ETAMU Recognized as a National Leader in Physics Education

The Department of Physics and Astronomy at East Texas A&M University (ETAMU) continues to shine nationally, earning impressive rankings in the annual Roster of Physics Departments released by the American Institute of Physics. The latest data underscores ETAMU's commitment to excellence in teaching and student success.

A student touches a van de graaff generator, resulting in their long, red hair standing on end.
A student experiences the effects of a Van de Graaff generator. | Photo by the Office of Marketing and Communications at East Texas A&M University.

Leading the nation in physics master’s degrees

Among 186 reporting departments, ETAMU tied with Brown University for first place in the number of exiting physics degrees awarded at the master’s level. With 28 graduates in the past year, the department is the leading producer of master's degrees among all non-doctorate-granting institutions.

Impacting undergraduate physics education

In addition to its success at the master's level, ETAMU's physics programs are significantly impacting undergraduate education. The department ranked 32nd out of 465 nationwide for enrollments in introductory integrated science and astronomy courses, with 784 students enrolled—far surpassing the national median of 59.

The department also tied for 256th out of 640 institutions in awarding physics degrees at the bachelor’s level, granting eight degrees compared to the national median of 6. Moreover, ETAMU ranked 334th out of 618 departments for first-term introductory physics course enrollments, with 257 students—just above the median of 252.

With its strong performance across multiple metrics, the East Texas A&M Department of Physics and Astronomy continues to position itself as a top destination for aspiring physicists in Texas.