Science (EAS) students who satisfy their EAS option requirements using courses from the Aeronautics requirements. If the concentration requirements are satisfied, both the option (EAS) and the concentration (Aeronautics) will be listed on the transcript. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Bachelor degree
Applied Physics | California Institute Of Technology |
The Applied Physics option at Caltech offers a multidisciplinary graduate program spanning engineering and physics in which fundamental physical principles are used to address research issues of technological importance at the frontiers of engineering and science.
Research in Applied Physics at Caltech encompasses a diverse set of topics at the forefront of engineering and science. These include photonics and optoelectronics, biophysics, solid-state electronic materials and devices, plasma physics, and amorphous and nanostructured materials.
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California Institute Of Technology
Bachelor degree
Applied and Computational Mathematics | California Institute Of Technology |
The interwoven fields of applied and computational mathematics are among the most interdisciplinary of all research areas, encompassing modeling, analysis, algorithm development, and simulation for problems arising throughout the pure sciences and engineering. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Bachelor degree
Astronomy | California Institute Of Technology |
Our department is twofold: the performance of cutting-edge research in astronomy and astrophysics, as well as the education of undergraduate and graduate students who will comprise the scientists and leaders of tomorrow. The members of our department engage in a wide variety of astronomical research projects, with topics ranging from the nearby stars to the most distant galaxies in the Universe. To help maintain these research efforts, our department supports an interest in several astronomical observatories. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Bachelor degree
Bioengineering | California Institute Of Technology |
At a variety of levels of organization, from the molecular to the cellular to the organismal, biology is becoming more accessible to approaches that are commonly used in engineering, including mathematical modeling, systems theory, computation, and abstraction-based synthesis. Conversely, the accelerating pace of discovery in the biological sciences suggests new design principles that will have important practical applications in future synthetic biological and biomedical systems and devices. The BioEngineering Option at Caltech unites engineering analysis and synthetic approaches to solve frontier problems in biological engineering.
To respond to the diversity of backgrounds and objectives within our research community, the Bioengineering Option has recently created three Sub-Options, each offering an academic program tailored to the intellectual focus of the participating students:
Synthetic and Systems Biology
BioMechanics & Bio-Inspired Design
BioDevices and BioImaging | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Bachelor degree
Biology | California Institute Of Technology |
The undergraduate option in biology is designed to build on a solid foundation in mathematics and physical science by providing an introduction to the basic facts, concepts, problems, and methodologies of biological science. The option serves as a basis for graduate study in any field of biology or for admission to the study of medicine. Instruction is offered in the form of participation in the ongoing research programs of the division, as well as in formal course work. Course work emphasizes the more general and fundamental properties of living organisms, and areas of current research interest, rather than the traditional distinct fields within the life sciences. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Bachelor degree
Business
Economics and Management | California Institute Of Technology |
The Business, Economics and Management (BEM) option provides students with analytical and conceptual tools to succeed in the modern, volatile business environment. The emphasis is on finance, strategy, law and the design of institutions (organizations, markets and networks) in a free-market, competitive or strategic situation, or in politicized environments. Today's business environment is increasingly complex, and consequently the required courses are highly analytical, employing a wide range of theoretical tools, complemented by the analysis of actual business problems. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Bachelor degree
Chemical Engineering | California Institute Of Technology |
Chemical Engineering at Caltech has a long tradition. Started as applied chemistry by Arthur Amos Noyes, the department led the famous Project 37 of the American Petroleum Institute that provided much of the basic knowledge on thermodynamics and phase equilibria in hydrocarbon systems. Subsequent developments, under the able guidance of a series of distinguished educators and scientists, have led the department to the forefront of research and teaching in chemical engineering. At the present time, the chemical engineering faculty at Caltech is one of the most distinguished and innovative in the world, actively leading chemical engineering research into new areas of application and involvement. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Bachelor degree
Chemistry | California Institute Of Technology |
Chemistry is the science of change, and chemists and chemical engineers are involved not just in understanding, but in changing the material world around us. Whether it is through new chemistry for the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, new technologies for energy conversion, or new approaches to environmental protection, the chemical sciences affect modern life in countless and important ways.
Our commitment to undergraduate education and small class size allows for frequent one-on-one interaction between students and professors. Undergraduate research and interdisciplinary work are common and encouraged. Interdisciplinary courses are available in such fields as geochemistry and environmental chemistry. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Bachelor degree
Chinese | California Institute Of Technology |
A four-year course sequence from introductory classes (about 800 compounds and 700 characters) to elementary through intermediate levels. Students' linguistic proficiency and cultural literacy are enhanced by the study of a wide variety of materials of styles and genres, from newspapers and magazines to selections from the works of major writers from China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. Classes emphasize the acquisition of oral, aural, writing and reading skills. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Bachelor degree
Computational and Neural Systems | California Institute Of Technology |
The Computational and Neural Systems degree program is organized jointly by the Division of Biology, the Division of Engineering and Applied Science, and the Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy. It is the program's objective to provide a broad knowledge of this inherently multidisciplinary field, while at the same time requiring an appropriate depth of knowledge in the particular field of the thesis research. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Bachelor degree
Computer Science | California Institute Of Technology |
There are many opportunities for undergraduate research in the computer science field. Students may work with faculty in the computer science department and in other departments and JPL. There are a wide variety of research opportunities in computing across campus, ranging from pervasive computing using wireless devices, to building and exploiting novel graphics devices, to algorithms, networking, molecular computing, or to using computing to search for quasars. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Bachelor degree
Creative Writing | California Institute Of Technology |
Students read and analyze important literary texts in the relevant genre and produce their own creative work. Much time is devoted to in-class workshops of student writing, which not only provide students with valuable feedback from their peers and the teacher but also teach them to become insightful critics of others' work. Students in the poetry course write in a variety of forms including the sonnet and blank verse, while students of non-fiction experiment with satire, the memoir, and the polemic. The fiction courses cover either realism, which encourages students to make art out of what they know, or imaginary writing. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Bachelor degree
Economics | California Institute Of Technology |
The economics option provides students with an understanding of the basic principles underlying the functioning of economic institutions. It offers a modern and quantitative approach to economics seldom available to undergraduates. The emphasis on economic principles and modern methodology provides sudents with an excellent preparation for graduate study in economics or for professional study in the fields of business or law and economics.
The option is sufficiently flexible that students can combine their pursuit of economics with studies in other areas, such as engineering, physics, or mathematics. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Bachelor degree
Electrical Engineering | California Institute Of Technology |
Electrical Engineering at Caltech emphasizes both electronics and systems. Closely allied with Computation and Neural Systems, Applied Physics, Computer Science, and Control and Dynamical Systems, it offers students the opportunity for study and research, both theoretical and experimental, in a wide variety of subjects, including wireless systems, quantum electronics, modern Student with Moorebotsoptics, lasers and guided waves, solid-state materials and devices, power electronics, control theory, learning systems, computational finance, signal processing, data compression, communications, parallel and distributed computing, fault-tolerant computing, and computational vision. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Bachelor degree
English | California Institute Of Technology |
Instruction in British and American literature ranges from freshman courses on major authors to a senior tutorial for English majors. The freshman humanities courses introduce students to significant genres, different periods, and basic techniques of literary interpretation.
English offers a wide range of courses in British and American literature, from Chaucer to post-World War II American fiction and film. Although some courses are devoted to traditional periods — the English Renaissance, the British romantics, and 18th-century America — most courses focus on authors, genres, and themes. Prose fiction, the students' favorite genre, is studied most extensively: a three-term survey of the British novel from its origins to the present; Austen, the Brontës, and Woolf; Gothic fiction; 19th-century American women's novels; Twain and his contemporaries; James and Wharton; American novels, 1917-40; and modern European fiction. Thematic courses study 20th-century narratives of American assimilation and European colonial encounters from Columbus to the present. We also offer one-term courses on Chaucer, Milton, and Melville, a three-term survey of European drama from the Middle Ages to Beckett, and a two-term course on Shakespeare.
Majors who wish to study subjects not offered in regular courses can work independently with a faculty member. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Bachelor degree
Environmental Science and Engineering | California Institute Of Technology |
The Environmental Science and Engineering (ESE) Program offers a coherent program of education and research spanning the large scales of global climate studies to the local scales of engineering solutions to environmental problems such as toxic waste remediation. Reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of environmental science and engineering, the ESE Program unites scientists from Caltech's Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences in studies of the functioning and coupling of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and lithosphere. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Bachelor degree
French | California Institute Of Technology |
A two-year multimedia course sequence from beginning to advanced intermediate levels. At the advanced level, special courses in French cinema and French literature are offered, with instruction in French. In addition, several literature courses conducted in English are given regularly. Classes emphasize the acquisition of oral, aural, writing and reading skills.
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California Institute Of Technology
Bachelor degree
Geobiology | California Institute Of Technology |
In a broad sense, Geobiology is the use of information preserved in and by the biosphere to attack problems of importance for understanding the geological evolution of the Earth. The interaction of life with the earth works in two directions: life has had an enormous impact on the chemical and physical evolution of this planet, and in turn, global changes in the surface environment of the earth have left their imprint on the genetic and molecular systems which are part of every living thing. In the past, the thrust of geobiological work at Caltech (and elsewhere) has focused primarily on the first of these domains, the effect of life on earth; this work includes many of the isotopic, biogeochemical, and biomineral studies of Patterson, Epstein, Lowenstam & their students. Today, researchers in our division continue to study the geochemical signatures of life (examples include the discovery of magnetofossils, and the discovery that bacterial arsenate respiration can precipitate arsenic sulfides), but the approach taken to explore these problems has now expanded to include molecular genetics. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Bachelor degree
Geochemistry | California Institute Of Technology |
Geochemistry is the study of the chemical and structural composition and evolution of Earth and its component parts, including the atmosphere, hydrosphere, crust, mantle, and core, as well as extraterrestrial matter, such as meteorites and comets, other planets, the sun, and distant stars. It concerns itself with the distribution and migration of elements within the Earth and its atmosphere. Over time, geochemistry has evolved from a descriptive science to one increasingly concerned with the mechanisms behind its observations.
Geochemistry today is diversified into many subfields, including aqueous geochemistry, cosmochemistry, inorganic geochemistry, isotope geochemistry, organic geochemistry, and trace-element geochemistry. Since most geological processes involve chemical reactions, geochemistry and geochemical data are also used to explain many of these processes in other areas of the geosciences. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Bachelor degree
Geology | California Institute Of Technology |
The geology division is conducting research in the following areas: Arid Land Remote Monitoring, Experimental Petrology, Hawaii Scientific Drilling Project, Tectonics Observatory. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Bachelor degree
Geophysics | California Institute Of Technology |
The geophysics division is conducting research in the following areas: Experimental Geophysics, Geodynamics, Glaciology, Southern California Earthquake Data Center (SCEDC), Seismological Laboratory, Southern California Seismic Network., Theoretical & Computational Seismology, Tectonics Observatory. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Bachelor degree
German | California Institute Of Technology |
A two-year course sequence provides elementary to advanced intermediate levels of all skills, including coverage of all relevant grammatical material. The 6th quarter emphasizes more advanced reading and discussion of literary, scientific and technical texts. A variety of courses covering German literature in translation is offered, as are courses on special topics such as German Exile literature, Film, etc. Classes emphasizie the acquisition of oral, aural, writing and reading skills. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Bachelor degree
History | California Institute Of Technology |
Each history major will choose an area of concentration in consultation with his or her advisor and the history option representative. These areas might include, but are not restricted to, fields such as ancient history, medieval Europe, early-modern Europe, modern Europe, Russian history, American history pre-1865, American history post-1865, early-modern history of science, modern history of science, or economic history. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Bachelor degree
History and Philosophy of Science | California Institute Of Technology |
The program in History and Philosophy of Science is devoted to the study of the historical evolution and philosophical underpinnings of the physical and biological sciences.
Historical research in the program includes the origins of experimental practice, the social and institutional contexts of science, the origins and applications of quantitative methods, specific developments since antiquity in physics, biology and chemistry, as well as biographical and comparative studies. Philosophical research in the program deals with issues in causation, explanation, scientific inference, the foundations of probability and decision theory, philosophy of mind, psychology, and neuroscience, and scientific fraud and misconduct. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Bachelor degree
Japanese | California Institute Of Technology |
A series of courses at elementary, intermediate and advanced levels is offered. At the intermediate level, fundamental grammar and several hundred kanji characters are mastered, enabling students to read a variety of native materials. The advanced program emphasizes vocabulary building and exposure to a wide range of materials. Each spring term, invited visitors from Japan introduce students to specific topics in culture, science, business, etc., and advanced-level students are encouraged to participate in the Caltech-Japan Internship program in Japan during summer vacation. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Bachelor degree
Material Science | California Institute Of Technology |
Material Science broadly encompasses the fundamental study of solid matter with the goal of engineering new materials with superior properties, and ultimately enabling altogether new types of devices. Historically, materials science focussed on metallurgical and ceramic systems, and the state of technological achievement of ancient (European) societies has been described in terms of materials – the stone age, the bronze age and the iron age. In the modern era, Material Science makes use of advanced fabrication and characterization tools that allow us to observe and manipulate matter virtually atom by atom. The field is inherently interdisciplinary, with strong connections to physics, chemistry, biology and the engineering fields. Materials scientists tackle such problems as the discovery of efficient electrolytes and electrodes for batteries and fuel cells (for sustainable energy), the design of nanoscale structures that can use light for communication (photonics), and the fabrication of high strength metals free of traditional failure modes (bulk metallic glass). In each case, tackling such problems requires fundamental thermodynamic and kinetic insights to answer the question: why do materials behave the way they do? | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Bachelor degree
Mathematics | California Institute Of Technology |
The four-year undergraduate program in mathematics leads to the degree of Bachelor of Science. The purpose of the undergraduate option is to give students an understanding of the broad outlines of modern mathematics, to stimulate their interest in research, and to prepare them for later work, either in pure mathematics or allied sciences. Unless students have done exceptionally well in their freshman and sophomore years, they should not contemplate specializing in mathematics. An average of at least "B" in mathematics courses is expected of students in order to major in mathematics.
Since the more interesting academic and industrial positions open to mathematicians require training beyond a bachelor's degree, students who intend to make mathematics their profession must normally plan to continue with graduate study. Some students use their background in mathematics as an entry to other fields such as physics, computer science, software engineering, economics, business, finance, medicine, or law. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Bachelor degree
Mechanical Engineering | California Institute Of Technology |
The aim of the undergraduate program in Mechanical Engineering at Caltech is to prepare students for research and professional practice in an era of rapidly advancing interdisciplinary technology. The program builds on the core curriculum to combine individual depth of experience and competence in a particular chosen mechanical engineering specialty, with a strong background in the basic and engineering sciences. It maintains a balance between classroom lectures and laboratory and design experience, and emphasizes the problem-formulation and solving skills that are essential to any engineering discipline. The program also strives to develop in each student self-reliance, creativity, leadership, professional ethics, and the capacity for continuing professional and intellectual growth. For interested students, there are opportunities to conduct research with a faculty member. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Bachelor degree
Philosophy | California Institute Of Technology |
The courses in the philosophy option concentrate on three areas: philosophy of science; philosophy of mind, brain and behavior; and moral and political philosophy. Students may choose to specialize in one of these areas, but broader courses of study are also encouraged. Depending on their interests, philosophy majors may be required by the option representative or their advisers to take up to 18 units in one or more related areas. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Bachelor degree
Physics | California Institute Of Technology |
The physics option offers instruction in the fundamentals of modern physics and provides a foundation for graduate study, which is generally necessary for a career in basic research. Many individuals have also found that the physics program forms an excellent basis for future work in a wide variety of allied fields.
While all Caltech students must take the five terms of introductory courses, an intensive version of the sophomore course (waves, quantum mechanics, and statistical mechanics) is offered for those planning further study in physics. The required junior-level courses give a thorough treatment of fundamental principles. Elective courses taken during the junior and senior years allow students to explore their particular interests. Some electives offer broad surveys, while others concentrate on particular fields of current research. A choice of laboratory courses is offered at several levels. Students are encouraged to become active participants in research on campus. Academic credit for physics work done outside of the classroom can be awarded in a variety of ways. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Bachelor degree
Political Science | California Institute Of Technology |
The political science option provides students with training in the substance and methods of modern political science, including the analysis of representative democracy, electoral institutions, the allocation of public goods, and regulatory behavior. The option emphasizes formal tools like game theory, social choice theory, and formal political theory along with quantitative methodologies to test those theories. In addition, the option encourages original research. The design of the political science option insures that students will be well suited to pursue careers in government or the private sector, as well as to pursue graduate work in political science. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Bachelor degree
Spanish | California Institute Of Technology |
A three-year program of sequential classes takes students from an elementary level to advanced study of the Spanish language. In addition, students are introduced to the wide variety of Hispanic literatures and cultures. The program emphasizes autonomous learning in a proficiency-oriented setting and relies heavily on audio�visual material delivered through the internet. Several classes in Hispanic literature in translation, conducted in English, are also offered. Classes emphase the acquisition of oral, aural, writing and reading skills. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Doctor's degree
Aeronautics | California Institute Of Technology |
Aeronautics has evolved at Caltech from a field of basic research and engineering, primarily related to the development of the airplane, into a wide discipline encompassing a broad spectrum of basic as well as applied problems in fluid dynamics and mechanics of materials.
The Institute offers graduate programs in aeronautics leading to the degrees of Master of Science, Aeronautical Engineer, and Doctor of Philosophy. The programs are designed to provide intense education in the foundations of the aeronautical sciences, with emphasis on research and the experimental method. Entering graduate students should have a thorough background in undergraduate mathematics, physics, and engineering science. Applicants for graduate study are asked to submit Graduate Record Examination scores with their applications.
In working for a degree in aeronautics, a student may pursue major study in, for example, one of the following areas: physics of fluids, computational fluid mechanics, technical fluid mechanics, mechanics of materials, mechanics of fracture, computational solid mechanics, aeronautical engineering, and propulsion. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Doctor's degree
Applied Mechanics | California Institute Of Technology |
The Applied Mechanics department was founded nearly five decades ago to focus on research and education in the areas of solid mechanics and dynamics. Current research is mainly in the area of dynamics, dealing with topics such as vibrations of structures and machinery, structural response to earthquakes, including system identification and control of structural response, and fundamental studies of the behavior of nonlinear dynamical systems. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Doctor's degree
Applied Physics | California Institute Of Technology |
Applied Physics at Caltech is built on the foundations of quantum mechanics, statistical physics, electromagnetic theory, mechanics, and advanced mathematics. The comparatively small size of Caltech coupled with its great strength in both the pure sciences and engineering make it possible to have a faculty with a wide interest in the application of modern physics to technology, without losing close interaction with "pure subjects." | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Doctor's degree
Applied and Computational Mathematics | California Institute Of Technology |
The Institute offers an interdisciplinary program of graduate study in applied and computational mathematics leading to the Ph.D. degree. This program is designed to give students a thorough training in fundamental computational and applied mathematics and to develop their research ability in a specific application field.
The fields of application include a wide range of areas such as fluid mechanics, materials science, and mathematical biology, and engineering applications such as image processing. Entering students should have a background in mathematics, physics, or engineering. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Doctor's degree
Astronomy | California Institute Of Technology |
Since its beginnings (the days of George Ellery Hale, Edwin Hubble, Fritz Zwicky, Walter Baade, Willy Fowler, Jesse Greenstein and many others), Caltech has been one of the world's premier astronomical research institutions. Here were discovered the expansion of the universe, quasars, and the theory of nucleosynthesis. The fields of infrared astronomy and VLBI were born and developed at Caltech. There are no signs of slowing down. We operate what is arguably the world's largest and finest collection of astronomical facilities over the full range of wavelengths, and graduate students have every opportunity to participate in observation and instrumentation efforts at these facilities. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Doctor's degree
Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics | California Institute Of Technology |
An integrated approach to graduate study in Biochemistry has been organized primarily by the Division of Biology and the Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. The curriculum is designed to provide a broad background in protein biochemistry, structural biology, and molecular genetics, in addition to an appropriate depth of knowledge in the field selected for the Ph. D. thesis research. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Doctor's degree
Bioengineering | California Institute Of Technology |
The bioengineering option at Caltech is designed for students interested in subjects that form the core of the new interdisciplinary science of bioengineering. These branches of science provide the basis for the growth of modern technology. Students may choose biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, and applied mathematics as their elective subjects and choose a thesis adviser within the divisions of Engineering and Applied Science, Biology, or Chemistry and Chemical Engineering.
To respond to the diversity of backgrounds and objectives within our research community, the Bioengineering Option has recently created three Sub-Options, each offering an academic program tailored to the intellectual focus of the participating students:
Synthetic and Systems Biology
BioMechanics & Bio-Inspired Design
BioDevices and BioImaging | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Doctor's degree
Biology | California Institute Of Technology |
Graduate research leading to the Ph.D. degree is chiefly in the following fields: biochemistry, biophysics, cell biology, developmental biology, genetics, immunology, molecular biology, structural biology, neurobiology, and virology. Biochemical methodology plays an important role in many of these fields, and there is extensive interaction with related programs in biochemistry within the Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, notably the new biochemistry and molecular biophysics option.
The programs in cellular, molecular, and developmental biology are based upon approaches derived from biochemistry, biophysics, and genetics that offer new possibilities for expanded insight into long-standing problems. Neurobiology is a major area of emphasis within the Division of Biology. A comprehensive program of research and instruction in neurobiology has been formulated to span from molecular and cellular neurobiology to the study of animal and human behavior including the computational modeling of neural processes. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Doctor's degree
Chemical Engineering | California Institute Of Technology |
The general objective of the graduate work in chemical engineering is to produce individuals who are exceptionally well trained to apply mathematics; the physical, chemical, and biological sciences; and engineering to the understanding of systems involving chemical reactions and transport phenomena and to the development of new processes and materials. The program also strives to develop in each student self-reliance, creativity, professional ethics, and an appreciation of the societal impact of chemical engineering and the importance of continuing intellectual growth. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Doctor's degree
Chemistry | California Institute Of Technology |
As a Caltech graduate student, you will find that research is at the heart of what we do. Soon after you arrive at Caltech, you will attend a series of orientation seminars that will introduce you to the active research interests of the faculty. Students then talk at length with the faculty members whose fields attract them, eventually developing research programs of mutual interest.
You are welcome to go where your scientific curiosity takes you. Many students develop research interests that cross the boundaries of traditionally separate areas of chemistry. A thesis that involves more than one adviser is not uncommon, and interdisciplinary programs with biology, physics, geology, chemical engineering, environmental engineering and other fields are encouraged. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Doctor's degree
Civil Engineering | California Institute Of Technology |
Students who have not specialized in civil engineering as undergraduates, as well as those who have, may be admitted for graduate study. As preparation for advanced study and research, a good four year undergraduate program in mathematics and the sciences may
be substituted for a four-year undergraduate engineering course, with the approval of the faculty. The qualifications of each applicant will be considered individually, and, after being enrolled, the student will arrange his or her program in consultation with a member of the faculty. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Doctor's degree
Computation and Neural Systems | California Institute Of Technology |
An integrated approach to graduate study combining computation and neural systems is organized jointly by the Division of Biology, the Division of Engineering and Applied Science, and the Division of the Humanities and Social Sciences. This curriculum is designed to promote a broad knowledge of relevant and related aspects of experimental and theoretical molecular, cellular, neural, and systems biology; computational devices; information theory; emergent or collective systems; modeling; and complex systems; in conjunction with an appropriate depth of knowledge in the particular field of the thesis research. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Doctor's degree
Computer Science | California Institute Of Technology |
The collegial atmosphere of Caltech facilitates close working relationships between faculty members and students and encourages interdisciplinary research. Research in the
department stresses mathematical depth, the integration of theory and implementation, and a broad perspective on computing systems. Students are encouraged to tailor their programs of courses and research to fit their specific needs.
Research emphases are in algorithms; communication protocols, concurrent computation, and networks; graphics and human-computer interaction; novel computational substrates, including quantum mechanical computers and molecular computers; VLSI, with a specific emphasis on asynchronous and analog VLSI; high-confidence systems, including fault tolerance, program verification, and security; information theory; learning theory; computational complexity; computer vision; and large-scale scientific computing.
Caltech’s new centers of Information Science and Technology (IST) facilitate multidisciplinary collaboration across all departments on campus. These centers organize seminars, have visiting scholars, organize short courses, and fund student and postdoctoral research.
Graduate projects frequently involve connections with other disciplines including Physics, Biology, Control and Dynamical Systems, Economics, and Social Sciences. Students join a research group from the very beginning of their sojourn at Caltech so it is desirable that applicants have a defined area of interest when applying. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Doctor's degree
Control and Dynamical Systems | California Institute Of Technology |
The option in control and dynamical systems (CDS) is open to students with an undergraduate degree in engineering, mathematics, or science. The qualifications of each applicant will be considered individually, and, after being enrolled, the student will arrange his or her program in consultation with a member of the faculty. In some cases the student may be required to make up undergraduate deficiencies in engineering science courses.
The CDS option emphasizes the interdisciplinary nature of modern theory of dynamical systems and control. The curriculum is designed to promote a broad knowledge of mathematical and experimental techniques in dynamical systems theory and control. In addition to taking courses in the CDS option, students must select a focus area. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Doctor's degree
Electrical Engineering | California Institute Of Technology |
Award of the Bachelor of Science degree may be followed by graduate study leading to the Master of Science degree in electrical engineering, and the more advanced degrees of Electrical Engineer or Doctor of Philosophy. Because admission to graduate studies in electrical engineering at Caltech is extremely competitive, the Admissions Committee attempts to select those applicants it judges both best qualified and best suited for the graduate program. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Doctor's degree
Environmental Science and Engineering | California Institute Of Technology |
The Environmental Science and Engineering (ESE) Program offers a coherent program of education and research spanning the large scales of global climate studies to the local scales of engineering solutions to environmental problems such as toxic waste remediation. Reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of environmental science and engineering, the ESE Program unites scientists from Caltech's Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences in studies of the functioning and coupling of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and lithosphere.
Applicants for admission to the option should have undergraduate preparation in science, engineering, or mathematics. Admission is limited to students intending to pursue the Ph.D. degree. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Doctor's degree
Geological and Planetary Sciences | California Institute Of Technology |
Graduate students in the Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences enter with diverse undergraduate preparation—majors in astronomy, biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics, as well as in geochemistry, geology, and geophysics. Graduate study and research within the division are equally diverse, and the graduate program aims to provide for students a depth of competence and experience in their major field, sufficient strength in the basic sciences to allow them to continue self-education after their formal training has been completed, and the motivation and training to keep them in the forefront of their field through a long and productive career. Students are encouraged to explore work in interdisciplinary areas both within and outside the division, and to gain experience in teaching. Although financial support is not guaranteed, all students making normal progress have in the past been supported by a combination of fellowships, research assistantships, and teaching assistantships. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Doctor's degree
Materials Science | California Institute Of Technology |
The graduate program is designed to give students an understanding of general phenomena in all materials, plus a deep understanding of at least one class of materials. Students may enter the graduate program with undergraduate preparation in physics, chemistry, engineering, or materials science. After a year or two of coursework, and after a candidacy examination, a graduate student concentrates on his or her primary task—Ph.D. thesis research on a modern problem in materials science.
Students may enter the graduate program in materials science with undergraduate preparation in physics, chemistry, engineering, or materials science. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Doctor's degree
Mathematics | California Institute Of Technology |
Caltech is a small, highly selective institution, emphasizing research in the sciences and engineering. With undergraduate and graduate students each numbering less than 1,000, and over 280 faculty members, Caltech offers an exceptionally high level of faculty-student interaction. Caltech has one of the best mathematics departments in the country, and offers a very strong graduate program. Its mathematics faculty was ranked 11th in the US by the 1995 study by the National Research Council; in the 2006 U.S. News survey, the graduate program tied for 7th, ranking above those at Columbia, UCLA, and Cornell.
The mathematics department has 18 regular faculty members, 14 postdoctoral fellows and instructors, and 28 graduate students. The graduate program in mathematics is designed to prepare students for research careers in universities, industry or government. Accordingly, only those students seeking the Ph.D. degree are admitted. In the past fifteen years, Caltech has awarded doctorates in mathematics to about 90 students, many of whom have moved into attractive positions as members of university faculty and in industry and government research. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Doctor's degree
Mechanical Engineering | California Institute Of Technology |
The aim of the graduate program in mechanical engineering at Caltech is to prepare students for research and professional practice in an era of rapidly advancing interdisciplinary technology. The program combines individual depth of experience and competence in a particular chosen major specialty, and a strong background in the basic and engineering sciences, with laboratory and design experience. It strives to develop professional independence, creativity, leadership, and the capacity for continuing professional and intellectual growth.
Original research in mechanical engineering is an essential component of the graduate program. Independent and critical thinking is encouraged by participation in seminars and by discussions with faculty members. Research groups in mechanical engineering are small, creating an environment where students work closely and collaboratively with the faculty. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Doctor's degree
Physics | California Institute Of Technology |
The requirements for admission into candidacy and the Ph.D. are: Two terms of Ph 242 Physics Seminar and an attempt at both CP and QM written candidacy exams by the end of first year. The basic requirement of both written exams and the advanced physics course requirements successfully completed by the end of second year. The oral candidacy exam by the end of third year. Completed program and thesis defense by the end of fifth year, or beyond with department approval. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Doctor's degree
Social Science | California Institute Of Technology |
Over the past two decades, it has become ever more apparent that many of the most serious problems faced by the nation have both an economic and a political component. Graduate education, however, has remained largely compartmentalized, with most programs producing students who, while well trained in economics or in political science, are not trained in both. The Caltech Ph.D. program in social science is designed to graduate scholars who are well grounded in the theoretical perspectives, the quantitative techniques, and the experimental methods of economics and of political science and who also have been introduced to quantitative history, law, anthropology, and psychology. In addition to providing students with a solid foundation in the underlying disciplines, the program has a substantial policy component that brings institutional design to policy studies in a way that is done at no other institution. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Master's degree
Aeronautics | California Institute Of Technology |
Aeronautics has evolved at Caltech from a field of basic research and engineering, primarily related to the development of the airplane, into a wide discipline encompassing a broad spectrum of basic as well as applied problems in fluid dynamics and mechanics of materials.
The Institute offers graduate programs in aeronautics leading to the degrees of Master of Science, Aeronautical Engineer, and Doctor of Philosophy. The programs are designed to provide intense education in the foundations of the aeronautical sciences, with emphasis on research and the experimental method. Entering graduate students should have a thorough background in undergraduate mathematics, physics, and engineering science. Applicants for graduate study are asked to submit Graduate Record Examination scores with their applications.
In working for a degree in aeronautics, a student may pursue major study in, for example, one of the following areas: physics of fluids, computational fluid mechanics, technical fluid mechanics, mechanics of materials, mechanics of fracture, computational solid mechanics, aeronautical engineering, and propulsion. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Master's degree
Applied Mechanics | California Institute Of Technology |
The Applied Mechanics department was founded nearly five decades ago to focus on research and education in the areas of solid mechanics and dynamics. Current research is mainly in the area of dynamics, dealing with topics such as vibrations of structures and machinery, structural response to earthquakes, including system identification and control of structural response, and fundamental studies of the behavior of nonlinear dynamical systems. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Master's degree
Applied Physics | California Institute Of Technology |
Master's degree is only awarded to those enrolled in the Ph D program. Applied Physics at Caltech is built on the foundations of quantum mechanics, statistical physics, electromagnetic theory, mechanics, and advanced mathematics. The comparatively small size of Caltech coupled with its great strength in both the pure sciences and engineering make it possible to have a faculty with a wide interest in the application of modern physics to technology, without losing close interaction with "pure subjects." | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Master's degree
Applied and Computational Mathematics | California Institute Of Technology |
The Institute offers an interdisciplinary program of graduate study in applied and computational mathematics leading to the Ph.D. degree. Master's degree is only awarded to those working toward the Ph D. This program is designed to give students a thorough training in fundamental computational and applied mathematics and to develop their research ability in a specific application field.
The fields of application include a wide range of areas such as fluid mechanics, materials science, and mathematical biology, and engineering applications such as image processing. Entering students should have a background in mathematics, physics, or engineering. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Master's degree
Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics | California Institute Of Technology |
Master's degree is only awarded under special circumstances.
An integrated approach to graduate study in Biochemistry has been organized primarily by the Division of Biology and the Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. The curriculum is designed to provide a broad background in protein biochemistry, structural biology, and molecular genetics. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Master's degree
Bioengineering | California Institute Of Technology |
Master's degree is only awarded under special circumstances.
The bioengineering option at Caltech is designed for students interested in subjects that form the core of the new interdisciplinary science of bioengineering. These branches of science provide the basis for the growth of modern technology. Students may choose biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, and applied mathematics as their elective subjects and choose a thesis adviser within the divisions of Engineering and Applied Science, Biology, or Chemistry and Chemical Engineering.
To respond to the diversity of backgrounds and objectives within our research community, the Bioengineering Option has recently created three Sub-Options, each offering an academic program tailored to the intellectual focus of the participating students:
Synthetic and Systems Biology
BioMechanics & Bio-Inspired Design
BioDevices and BioImaging | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Master's degree
Biology | California Institute Of Technology |
Master's degree is awarded only under special circumstances.
Graduate students in biology come with very diverse undergraduate preparation—majors in physics, chemistry, mathematics, or psychology, as well as in biology and its various branches. The aims of the graduate program are to provide, for each student, individual depth of experience and competence in a particular chosen major specialty; perception of the nature and logic of biology as a whole; sufficient strength in basic science to allow continued self-education after formal training has been completed and thus to keep in the forefront of changing fields; and the motivation to serve his or her field productively through a long career.
In accordance with these aims, the graduate study program in biology includes the following parts: (a) the major program, which is to provide the student with early and intense original research experience in a self-selected subject of biology, supplemented with advanced course work and independent study in this subject; and (b) a program of course work designed to provide well-rounded and integrated training in biology and the appropriate basic sciences,
which is adjusted to special interests and needs. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Master's degree
Chemical Engineering | California Institute Of Technology |
The general objective of the graduate work in chemical engineering is to produce individuals who are exceptionally well trained to apply mathematics; the physical, chemical, and biological sciences; and engineering to the understanding of systems involving chemical reactions and transport phenomena and to the development of new processes and materials. The program also strives to develop in each student self-reliance, creativity, professional ethics, and an appreciation of the societal impact of chemical engineering and the importance of continuing intellectual growth. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Master's degree
Chemistry | California Institute Of Technology |
Master's degree is only awarded under special circumstances.
As a Caltech graduate student, you will find that research is at the heart of what we do. Soon after you arrive at Caltech, you will attend a series of orientation seminars that will introduce you to the active research interests of the faculty. Students then talk at length with the faculty members whose fields attract them, eventually developing research programs of mutual interest.
You are welcome to go where your scientific curiosity takes you. Many students develop research interests that cross the boundaries of traditionally separate areas of chemistry. A thesis that involves more than one adviser is not uncommon, and interdisciplinary programs with biology, physics, geology, chemical engineering, environmental engineering and other fields are encouraged. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Master's degree
Civil Engineering | California Institute Of Technology |
Students who have not specialized in civil engineering as undergraduates, as well as those who have, may be admitted for graduate study. As preparation for advanced study and research, a good four year undergraduate program in mathematics and the sciences may
be substituted for a four-year undergraduate engineering course, with the approval of the faculty. The qualifications of each applicant will be considered individually, and, after being enrolled, the student will arrange his or her program in consultation with a member of the faculty. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Master's degree
Computation and Neural Systems | California Institute Of Technology |
Master's degree is only awarded under special circumstances.
An integrated approach to graduate study combining computation and neural systems is organized jointly by the Division of Biology, the Division of Engineering and Applied Science, and the Division of the Humanities and Social Sciences. This curriculum is designed to promote a broad knowledge of relevant and related aspects of experimental and theoretical molecular, cellular, neural, and systems biology; computational devices; information theory; emergent or collective systems; modeling; and complex systems; in conjunction with an appropriate depth of knowledge in the particular field of the thesis research. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Master's degree
Computer Science | California Institute Of Technology |
Master's degree is awarded only under special circumstances.
The collegial atmosphere of Caltech facilitates close working relationships between faculty members and students and encourages interdisciplinary research. Research in the
department stresses mathematical depth, the integration of theory and implementation, and a broad perspective on computing systems. Students are encouraged to tailor their programs of courses and research to fit their specific needs.
Research emphases are in algorithms; communication protocols, concurrent computation, and networks; graphics and human-computer interaction; novel computational substrates, including quantum mechanical computers and molecular computers; VLSI, with a specific emphasis on asynchronous and analog VLSI; high-confidence systems, including fault tolerance, program verification, and security; information theory; learning theory; computational complexity; computer vision; and large-scale scientific computing.
Caltech’s new centers of Information Science and Technology (IST) facilitate multidisciplinary collaboration across all departments on campus. These centers organize seminars, have visiting scholars, organize short courses, and fund student and postdoctoral research.
Graduate projects frequently involve connections with other disciplines including Physics, Biology, Control and Dynamical Systems, Economics, and Social Sciences. Students join a research group from the very beginning of their sojourn at Caltech so it is desirable that applicants have a defined area of interest when applying. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Master's degree
Control and Dynamical Systems | California Institute Of Technology |
Master's degree is awarded only under special circumstances.
The option in control and dynamical systems (CDS) is open to students with an undergraduate degree in engineering, mathematics, or science. The qualifications of each applicant will be considered individually, and, after being enrolled, the student will arrange his or her program in consultation with a member of the faculty. In some cases the student may be required to make up undergraduate deficiencies in engineering science courses.
The CDS option emphasizes the interdisciplinary nature of modern theory of dynamical systems and control. The curriculum is designed to promote a broad knowledge of mathematical and experimental techniques in dynamical systems theory and control. In addition to taking courses in the CDS option, students must select a focus area. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Master's degree
Electrical Engineering | California Institute Of Technology |
Award of the Bachelor of Science degree may be followed by graduate study leading to the Master of Science degree in electrical engineering, and the more advanced degrees of Electrical Engineer or Doctor of Philosophy. Because admission to graduate studies in electrical engineering at Caltech is extremely competitive, the Admissions Committee attempts to select those applicants it judges both best qualified and best suited for the graduate program. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Master's degree
Environmental Science and Engineering | California Institute Of Technology |
Master's degree is awarded only under special circumstances.
The interdisciplinary problems posed by natural and human induced changes in the earth’s environment are among the most interesting, difficult, and important facing today’s scientists and engineers. The environmental science and engineering option is an interdivisional program of study by biologists, chemists, earth scientists, engineers, and physicists to investigate the functioning of and interactions among the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and lithosphere. The ESE option is administered by the Divisions of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Engineering and Applied Science, and Geological and Planetary Sciences and promotes both broad knowledge of natural and engineered environmental systems and a detailed understanding of the application of basic science to environmental issues. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Master's degree
Materials Science | California Institute Of Technology |
The graduate program is designed to give students an understanding of general phenomena in all materials, plus a deep understanding of at least one class of materials. Students may enter the graduate program with undergraduate preparation in physics, chemistry, engineering, or materials science.
Students may enter the graduate program in materials science with undergraduate preparation in physics, chemistry, engineering, or materials science. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Master's degree
Mathematics | California Institute Of Technology |
Master's degree is awarded only under special circumstances.
The principal aim of the graduate program is to develop the student’s ability to do original research in mathematics. Independent and critical thinking is fostered by direct contact with faculty members. Faculty advisers help students plan their programs of study leading to a Ph.D. in mathematics. Entering students are advised by the director of the Ph.D. program,
who assists them in selecting appropriate courses, depending upon their previous studies. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Master's degree
Mechanical Engineering | California Institute Of Technology |
The aim of the graduate program in mechanical engineering at Caltech is to prepare students for research and professional practice in an era of rapidly advancing interdisciplinary technology. The program combines individual depth of experience and competence in a particular chosen major specialty, and a strong background in the basic and engineering sciences, with laboratory and design experience. It strives to develop professional independence, creativity, leadership, and the capacity for continuing professional and intellectual growth.
Original research in mechanical engineering is an essential component of the graduate program. Independent and critical thinking is encouraged by participation in seminars and by discussions with faculty members. Research groups in mechanical engineering are small, creating an environment where students work closely and collaboratively with the faculty. | |
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California Institute Of Technology
Master's degree
Physics | California Institute Of Technology |
Master's degree is awarded only under special circumstances.
This program prepares students for careers in scientific research or research combined with teaching, and so its most important part is independent research. Courses are offered that give a broad treatment of both fundamental physics and specialized physics research topics. These are intended both to help a beginning graduate student prepare for research and to broaden an advanced student’s knowledge of physics. Caltech research opportunities include elementary particle physics, nuclear physics, cosmic-ray, gamma-ray, and X-ray astronomy, sub-millimeter astronomy, condensed-matter physics, atomic/molecular/optical physics, quantum optics, applied physics, gravitational physics, cosmology, astrophysics, mathematical physics, biophysics, and theoretical physics.
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