Graduate Student Testimonials
Whether you wish to pursue a Ph.D., work in industry, do high-level research at a national laboratory, or develop new software, our tailored Physics M.S. programs (General/Applied/Computational/Professional) can open up new possibilities for your career.
In addition to developing your skills and expertise during your time here, you will leave our programs with a new network of professionals and graduates ready to help you toward your goals. Learn more about the Physics Graduate Programs.
Ready to take the next step? Apply to our program using CSU Apply for Fall/Spring admission.
Paul Fischer, M.S. Physics 2022
What is Paul doing now?
Vehicle Software Engineer at Relativity Space, Long Beach CA
"I greatly enjoyed my time at CSULB and all the relationships I made with the other students and faculty. My research gave me the opportunity to develop software engineering skills that prepared me well for finding a job in industry that I find exciting and allows me to continue to do physics. The mentoring program Beach Nexus also provided invaluable connections to people in industry who generously donated time to help prepare me for both technical and behavioral job interviews."
Antonio Garcia, M.S. Physics 2020
What is Antonio doing now?
Ph.D. Candidate, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces NM
"The physics master's program at Cal State Long Beach gave me a platform to prepare and apply for Ph.D. programs. One of the strengths of the program is the diversity of the student population. As a Hispanic, I look forward to seeing how the program continues to improve the resources it provides to students from marginalized communities. Thanks to the program, graduate education in phsyics has become more welcoming and accessible to minorities and has brought tremendous change to the lives of many of the alumni including me."
Enrique Hurtado, M.S. Physics 2019
What is Enrique doing now?
Software Engineer, Sunnyvale CA
"Whether it's preparing you for a Ph.D program or industry, a Master's in Computational Physics from CSULB is a great foundation. I took the industry route, and found that the asset that I had was the ability to solve problems, not necessarily how much Physics I knew. This allowed me to be very versatile in my career; my roles were Test, Systems, Data analysis, and Software Development. The computational physics degree allowed me to move into any field that was necessary to advance my career, and ultimately to the one I desired: Software Engineering."
Nina Miller, M.S. Physics 2019
What is Nina doing now?
Ph.D. candidate, University of Nevada, Reno
"In my experience the Physics Department at CSULB has been a safe, vibrant, supportive, and inspiring place to learn and develop the skills I needed to pursue my Ph.D."
Walter Alvarado, M.S. Physics 2017
What is Walter doing now?
Scientist, Space Biosciences Research Branch, NASA Ames Research Center
"The physics department at CSULB stands out for its unwavering belief in the potential of its students. The faculty and staff fostered an environment that encouraged me to trust in my abilities as a scientist by providing the mentorship and research opportunities essential to my growth. The lessons I learned have been instrumental in achieving my goals, serving as a testament to the quality and impact of the program."
Zack Hall, M.S. Physics 2017
What is Zack doing now?
Ph.D. Candidate, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
"A strength of the program is the community and accessibility of professors which allowed for greater learning and development opportunities outside of the classroom. This is further bolstered by the overall departmental support for student success. Since I wanted to pursue a Ph.D., I was able to work closely with a research faculty mentor and plan the appropriate steps during the masters, in order to be competitive for the next steps in my career."
Samuel Hedges, M.S. Physics 2015
What is Samuel doing now?
Postdoctoral Researcher, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Ph.D. Duke University
"The Master's program in Applied Physics at CSULB gave me the opportunity to take advanced physics courses, gain research experience in a laboratory, and helped prepare me for a Ph.D. program in Physics."
