Mapping the US Graduate Quantum Curriculum
ORAL
Abstract
Quantum mechanics is central to physics graduate education, yet little is known about how it is taught across U.S. doctoral programs. This study provides the first national analysis of graduate-level quantum curricula, drawing on catalogs from 184 institutions and syllabi from 121 core quantum mechanics and 91 quantum field theory (QFT) courses. Results reveal a clear divide: quantum mechanics instruction is largely uniform, most often using Sakurai’s Modern Quantum Mechanics, while QFT courses vary widely. Over one-third of programs offer zero QFT courses. These differences reflect local research strengths but also reinforce inequities in student preparation. By mapping the national graduate quantum landscape, this work highlights shared foundations, uneven opportunities, and the need to rethink how graduate education prepares physicists for a quantum-enabled future.
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Publication: Alexis Buzzell, Timothy Atherton, and Ramón Barthelemy. Characterizing the US graduate-level quantum curriculum: Insights into doctoral programs curriculum and comparisons with undergraduate curriculum, 15 October 2025, PREPRINT (Version 1) available at Research Square [https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7745493/v1]
Presenters
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Alexis Taylor Buzzell
- University of Utah