Students wishing to enter the M.S. or the Ph.D. programs in Physics must have an undergraduate degree in physics or its equivalent. Their undergraduate curriculum must have included courses in thermodynamics, electricity and magnetism, quantum mechanics, and classical mechanics. The department offers a concentration in Biomedical Physics. The Optical Science and Engineering (OSE) M.S. and Ph.D. programs are multidisciplinary and assume an undergraduate background involving optics, optical engineering, and/or optoelectronics. There is no foreign language requirement for graduate degrees, however, proficiency in at least one computer language is encouraged. Under the terms of an agreement between the University of New Mexico and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), candidates for a doctoral degree in Physics or Optical Science and Engineering may conduct research for the dissertation at LANL. Current research areas: advanced materials, atom optics, biomedical optics, fiber optics, laser physics, lithography, nanostructures, nonlinear optics, optical imaging, optical sensors, optoelectronics, photonic integrated circuits, quantum optics, spectroscopy, and ultra-fast phenomena. The Physics department also participates in the interdisciplinary Nanoscience and Microsystems (NSMS) graduate program. Ultimate decisions regarding admission offers and financial aid (in the form of Teaching/Research Assistantships) are made by the department's Graduate Selection Committees. Each prospective student should clearly identify his/her area of research interest in the personal statement (aka: letter of intent). The Selection Committee carefully considers each candidate's interests and experience, undergraduate GPA (especially in the major), letters of recommendation, and Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores.