diff --git a/tests/run_tests.py b/tests/run_tests.py
index 17ff63efbd..5fc21232d7 100755
--- a/tests/run_tests.py
+++ b/tests/run_tests.py
@@ -7,185 +7,282 @@ import nose
 import glob
 from subprocess import call
 
+# setup color printing codes
 OK = '\033[92m'
 FAIL = '\033[91m'
 ENDC = '\033[0m'
 BOLD = '\033[1m'
 
+# initialize run logicals
+run_compile = True
+run_gfortran = True
+run_gfortran_dbg = True
+run_gfortran_opt = True
+run_gfortran_hdf5 = True
+run_gfortran_mpi = True
+run_gfortran_phdf5 = True
+run_gfortran_petsc = True
+run_gfortran_phdf5_petsc = True
+run_gfortran_phdf5_petsc_opt = True
+
+# get current working directory
 pwd = os.getcwd()
 
-# clean up all previous executables
-openmc_exe = glob.glob(pwd + '/../src/openmc*')
-for exe in openmc_exe:
-    os.remove(exe)
+# check for extra command line options
+opts = ['all'] # default is run everything
+if len(sys.argv) > 1:
+    opts = sys.argv[1:]
 
-# run compile test
-result_compile = nose.run(argv=['run_tests.py','-v','test_compile'])
-if not result_compile:
-    sys.stdout.write('\nDid not pass compile tests.')
+# if not running everything check for compile tests
+# if compile is only present do not run other test cases
+if opts[0] != 'all':
+    try:
+        idx = opts.index('compile')
+    except:
+        run_compile = False
 
-# run gfortran tests
-sys.stdout.write('\n--------------\n')
-sys.stdout.write('gfortran tests')
-sys.stdout.write('\n--------------\n')
-os.chdir(pwd)
-os.rename(pwd + '/../src/openmc-gfortran', pwd + '/../src/openmc')
-result_gfortran = nose.run(argv=['run_tests.py','-v','--exclude','test_compile'])
-os.rename(pwd + '/../src/openmc', pwd + '/../src/openmc-gfortran')
-if not result_gfortran:
-    sys.stdout.write('\nDid not pass gfortran tests\n')
+# check for other test cases to be run
+if opts[0] != 'all':
+    run_gfortran = False
+    run_gfortran_dbg = False
+    run_gfortran_opt = False
+    run_gfortran_hdf5 = False
+    run_gfortran_mpi = False
+    run_gfortran_phdf5 = False
+    run_gfortran_petsc = False
+    run_gfortran_phdf5_petsc = False
+    run_gfortran_phdf5_petsc_opt = False
+    for item in opts:
+        if item == 'all_tests':
+            run_gfortran = True
+            run_gfortran_dbg = True
+            run_gfortran_opt = True
+            run_gfortran_hdf5 = True
+            run_gfortran_mpi = True
+            run_gfortran_phdf5 = True
+            run_gfortran_petsc = True
+            run_gfortran_phdf5_petsc = True
+            run_gfortran_phdf5_petsc_opt = True
+            break
+        elif item == 'gfortran-dbg':
+            run_gfortran_dbg = True
+        elif item == 'gfortran-opt':
+            run_gfortran_opt = True
+        elif item == 'gfortran-hdf5':
+            run_gfortran_hdf5 = True
+        elif item == 'gfortran-mpi':
+            run_gfortran_mpi = True
+        elif item == 'gfortran-phdf5':
+            run_gfortran_phdf5 = True
+        elif item == 'gfortran-petsc':
+            run_gfortrani_petsc = True
+        elif item == 'gfortran-phdf5_petsc':
+            run_gfortran_phdf5_petsc = True
+        elif item == 'gfortran-phdf5-petsc-opt':
+            run_gfortran_phdf5_petsc_opt = True
 
-# run gfortran-dbg tests
-sys.stdout.write('\n--------------\n')
-sys.stdout.write('gfortran-dbg tests')
-sys.stdout.write('\n--------------\n')
-os.chdir(pwd)
-os.rename(pwd + '/../src/openmc-gfortran-dbg', pwd + '/../src/openmc')
-result_gfortran_dbg = nose.run(argv=['run_tests.py','-v','--exclude','test_compile'])
-os.rename(pwd + '/../src/openmc', pwd + '/../src/openmc-gfortran-dbg')
-if not result_gfortran_dbg:
-    sys.stdout.write('\nDid not pass gfortran-dbg tests\n')
+# begin running tests
+if run_compile:
+    # clean up all previous executables
+    openmc_exe = glob.glob(pwd + '/../src/openmc*')
+    for exe in openmc_exe:
+        os.remove(exe)
 
-# run gfortran-opt tests
-sys.stdout.write('\n--------------\n')
-sys.stdout.write('gfortran-opt tests')
-sys.stdout.write('\n--------------\n')
-os.chdir(pwd)
-os.rename(pwd + '/../src/openmc-gfortran-opt', pwd + '/../src/openmc')
-result_gfortran_opt = nose.run(argv=['run_tests.py','-v','--exclude','test_compile'])
-os.rename(pwd + '/../src/openmc', pwd + '/../src/openmc-gfortran-opt')
-if not result_gfortran_opt:
-    sys.stdout.write('\nDid not pass gfortran-opt tests\n')
+    # run compile test
+    result_compile = nose.run(argv=['run_tests.py','-v','test_compile'])
+    if not result_compile:
+        sys.stdout.write('\nDid not pass compile tests.')
 
-# run gfortran-hdf5 tests
-sys.stdout.write('\n--------------\n')
-sys.stdout.write('gfortran-hdf5 tests')
-sys.stdout.write('\n--------------\n')
-os.chdir(pwd)
-os.rename(pwd + '/../src/openmc-gfortran-hdf5', pwd + '/../src/openmc')
-result_gfortran_hdf5 = nose.run(argv=['run_tests.py','-v','--exclude','test_compile'])
-os.rename(pwd + '/../src/openmc', pwd + '/../src/openmc-gfortran-hdf5')
-if not result_gfortran_hdf5:
-    sys.stdout.write('\nDid not pass gfortran-hdf5 tests\n')
+if run_gfortran:
+    # run gfortran tests
+    sys.stdout.write('\n--------------\n')
+    sys.stdout.write('gfortran tests')
+    sys.stdout.write('\n--------------\n')
+    os.chdir(pwd)
+    os.rename(pwd + '/../src/openmc-gfortran', pwd + '/../src/openmc')
+    result_gfortran = nose.run(argv=['run_tests.py','-v','--exclude','test_compile'])
+    os.rename(pwd + '/../src/openmc', pwd + '/../src/openmc-gfortran')
+    if not result_gfortran:
+        sys.stdout.write('\nDid not pass gfortran tests\n')
 
-# run gfortran-mpi tests
-sys.stdout.write('\n--------------\n')
-sys.stdout.write('gfortran-mpi tests')
-sys.stdout.write('\n--------------\n')
-os.chdir(pwd)
-os.rename(pwd + '/../src/openmc-gfortran-mpi', pwd + '/../src/openmc')
-result_gfortran_mpi = nose.run(argv=['run_tests.py','-v','--exclude','test_compile',
-                        '--mpi-np','3','--mpi-exec',
-                        '/opt/mpich/3.0.4-gnu/bin/mpiexec'])
-os.rename(pwd + '/../src/openmc', pwd + '/../src/openmc-gfortran-mpi')
-if not result_gfortran_mpi:
-    sys.stdout.write('\nDid not pass gfortran-mpi tests\n')
+if run_gfortran_dbg:
+    # run gfortran-dbg tests
+    sys.stdout.write('\n--------------\n')
+    sys.stdout.write('gfortran-dbg tests')
+    sys.stdout.write('\n--------------\n')
+    os.chdir(pwd)
+    os.rename(pwd + '/../src/openmc-gfortran-dbg', pwd + '/../src/openmc')
+    result_gfortran_dbg = nose.run(argv=['run_tests.py','-v','--exclude','test_compile'])
+    os.rename(pwd + '/../src/openmc', pwd + '/../src/openmc-gfortran-dbg')
+    if not result_gfortran_dbg:
+        sys.stdout.write('\nDid not pass gfortran-dbg tests\n')
 
-# run gfortran-phdf5 tests
-sys.stdout.write('\n--------------\n')
-sys.stdout.write('gfortran-phdf5 tests')
-sys.stdout.write('\n--------------\n')
-os.chdir(pwd)
-os.rename(pwd + '/../src/openmc-gfortran-phdf5', pwd + '/../src/openmc')
-result_gfortran_phdf5 = nose.run(argv=['run_tests.py','-v','--exclude','test_compile',
-                        '--mpi-np','3','--mpi-exec',
-                        '/opt/mpich/3.0.4-gnu/bin/mpiexec'])
-os.rename(pwd + '/../src/openmc', pwd + '/../src/openmc-gfortran-phdf5')
-if not result_gfortran_phdf5:
-    sys.stdout.write('\nDid not pass gfortran-phdf5 tests\n')
+if run_gfortran_opt:
+    # run gfortran-opt tests
+    sys.stdout.write('\n--------------\n')
+    sys.stdout.write('gfortran-opt tests')
+    sys.stdout.write('\n--------------\n')
+    os.chdir(pwd)
+    os.rename(pwd + '/../src/openmc-gfortran-opt', pwd + '/../src/openmc')
+    result_gfortran_opt = nose.run(argv=['run_tests.py','-v','--exclude','test_compile'])
+    os.rename(pwd + '/../src/openmc', pwd + '/../src/openmc-gfortran-opt')
+    if not result_gfortran_opt:
+        sys.stdout.write('\nDid not pass gfortran-opt tests\n')
 
-# run gfortran-petsc tests
-sys.stdout.write('\n--------------\n')
-sys.stdout.write('gfortran-petsc tests')
-sys.stdout.write('\n--------------\n')
-os.chdir(pwd)
-os.rename(pwd + '/../src/openmc-gfortran-petsc', pwd + '/../src/openmc')
-result_gfortran_petsc = nose.run(argv=['run_tests.py','-v','--exclude','test_compile',
-                        '--mpi-np','3','--mpi-exec',
-                        '/opt/mpich/3.0.4-gnu/bin/mpiexec'])
-os.rename(pwd + '/../src/openmc', pwd + '/../src/openmc-gfortran-petsc')
-if not result_gfortran_petsc:
-    sys.stdout.write('\nDid not pass gfortran-petsc tests\n')
+if run_gfortran_hdf5:
+    # run gfortran-hdf5 tests
+    sys.stdout.write('\n--------------\n')
+    sys.stdout.write('gfortran-hdf5 tests')
+    sys.stdout.write('\n--------------\n')
+    os.chdir(pwd)
+    os.rename(pwd + '/../src/openmc-gfortran-hdf5', pwd + '/../src/openmc')
+    result_gfortran_hdf5 = nose.run(argv=['run_tests.py','-v','--exclude','test_compile'])
+    os.rename(pwd + '/../src/openmc', pwd + '/../src/openmc-gfortran-hdf5')
+    if not result_gfortran_hdf5:
+        sys.stdout.write('\nDid not pass gfortran-hdf5 tests\n')
 
-# run gfortran-phdf5-petsc tests
-sys.stdout.write('\n--------------\n')
-sys.stdout.write('gfortran-phdf5-petsc tests')
-sys.stdout.write('\n--------------\n')
-os.chdir(pwd)
-os.rename(pwd + '/../src/openmc-gfortran-phdf5-petsc', pwd + '/../src/openmc')
-result_gfortran_phdf5_petsc = nose.run(argv=['run_tests.py','-v','--exclude','test_compile',
-                        '--mpi-np','3','--mpi-exec',
-                        '/opt/mpich/3.0.4-gnu/bin/mpiexec'])
-os.rename(pwd + '/../src/openmc', pwd + '/../src/openmc-gfortran-phdf5-petsc')
-if not result_gfortran_phdf5_petsc:
-    sys.stdout.write('\nDid not pass gfortran-phdf5-petsc tests\n')
+if run_gfortran_mpi:
+    # run gfortran-mpi tests
+    sys.stdout.write('\n--------------\n')
+    sys.stdout.write('gfortran-mpi tests')
+    sys.stdout.write('\n--------------\n')
+    os.chdir(pwd)
+    os.rename(pwd + '/../src/openmc-gfortran-mpi', pwd + '/../src/openmc')
+    result_gfortran_mpi = nose.run(argv=['run_tests.py','-v','--exclude','test_compile',
+                          '--mpi-np','3','--mpi-exec',
+                          '/opt/mpich/3.0.4-gnu/bin/mpiexec'])
+    os.rename(pwd + '/../src/openmc', pwd + '/../src/openmc-gfortran-mpi')
+    if not result_gfortran_mpi:
+        sys.stdout.write('\nDid not pass gfortran-mpi tests\n')
 
-# run gfortran-phdf5-petsc-opt tests
-sys.stdout.write('\n--------------\n')
-sys.stdout.write('gfortran-phdf5-petsc-opt tests')
-sys.stdout.write('\n--------------\n')
-os.chdir(pwd)
-os.rename(pwd + '/../src/openmc-gfortran-phdf5-petsc-opt', pwd + '/../src/openmc')
-result_gfortran_phdf5_petsc_opt = nose.run(argv=['run_tests.py','-v','--exclude','test_compile',
-                        '--mpi-np','3','--mpi-exec',
-                        '/opt/mpich/3.0.4-gnu/bin/mpiexec'])
-os.rename(pwd + '/../src/openmc', pwd + '/../src/openmc-gfortran-phdf5-petsc-opt')
-if not result_gfortran_phdf5_petsc_opt:
-    sys.stdout.write('\nDid not pass gfortran-phdf5-petsc-opt tests\n')
+if run_gfortran_phdf5:
+    # run gfortran-phdf5 tests
+    sys.stdout.write('\n--------------\n')
+    sys.stdout.write('gfortran-phdf5 tests')
+    sys.stdout.write('\n--------------\n')
+    os.chdir(pwd)
+    os.rename(pwd + '/../src/openmc-gfortran-phdf5', pwd + '/../src/openmc')
+    result_gfortran_phdf5 = nose.run(argv=['run_tests.py','-v','--exclude','test_compile',
+                            '--mpi-np','3','--mpi-exec',
+                            '/opt/mpich/3.0.4-gnu/bin/mpiexec'])
+    os.rename(pwd + '/../src/openmc', pwd + '/../src/openmc-gfortran-phdf5')
+    if not result_gfortran_phdf5:
+        sys.stdout.write('\nDid not pass gfortran-phdf5 tests\n')
 
+if run_gfortran_petsc:
+    # run gfortran-petsc tests
+    sys.stdout.write('\n--------------\n')
+    sys.stdout.write('gfortran-petsc tests')
+    sys.stdout.write('\n--------------\n')
+    os.chdir(pwd)
+    os.rename(pwd + '/../src/openmc-gfortran-petsc', pwd + '/../src/openmc')
+    result_gfortran_petsc = nose.run(argv=['run_tests.py','-v','--exclude','test_compile',
+                            '--mpi-np','3','--mpi-exec',
+                            '/opt/mpich/3.0.4-gnu/bin/mpiexec'])
+    os.rename(pwd + '/../src/openmc', pwd + '/../src/openmc-gfortran-petsc')
+    if not result_gfortran_petsc:
+        sys.stdout.write('\nDid not pass gfortran-petsc tests\n')
+
+if run_gfortran_phdf5_petsc:
+    # run gfortran-phdf5-petsc tests
+    sys.stdout.write('\n--------------\n')
+    sys.stdout.write('gfortran-phdf5-petsc tests')
+    sys.stdout.write('\n--------------\n')
+    os.chdir(pwd)
+    os.rename(pwd + '/../src/openmc-gfortran-phdf5-petsc', pwd + '/../src/openmc')
+    result_gfortran_phdf5_petsc = nose.run(argv=['run_tests.py','-v','--exclude','test_compile',
+                                 '--mpi-np','3','--mpi-exec',
+                                '/opt/mpich/3.0.4-gnu/bin/mpiexec'])
+    os.rename(pwd + '/../src/openmc', pwd + '/../src/openmc-gfortran-phdf5-petsc')
+    if not result_gfortran_phdf5_petsc:
+        sys.stdout.write('\nDid not pass gfortran-phdf5-petsc tests\n')
+
+if run_gfortran_phdf5_petsc_opt:
+    # run gfortran-phdf5-petsc-opt tests
+    sys.stdout.write('\n--------------\n')
+    sys.stdout.write('gfortran-phdf5-petsc-opt tests')
+    sys.stdout.write('\n--------------\n')
+    os.chdir(pwd)
+    os.rename(pwd + '/../src/openmc-gfortran-phdf5-petsc-opt', pwd + '/../src/openmc')
+    result_gfortran_phdf5_petsc_opt = nose.run(argv=['run_tests.py','-v','--exclude','test_compile',
+                                      '--mpi-np','3','--mpi-exec',
+                                      '/opt/mpich/3.0.4-gnu/bin/mpiexec'])
+    os.rename(pwd + '/../src/openmc', pwd + '/../src/openmc-gfortran-phdf5-petsc-opt')
+    if not result_gfortran_phdf5_petsc_opt:
+        sys.stdout.write('\nDid not pass gfortran-phdf5-petsc-opt tests\n')
+
+# print out summary of results
 sys.stdout.write('\n======================================================\n')
 sys.stdout.write('\nSummary of Compilation Option Testing:\n')
 
-sys.stdout.write('\ngfortran tests...........................')
-if result_gfortran:
-    sys.stdout.write(BOLD + OK + '[OK]' + ENDC)
-else:
-    sys.stdout.write(BOLD + FAIL + '[FAILED]' + ENDC)
+if run_compile:
+    sys.stdout.write('\ncompilation tests........................')
+    if result_compile:
+        sys.stdout.write(BOLD + OK + '[OK]' + ENDC)
+    else:
+        sys.stdout.write(BOLD + FAIL + '[FAILED]' + ENDC)
 
-sys.stdout.write('\ngfortran-DEBUG tests.....................')
-if result_gfortran_dbg:
-    sys.stdout.write(BOLD + OK + '[OK]' + ENDC)
-else:
-    sys.stdout.write(BOLD + FAIL + '[FAILED]' + ENDC)
+if run_gfortran:
+    sys.stdout.write('\ngfortran tests...........................')
+    if result_gfortran:
+        sys.stdout.write(BOLD + OK + '[OK]' + ENDC)
+    else:
+        sys.stdout.write(BOLD + FAIL + '[FAILED]' + ENDC)
 
-sys.stdout.write('\ngfortran-OPTIMIZE tests..................')
-if result_gfortran_opt:
-    sys.stdout.write(BOLD + OK + '[OK]' + ENDC)
-else:
-    sys.stdout.write(BOLD + FAIL + '[FAILED]' + ENDC)
+if run_gfortran_dbg:
+    sys.stdout.write('\ngfortran-DEBUG tests.....................')
+    if result_gfortran_dbg:
+        sys.stdout.write(BOLD + OK + '[OK]' + ENDC)
+    else:
+        sys.stdout.write(BOLD + FAIL + '[FAILED]' + ENDC)
 
-sys.stdout.write('\ngfortran-HDF5 tests......................')
-if result_gfortran_hdf5:
-    sys.stdout.write(BOLD + OK + '[OK]' + ENDC)
-else:
-    sys.stdout.write(BOLD + FAIL + '[FAILED]' + ENDC)
+if run_gfortran_opt:
+    sys.stdout.write('\ngfortran-OPTIMIZE tests..................')
+    if result_gfortran_opt:
+        sys.stdout.write(BOLD + OK + '[OK]' + ENDC)
+    else:
+        sys.stdout.write(BOLD + FAIL + '[FAILED]' + ENDC)
 
-sys.stdout.write('\ngfortran-MPI tests.......................')
-if result_gfortran_mpi:
-    sys.stdout.write(BOLD + OK + '[OK]' + ENDC)
-else:
-    sys.stdout.write(BOLD + FAIL + '[FAILED]' + ENDC)
+if run_gfortran_hdf5:
+    sys.stdout.write('\ngfortran-HDF5 tests......................')
+    if result_gfortran_hdf5:
+        sys.stdout.write(BOLD + OK + '[OK]' + ENDC)
+    else:
+        sys.stdout.write(BOLD + FAIL + '[FAILED]' + ENDC)
 
-sys.stdout.write('\ngfortran-MPI-HDF5 tests..................')
-if result_gfortran_phdf5:
-    sys.stdout.write(BOLD + OK + '[OK]' + ENDC)
-else:
-    sys.stdout.write(BOLD + FAIL + '[FAILED]' + ENDC)
+if run_gfortran_mpi:
+    sys.stdout.write('\ngfortran-MPI tests.......................')
+    if result_gfortran_mpi:
+        sys.stdout.write(BOLD + OK + '[OK]' + ENDC)
+    else:
+        sys.stdout.write(BOLD + FAIL + '[FAILED]' + ENDC)
 
-sys.stdout.write('\ngfortran-MPI-PETSC tests.................')
-if result_gfortran_petsc:
-    sys.stdout.write(BOLD + OK + '[OK]' + ENDC)
-else:
-    sys.stdout.write(BOLD + FAIL + '[FAILED]' + ENDC)
+if run_gfortran_phdf5:
+    sys.stdout.write('\ngfortran-MPI-HDF5 tests..................')
+    if result_gfortran_phdf5:
+        sys.stdout.write(BOLD + OK + '[OK]' + ENDC)
+    else:
+        sys.stdout.write(BOLD + FAIL + '[FAILED]' + ENDC)
 
-sys.stdout.write('\ngfortran-MPI-HDF5-PETSC tests............')
-if result_gfortran_phdf5_petsc:
-    sys.stdout.write(BOLD + OK + '[OK]' + ENDC)
-else:
-    sys.stdout.write(BOLD + FAIL + '[FAILED]' + ENDC)
+if run_gfortran_petsc:
+    sys.stdout.write('\ngfortran-MPI-PETSC tests.................')
+    if result_gfortran_petsc:
+        sys.stdout.write(BOLD + OK + '[OK]' + ENDC)
+    else:
+        sys.stdout.write(BOLD + FAIL + '[FAILED]' + ENDC)
 
-sys.stdout.write('\ngfortran-MPI-PETSC-HDF5-OPTIMIZE tests...')
-if result_gfortran_phdf5_petsc_opt:
-    sys.stdout.write(BOLD + OK + '[OK]' + ENDC + '\n')
-else:
-    sys.stdout.write(BOLD + FAIL + '[FAILED]' + ENDC + '\n')
+if run_gfortran_phdf5_petsc:
+    sys.stdout.write('\ngfortran-MPI-HDF5-PETSC tests............')
+    if result_gfortran_phdf5_petsc:
+        sys.stdout.write(BOLD + OK + '[OK]' + ENDC)
+    else:
+        sys.stdout.write(BOLD + FAIL + '[FAILED]' + ENDC)
+
+if run_gfortran_phdf5_petsc_opt:
+    sys.stdout.write('\ngfortran-MPI-PETSC-HDF5-OPTIMIZE tests...')
+    if result_gfortran_phdf5_petsc_opt:
+        sys.stdout.write(BOLD + OK + '[OK]' + ENDC + '\n')
+    else:
+        sys.stdout.write(BOLD + FAIL + '[FAILED]' + ENDC)
+
+sys.stdout.write('\n')