physics phd coursework

College of Arts & Sciences

Doctoral Program

The Path to The Ph.D

The Georgetown graduate experience is tailored to match your academic and professional goals. The process is straightforward, but as with any program, there are certain benchmarks that help you chart your path. Detailed information is available in the Graduate Handbook .

• Perform well and earn 34 credits in the coursework (maintain a GPA of 3.0 or above)
• Participate in the Integrative Experience after the 1 st 2 semesters of coursework
• Join 3 Lab Rotations to gain expertise and choose an Academic Advisor
• Pass the Comprehensive Examination , typically before beginning their 2 nd year
• Pass the Qualifying Examination , within 18 months of completing coursework or directly after an Apprenticeship
• Research, write and defend a Dissertation

Prerequisites for first-year graduate courses

Classical mechanics.

• Lagrangian formulation at the level of Marion.
• Understand the definition of Hamiltonian and of a Poisson bracket.

COMPUTATIONAL AND MATHEMATICAL PHYSICS

• Proficiency in coding in a high-level programming language like Fortran, C, C++, or java.
• Understanding loops and conditional statements.
• Full knowledge of how to solve second order differential equations with constant coefficients.
• Separation of variables for partial differential equations.
• Heat flow or diffusion,
• Wave or Schroedinger equation, and
• Boundary-value problems.
• Understanding of Fourier analysis (both discrete and a continuous Fourier transform) and eigenvalue problems.

ELECTROMAGNETISM

• Differential formulation of Maxwell’s equations
• Poisson’s equation
• Multipole expansions
• Generation of electromagnetic waves
• Circuit analysis (both AC and DC)
• Geometrical & physical optics, (at the level of Griffiths).

QUANTUM MECHANICS

• Bra and ket notation
• Eigenvalue problems (as partial differential equations and in matrix form)
• Separation of variables
• Raising and lowering operators
• Addition of angular momentum
• Hydrogen atom
• Nondegenerate perturbation theory
• Simple time-evolution problems (at the level of Liboff, Griffiths, or Dicke and Witte).

STATISTICAL MECHANICS

• Definitions of entropy, free energy, chemical potential.
• Free energy of classical and quantum harmonic oscillator.
• Equipartition theorem.
• Degenerate Fermi and Bose gases.
• One-dimensional Ising model. (At the level of Kittel and Kroemer).

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Graduate studies, commencement 2019.

The Harvard Department of Physics offers students innovative educational and research opportunities with renowned faculty in state-of-the-art facilities, exploring fundamental problems involving physics at all scales. Our primary areas of experimental and theoretical research are atomic and molecular physics, astrophysics and cosmology, biophysics, chemical physics, computational physics, condensed-matter physics, materials science, mathematical physics, particle physics, quantum optics, quantum field theory, quantum information, string theory, and relativity.

Our talented and hardworking students participate in exciting discoveries and cutting-edge inventions such as the ATLAS experiment, which discovered the Higgs boson; building the first 51-cubit quantum computer; measuring entanglement entropy; discovering new phases of matter; and peering into the ‘soft hair’ of black holes.

Our students come from all over the world and from varied educational backgrounds. We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment and attracting the widest possible range of talents.

We have a flexible and highly responsive advising structure for our PhD students that shepherds them through every stage of their education, providing assistance and counseling along the way, helping resolve problems and academic impasses, and making sure that everyone has the most enriching experience possible.The graduate advising team also sponsors alumni talks, panels, and advice sessions to help students along their academic and career paths in physics and beyond, such as “Getting Started in Research,” “Applying to Fellowships,” “Preparing for Qualifying Exams,” “Securing a Post-Doc Position,” and other career events (both academic and industry-related).

We offer many resources, services, and on-site facilities to the physics community, including our electronic instrument design lab and our fabrication machine shop. Our historic Jefferson Laboratory, the first physics laboratory of its kind in the nation and the heart of the physics department, has been redesigned and renovated to facilitate study and collaboration among our students.

Members of the Harvard Physics community participate in initiatives that bring together scientists from institutions across the world and from different fields of inquiry. For example, the Harvard-MIT Center for Ultracold Atoms unites a community of scientists from both institutions to pursue research in the new fields opened up by the creation of ultracold atoms and quantum gases. The Center for Integrated Quantum Materials , a collaboration between Harvard University, Howard University, MIT, and the Museum of Science, Boston, is dedicated to the study of extraordinary new quantum materials that hold promise for transforming signal processing and computation. The Harvard Materials Science and Engineering Center is home to an interdisciplinary group of physicists, chemists, and researchers from the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences working on fundamental questions in materials science and applications such as soft robotics and 3D printing.  The Black Hole Initiative , the first center worldwide to focus on the study of black holes, is an interdisciplinary collaboration between principal investigators from the fields of astronomy, physics, mathematics, and philosophy. The quantitative biology initiative https://quantbio.harvard.edu/  aims to bring together physicists, biologists, engineers, and applied mathematicians to understand life itself. And, most recently, the new program in  Quantum Science and Engineering (QSE) , which lies at the interface of physics, chemistry, and engineering, will admit its first cohort of PhD students in Fall 2022.

We support and encourage interdisciplinary research and simultaneous applications to two departments is permissible. Prospective students may thus wish to apply to the following departments and programs in addition to Physics:

• Department of Astronomy
• Department of Chemistry
• Department of Mathematics
• John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS)
• Biophysics Program
• Molecules, Cells and Organisms Program (MCO)

If you are a prospective graduate student and have questions for us, or if you’re interested in visiting our department, please contact  [email protected] .

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PhD Program

A PhD degree in Physics is awarded in recognition of significant and novel research contributions, extending the boundaries of our knowledge of the physical universe. Selected applicants are admitted to the PhD program of the UW Department of Physics, not to a specific research group, and are encouraged to explore research opportunities throughout the Department.

Degree Requirements

Typical timeline, advising and mentoring, satisfactory progress, financial support, more information.

Applicants to the doctoral program are expected to have a strong undergraduate preparation in physics, including courses in electromagnetism, classical and quantum mechanics, statistical physics, optics, and mathematical methods of physics. Further study in condensed matter, atomic, and particle and nuclear physics is desirable. Limited deficiencies in core areas may be permissible, but may delay degree completion by as much as a year and are are expected to remedied during the first year of graduate study.

The Graduate Admissions Committee reviews all submitted applications and takes a holistic approach considering all aspects presented in the application materials. Application materials include:

• Resume or curriculum vitae, describing your current position or activities, educational and professional experience, and any honors awarded, special skills, publications or research presentations.
• Statement of purpose, one page describing your academic purpose and goals.
• Personal history statement (optional, two pages max), describing how your personal experiences and background (including family, cultural, or economic aspects) have influenced your intellectual development and interests.
• Three letters of recommendation: submit email addresses for your recommenders at least one month ahead of deadline to allow them sufficient time to respond.
• Transcripts (unofficial), from all prior relevant undergraduate and graduate institutions attended. Admitted applicants must provide official transcripts.
• English language proficiency is required for graduate study at the University of Washington. Applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate English proficiency. The various options are specified at: https://grad.uw.edu/policies/3-2-graduate-school-english-language-proficiency-requirements/ Official test scores must be sent by ETS directly to the University of Washington (institution code 4854) and be received within two years of the test date.

For additional information see the UW Graduate School Home Page , Understanding the Application Process , and Memo 15 regarding teaching assistant eligibility for non-native English speakers.

The GRE Subject Test in Physics (P-GRE) is optional in our admissions process, and typically plays a relatively minor role.  Our admissions system is holistic, as we use all available information to evaluate each application. If you have taken the P-GRE and feel that providing your score will help address specific gaps or otherwise materially strengthen your application, you are welcome to submit your scores. We emphasize that every application will be given full consideration, regardless of whether or not scores are submitted.

Applications are accepted annually for autumn quarter admissions (only), and must be submitted online. Admission deadline: JANUARY 5, 2024.

Department standards

Course requirements.

Students must plan a program of study in consultation with their faculty advisor (either first year advisor or later research advisor). To establish adequate breadth and depth of knowledge in the field, PhD students are required to pass a set of core courses, take appropriate advanced courses and special topics offerings related to their research area, attend relevant research seminars as well as the weekly department colloquium, and take at least two additional courses in Physics outside their area of speciality. Seeking broad knowledge in areas of physics outside your own research area is encouraged.

The required core courses are:

In addition, all students holding a teaching assistantship (TA) must complete Phys 501 / 502 / 503 , Tutorials in Teaching Physics.

Regularly offered courses which may, depending on research area and with the approval of the graduate program coordinator, be used to satisfy breadth requirements, include:

• Phys 506 Numerical Methods
• Phys 555 Cosmology & Particle Astrophysics
• Phys 507 Group Theory
• Phys 557 High Energy Physics
• Phys 511 Topics in Contemporary Physics
• Phys 560 Nuclear Theory
• Phys 520 Quantum Information
• Phys 564 General Relativity
• Phys 550 Atomic Physics
• Phys 567 Condensed Matter Physics
• Phys 554 Nuclear Astrophysics
• Phys 570 Quantum Field Theory

Graduate exams

Master's Review:   In addition to passing all core courses, adequate mastery of core material must be demonstrated by passing the Master's Review. This is composed of four Master's Review Exams (MREs) which serve as the final exams in Phys 524 (SM), Phys 514 (EM), Phys 518 (QM), and Phys 505 (CM). The standard for passing each MRE is demonstrated understanding and ability to solve multi-step problems; this judgment is independent of the overall course grade. Acceptable performance on each MRE is expected, but substantial engagement in research allows modestly sub-par performance on one exam to be waived. Students who pass the Master's Review are eligible to receive a Master's degree, provided the Graduate School course credit and grade point average requirements have also been satisfied.

General Exam:   Adequate mastery of material in one's area of research, together with demonstrated progress in research and a viable plan to complete a PhD dissertation, is assessed in the General Exam. This is taken after completing all course requirements, passing the Master's Review, and becoming well established in research. The General Exam consists of an oral presentation followed by an in-depth question period with one's dissertation committee.

Final Oral Exam:   Adequate completion of a PhD dissertation is assessed in the Final Oral, which is a public exam on one's completed dissertation research. The requirement of surmounting a final public oral exam is an ancient tradition for successful completion of a PhD degree.

Graduate school requirements

Common requirements for all doctoral degrees are given in the Graduate School Degree Requirements and Doctoral Degree Policies and Procedures pages. A summary of the key items, accurate as of late 2020, is as follows:

• A minimum of 90 completed credits, of which at least 60 must be completed at the University of Washington. A Master's degree from the UW or another institution in physics, or approved related field of study, may substitute for 30 credits of enrollment.
• At least 18 credits of UW course work at the 500 level completed prior to the General Examination.
• At least 18 numerically graded UW credits of 500 level courses and approved 400 level courses, completed prior to the General Examination.
• At least 60 credits completed prior to scheduling the General Examination. A Master's degree from the UW or another institution may substitute for 30 of these credits.
• A minimum of 27 dissertation (or Physics 800) credits, spread out over a period of at least three quarters, must be completed. At least one of those three quarters must come after passing the General Exam. Except for summer quarters, students are limited to a maximum of 10 dissertation credits per quarter.
• A minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 must be maintained.
• The General Examination must be successfully completed.
• A thesis dissertation approved by the reading committee and submitted and accepted by the Graduate School.
• The Final Examination must be successfully completed. At least four members of the supervisory committee, including chair and graduate school representative, must be present.
• Registration as a full- or part-time graduate student at the University must be maintained, specifically including the quarter in which the examinations are completed and the quarter in which the degree is conferred. (Part-time means registered for at least 2 credits, but less than 10.)
• All work for the doctoral degree must be completed within ten years. This includes any time spend on leave, as well as time devoted to a Master's degree from the UW or elsewhere (if used to substitute for credits of enrollment).
• Pass the required core courses: Phys 513 , 517 , 524 & 528 autumn quarter, Phys 514 , 518 & 525 winter quarter, and Phys 515 , 519 & 505 spring quarter. When deemed appropriate, with approval of their faculty advisor and graduate program coordinator, students may elect to defer Phys 525 , 515 and/or 519 to the second year in order to take more credits of Phys 600 .
• Sign up for and complete one credit of Phys 600 with a faculty member of choice during winter and spring quarters.
• Pass the Master's Review by the end of spring quarter or, after demonstrating substantial research engagement, by the end of the summer.
• Work to identify one's research area and faculty research advisor. This begins with learning about diverse research areas in Phys 528 in the autumn, followed by Phys 600 independent study with selected faculty members during winter, spring, and summer.
• Pass the Master's Review (if not already done) by taking any deferred core courses or retaking MREs as needed. The Master's Review must be passed before the start of the third year.
• Settle in and become fully established with one's research group and advisor, possibly after doing independent study with multiple faculty members. Switching research areas during the first two years is not uncommon.
• Complete all required courses. Take breadth courses and more advanced graduate courses appropriate for one's area of research.
• Perform research.
• Establish a Supervisory Committee within one year after finding a compatible research advisor who agrees to supervise your dissertation work.
• Take breadth and special topics courses as appropriate.
• Take your General Exam in the third or fourth year of your graduate studies.
• Register for Phys 800 (Doctoral Thesis Research) instead of Phys 600 in the quarters during and after your general exam.
• Take special topics courses as appropriate.
• Perform research. When completion of a substantial body of research is is sight, and with concurrence of your faculty advisor, start writing a thesis dissertation.
• Establish a dissertation reading committee well in advance of scheduling the Final Examination.
• Schedule your Final Examination and submit your PhD dissertation draft to your reading committee at least several weeks before your Final Exam.
• Take your Final Oral Examination.
• After passing your Final Exam, submit your PhD dissertation, as approved by your reading committee, to the Graduate School, normally before the end of the same quarter.

This typical timeline for competing the PhD applies to students entering the program with a solid undergraduate preparation, as described above under Admissions. Variant scenarios are possible with approval of the Graduate Program coordinator. Two such scenarios are the following:

• Students entering with insufficient undergraduate preparation often require more time. It is important to identify this early, and not feel that this reflects on innate abilities or future success. Discussion with one's faculty advisor, during orientation or shortly thereafter, may lead to deferring one or more of the first year required courses and corresponding Master's Review Exams. It can also involve taking selected 300 or 400 level undergraduate physics courses before taking the first year graduate level courses. This must be approved by the Graduate Program coordinator, but should not delay efforts to find a suitable research advisor. The final Master's Review decision still takes place no later than the start of the 3rd year and research engagement is an important component in this decision.
• Entering PhD students with advanced standing, for example with a prior Master's degree in Physics or transferring from another institution after completing one or more years in a Physics PhD program, may often graduate after 3 or 4 years in our program. After discussion with your faculty advisor and with approval of the Graduate Program coordinator, selected required classes may be waived (but typically not the corresponding Master's Review Exams), and credit from other institutions transferred.
• Each entering PhD student is assigned a first year faculty advisor, with whom they meet regularly to discuss course selection, general progress, and advice on research opportunities. The role of a student's primary faculty advisor switches to their research advisor after they become well established in research. Once their doctoral supervisory committee is formed, the entire committee, including a designated faculty mentor (other than the research advisor) is available to provide advice and mentoring.
• The department also has a peer mentoring program, in which first-year students are paired with more senior students who have volunteered as mentors. Peer mentors maintain contact with their first-year mentees throughout the year and aim to ease the transition to graduate study by sharing their experiences and providing support and advice. Quarterly "teas" are held to which all peer mentors and mentees are invited.
• While academic advising is primarily concerned with activities and requirements necessary to make progress toward a degree, mentoring focuses on the human relationships, commitments, and resources that can help a student find success and fulfillment in academic and professional pursuits. While research advisors play an essential role in graduate study, the department considers it inportant for every student to also have available additional individuals who take on an explicit mentoring role.
• Students are expected to meet regularly, at a minimum quarterly, with their faculty advisors (either first year advisor or research advisor).
• Starting in the winter of their first year, students are expected to be enrolled in Phys 600 .
• Every spring all students, together with their advisors, are required to complete an annual activities report.
• The doctoral supervisory committee needs to be established at least by the end of the fourth year.
• The General Exam is expected to take place during the third or fourth year.
• Students and their advisors are expected to aim for not more than 6 years between entry into the Physics PhD program and completion of the PhD. In recent years the median time is close to 6 years.

Absence of satisfactory progress can lead to a hierarchy of actions, as detailed in the Graduate School Memo 16: Academic Performance and Progress , and may jeopardize funding as a teaching assistant.

The Department aims to provide financial support for all full-time PhD students making satisfactory progress, and has been successful in doing so for many years. Most students are supported via a mix teaching assistantships (TAs) and research assistantships (RAs), although there are also various scholarships, fellowships, and awards that provide financial support. Teaching and research assistanships provide a stipend, a tuition waiver, and health insurance benefits. TAs are employed by the University to assist faculty in their teaching activities. Students from non-English-speaking countries must pass English proficiency requirements . RAs are employed by the Department to assist faculty with specified research projects, and are funded through research grants held by faculty members.

Most first-year students are provided full TA support during their first academic year as part of their admission offer. Support beyond the second year is typically in the form of an RA or a TA/RA combination. It is the responsibility of the student to find a research advisor and secure RA support. Students accepting TA or RA positions are required to register as full-time graduate students (a minimum of 10 credits during the academic year, and 2 credits in summer quarter) and devote 20 hours per week to their assistantship duties. Both TAs and RAs are classified as Academic Student Employees (ASE) . These positions are governed by a contract between the UW and the International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW), and its Local Union 4121 (UAW).

Physics PhD students are paid at the "Assistant" level (Teaching Assistant or Research Assistant) upon entry to the program. Students receive a promotion to "Associate I" (Predoctoral Teaching Associate I or Predoctoral Research Associate I) after passing the Master's Review, and a further promotion to "Associate II" (Predoctoral Teaching Associate II or Predoctoral Research Associate II) after passing their General Examination. (Summer quarter courses, and summer quarter TA employment, runs one month shorter than during the academic year. To compendate, summer quarter TA salaries are increased proportionately.)

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Ph.D. program

The Applied Physics Department offers a Ph.D. degree program; see  Admissions Overview  for how to apply.  

1.  Courses . Current listings of Applied Physics (and Physics) courses are available via  Explore Courses . Courses are available in Physics and Mathematics to overcome deficiencies, if any, in undergraduate preparation. It is expected the specific course requirements are completed by the  end of the 3rd year  at Stanford.

Required Basic Graduate Courses.   30 units (quarter hours) including:

• Basic graduate courses in advanced mechanics, statistical physics, electrodynamics, quantum mechanics, and an advanced laboratory course. In cases where students feel they have already covered the materials in one of the required basic graduate courses, a petition for waiver of the course may be submitted and is subject to approval by a faculty committee.
• 18 units of advanced coursework in science and/or engineering to fit the particular interests of the individual student. Such courses typically are in Applied Physics, Physics, or Electrical Engineering, but courses may also be taken in other departments, e.g., Biology, Materials Science and Engineering, Mathematics, Chemistry. The purpose of this requirement is to provide training in a specialized field of research and to encourage students to cover material beyond their own special research interests.​

​ Required Additional Courses .  Additional courses needed to meet the minimum residency requirement of 135 units of completed course work. Directed study and research units as well as 1-unit seminar courses can be included. Courses are sometimes given on special topics, and there are several seminars that meet weekly to discuss current research activities at Stanford and elsewhere. All graduate students are encouraged to participate in the special topics courses and seminars. A limited number of courses are offered during the Summer Quarter. Most students stay in residence during the summer and engage in independent study or research programs.

The list of the PhD degree core coursework is listed in the bulletin here:  https://bulletin.stanford.edu/programs/APLPH-PHD .

3.  Dissertation Research.   Research is frequently supervised by an Applied Physics faculty member, but an approved program of research may be supervised by a faculty member from another department.

4.  Research Progress Report.   Students give an oral research progress report to their dissertation reading committee during the winter quarter of the 4th year.

5.  Dissertation.

6.  University Oral Examination .  The examination includes a public seminar in defense of the dissertation and questioning by a faculty committee on the research and related fields.

Most students continue their studies and research during the summer quarter, principally in independent study projects or dissertation research. The length of time required for the completion of the dissertation depends upon the student and upon the dissertation advisor. In addition, the University residency requirement of 135 graded units must be met.

Rotation Program

We offer an optional rotation program for 1st-year Ph.D. students where students may spend one quarter (10 weeks) each in up to three research groups in the first year. This helps students gain research experience and exposure to various labs, fields, and/or projects before determining a permanent group to complete their dissertation work. 

Sponsoring faculty members may be in the Applied Physics department, SLAC, or any other science or engineering department, as long as they are members of the Academic Council (including all tenure-line faculty). Rotations are optional and students may join a group without the rotation system by making an arrangement directly with the faculty advisor. 

During the first year, research assistantships (RAs) are fully funded by the department for the fall quarter; in the winter and spring quarters, RAs are funded 50/50 by the department and the research group hosting the student. RAs after the third quarter are, in general, not subsidized by the rotation program or the department and should be arranged directly by the student with their research advisor.

How to arrange a rotation

Rotation positions in faculty members’ groups are secured by the student by directly contacting and coordinating with faculty some time between the student’s acceptance into the Ph.D. program and the start of the rotation quarter. It is recommended that the student’s fall quarter rotation be finalized no later than Orientation Week before the academic year begins. A rotation with a different faculty member can be arranged for the subsequent quarters at any time. Most students join a permanent lab by the spring quarter of their first year after one or two rotations.  When coordinating a rotation, the student and the sponsoring faculty should discuss expectations for the rotation (e.g. project timeline or deliverables) and the availability of continued funding and permanent positions in the group. It is very important that the student and the faculty advisor have a clear understanding about expectations going forward.

What do current students say about rotations?

Advice from current ap students, setting up a rotation:.

• If you have a specific professor or group in mind, you should contact them as early as possible, as they may have a limited number of rotation spots.
• You can prepare a 1-page CV or resume to send to professors to summarize your research experiences and interest.
• Try to tour the lab/working areas, talk to senior graduate students, or attend group meeting to get a feel for how the group operates.
• If you don't receive a response from a professor, you can send a polite reminder, stop by their office, or contact their administrative assistant. If you receive a negative response, you shouldn't take it personally as rotation availability can depend year-to-year on funding and personnel availability.
• Don't feel limited to subfields that you have prior experience in. Rotations are for learning and for discovering what type of work and work environment suit you best, and you will have several years to develop into a fully-formed researcher!

You and your rotation advisor should coordinate early on about things like: 

• What project will you be working on and who will you be working with?
• What resources (e.g. equipment access and training, coursework) will you need to enable this work?
• How closely will you work with other members of the group? 
• How frequently will you and your rotation advisor meet?
• What other obligations (e.g. coursework, TAing) are you balancing alongside research?
• How will your progress be evaluated?
• Is there funding available to support you and this project beyond the rotation quarter?
• Will the rotation advisor take on new students into the group in the quarter following the rotation?

About a month before the end of the quarter, you should have a conversation with your advisor about things like:

• Will you remain in the current group or will you rotate elsewhere?
• If you choose to rotate elsewhere, does the option remain open to return to the present group later?
• If you choose to rotate elsewhere, will another rotation student be taken on for the same project?
• You don't have to rotate just for the sake of rotating! If you've found a group that suits you well in many aspects, it makes sense to continue your research momentum with that group.

Application process

View Admissions Overview View the Required Online Ph.D. Program Application  

Contact the Applied Physics Department Office at  [email protected]  if additional information on any of the above is needed.

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Graduate education in physics offers you exciting opportunities extending over a diverse range of subjects and departments. You will work in state-of-the-art facilities with renowned faculty and accomplished postdoctoral fellows. The interdisciplinary nature of the program provides you with the opportunity to select the path that most interests you. You will be guided by a robust academic advising team to ensure your success.

You will have access to Jefferson Laboratory, the oldest physics laboratory in the country, which today includes a wing designed specifically to facilitate the study and collaboration between you and other physics graduate students.

Students in the program are doing research in many areas, including atomic and molecular physics, quantum optics, condensed-matter physics, computational physics, the physics of solids and fluids, biophysics, astrophysics, statistical mechanics, mathematical physics, high-energy particle physics, quantum field theory, string theory, relativity, and many others.

Graduates of the program have secured academic positions at institutions such as MIT, Stanford University, California Institute of Technology, and Harvard University. Others have gone into private industry at leading organizations such as Google, Facebook, and Apple. 

Additional information on the graduate program is available from the Department of Physics , and requirements for the degree are detailed in Policies . 

Areas of Study

Engineering and Physical Biology | Experimental Astrophysics | Experimental Physics | Theoretical Astrophysics | Theoretical Physics | Unspecified

Admissions Requirements

Please review admissions requirements and other information before applying. You can find degree program-specific admissions requirements below and access additional guidance on applying from the Department of Physics .

Academic Background

Applicants should be well versed in undergraduate-level physics and mathematics. Typically, applicants will have devoted approximately half of their undergraduate work to physics and related subjects such as mathematics and chemistry. It is desirable for every applicant to have completed at least one year of introductory quantum mechanics classes. An applicant who has a marked interest in a particular branch of physics should include this information in the application. If possible, applicants should also indicate whether they are inclined toward experimental or theoretical (mathematical) research. This statement of preference will not be treated as a binding commitment to any course of study and research. In the Advanced Coursework section of the online application, prospective students must indicate the six most advanced courses (four in physics and two in mathematics) they completed or will complete at their undergraduate institution.

Standardized Tests

GRE General: Optional GRE Subject Test: Optional

Theses & Dissertations

Theses & Dissertations for Physics

See list of Physics faculty

APPLICATION DEADLINE

Questions about the program.

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• Ph.D. Requirements

Our graduate program is designed to solidify your command of the concepts and methods of the discipline through course work and research. You will participate in state-of-the-art research early on, work closely with a faculty member , and gain personal research experience and a deep understanding of a particular subfield. Your education culminates in the completion of a Ph.D. dissertation based on an original piece of research.

Requirements

Students who enter the graduate program have to complete the following milestones before they become eligible for the Ph.D. degree:

• Assessment Exams (to assess the preparation for graduate coursework)
• PHYSICS 760: Mathematical Methods of Physics
• PHYSICS 761: Classical Mechanics
• PHYSICS 762: Electrodynamics
• PHYSICS 763: Statistical Mechanics
• PHYSICS 764: Quantum Mechanics
• PHYSICS 765: Advanced Quantum Mechanics
• PHYSICS 766S: Physics Research Seminars
• In addition to the core courses students are required to take 6 credits of electives. These can be chosen from any combination of of regular courses (3 credits) or mini courses (1 credit) offered by the department at various times.
• English Examination Requirements (for non-English speaking students in the first two years)
• Annual reporting — required for each student beyond the first year, to be submitted before March 31
• Research talks — present at least one talk each year
• Preliminary Exam (any time before the end of the sixth semester)
• Responsible Conduct in Research (RCR) training (any time, total of 12 credits)
• Dissertation and Defense (final milestone)
• Students must complete at least 6 units of graduate physics elective courses. ( Mini-courses carry one unit).
• Specific research groups may have written policies of courses students should take if they intend to work in their group.

A single course may be used to satisfy both of the above conditions.

Typical Degree Timeline

• First Academic Year : Most students will work as a TA for the nine-month academic year. First-year graduate TAs are assigned duties of approximately 12–15 hours per week, normally assisting with the general undergraduate physics courses.
• First Summer : Most students will work as an RA for the three-month academic year.
• Second Academic Year : Most students resume their teaching assistantships in their second academic year, however sometimes a professor will recruit a student to work on a research project with him/her.
• Second Summer and Beyond : Most students will be working with a research group and embark on their dissertation research project.

The normal course sequence is: (Each course carries 3 credit units unless otherwise noted.)

Placeout Exams

Students who have already mastered the material in one or more of the core graduate courses may place out of the course by taking a place-out examination. In order to do so, the student should contact the DGS and the core course instructor offering the course and request for such an examination well before the course is offered. The details are then worked out on a case by case basis. It is important to note that to pass a place-out examination the student needs to show mastery of the course material at least at the 75th percentile level.

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PhD Program

**new** graduate student guide, expected progress of physics graduate student to ph.d..

This document describes the Physics Department's expectations for the progress of a typical graduate student from admission to award of a PhD.  Because students enter the program with different training and backgrounds and because thesis research by its very nature is unpredictable, the time-frame for individual students will vary. Nevertheless, failure to meet the goals set forth here without appropriate justification may indicate that the student is not making adequate progress towards the PhD, and will therefore prompt consideration by the Department and possibly by Graduate Division of the student’s progress, which might lead to probation and later dismissal.

Course Work

Graduate students are required to take a minimum of 38 units of approved upper division or graduate elective courses (excluding any upper division courses required for the undergraduate major).  The department requires that students take the following courses which total 19 units: Physics 209 (Classical Electromagnetism), Physics 211 (Equilibrium Statistical Physics) and Physics 221A-221B (Quantum Mechanics). Thus, the normative program includes an additional 19 units (five semester courses) of approved upper division or graduate elective courses.  At least 11 units must be in the 200 series courses. Some of the 19 elective units could include courses in mathematics, biophysics, astrophysics, or from other science and engineering departments.  Physics 290, 295, 299, 301, and 602 are excluded from the 19 elective units. Physics 209, 211 and 221A-221B must be completed for a letter grade (with a minimum average grade of B).  No more than one-third of the 19 elective units may be fulfilled by courses graded Satisfactory, and then only with the approval of the Department.  Entering students are required to enroll in Physics 209 and 221A in the fall semester of their first year and Physics 211 and 221B in the spring semester of their first year. Exceptions to this requirement are made for 1) students who do not have sufficient background to enroll in these courses and have a written recommendation from their faculty mentor and approval from the head graduate adviser to delay enrollment to take preparatory classes, 2) students who have taken the equivalent of these courses elsewhere and receive written approval from the Department to be exempted. 

If a student has taken courses equivalent to Physics 209, 211 or 221A-221B, then subject credit may be granted for each of these course requirements.  A faculty committee will review your course syllabi and transcript.  A waiver form can be obtained in 378 Physics North from the Student Affairs Officer detailing all required documents.  If the committee agrees that the student has satisfied the course requirement at another institution, the student must secure the Head Graduate Adviser's approval.  The student must also take and pass the associated section of the preliminary exam.  Please note that official course waiver approval will not be granted until after the preliminary exam results have been announced.  If course waivers are approved, units for the waived required courses do not have to be replaced for PhD course requirements.  If a student has satisfied all first year required graduate courses elsewhere, they are only required to take an additional 19 units to satisfy remaining PhD course requirements.  (Note that units for required courses must be replaced for MA degree course requirements even if the courses themselves are waived; for more information please see MA degree requirements).

In exceptional cases, students transferring from other graduate programs may request a partial waiver of the 19 elective unit requirement. Such requests must be made at the time of application for admission to the Department.

The majority of first year graduate students are Graduate Student Instructors (GSIs) with a 20 hour per week load (teaching, grading, and preparation).  A typical first year program for an entering graduate student who is teaching is:

First Semester

• Physics 209 Classical Electromagnetism (5)
• Physics 221A Quantum Mechanics (5)
• Physics 251 Introduction to Graduate Research (1)
• Physics 301 GSI Teaching Credit (2)
• Physics 375 GSI Training Seminar (for first time GSI's) (2)

Second Semester

• Physics 211 Equilibrium Statistical Physics (4)
• Physics 221B Quantum Mechanics (5)

Students who have fellowships and will not be teaching, or who have covered some of the material in the first year courses material as undergraduates may choose to take an additional course in one or both semesters of their first year.

Many students complete their course requirements by the end of the second year. In general, students are expected to complete their course requirements by the end of the third year. An exception to this expectation is that students who elect (with the approval of their mentor and the head graduate adviser) to fill gaps in their undergraduate background during their first year at Berkeley often need one or two additional semesters to complete their course work.

Faculty Mentors

Incoming graduate students are each assigned a faculty mentor. In general, mentors and students are matched according to the student's research interest.   If a student's research interests change, or if (s)he feels there is another faculty member who can better serve as a mentor, the student is free to request a change of assignment.

The role of the faculty mentor is to advise graduate students who have not yet identified research advisers on their academic program, on their progress in that program and on strategies for passing the preliminary exam and finding a research adviser.  Mentors also are a “friendly ear” and are ready to help students address other issues they may face coming to a new university and a new city.  Mentors are expected to meet with the students they advise individually a minimum of once per semester, but often meet with them more often.  Mentors should contact incoming students before the start of the semester, but students arriving in Berkeley should feel free to contact their mentors immediately.

Student-Mentor assignments continue until the student has identified a research adviser.  While many students continue to ask their mentors for advice later in their graduate career, the primary role of adviser is transferred to the research adviser once a student formally begins research towards his or her dissertation. The Department asks student and adviser to sign a “mentor-adviser” form to make this transfer official.  

Preliminary Exams

In order to most benefit from graduate work, incoming students need to have a solid foundation in undergraduate physics, including mechanics, electricity and magnetism, optics, special relativity, thermal and statistical physics and quantum mechanics, and to be able to make order-of-magnitude estimates and analyze physical situations by application of general principles. These are the topics typically included, and at the level usually taught, within a Bachelor's degree program in Physics at most universities. As a part of this foundation, the students should also have formed a well-integrated overall picture of the fields studied. The preliminary exam is meant to assess the students' background, so that any missing pieces can be made up as soon as possible. The exam is made up of 4 sections, as described in the  Preliminary Exam Policy *, on the Department’s website.  Each section is administered twice a year, at the start of each semester. 

Entering students are encouraged to take this exam as soon as possible, and they are required to attempt all prelims sections in the second semester. Students who have not passed all sections in the third semester will undergo a Departmental review of their performance. Departmental expectations are that all students should successfully pass all sections no later than spring semester of the second year (4th semester); the document entitled  Physics Department Preliminary Exam Policy * describes Departmental policy in more detail. An exception to this expectation is afforded to students who elect (with the recommendation of the faculty mentor and written approval of the head graduate adviser) to fill gaps in their undergraduate background during their first year at Berkeley and delay corresponding section(s) of the exam, and who therefore may need an additional semester to complete the exam; this exception is also further discussed in the  Preliminary Exam Policy * document.

* You must login with your Calnet ID to access Physics Department Preliminary Examination Policy.

Start of Research

Students are encouraged to begin research as soon as possible. Many students identify potential research advisers in their first year and most have identified their research adviser before the end of their second year.  When a research adviser is identified, the Department asks that both student and research adviser sign a form (available from the Student Affairs Office, 378 Physics North) indicating that the student has (provisionally) joined the adviser’s research group with the intent of working towards a PhD.  In many cases, the student will remain in that group for their thesis work, but sometimes the student or faculty adviser will decide that the match of individuals or research direction is not appropriate.  Starting research early gives students flexibility to change groups when appropriate without incurring significant delays in time to complete their degree.

Departmental expectations are that experimental research students begin work in a research group by the summer after the first year; this is not mandatory, but is strongly encouraged.  Students doing theoretical research are similarly encouraged to identify a research direction, but often need to complete a year of classes in their chosen specialty before it is possible for them to begin research.  Students intending to become theory students and have to take the required first year classes may not be able to start research until the summer after their second year.  Such students are encouraged to attend theory seminars and maintain contact with faculty in their chosen area of research even before they can begin a formal research program. 

If a student chooses dissertation research with a supervisor who is not in the department, he or she must find an appropriate Physics faculty member who agrees to serve as the departmental research supervisor of record and as co-adviser. This faculty member is expected to monitor the student's progress towards the degree and serve on the student's qualifying and dissertation committees. The student will enroll in Physics 299 (research) in the co-adviser's section.  The student must file the Outside Research Proposal for approval; petitions are available in the Student Affairs Office, 378 Physics North.   

Students who have not found a research adviser by the end of the second year will be asked to meet with their faculty mentor to develop a plan for identifying an adviser and research group.  Students who have not found a research adviser by Spring of the third year are not making adequate progress towards the PhD.  These students will be asked to provide written documentation to the department explaining their situation and their plans to begin research.  Based on their academic record and the documentation they provide, such students may be warned by the department that they are not making adequate progress, and will be formally asked to find an adviser.  The record of any student who has not identified an adviser by the end of Spring of the fourth year will be evaluated by a faculty committee and the student may be asked to leave the program. 

Qualifying Exam

Rules and requirements associated with the Qualifying Exam are set by the Graduate Division on behalf of the Graduate Council.  Approval of the committee membership and the conduct of the exam are therefore subject to Graduate Division approval.  The exam is oral and lasts 2-3 hours.  The Graduate Division specifies that the purpose of the Qualifying Exam is “to ascertain the breadth of the student's comprehension of fundamental facts and principles that apply to at least three subject areas related to the major field of study and whether the student has the ability to think incisively and critically about the theoretical and the practical aspects of these areas.”  It also states that “this oral examination of candidates for the doctorate serves a significant additional function. Not only teaching, but the formal interaction with students and colleagues at colloquia, annual meetings of professional societies and the like, require the ability to synthesize rapidly, organize clearly, and argue cogently in an oral setting.  It is necessary for the University to ensure that a proper examination is given incorporating these skills.”

Please see the  Department website for a description of the Qualifying Exam and its Committee .   Note: You must login with your Calnet ID to access QE information . Passing the Qualifying Exam, along with a few other requirements described on the department website, will lead to Advancement to Candidacy.  Qualifying exam scheduling forms can be picked up in the Student Affairs Office, 378 Physics North.   

The Department expects students to take the Qualifying Exam two or three semesters after they identify a research adviser. This is therefore expected to occur for most students in their third year, and no later than fourth year. A student is considered to have begun research when they first register for Physics 299 or fill out the department mentor-adviser form showing that a research adviser has accepted the student for PhD work or hired as a GSR (Graduate Student Researcher), at which time the research adviser becomes responsible for guidance and mentoring of the student.  (Note that this decision is not irreversible – the student or research adviser can decide that the match of individuals or research direction is not appropriate or a good match.)  Delays in this schedule cause concern that the student is not making adequate progress towards the PhD.  The student and adviser will be asked to provide written documentation to the department explaining the delay and clarifying the timeline for taking the Qualifying Exam.

Annual Progress Reports

Graduate Division requires that each student’s performance be annually assessed to provide students with timely information about the faculty’s evaluation of their progress towards PhD.  Annual Progress Reports are completed during the Spring Semester.  In these reports, the student is asked to discuss what progress he or she has made toward the degree in the preceding year, and to discuss plans for the following year and for PhD requirements that remain to be completed.  The mentor or research adviser or members of the Dissertation Committee (depending on the student’s stage of progress through the PhD program) comment on the student’s progress and objectives. In turn, the student has an opportunity to make final comments. 

Before passing the Qualifying Exam, the annual progress report (obtained from the Physics Student Affairs Office in 378 Physics North) is completed by the student and either his/her faculty mentor or his/her research adviser, depending on whether or not the student has yet begun research (see above).  This form includes a statement of intended timelines to take the Qualifying Exam, which is expected to be within 2-3 semesters of starting research.  

After passing the Qualifying Exam, the student and research adviser complete a similar form, but in addition to the research adviser, the student must also meet with at least one other and preferably both other members of their Dissertation Committee (this must include their co-adviser if the research adviser is not a member of the Physics Department) to discuss progress made in the past year, plans for the upcoming year, and overall progress towards the PhD.  This can be done either individually as one-on-one meetings of the graduate student with members of the Dissertation Committee, or as a group meeting with presentation. (The Graduate Council requires that all doctoral students who have been advanced to candidacy meet annually with at least two members of the Dissertation Committee. The annual review is part of the Graduate Council’s efforts to improve the doctoral completion rate and to shorten the time it takes students to obtain a doctorate.)

Advancement to Candidacy

After passing the Qualifying Examination, the next step in the student's career is to advance to candidacy as soon as possible.  Advancement to candidacy is the academic stage when a student has completed all requirements except completion of the dissertation.  Students are still required to enroll in 12 units per semester; these in general are expected to be seminars and research units.  Besides passing the Qualifying Exam, there are a few other requirements described in the Graduate Program Booklet. Doctoral candidacy application forms can be picked up in the Student Affairs Office, 378 Physics North.

Completion of Dissertation Work

The expected time for completion of the PhD program is six years.  While the Department recognizes that research time scales can be unpredictable, it strongly encourages students and advisers to develop dissertation proposals consistent with these expectations.  The Berkeley Physics Department does not have dissertation defense exams, but encourages students and their advisers to ensure that students learn the important skill of effective research presentations, including a presentation of their dissertation work to their peers and interested faculty and researchers.

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Many PhD students in the MIT Physics Department incorporate probability, statistics, computation, and data analysis into their research. These techniques are becoming increasingly important for both experimental and theoretical Physics research, with ever-growing datasets, more sophisticated physics simulations, and the development of cutting-edge machine learning tools. The Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program in Statistics (IDPS)  is designed to provide students with the highest level of competency in 21st century statistics, enabling doctoral students across MIT to better integrate computation and data analysis into their PhD thesis research.

Admission to this program is restricted to students currently enrolled in the Physics doctoral program or another participating MIT doctoral program. In addition to satisfying all of the requirements of the Physics PhD, students take one subject each in probability, statistics, computation and statistics, and data analysis, as well as the Doctoral Seminar in Statistics, and they write a dissertation in Physics utilizing statistical methods. Graduates of the program will receive their doctoral degree in the field of “Physics, Statistics, and Data Science.”

Doctoral students in Physics may submit an Interdisciplinary PhD in Statistics Form between the end of their second semester and penultimate semester in their Physics program. The application must include an endorsement from the student’s advisor, an up-to-date CV, current transcript, and a 1-2 page statement of interest in Statistics and Data Science.

The statement of interest can be based on the student’s thesis proposal for the Physics Department, but it must demonstrate that statistical methods will be used in a substantial way in the proposed research. In their statement, applicants are encouraged to explain how specific statistical techniques would be applied in their research. Applicants should further highlight ways that their proposed research might advance the use of statistics and data science, both in their physics subfield and potentially in other disciplines. If the work is part of a larger collaborative effort, the applicant should focus on their personal contributions.

For access to the selection form or for further information, please contact the IDSS Academic Office at  [email protected] .

Required Courses

Courses in this list that satisfy the Physics PhD degree requirements can count for both programs. Other similar or more advanced courses can count towards the “Computation & Statistics” and “Data Analysis” requirements, with permission from the program co-chairs. The IDS.190 requirement may be satisfied instead by IDS.955 Practical Experience in Data, Systems, and Society, if that experience exposes the student to a diverse set of topics in statistics and data science. Making this substitution requires permission from the program co-chairs prior to doing the practical experience.

• IDS.190 – Doctoral Seminar in Statistics and Data Science ( may be substituted by IDS.955 Practical Experience in Data, Systems and Society )
• 6.7700[J] Fundamentals of Probability or
• 18.675 – Theory of Probability
• 18.655 – Mathematical Statistics or
• 18.6501 – Fundamentals of Statistics or
• IDS.160[J] – Mathematical Statistics: A Non-Asymptotic Approach
• 6.C01/6.C51 – Modeling with Machine Learning: From Algorithms to Applications or
• 6.7810 Algorithms for Inference or
• 6.8610 (6.864) Advanced Natural Language Processing or
• 6.7900 (6.867) Machine Learning or
• 6.8710 (6.874) Computational Systems Biology: Deep Learning in the Life Sciences or
• 9.520[J] – Statistical Learning Theory and Applications or
• 16.940 – Numerical Methods for Stochastic Modeling and Inference or
• 18.337 – Numerical Computing and Interactive Software
• 8.316 – Data Science in Physics or
• 6.8300 (6.869) Advances in Computer Vision or
• 8.334 – Statistical Mechanics II or
• 8.371[J] – Quantum Information Science or
• 8.591[J] – Systems Biology or
• 8.592[J] – Statistical Physics in Biology or
• 8.942 – Cosmology or
• 9.583 – Functional MRI: Data Acquisition and Analysis or
• 16.456[J] – Biomedical Signal and Image Processing or
• 18.367 – Waves and Imaging or
• IDS.131[J] – Statistics, Computation, and Applications

Grade Policy

C, D, F, and O grades are unacceptable. Students should not earn more B grades than A grades, reflected by a PhysSDS GPA of ≥ 4.5. Students may be required to retake subjects graded B or lower, although generally one B grade will be tolerated.

Unless approved by the PhysSDS co-chairs, a minimum grade of B+ is required in all 12 unit courses, except IDS.190 (3 units) which requires a P grade.

Though not required, it is strongly encouraged for a member of the MIT  Statistics and Data Science Center (SDSC)  to serve on a student’s doctoral committee. This could be an SDSC member from the Physics department or from another field relevant to the proposed thesis research.

Thesis Proposal

All students must submit a thesis proposal using the standard Physics format. Dissertation research must involve the utilization of statistical methods in a substantial way.

PhysSDS Committee

• Jesse Thaler (co-chair)
• Mike Williams (co-chair)
• Isaac Chuang
• Janet Conrad
• William Detmold
• Philip Harris
• Jacqueline Hewitt
• Kiyoshi Masui
• Leonid Mirny
• Christoph Paus
• Phiala Shanahan
• Marin Soljačić
• Washington Taylor
• Max Tegmark

Can I satisfy the requirements with courses taken at Harvard?

Harvard CompSci 181 will count as the equivalent of MIT’s 6.867.  For the status of other courses, please contact the program co-chairs.

Can a course count both for the Physics degree requirements and the PhysSDS requirements?

Yes, this is possible, as long as the courses are already on the approved list of requirements. E.g. 8.592 can count as a breadth requirement for a NUPAX student as well as a Data Analysis requirement for the PhysSDS degree.

If I have previous experience in Probability and/or Statistics, can I test out of these requirements?

These courses are required by all of the IDPS degrees. They are meant to ensure that all students obtaining an IDPS degree share the same solid grounding in these fundamentals, and to help build a community of IDPS students across the various disciplines. Only in exceptional cases might it be possible to substitute more advanced courses in these areas.

Can I substitute a similar or more advanced course for the PhysSDS requirements?

Yes, this is possible for the “computation and statistics” and “data analysis” requirements, with permission of program co-chairs. Substitutions for the “probability” and “statistics” requirements will only be granted in exceptional cases.

For Spring 2021, the following course has been approved as a substitution for the “computation and statistics” requirement:   18.408 (Theoretical Foundations for Deep Learning) .

The following course has been approved as a substitution for the “data analysis” requirement:   6.481 (Introduction to Statistical Data Analysis) .

Can I apply for the PhysSDS degree in my last semester at MIT?

No, you must apply no later than your penultimate semester.

What does it mean to use statistical methods in a “substantial way” in one’s thesis?

The ideal case is that one’s thesis advances statistics research independent of the Physics applications. Advancing the use of statistical methods in one’s subfield of Physics would also qualify. Applying well-established statistical methods in one’s thesis could qualify, if the application is central to the Physics result. In all cases, we expect the student to demonstrate mastery of statistics and data science.

PhD Handbook

The Ph.D. is at its core a research degree. The degree requires substantial original research, presented in the form of a dissertation. The path to the Ph.D. consists of two stages. In the first (pre-dissertator) stage, the student passes the department’s Qualifying Examination, completes required coursework (core and minor), and starts research with their faculty research advisor in preparation for the Preliminary Examination. Once the student completes all departmental and Graduate School requirements and passes the Preliminary Examination, the student has achieved dissertator status. In this stage of the program, the student focuses on their thesis research and completes their dissertation. The student defends the dissertation in the thesis defense. The student then deposits the dissertation with the Graduate School, which is the final step to the degree. The requirements for the Ph.D. are in accordance with the department’s learning goals of the program, and UW-Madison Graduate School policy. The full details of the program requirements can be found in the GUIDE .

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CREDIT REQUIREMENTS

Total Credits

The Physics Ph.D. degree includes a number of coursework and credit requirements. The Ph.D. degree itself requires 51 credits in total to align with the Graduate School minimum graduate degree credit requirement:

https://grad.wisc.edu/documents/minimum-graduate-degree-credit-requirement/

Credits Before Dissertator Status

The Graduate School minimum graduate residence requirement requires that at least 32 credits towards the doctoral degree must be completed prior to achieving dissertator status:

https://grad.wisc.edu/documents/minimum-graduate-residence-credit-requirement/

The 32 credits are achieved via the core coursework sequence, the Ph.D. minor, and a combination of other coursework and Physics 990 research. 15 of the credits will be accumulated from the Physics core coursework and a minimum of 9 credits will be accumulated from the minor. The remaining 8 credits can include research or other coursework.

Graduate Level Credits

The Graduate School minimum graduate coursework (50%) requirement states that at least 50% of the 51 credits must be at least 700 and above or courses with the Graduate Coursework (G50%) attribute:

https://grad.wisc.edu/documents/minimum-grad-coursework-requirement/

To determine which courses can be used to satisfy the graduate level (G50%) credit requirement, please consult http://enroll.wisc.edu   (Search: “Other Options”, check the box “50% Graduate Coursework Requirement”). This will provide accurate results of which courses have been approved through the University to count towards the G50% requirement.

STEPS TO THE PHD

The steps to the Ph.D. are:

• Pass the departmental Qualifying Examination
• Complete the required core coursework
• Complete the minor requirement
• Acquire a faculty research advisor and begin research
• Pass the Preliminary Examination
• Complete thesis research and defend the dissertation
• Deposit the dissertation with the Graduate School

SATISFACTORY PROGRESS

• Enroll each semester according to the Graduate School minimum enrollment requirements ( https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1208 ) and the department’s enrollment requirements (described below).
• Maintain an overall graduate GPA of 3.0 or above (Graduate School requirement: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1203 ).
• Pass each of the four sections of the Qualifying Exam at the Ph.D. level (nominally 60% or above) within the four officially allowed consecutive attempts (see Qualifying Exam section below), as required for continuation in the Ph.D. program.
• Make progress on completing relevant coursework in a timely fashion.    This includes core coursework, minor coursework, and satisfying Graduate School credit requirements (further details are described below under coursework and minor requirements).
• Make progress in acquiring a faculty research advisor and joining a research group in a timely fashion, preferably by the beginning of the summer following the first year in the program.
• Make satisfactory progress in research as judged by the faculty advisor.
• A typical timeline is for students to take and pass the Preliminary Exam is in the third year of the Ph.D. program, though this can vary significantly by subfield.  
• Make satisfactory progress in research as judged by the faculty advisor by earning a P (Progress) or S (Satisfactory) in 990 research each semester.
• Successfully completing and defending the doctoral thesis within five years of passing the Preliminary Exam.

FIRST-YEAR COMMITTEE

A committee of 4-6 faculty serve, in pairs, in the capacity as advisors for 1 st year grad students. The purpose of the committee is to provide consistent guidance on 1 st year courses, student specific qualifying exam guidance, and to provide mentorship before students establish a long-term thesis advisor.

Each incoming student will be scheduled for a meeting with their assigned First Year Committee faculty pair in advance of the fall semester.  Committee members will meet again with students before the start of the second semester and at the end of the second semester to check on progress and advise students on future course work, qualifying exam progress, and guidance finding a permanent thesis advisor.

The Graduate School policy indicates the minimum enrollment requirements each semester:  https://grad.wisc.edu/documents/enrollment-requirements/

Physics Ph.D. students must enroll in at least 2 credits of Physics coursework each semester until the Preliminary Exam is completed. Individual 1 credit courses or a combination of 1 credit courses, such as Physics 701 and 801, do not count towards this requirement.

It is often suggested that students who hold teaching assistant (TA) appointments take only 6 credits during their first semester, as more than this may affect performance in both teaching and coursework as students become acquainted with the demands of the program. After the first semester, students are encouraged to take three courses per semester until they reach dissertator status. All students are encouraged to consult with the faculty advisor and mentoring committee to discuss the course schedule each semester.

Core Course Sequence

All physics Ph.D. students must take the Physics core course sequence and achieve a grade of B or better in each core course or repeat these courses until a B grade is achieved.  The core courses are as follows:

• Physics 711 (Dynamics)
• Physics 715 (Statistical Mechanics)
• Physics 721 (Electrodynamics)
• Physics 731 (Quantum Mechanics)
• Physics 732 (Quantum Mechanics)

Course Waivers: Prior Coursework

Students who believe that they have done graduate-level work in one or more of the core course subjects prior to their arrival may be eligible for course waivers, or they may decide to try to test out of these subjects. Course waivers or test-out forms are available for those students who have taken equivalent courses at another institution. Waivers of core courses can be granted for credits earned at other universities in equivalent graduate-level courses, pending approval by the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies. Students who believe that they qualify for a waiver of the course requirement for a core course based on prior graduate course work from another institution should request consideration for a waiver within the first month of the graduate program. The Graduate School will allow these credits to count towards the graduate degree at UW-Madison only if they were earned post-baccalaureate as outlined in the Prior Coursework policy:

https://grad.wisc.edu/documents/prior-coursework/

Students who believe that they have had graduate level coursework in a subject or subjects comparable to what is covered in the core courses, but who do not clearly qualify for a waiver of any specific courses, have the option of trying to test out of the course. At a minimum, this typically requires passing the final exam for the course at a level that would clearly lead to a grade of B or better in the course. Requests to test out of core courses should be made to the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies during the first month in the graduate program. Testing is to be completed during the first semester in the graduate program. Testing out of a course does not include any credits towards a graduate degree at UW-Madison.

Breadth is a required component of graduate study at UW-Madison.  The Graduate School policy outlines the minimum requirements for all doctoral minors:

https://grad.wisc.edu/documents/minors/

The purpose of the minor is to add breadth to the Ph.D. course of study by broadening students’ knowledge of physics or related fields, and/or to support their research and prospective professional activities. There are two options for completing the minor – Option A: External or Option B: Distributed. Minors must be approved by the faculty advisor and the Associate Chair for Graduate Program.  Option A: External minors must also be approved by the appropriate channels in the external department. The Ph.D. Minor Form must be completed, signed, and returned to the Graduate Coordinator at or before the time the warrant for the Preliminary Exam is requested.  In addition, all Graduate School students must utilize the Graduate Student Portal ( MyGradPortal in MyUW) to  add/change their doctoral minor.  (NOTE:  Physics students will not be allowed to select a Physics GMIN.  If you are completing a Distributed minor (see below), you should select Distributed GMIN.)

Option A Minor: External

• Minimum of 9 credits in an external department at the graduate level
• Consists of coursework in one single department outside of the Department of Physics and is named accordingly
• Consult with the minor department for specific minor requirements and the processes to declare an external minor in another department
• A list of all external doctoral minors and the Graduate School external minor requirement: https://guide.wisc.edu/graduate/#doctoralminorstext

Option B Minor: Distributed

• Minimum of 9 credits of minor coursework taken in one or more departments
• Must include a minimum of 3 credits in Physics at or above the 500 level
• Coursework must be outside of the student’s area of specialization, form a coherent theme, and provide breadth in programmatic or professional development
• Physics core coursework may NOT be counted towards the minor
• Additional coursework relevant to the student’s area of specialization may NOT be counted towards the minor
• Up to 3 credits of the 9 credits may be satisfied by Physics 900 (Colloquium) which is a 1 credit course offered every semester
• 1 credit of the 9 credits may be satisfied by Physics 701 (First Year Seminar)

Physics Minor for Non-Physics Students

The doctoral minor requirement in Physics for non-physics graduate students is 9 credits numbered above 300, each passed with a B or better. The program must be approved by the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies before it is completed:

https://guide.wisc.edu/graduate/physics/physics-doctoral-minor/index.html

The Graduate School provides information on graduate assistantships, benefits, minimum stipend levels, and stipend levels by program: https://grad.wisc.edu/funding/graduate-assistantships/

The Graduate Assistantship Policies and Procedures (GAPP) document outlines campus level policies and procedures for Project (PA), Teaching (TA), and Research (RA) Assistants.   https://hr.wisc.edu/policies/gapp/

Teaching Assistant (TA)

Many Physics Ph.D. students will hold a teaching assistantship (TA) at some point during the program. A TA is both a job and a means of financial support for graduate study. Because of the coexistence of these two functions, the relationship between the department and the individual teaching assistant (TA) is complex. The advantages of holding a teaching assistantship for at least one semester during graduate studies are that teaching activities solidify and deepen the teaching assistant’s undergraduate education in physics, help improve communication skills, and help prepare for a possible career in teaching. Because teaching is a job, the Department of Physics conducts regular TA evaluations. TA’s are evaluated by their students at the middle and end of each semester.  The purpose of the mid-term evaluation is for the TA to get feedback from the students (who remain anonymous), while there is still time to change teaching practices. The mid-term evaluations are not part of the TA’s permanent record. The final evaluation results in a letter, which does remain on the TA’s record, in which the TA’s performance is classified as either Excellent, Very Good, Good, Satisfactory, Marginally Satisfactory, or Unsatisfactory.

Because teaching is a means of financial support for graduate study, the Department of Physics typically admits graduate students with a guarantee of support in the form of a TA. This guarantee is described in each student’s offer of admission. During the time covered by the funding guarantee, students who are not supported as RA’s or Fellows, and who remain in good standing and making satisfactory progress, are guaranteed by the department to be supported as TA’s during the academic year.

After the natural expiration of the funding guarantee, students who need TA positions during the academic year may apply for them, but cannot be assured of receiving them. The number of TA positions available depends on the number of undergraduates who enroll in physics classes that use TA’s, as well on the percentage time of each position. Whereas guarantees of support typically specify 50%-time appointments, the minimum percentage required for a TA to receive a tuition remission is 33%. The Department of Physics sometimes offers non-guaranteed graduate students 33% positions, in order to maximize the number of students who might receive the tuition remission. On occasion students have requested 33% positions rather that 50% positions in order to free up more time for research. If a TA in the Physics Ph.D. program switches to another graduate program on campus, the physics department’s commitment to continuing support is terminated.

There are a small number of TA positions available in the summer term. Please note that the support guarantee does not extend into the summer. Depending on the number of requests, TA positions may or may not be available for all who request them. For further information about summer TA positions, please consult the Director of Undergraduate Studies. The majority of TA positions are in large general Physics classes for non-physics-majors. TA’s in these classes lead both discussion sections and laboratory sections. There are also a few TA positions in smaller, more advanced classes for physics majors. These are usually (although not always) given to experienced TA’s. Some involve discussion only (no lab), others involve lab only (no discussion).

Research Assistant (RA)

Many Physics Ph.D. students will hold a research assistantship (RA) at some point during the program.  RA positions are made available by individual professors to students who have decided on their field of research. Students who wish to be considered for an RA appointment should contact the faculty directly.

Fellowship opportunities for graduate students include external fellowships, as well as supplemental fellowship opportunities that are available through the UW-Madison campus or the Department of Physics. UW campus fellowship opportunities include University Fellowships and Advanced Opportunity Fellowships (AOF), which are awarded by the Graduate School upon recommendation of the Department of Physics during the admissions process. The Department may also have fellowships available for incoming first-year graduate students.  Funding for graduate student fellowship support is made possible by generous endowments from Physics Department alumni. Information about fellowships.

QUALIFYING EXAM

The qualifying exam requirement is designed to verify that any student leaving UW-Madison with a Ph.D. in physics has a sophisticated understanding of undergraduate physics. Undergraduate physics is a body of knowledge that is critical to experimentalists and theorists.

The qualifying exam is a written exam that assesses students’ understanding of core physics topics at the undergraduate level. The exam helps to ensure the strong foundation that is needed for demonstrating mastery of core physical concepts in Classical Mechanics, Electricity and Magnetism, Quantum Mechanics, and Statistical Mechanics, which is one of the learning outcomes for the physics Ph.D. program. https://guide.wisc.edu/graduate/physics/physics-phd/#learningoutcomestext

The exam is offered twice a year. The dates will be posted on the Graduate Program Events calendar:  https://www.physics.wisc.edu/twap/?name=grad     Students with special requirements must consult with the Graduate Coordinator in advance (at minimum two weeks before the exam, or earlier if a specified deadline is given).

The exam is separated into four sections:

• Classical Mechanics (CM)
• Electricity and Magnetism (EM)
• Statistical Mechanics/Thermodynamics (SM)
• Quantum Mechanics (QM)

The nominal Ph.D. passing score for each section is 60% and the nominal Master’s passing score for each section is 50%.

Each exam section can be passed independently. If a student receives a failing score on one or more sections of the exam, in subsequent attempts the student only needs to take the section or sections of the exam that remain to be passed.

All physics Ph.D. students have four consecutive opportunities within the first two years of the program to pass the exam in its entirety at the Ph.D. level. All entering Ph.D. students are required to take the qualifying exam in its entirety in their first semester in the program.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the timeline for students who started the program in Fall 2020 to complete the qualifying exam requirement with the four allowed attempts is extended by one semester (Fall 2022).

Students that pass all sections of the exam at the Ph.D. level within the four allowed attempts have passed the department’s qualifying exam requirement and have received qualification status for continuing in the Ph.D. program.

Exam Structure

The qualifying exam is held at the start of every fall and spring semester. Each section of the exam is 1.5 hours long. .

Each section of the exam consists of five problems. Students are to do the first two problems, which are at the calculus-based introductory level, and to do two other problems (out of three offered) at the intermediate/advanced level. Students must only submit answers to these four problems for each section of the exam. The first two problems comprise one-third of the total score, and the second two chosen problems comprise the remaining two-thirds of the total score.

Exam Topics

The exam covers standard topics as included in undergraduate physics courses in CM, EM, QM, and SM at both the introductory and intermediate/advanced levels. These topics may include:

• CM: motion in electromagnetic and gravitational fields, rigid bodies, coupled oscillations, and continuum vibrations;
• EM: statics, fields in matter, time-dependent fields, Maxwell’s equations, light and radiation (with optics and circuits covered at the introductory level);
• QM: wave mechanics, matrix mechanics, observables and measurements, angular momentum, perturbation theory, elementary atomic physics, and elementary scattering theory;
• SM: thermodynamics and statistical mechanics of matter and radiation.

Grading Policies

The exam is graded anonymously by faculty.  The Qualifying Exam Committee reviews all graded problems in detail. It is only after this thorough review that the final grade of pass or fail for each student in each exam section is assigned. The results are then unblinded and distributed.  Students receive their scores and the grading rubrics used by faculty in grading the exam.

Students may request a review of their grades for specific exam problems to the chair of the Qualifying Exam Committee at any point within two weeks after the exam is returned.  The committee chair consults with the faculty that graded the problems in question and returns the final grade determination to the student.  Students should be aware that the grading rubrics used for assigning partial credit, which are also reviewed prior to the final pass or fail score assignments, are generally respected unless there are obvious inconsistencies or errors.

Appeal Process

If a student does not pass all four topical areas of the written qualifying exam at the Ph.D. level after the four exam attempts, the student can request an appeal. An appeals committee is then formed to assess the student’s case. The appeals committee consists of a faculty member of the student’s choosing, such as the student’s faculty advisor, and two other faculty that are to be determined on a case-by-case basis by the Qualifying Exam Committee. Further information about the appeals process will be provide on an individual basis when relevant at the time when qualifying exam scores are returned.

The appeal is designed to be a broad assessment that includes the student’s prior qualifying exam results, performance in graduate courses, and progress to date in research. Upon evaluating all factors, the appeals committee makes the final decision as to whether the student has achieved qualification status to continue in the Ph.D. program.

FACULTY RESEARCH ADVISOR

The responsibility to acquire and be accepted by a faculty research advisor, is entirely with the student. Acceptance for Ph.D. research by a faculty member depends on the professor’s appraisal of the student’s potential for research and on the ability of the professor to accept a student at that time. All incoming students are assigned a temporary advisor to help oversee their progress in the first few semesters in the program, but the temporary advisor is not automatically the research advisor unless there is a clear and concrete understanding between both the student and the faculty advisor that the student has already been accepted by that professor into their group.

To aid incoming students in selecting a research area and faculty advisor, Physics 701: Introductory Seminar, is offered each fall semester.  In this course, professors from each of the research groups describe their research, show their laboratories, and discuss matters of general interest to graduate students. First-year students are required to enroll in Physics 701.

Graduate students should begin research work as early as possible. Ideally students make progress in acquiring a faculty research advisor and joining a research group in a timely fashion, preferably by the beginning of the summer after the first year.  The summer after the first year is the ideal time to do research unencumbered by course work or teaching. It is also very important to determine summer funding support options as soon as possible. Ideally most students will have begun a trial project with an advisor or at least made the necessary introductions and have at least one solid prospect by the end of the first year.

MASTER’S DEGREES

Master of Arts (M.A.)

The master of arts degree is a purely academic degree, requiring 30 credits of graduate course work, completion of the core graduate coursework and passage of the qualifying exam at the master’s level. It is designed to strengthen the student’s physics background and enhance the opportunities for employment as a physicist or in physics education.

To earn the M.A. degree in the Department of Physics, a student must satisfy the department’s minimum graduate-level credit requirement and pass the qualifying exam at the master’s level. The department requires at least 30 credits at the 500 level or above. 15 of the 30 credits must be earned from taking the physics core graduate courses, each passed with a grade of B or better. These courses are Physics 711 (Dynamics), 715 (Statistical Mechanics), 721 (Electrodynamics), and 731 and 732 (Quantum Mechanics). The remaining 15 credits may be earned through a combination of coursework, directed study, and research to be determined in consultation with the student’s faculty advisor. The courses should be selected in consultation with the student’s faculty advisor to best meet the student’s professional objectives.

The M.A. degree requires the student to complete the add/change program/plan process through the Graduate School. In this case, the student must request to “add” the M.A. plan to their student record. Once the M.A. plan has been added to the student record, and all M.A. degree requirements have been met, a warrant request can be made to the Graduate Coordinator, allowing at least three weeks for the warrant to be processed.

Master of Science (M.S.)

The master of science degree in Physics requires the completion of a directed master’s project and thesis in the student’s area of interest, completion of the core graduate coursework, and passage of the qualifying exam at the master’s level. It is designed to strengthen the student’s background and experience in physics, and enhance the opportunities for employment as a physicist or in physics education.

To earn the M.S. degree in the Department of Physics, a student must satisfy the department’s minimum graduate level credit requirement and pass the Qualifying Exam at the Master’s level. The department requires at least 30 credits at the 500 level or above. 15 of the 30 credits must be earned from taking the core graduate courses, each passed with a grade of B or better. These courses are Physics 711 (Dynamics), 715 (Statistical Mechanics), 721 (Electrodynamics), and 731 and 732 (Quantum Mechanics). The remaining 15 credits may be earned through a combination of coursework, directed study, and research to be determined in consultation with the student’s academic advisor. The courses should be selected in consultation with the student’s advisor to best meet the student’s professional objectives.

Additionally, the student must present satisfactory evidence of scientific research, writing, and presentation skills. This will usually be done through a master’s research project that results in the submission of a master’s thesis written at a satisfactorily professional level, together with an oral presentation of the project in a master’s thesis defense.

The M.S. degree requires the student to complete the add/change program/plan process through the Graduate School. In this case, the student must request to “add” the M.S. plan to their student record. Once the M.S. plan has been added to the student record, a warrant request can be made to the Graduate Coordinator, allowing at least three weeks for the warrant to be processed.

PRELIMINARY EXAM

The Preliminary Exam must be passed for admission to candidacy for the Ph.D. and to achieve dissertator status through the Graduate School. It should be taken no later than the end of the fifth semester in the program, unless a student has received approval for an extension.  If the Preliminary Exam not passed on the first attempt, it may be repeated once before the end of the sixth semester.

The Preliminary Exam is intended to test whether the student has mastered the physics and technology necessary for research in the proposed general area of study, and to assess whether the student is on track to satisfying the department’s learning goals for the Ph.D. degree. The Preliminary Exam is held before the student’s Preliminary Exam Committee, which typically consists of four members:

• Faculty research advisor, who serves as the chair of the committee
• Faculty representative from the departmental Preliminary Exam Committee (student should contact the current Prelim Committee Chair to obtain this member)
• Two additional committee member(s) typically chosen by the student in consultation with their advisor.  Typically a UW-Madison faculty either in physics or another related department.

The exam is typically scheduled during a two-hour time block.  The student gives a presentation aimed at a general physics audience and should be understandable for a physicist working in an entirely different area.  The format can vary slightly depending on the research advisor and research group, but it typically begins with a one-hour presentation covering a subject in the student’s chosen area of research, and is followed by a question and answer period designed to assess the student’s background knowledge and research potential. The committee will ask questions to clarify points made in the talk and determine if the student adequately understands the physics behind the topics that were discussed.  The question and answer period typically takes place both in open session (in front of a general audience) and in closed session (just in front of the committee). The committee will deliberate the exam outcome in closed session, and communicates the result to the student once the decision is made. The committee will indicate the result of pass by signing the Preliminary Exam warrant.

A student planning to take the Preliminary Examination will need to present a completed and signed Minor Form and request a Preliminary Examination warrant from the Graduate Coordinator at least three weeks prior to the date of the examination. After the exam, the Graduate Coordinator will route the warrant for digital signatures and, once signed, will submit it to the Graduate School for processing of dissertator status. Students will receive an email confirmation from the Graduate School once the signed warrant has been submitted confirming dissertator status for the next semester.

DISSERTATOR STATUS

The Graduate School sets the minimum requirements and deadlines each semester for dissertator status:

https://grad.wisc.edu/deadlines/

https://grad.wisc.edu/documents/dissertator-status/

Dissertator status is effective at the start of the semester immediately following the completion of these requirements. In addition to the Graduate School requirements for dissertator status, the Physics program also requires students to:

• Pass the Qualifying Exam at the Ph.D. level
• Complete the required core coursework with a grade of B or better
• Satisfy the minor requirement
• Pass the Preliminary Exam

DOCTORAL DEGREE

Thesis Defense

The doctoral thesis defense is an oral defense of the dissertation. The thesis defense includes both a presentation of the dissertation material, and a question and answer sessions that can take place both in open session (in front of a general audience) and closed session (only the doctoral thesis committee). Graduate School policy requires that the thesis defense must be completed within five years of passing the Preliminary Examination. Details from the Graduate School about the final oral examination (thesis defense) can be found here:  https://grad.wisc.edu/documents/final-oral-examination/

The thesis defense also requires a warrant. Warrant requests must be made to the Graduate Coordinator at least three weeks prior to the date of the thesis defense.  The date, time, and location of the defense, as well as the dissertation title and committee members, must be finalized before requesting the warrant.

Thesis Committee

In accordance with Graduate School policy, the doctoral thesis committee consists of the student’s faculty advisor and three other committee members. The chair or one of the co-chair’s must be graduate faculty from the Department of Physics.  At least three of the members must be graduate faculty; at least one of the faculty must be from another graduate program.  Further details are available here: https://grad.wisc.edu/documents/committees/

The Graduate School doctoral guide outlines the specific formatting requirements for the dissertation as well as the steps to deposit the dissertation: https://grad.wisc.edu/current-students/doctoral-guide/

Degrees at UW-Madison are conferred three times during the year by academic term: Fall, Spring, & Summer.  The date the dissertation is deposited to the Graduate School determines the degree term.  The Graduate School degree deadlines are listed here: https://grad.wisc.edu/deadlines/

Degree Conferral & Payroll End Dates

The Graduate School policy on degree conferral and payroll end dates explains how students maintain tuition remission and the degree window period.

Graduate students should consult their faculty advisor, mentoring committee, the Associate Chair for Graduate Program, and/or the Graduate Coordinator about any concerns related to academic issues or the academic environment. Graduate students may also reach out directly to the Department Chair as an alternate approach. The hope is that this will result in the development of a working environment that all will find supportive. If graduate students have a question of whether or not a situation or discomfort should be discussed, the answer is YES! Any issue that is troubling should be addressed and, if it is within the Department’s authority, it will be resolved.

If a graduate student feels unfairly treated or aggrieved by faculty, staff, or another student, it is recommended that the concerns are first handled directly with the person responsible for the objectionable action, if possible. If the student is uncomfortable making direct contact with the individual(s) involved, the student should contact the faculty advisor or the person in charge of the unit where the action occurred (program or department chair, section chair, lab manager, etc.), and/or contact the people mentioned above.

There are also resources and formal grievance procedures at the campus level that can be followed, which are outlined in the Graduate School policies: https://grad.wisc.edu/documents/grievances-and-appeals/

The following resources may also be helpful in addressing concerns:

• Bias or Hate Reporting
• Graduate Assistantship Policies and Procedures
• Office of the Provost for Faculty and Staff Affairs
• Dean of Students Office  (for all students to seek grievance assistance and support)
• Employee Assistance  (for personal counseling and workplace consultation around communication and conflict involving graduate assistants and other employees, post-doctoral students, faculty and staff)
• Employee Disability Resource Office  (for qualified employees or applicants with disabilities to have equal employment opportunities)
• Graduate School  (for informal advice at any level of review and for official appeals of program/departmental or school/college grievance decisions)
• Office of Compliance  (for class harassment and discrimination, including sexual harassment and sexual violence)
• Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards  (for conflicts involving students)
• Ombuds Office for Faculty and Staff  (for employed graduate students and post-docs, as well as faculty and staff)
• Title IX  (for concerns about discrimination)

LEAVE OF ABSENCE

While in most cases participation in the program is continuous over time, students sometimes find it necessary to take a temporary leave of absence. Graduate students may request a leave of absence for one semester or for one year by submitting a form outlining the timeline for the leave and general reasons. The faculty advisor must agree that the student is leaving in good standing and may re-enter the program in a reasonable stated length of time. The Department Chair, in consultation with the Associate Chair for Graduate Program, will review all leave of absence requests.

If a student is granted a one semester leave of absence, the milestone due dates and terminal deadlines are pushed back one semester. If a student is granted a full year leave of absence, all due dates and deadlines are pushed back one year. Students may be granted a leave of absence for no more than one year at a time.  Students who do not register for more than one semester (Fall or Spring) will be considered inactive by Graduate School standards and must apply for re-entry.  Students who take a leave of absence and are in good standing are likely to be approved for re-entry upon return.  Prior funding guarantees may or may not continue to be in effect and will be decided in a case by case basis.  A leave of absence is not required for summer term as summer term is not a required term of enrollment if a student is not being paid as a graduate assistant or fellow.

Graduate students who leave the program in good standing for more than one term (not including summer) may request re-entry to the program by completing the Graduate School application for re-admission. Department leadership will review the request based on the information provided at the time the student plans to return.

The Graduate School outlines the policy for readmission for previously enrolled graduate students: https://grad.wisc.edu/documents/readmission/

Time Limits

In addition, the Graduate School specifies time limits for completion of current coursework and research.  Students who take a leave of absence or re-enter into the program should be aware of these policies: https://grad.wisc.edu/documents/time-limits/

The Department Chair has the authority to make individual exceptions to policies found in the PhD program handbook. Exceptions must involve extenuating and/or unique individual circumstances. Requests for such exceptions should be made in writing to the Associate Chair for Graduate Program from the student and/or faculty advisor.

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Department of Physics

You are here, graduate studies - courses, courses - please note: some courses are not offered every year, please see yale course search for current course offerings, physics 500, advanced classical mechanics.

Newtonian dynamics and kinematics, Lagrangian dynamics, small oscillations, Hamiltonian dynamics and transformation theory, completely integrable systems, regular and chaotic motion of Hamiltonian systems, mechanics of continuous systems: strings and fluids.

Physics 502, Electromagnetic Theory I

Classical electromagnetic theory including boundary value problems and applications of Maxwell equations. Macroscopic description of electric and magnetic materials. Wave propagation.

Physics 504L, Modern Physics Measurements

A laboratory course with experiments in atomic, condensed matter, nuclear, and elementary particle physics. Data analysis provides an introduction to computer programming and to the elements of statistics and probability.

Physics 506, Mathematical Methods of Physics

Survey of mathematical techniques useful in physics. Includes vector and tensor analysis, group theory, complex analysis (residue calculus, method of steepest descent), differential and integral equations (regular singular points, Green’s functions), and advanced topics (Grassmann variables, path integrals, supersymmetry.

Physics 508, Quantum Mechanics I.

The principles of quantum mechanics with application to simple systems. Canonical formalism, solutions of Schrodinger’s equation, angular momentum and spin.

Physics 510, Quantum Mechanics II

Approximation methods, scattering theory and the role of symmetries. Relativistic wave equations. Second quantized treatment of identical particles. Elementary introduction to quantized fields.

Physics 512, Statistical Physics I

Review of thermodynamics, the fundamental principles of classical and quantum statistical mechanics, canonical and grand canonical ensembles, identical particles, Bose and Fermi statistics, phase-transitions and critical phenomena, renormalization group, irreversible processes, fluctuations.

Physics 515, Topics in Modern Physics Research

A seminar course intended to provide an introduction to current research in physics and an overview of physics research opportunities at Yale.

Physics 522, Introduction to Atomic Physics

This course is intended to develop basic theoretical tools needed to understand fundamental atomic processes. Emphasis given to applications in laser spectroscopy. Experimental techniques discussed when appropriate.

Physics 523, Biological Physics

An introduction to the physics of biological systems, including molecular motors, protein folding, membrane self-assembly, ion pumping, and bacterial locomotion. Background concepts in probability and statistical mechanics are introduced as necessary, as well as key constituents of living cells.

Physics 524, Introduction to Nuclear Physics

Introduction to a wide variety of topics in nuclear structure, nuclear reactions, and nuclear physics at extremes of angular momentum, isospin, energy, and energy density.

Physics 525, Quantum Physics at Femto- and Nano-scales

Classical and quantum field theories, symmetries and their breakdown, dynamics of collective excitations, renormalization group, weak coupling methods, quasi-classical approximation, topological effects, phase transitions and critical phenomena. A wide range of examples and applications will be presented, including Quantum Chromo-Dynamics, quark-gluon plasma, nuclear structure, nano-scale systems (especially graphene and carbon nano-tubes), physics of black holes and the Early Universe.

Physics 526, Introduction to Elementary Particle Physics

An overview of particle physics including a historical introduction to the standard model, experimental techniques, symmetries, conservation laws, the quark-parton model, and a semiformal treatment of the standard model.

Physics 538, Introduction to Relativistic Astrophysics and General Relativity.

Basic concepts of differential geometry (manifolds, metrics, connections, geodesics, curvature); Einstein’s equations and their application to cosmology, gravitational waves, black holes, etc.

Physics 548 and 549, Solid State Physics I and II

A two-term sequence covering the principles underlying the electrical, thermal, magnetic, and optical properties of solids, including crystal structures, phonon, energy bands, semiconductors, Fermi surfaces, magnetic resonance, phase transitions, and superconductivity. Also E&AS 850au,851bu.

Physics 602, Classical Field Theory

Covariant formulation of electrodynamics as an example of a classical relativistic field theory. Lagrangian formalism, symmetries and conservation laws, nonlinear phenomena. Introduction to general relativity and other classical field theories.

Physics 609, Relativistic Field Theory I

The fundamental principles of quantum field theory. Interacting theories and the Feynman graph expansion. Quantum electrodynamics including lowest order processes, one loop corrections, and the elements of renormalization theory.

Physics 610, Quantum Many-Body Theory I

Second quantization, quantum statistical mechanics, Hartree-Fock approximation, linear response theory, random phase approximation, perturbation theory and Feynman diagrams, Landau theory of Fermi liquids, BCS theory, Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov method. Applications to solids and finite-size systems such as quantum dots, nuclei, and nanoparticles.

Physics 624, Group Theory

Lie algebras, Lie groups and some of their applications. Representation theory. Explicit construction of finite-dimensional irreducible representations. Invariant operators and their eigenvalues. Tensor operators and enveloping algebras. Boson and fermion realizations. Differential realizations. Quantum dynamical applications.

Physics 628, Statistical Physics II

An introduction to topics in many-body physics, namely, Ising models, transfer matrix, critical phenomena, renormalization group in critical phenomena and field theory, sigma models, and bosonization.

Physics 630, Relativistic Field Theory II

An introduction to nonabelian gauge field theories, spontaneous symmetry breakdown and unified theories of weak and electromagnetic interactions. Renormalization group methods, quantum chromodynamics, and nonperturbative approaches to quantum field theory.

Physics 631, Computational Physics I

A laboratory course on modern numeric computational techniques with applications to science problems of current interest. Topics include data analysis, numerical integration, solutions to differential equations, and Monte Carlo techniques. Previous experience with a computer programming language is desirable. Some applications will use Mathematica.

Physics 632, Quantum Many-Body Theory II

A second course in quantum many-body theory, covering the core physics of electron systems, with emphasis on the electron-electron interaction, on the role of dimensionality, on the coupling either to magnetic impurities leading to the well-known Kondo effect or to the electromagnetic noise. Applications to mesoscopic systems and cold atomic gases are also developed.

Physics 633, Introduction to Superconductivity

The fundamentals of superconductivity, including both theoretical understandings of basic mechanism and description of major applications. Topics include historical overview, Ginzburg-Landau (mean field) theory, critical currents and fields of type ii superconductors, BCS theory, Josephson junctions and microlectronic and quantum-bit devices, and high Tc oxide superconductors.

Physics 634, Mesoscopic Physics I

Introduction to the physics of nanoscale solid state systems that are large and disordered enough to be described in terms of simple macroscopic parameters like resistance, capacitance, and inductance, but small and cold enough that effects usually associated with microscopic particles, like quantum-mechanical coherence and/or charge quantization, dominate. Emphasis is placed on transport and noise phenomena in the normal and superconducting regimes.

Physics 650 and 651, Theory of Solids I and II

Theoretical techniques for the studyof the structural and electronic properties of solids, with applications. Topics include band structure, phonons, defects, transport, magnetism, and superconductivity.

Special Topics Courses

Physics 661, the art of data analysis.

The course is an introduction to mathematical and statistical techniques used to analyse data. The course is fairly practice-oriented, and is aimed at students who have, or anticipate having, research data to analyze in a thorough and unbiased way. It will cover subjects in statistics, computing/numerical techniques, data analysis, but also topics related to data reconstruction and pattern recognition which are closely linked to the understanding of the data derived from those methods. The intention is to prepare students for a better approach to their own analysis. Many of the topics covered are related to typical problems in experimental high energy and nuclear physics but are fairly general in nature. If you are interested please contact: thomas.ullrich@bnl.gov .

Physics 662, Special Topics in Particle Physics: Beyond the Standard Model

By arrangement with faculty. 

Modern concepts in particle physics, including electroweak symmetry breaking, mass generation, conformal symmetry, strongly coupled quantum field theories, supersymmetry, and extra dimensions. Material covered includes the theoretical basis of these ideas, experimental tests and constraints, and implications for cosmology.

Physics 663, Special Topics in Cosmology and Particle Physics

By arrangement with faculty.

Physics 664, Special Topics in Nuclear Electromagnetic Interactions

Physics 664, special topics in nuclear physics.

Emphasis is on nuclear structure. The approach stresses physical ideas, leading to an understanding of a number of advanced nuclear models and to practical case studies with them.

Physics 665, Special Topics in Atomic Physics

Physics 666, special topics in classical field theory, physics 667/g&g 767, special topics in condensed matter physics seminar in ice physics and geophysics/john wettlaufer.

This seminar brings together the basic thermodynamics and statistical mechanics of crystal growth, surface phase transitions, metastability and instability to explore the many faces of the surface of ice. The motivating factor is the incommensurability between the length of the history of observations of the shapes of snow crystals (which begins in ancient China, continues with Kepler’s little known studies of 1611, and carries on from Descartes to the present day) and our continued ignorance concerning the physical processes that are responsible for those shapes. Those processes are unique insofar as we understand that microphysics is clearly controlling macroscopic shapes. The outstanding question is how? The prize of understanding these processes extends beyond the enigma of the snowflake, having implications in, inter alia, the atmosphere ranging from radiative transfer to the heterogenous chemistry in the polar stratosphere, to materials processing and applied mathematics. The seminar will be driven by the literature, which spans periodicals in many branches of physical science and engineering, and will be a journal club environment.

Physics 667, Special Topics in Condensed Matter Physics

An introduction to nonequilibrium statistical mechanics in classical and quantum systems. Brief survey of equilibrium physics and processes, Green-Kubo theory, and approaches ranging from those of Kawasaki to Zubarev. The relation of dynamical systems and chaos to statistical mechanics and transport. Discussion of open problems and applications.

Physics 668, Special Topics in Geometry and Modern Field Theory

By arrangement with faculty

Explores the relation between modern geometry and (supersymmetric) gauge theories. Topics include a survey of fiber bundles, connections, holonomy, characteristic classes, Dirac operators, and the supersymmetric proofs of the index theorems.

Physics 671, Special Topics in Experimental Nuclear and Particle Physics

Propagation of particles and photons in matter, modern detection techniques, types of detectors, large detector systems, accelerators, and seminal experiments are studied. The subject spans the range of energies from low energy nuclear physics up through high energy physics.

Physics 672, Special Topics in Experimental Physics

Physics 673, special topics in atomic physics, physics 674, quantum information, quantum cryptography, and quantum computation.

The basic principles of quantum information, cryptography, and computation will be covered. Following the theoretical introduction, methods of realizing real world devices will be discussed. These will encompass methods based on both atomic/molecular systems and solid state systems. Lecture section of the course as described will take approximately half the class time; the remaining time will be devoted to student presentations of selected papers.

Physics 675, Principles of Optics with Applications

Introduction to the principles of optics and electromagnetic wave phenomena with applications to microscopy, optical fibers, laser spectroscopy, nanophotonics, plasmonics and metamaterials. Topics included propagation of light, reflection and refraction, guiding light, polarization, interference, diffraction, scattering, Fourier optics, and optical coherence.

Physics 680, The Experiments of General Relativity

The basic physical ideas and mathematical formulation of general relativity are reviewed, although many results that apply to particular experiments are given without proof. The modern experiments that make precision tests of the theory are explained. These include lunar laser ranging, radar timing from planet Venus reflections, and gravitational radiation from a binary pulsar. A discussion of the LIGO experiment (earth-based gravity wave detector) and LISA (space-based gravity wave detector) is conducted. The course is open to upper-level undergraduates as well as graduate students.

Graduate Program

The graduate physics program at Cornell is multidisciplinary, broad and congenial, and has access to superb facilities. 

About the program

The program is designed for the student who wants to become a professional physicist. It has two main components:

Mastery of at least a core of advanced general physics. This component is intended to provide the students with the foundational knowledge enabling them to pursue a broad range of employment options upon graduation, including teaching physics at a four-year college level or higher, and/or conducting research in areas different than that of the thesis.

Original research in a specific area of physics . The research component provides the student with an in-depth knowledge of a particular area of active physics research, along with significant research experience in that area culminating in production of a thesis based on original scientific findings.

About the Graduate Program

The graduate experience

The Physics Graduate Society (PGS) exists to further the professional and social interests of the physics graduate students at Cornell. PGS has weekly coffee hours, lunch meetings with visiting scientists, professional development opportunities, movie nights, game nights, day trips, and many new events and activities each year.

The Graduate Experience

For prospective students

Prospective Graduate Students

Graduate course information

Graduate Students should consult with their special committee in choosing courses. Guidelines can be found in the "yellow book”.

General descriptions of the courses can be found in the  course catalog , and scheduling information in the  course/time roster .

Course of Study

Academic Catalog 2023-2024

Physics, phd.

The Department of Physics offers a Doctor of Philosophy in Physics with specializations in different subfields that reflect the forefront research activities of the department, including biological physics, condensed matter physics, elementary particle physics, astrophysics, nanomedicine, and network science. The program for the PhD degree consists of the required course work, a qualifying examination, a preliminary research seminar, the completion of a dissertation based upon original research performed by the student, and a dissertation defense upon completion of the dissertation. Based on these measures, students are expected to obtain a graduate-level understanding of basic physics concepts and demonstrate the ability to formulate a research plan, communicate orally a research plan, and conduct and present independent research.

The required courses are grouped into two sets, Part 1 and Part 2, having a total of 42 semester hours as a minimum. Part 1 courses (first-year courses) are typically taken prior to the qualifying exam. Students without a master’s degree must complete all Part 1 courses in the first year to remain in good academic standing in the graduate program. Part 2 courses (second-year courses) may be taken before or after passing the qualifying exam.

Grade Requirements

The minimum grade required for the successful completion of the Part 1 courses is a B (3.000) average. Students will only be allowed to take the qualifying exam if they fulfill this requirement. The minimum grade required for the successful completion of Part 2 (excluding advanced research) is at least a B (3.000) average for the Part 2 courses. The Part 2 courses, including any makeup of grade-point-average deficiencies (see following), must be completed within two calendar years of passing the qualifying exam. The department expects students to complete the bulk of these courses in the first year after the qualifying exam. The cumulative average will be calculated each semester. No more than two courses or 8 semester hours of credit, whichever is greater, may be repeated in order to satisfy the requirement for the PhD degree. A student who does not maintain a 3.000 cumulative average for two consecutive semesters, or is otherwise not making satisfactory progress toward the PhD degree requirements, may be recommended for termination at the discretion of the graduate committee. Within the above limitations, a required course for which a grade of F is received must be repeated with a grade of C or better and may be repeated only once. In calculating the overall cumulative average, all graduate-level course work completed at the time of clearance for graduation will be counted.

Qualifying Exam Requirement

A student who fails to achieve the required B average for the Part 1 courses must petition the graduate committee in order to remain in the graduate program and be eligible to take the qualifying exam. A student who fails to achieve the required B average for the Part 2 courses must petition the graduate committee in order to remain in the graduate program. All students registered in the PhD program are required to pass a qualifying exam unless they are granted an exemption (see below). The qualifying exam may include both written and oral parts.

The qualifying exam consists of two parts:

• Part 1: Classical physics (based on classical mechanics and mathematical methods), electromagnetic theory, and statistical physics.
• Part 2: Quantum physics (based on quantum mechanics and its applications) and statistical physics. The content of the qualifying exam will be based on the content of the first-year courses, excluding Principles of Experimental Physics ( PHYS 5318 ) . A syllabus is available and on request will be distributed by the graduate coordinator to any student prior to the exam.

The qualifying exam is given twice yearly: once prior to the start of the fall semester and again within the first two weeks of the start of the spring semester. The exam will consist of one day each on Part 1 (classical physics/mathematical methods, electromagnetism, and statistical physics) and Part 2 (quantum physics and statistical physics).

All students enrolled in the PhD program must take the fall qualifying exam after completing their first-year course of study with the required grade-point average unless they are granted an exemption. Students taking the exam for the first time must take both Part 1 and Part 2. A student who does not pass the exam on his or her first attempt must pass the exam the next time it is given in order to continue in the PhD program. However, a student who passes one part of the first attempt is not required to repeat that part.

Any PhD student will be exempt from taking the quantum part of the qualifying exam if they receive both a grade of B+ or higher in Quantum Theory 1 ( PHYS 7315 ) , Quantum Theory 2 ( PHYS 7316 ) , and Statistical Physics ( PHYS 7305 ) and have a GPA of 3.670 or higher in those three courses. To meet this standard, they must take all the above courses. Any PhD student will be exempt from taking the classical part of the qualifying exam if they receive both a grade of B+ or higher in Classical Mechanics/Math Methods ( PHYS 7301 ) , Electromagnetic Theory ( PHYS 7302 ) , and Statistical Physics ( PHYS 7305 ) and have a GPA of 3.670 or higher in these three courses. To meet this standard, they must take all three of these courses.

A student who fails the written exam by less than 5 percent of the total possible score on the second attempt for that part will be automatically given an oral exam. A student who fails the written exam by more than 10 percent is excluded from taking an oral exam. These provisions apply separately to Parts 1 and 2 of the exam.

PhD Candidacy

Degree candidacy is established when the student has passed the qualifying examination and completed both the Part 1 and Part 2 course requirements. PhD candidacy may be achieved before completion of the advanced elective if the elective in the student’s specialization is not offered in a given year. The elective must be taken at the next opportunity. PhD degree candidacy is certified by the college. A maximum of five years after the establishment of doctoral degree candidacy is allowed for the completion of degree requirements.

PhD Dissertation Requirement

All PhD students are required to complete a dissertation based upon new and original research in one of the three following options:

• In one of the current theoretical or experimental research programs in the department, under direct supervision of an advisor from the Department of Physics. A dissertation committee will be formed consisting of the advisor, two full-time members of the department, and an additional member, either from within the department or from an outside department or institution.
• In a recognized interdisciplinary field involving another research area of the university, under the direct supervision of a faculty member in that field. In this case, an interdisciplinary committee is formed under the approval of the graduate committee, consisting of the direct supervisor, a departmental advisor, one other member of the department, and an additional member of either the department or the external department.
• In an area of applied research in one of the industrial or high-technology laboratories associated with the department’s industrial PhD program. The direct supervisor is associated with the institution where the research is performed. In this case, a dissertation advisory committee is established by the graduate committee, consisting of the direct supervisor, the departmental advisor, and two other members of the department.

PhD students must select their departmental advisor no later than the end of the spring semester of their second year or their second semester after having passed the qualifying examination, whichever comes first. This process should start as soon as the student has identified a field of research or has passed the qualifying exam.

PhD Dissertation Committee, Preliminary Thesis Proposal, and Preliminary Research Seminar

By the end of the spring semester of the third year or the second semester in which the student is enrolled for PhD dissertation, whichever comes first, each PhD student must have an approved dissertation committee and thesis proposal. 

The student (with the aid and approval of his or her thesis advisor) will submit a PhD thesis proposal to the graduate committee clearly outlining a plan to carry out new and original research in the context of previously published research in the scientific literature and also describe the methodologies to be employed. The thesis proposal is limited to 15 pages or less, including references.  A proposed makeup of the dissertation committee will be submitted at the same time.

The graduate committee will evaluate the merit of the proposal and make recommendations for improvements when necessary, including any changes to the composition of the dissertation committee. No more than two submissions for a particular proposal may be made. In the case where a revised proposal does not meet a minimum academic standard that provides a basis for making such improvements, the graduate committee may instruct the student to select a different thesis topic or advisor.

After approval by the graduate committee, the proposal is circulated to the general faculty for comments. If the graduate coordinator receives any objections, the proposal will be referred back to the graduate committee for final resolution.

After the proposal and dissertation committee have been approved, the student will make a public presentation of the material in the preliminary research seminar before the dissertation committee in a format open to the full department and advertised one week in advance. The dissertation committee will then meet in closed session to evaluate the seminar. The preliminary research seminar must take place no later than the semester after the thesis proposal is approved and, normally, in the same semester.

In the event that the dissertation advisor is changed, a new committee must be formed, with the approval of the graduate committee, and a new preliminary research seminar given.

PhD Dissertation Defense

The dissertation defense consists of a public presentation, followed by a question period conducted by the dissertation committee and limited to them and the department faculty. The date of the dissertation presentation must be publicized and a copy of the thesis deposited with the graduate program coordinator at least one week prior to the defense. If during this posting period or in the two business days following the defense a written objection to the thesis is lodged with the department chair by a member of the faculty, the chair may appoint an ad hoc postdefense review committee to provide advice on the scientific issues raised by the objection. Students should note that they must be registered for Dissertation or Dissertation Continuation during the semester in which they defend their dissertation and that they should schedule their defenses well in advance of the end of the semester in order to accommodate the review/waiting period and the time required to deposit the thesis.

The final dissertation defense is held in accordance with the College of Science regulations.

PhD Specialization Options

Students choose a specialization in biological physics; particle physics; condensed matter physics; or, with preapproval of a faculty member, in the following areas: nanomedicine or network science.

Multiple specializations are allowed if the individual requirements for each specialization are met.

Note that the specialization will not appear on the degree diploma or on the official transcript but can be listed as the field of study on CVs and grant proposals.

Transfer Credit

Students must petition in writing through the graduate committee to the director of graduate student services for all transfer credit. A copy of an official transcript must be attached to the Request for Transfer Credit form. A maximum of 9 semester hours of credit obtained at another institution may be accepted toward the PhD degree provided that the credits transferred consist of a grade of B or better; are graduate-level courses; have been earned at an accredited institution; and have not been used toward any other degree. Grades are not transferred.

Course Waivers

Course waivers may be accepted toward the PhD degree course requirements, though they will not change the numbers of credits required for the program. The student must have received a B grade or better in equivalent graduate-level core courses that have been earned at an accredited institution. Students must petition in writing to the graduate committee for all course waivers and provide documentation in the form of official transcripts to support their petition.

Residence Requirement

The residence requirement is satisfied by at least one year of full-time graduate work (i.e., enrollment in PhD Dissertation, for two consecutive semesters). Students must be continually enrolled throughout the pursuit of the dissertation.

Internship Option

A PhD candidate may spend one year in a participating high-technology, industrial, or government laboratory immediately after passing the PhD qualifying examination. In this program, the student is expected to remain in touch with the university by taking one course per semester at the university and by frequent contact with a faculty advisor. After the one-year paid internship, the student returns to the university to do the dissertation. Eligibility for this program is contingent on acceptance both by the department and by the external laboratory.

Bachelor’s Degree Entrance

Complete all courses and requirements listed below unless otherwise indicated.

Two qualifying examinations Annual review Candidacy Preliminary research seminar proposal with proposed dissertation committee Preliminary research seminar talk Dissertation defense

Core Requirements 1

A specialization is required. 2 Note: Specialization in nanomedicine or network science requires prior approval.

Dissertation 

Program credit/gpa requirements.

42 total semester hours required Minimum 3.000 GPA required

Methods for Teaching in the Introductory Physics Laboratory 1 ( PHYS 7220 ) and Methods for Teaching Introductory Physics Laboratory 2 ( PHYS 7230 )  are required for students awarded a Teaching Assistantship.

By approval of the graduate committee, biological physics students may substitute graduate courses in biology, physics, or chemistry from the following list instead of Biological Physics 2 ( PHYS 7741 ) :   

Biochemistry ( BIOL 6300 ) ,  Molecular Cell Biology ( BIOL 6301 ) , Optical Methods of Analysis ( CHEM 5613 ) ,  Molecular Modeling ( CHEM 5638 ) , .

Additional appropriate courses may also be substituted by approval of the physics graduate committee.

Elementary Particle Physics ( PHYS 7323 ) is required for a specialization in particle physics. The advanced elective may be Topics: Elementary Particle Physics and Cosmology ( PHYS 7733 ) .

The Department of Physics offers a Doctor of Philosophy in Physics with specializations in different subfields that reflect the forefront of research activities of the department, including biological physics, condensed matter physics, elementary particle physics, nanomedicine, and network science. The program for the PhD degree consists of the required coursework, a qualifying examination, a preliminary research seminar, the completion of a dissertation based upon original research performed by the student, and a dissertation defense upon completion of the dissertation. Based on these measures, students are expected to obtain a graduate-level understanding of basic physics concepts and demonstrate the ability to formulate a research plan, communicate orally a research plan, and conduct and present independent research.

Students entering with a master’s degree from a U.S. institution in physics or a related area approved by the department will be required to take 10 semester hours of courses. The courses will be determined by the graduate director based on the student's transcripts. Students entering with a MS degree awarded by an institution outside the United States will need to consult the graduate director for a transcript evaluation to determine required coursework and course waivers.

The minimum grade required is a B (3.000) average. A student who does not maintain a 3.000 cumulative average for two consecutive semesters, or is otherwise not making satisfactory progress toward the PhD degree requirements, may be recommended for termination at the discretion of the graduate committee.

All students registered in the PhD program are required to pass a qualifying exam unless they are granted an exemption. The qualifying exam may include both written and oral parts. Students who enter with a master's degree from a U.S. institution may take either the classical or the quantum exam, or both, at the first opportunity upon entering the program in the fall. In this case, the exam will count as a first attempt only if the student submits the exam to the examiner.

• Part 2: Quantum physics (based on quantum mechanics and its applications) and statistical physics. A syllabus is available and on request will be distributed by the graduate coordinator to any student prior to the exam.

All students enrolled in the PhD program must take the fall qualifying exam after completing their first-year course of study with the required grade-point average. Students taking the exam for the first time must take both Part 1 and Part 2. A student who does not pass the exam on their first attempt must pass the exam the next time it is given in order to continue in the PhD program. However, a student who passes one part of the first attempt is not required to repeat that part.

A student who fails the written exam by less than 5% of the total possible score on the second attempt for that part will be automatically given an oral exam. A student who fails the written exam by more than 10% is excluded from taking an oral exam. These provisions apply separately to Parts 1 and 2 of the exam.

Degree candidacy is established when the student has passed the qualifying examination and completed 10 semester hours of courses. PhD degree candidacy is certified by the college. A maximum of five years after the establishment of doctoral degree candidacy is allowed for the completion of degree requirements.

The student (with the aid and approval of their thesis advisor) will submit a PhD thesis proposal to the graduate committee clearly outlining a plan to carry out new and original research in the context of previously published research in the scientific literature and also describe the methodologies to be employed. The thesis proposal is limited to 15 pages or less, including references. A proposed makeup of the dissertation committee will be submitted at the same time.

Core Requirements

Dissertation.

10 total semester hours required Minimum 3.000 GPA required

Methods for Teaching in the Introductory Physics Laboratory 1 ( PHYS 7220 ) is required for students awarded a teaching assistantship.

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PhD Degree Requirements

As a graduate student entering with a bachelor’s degree, you have approximately two years of graduate coursework to complete. Graduate core courses are taken during the first year in the program, and breadth requirements can be taken at any time thereafter, with students typically completing most coursework during their second year.

During your first year of study, you will explore possible research fields of interest through conversations with faculty members and their research group members and by attending seminars and research group meetings. You will identify a research advisor and begin working in a research group by your first summer in the program.

A comprehensive exam that assesses readiness for research work in the chosen area of specialization must be passed by the end of the fall term in year four. Various advisory committees, composed of multiple faculty members, help support students and ensure that progress is being made towards their degree. The PhD program culminates in a written dissertation and an oral defense of the thesis.

Graduate Student Handbook

PhD Requirements Overview

To obtain a PhD in physics, a student must meet both university doctoral requirements and departmental requirements. The Department of Physics may accept for the fulfillment of any departmental requirement work at another institution, results of a special examination, or any other appropriate evidence which substantially meets the spirit of the requirement. The most important requirements are listed below.

Residency and GPA

The student must complete three years full-time work beyond the bachelor’s degree with at least one academic year (three consecutive terms of full-time study, with a minimum of 9 completed graduate credits per term) in residence on the Eugene campus after the student is officially enrolled in PhD program. The grade point average for all graduate work at the university must be 3.0 or better.

Core Courses

The student must complete the department’s core graduate courses:

• PHYS 610 Mathematical Methods
• PHYS 611, 612 Mechanics
• PHYS 613, 614 Statistical Physics
• PHYS 622, 623 Electromagnetic Theory
• PHYS 631, 632 and 633 Quantum Mechanics

Students who can demonstrate adequate competence in one or more of these subjects, based on previous study in graduate-level courses, can be excused by the director of graduate studies from completing the corresponding required courses here.

Students must complete each core course with a minimum grade of B-. If a student obtains a grade of C+ or lower on a core course, it must be re-taken and a grade of B- or better obtained to satisfy the core course grade requirement. Note that Graduate School requires graduate students to maintain a GPA average of 3.0 (B grade) or higher to continue in the program.

Grades in graduate physics courses taken elsewhere and deemed equivalent to UO courses by the director of graduate studies (see previous section), must have a recorded grade of B- or better, in order to count towards minimum core course grade requirements.

Specialized Coursework

The student must take at least six additional 4-credit graduate courses beyond the physics core courses. Normally these courses will be additional courses in physics, but they may include other graduate science or mathematics courses as approved by the director of graduate studies. These courses must be graded and a grade of B or better must be obtained. It is recommended that students complete their specialized courses by the end of their third year.

Research Courses

PHYS 601 research credit. A student will have typically completed at least 3 quarters of research credits (PHYS 601) with the same advisor prior to scheduling their comprehensive exam.

Dissertation Courses

PHYS 603 minimum 18 credit hours required, including three during final term in which the dissertation will be given.

Reading Courses

Whenever a student takes a reading course it will be listed as “PHYS 605”. However, the subject of that course does not appear on transcripts or elsewhere (and many different subjects are taken under the umbrella of PHYS 605). Therefore, before such a course is taken, it is the obligation of every student taking that course to obtain approval from the director of graduate studies. At most, two 4-credit reading courses may count towards the six additional courses required (described in the previous section).

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Graduate Program

Leaders in Physics

Our M.S. and PhD programs are leaders in outstanding physics research programs. We provide intellectually rich, vibrant, and challenging courses to prepare students for careers  in theoretical and experimental particle physics, astrophysics and cosmology, condensed matter physics, and biophysics.

Experiential Research

The vast majority of our faculty and graduate students conduct research with:

• Santa Cruz Institute for Particle Physics (SCIPP )
• and the Materials Science and Engineering Initiative (MSEI)

Students and faculty can expect to work closely with a number of research institutions across astronomy and astrophysics, biology, chemistry, Earth sciences, electrical engineering, and mathematics, including:

• The  University of California Observatories
• Stanford Linear Accelerator Center
• Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory
• Large Hadron Collider at CERN (ATLAS experiment)
• Los Alamos National Laboratory
• Oak Ridge National Laboratory
• Institute of Marine Sciences
• Institute of Tectonics
• and other national and international laboratories.

Graduate Student Timeline 

Students typically enter the program with a Bachelor's and pick up the M.S. along the way to obtaining their Ph.D. The program usually takes five years to complete. Entering students receive strong grounding in basic physics, as well as exposure to active research areas. After passing a set of written qualifying examination, students complete their coursework and then pursue independent research.  This research becomes the basis for Advancement to Doctoral Candidacy, at which point students then begin working on their dissertation. Upon successful completion and defense of the dissertation students are awarded the Ph.D. Throughout their graduate careers students work closely with faculty and pursue programs that fit their individual needs.

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Last modified: November 14, 2023 128.114.113.82

AP PhD Model Program

This description of the Applied Physics PhD course expectations augments the school-wide PhD course requirements .  Students should make themselves familiar with both.

Proposed Ph.D. plans that follow these guidelines, including one of the "tracks", will be automatically approved by the CHD, provided that they also comply with the overall SEAS Ph.D. requirements, in particular: 10 courses overall (8 disciplinary, 2 breadth), 5 of which must be 200-level SEAS or SEAS equivalent courses (courses taught in FAS by SEAS faculty), no more than 2 that are 100-level courses (of which only 1 counts as disciplinary). 

Students following these model programs/guidelines must take the Core Courses below as well as choose one of the Tracks described below. 

Plans that deviate from these guidelines will be reviewed by the CHD and approved on a case-by-case basis, although all plans must comply with the overall SEAS Ph.D. requirements.

Core Courses

One graduate course in each of the three fields listed below (electromagnetism, quantum mechanics, statistical mechanics). In exceptional cases, the CHD may approve substituting one of the listed undergraduate courses.

Electromagnetism :  

• Graduate level: Physics 232, AP 216, AP 217, ES 273
• Undergraduate level (CHD approval required): ES 151

Quantum Mechanics :

• Graduate level: Quantum Science and Engineering (QSE 200/ES 200) , Physics 251a, Physics 251b, AP/Physics 295a, AP/Physics 295b, Chem 243
• Undergraduate level (CHD approval required): AP/Physics 195, Physics 143a, Physics143b, ES 170

*”Living Matter/Bio”-track students: see also the note regarding Quantum Mechanics in the track description given later on this page.

Statistical Mechanics :

• Graduate level: AP 284, AP 286, Physics 262
• Undergraduate level (CHD approval required): Physics 181, or (for students doing bio-related research) MCB 199

Track Courses

In addition to three core courses, Applied Physics Ph.D. students may choose one of the tracks below:

Take one course from each field below, preferably at the graduate level:

• Solid State: AP/Physics 295a, AP/Physics 195 (undergraduate level)
• Quantum Devices: ES 274
• Photonics/Nanoelectronics: AP 218, ES 273, Physics 223, ES 173 (undergraduate level)

Take one course from each field below:

• Continuum Mechanics: ES 220, ES 240
• Math and Computational Techniques: AM 201, AM 202, AM 203, AM 205, AM 207
• Soft Matter and Materials: AP 225, AP 226, AP 227, AP 282, AP 235

Take three of the four courses listed below:

• Solids: Structures and Defects: AP 282
• Properties of Materials: AP 218
• Kinetics of Condensed Phase Processes: AP 292
• Chemistry in Materials Science and Engineering: AP 235

AP graduate students are required to take a graduate-level quantum mechanics course. However, for students on the bio track whose work does not require expertise in this topic, the CHD may waive this requirement if the student petitions to do so and (a) submits proof of a good grade on an undergraduate level course in this topic, taken previously or at Harvard or (b) enrolls in a suitable undergraduate course. Students interested in option (a) should submit with their petition a syllabus for the course taken or specify the textbook, course instructor(s), and institution of the course. Approval is at the discretion of the CHD. A waiver from the CHD does not reduce the required total number of courses. Suitable Harvard courses include Physics 143a/b, AP195, and forthcoming courses offered under the Quantum Science & Engineering program.

Take at least one biology course, for example:

• MCB 291 (Genetics, Genomics and Evolutionary Biology)
• MCB 292 (Cellular Biology, Neurobiology and Developmental Biology)
• MCB293 (Biochemistry, Chemical and Structural Biology)
• OEB 242 (Population Genetics)
• Math 243 (Evolutionary Dynamics)
• BCMP 200 (Biochemistry, Chemical and Structural Biology)
• BCMP 234 (Cellular Metabolism and Human Disease)
• BCMP 250 (Biophysical and Biochemical Mechanisms of Protein Function)
• CB 201 (Principles of Cell Biology)
• Genetics 201 (Principles of Genetics)
• CB 207 (Vertebrate Developmental, Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology)

At least one course in “Math and Computational Techniques” is strongly recommend, for example:

• AM 201 (Physical Mathematics)
• AM 203 (Stochastic Processes)
• AM 205 (Numerical Methods)
• AM 207 (Stochastic methods for data analysis, inference, optimization)
• Physics 201 (Data Analysis)
• CS 205 (Computing Foundations)
• CS 281 (Advanced Machine Learning)
• AM 216 (Inverse Problems)
• ES 250 (Information Theory)
• ES 255 (Statistical Inference)
• AP 286 (Inference, Info Theory, Learning)

Students are encouraged students to consider AP242 (Introduction to Single-Molecule Biophysics), ES 297 (Professional Writing for Scientists and Engineers), as well as ES 220 (Fluid Mechanics), ES 240 (Solid Mechanics), and AP 225 (Soft condensed matter).

In addition, calculus, linear algebra, classical mechanics, and thermodynamics and statistical mechanics are fundamental to much biophysical research. If a student has specific gaps in their training in these areas that will impede their progress, the CHD, the advisor, or the qualifying exam committee may make specific binding recommendations to address such gaps by coursework.

Timeline : We recommend that students have completed a minimum of four courses at the end of their first year, and of six at the end of their second year. Students should aim to meet their full course requirements by the end of their fourth year.

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Department of Physics and Astronomy

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PhD Program Requirements

Our physics and astronomy PhD program typically takes five to seven years to complete and includes:

• Preliminary Assessment and Qualifying Examinations
• Dissertation

In addition to the areas above, all students are strongly encouraged to attend the department colloquia and the biweekly research seminars presented by each of the department's research groups. Please also visit the AS&E Graduate Student Handbook .

Each student must complete at least eight advanced four credit-hour courses (numbered PHY 400-589) in the department, with a B- or higher. These courses cannot be research or reading courses, and at least two of the eight must be considered an advanced sequence. The specialty courses are two-term advanced level sequences in specific fields of modern physics (numbered PHY 5x1, 5x2), and several independent one-term courses and two-term course sequences in astrophysics (AST 4xx, 5xx). Students normally take the sequence in their chosen specialty sequence within the first four years of their graduate studies. Several special-topics courses are also offered each year. Links to Physics and Astronomy course lists and descriptions can be found on the graduate coursework page.

Transfer credits and substitutions must be approved by the Graduate Committee .

Students are required to go through the preliminary assessment at the end of the first year. The preliminary assessment is based on performance in the four required core courses, to a standard deemed passable by the individual faculty teaching those courses, along with research experience after the first year of study. The four required core courses are: PHY 407 Quantum Mechanics, PHY 415 Electromagnetic Theory, PHY 403 Modern Statistics and Exploration of Large Data Sets, and PHY 418 Statistical Mechanics. 

Reading and Research Courses

Students may also take reading or research courses, by arrangement and persmission with individual faculty members. These courses can be taken anywhere from 1 to 12 credit-hours, depending on scope. 

• PHY/AST 591: Readings in physics/astrophysics. Instructor permission required for registration. This is the principal "reading course" in the graduate curricululm. It consists of an in-depth study of a specialized topic, with scope and submitted work created by agreement with a faculty member, who also faciliates the course.
• PHY/AST 595: PhD Research in Physics/Astrophysics. Instructor permission required for registration. This is the cousre for which each student registers each semester after joining a research group, as a way of recording academic actiity after completion of formal courses. The credit-hour number for which one registers it the difference between the full-time credit-hour total (9 credits for research and teaching assistants, 12 credits otherwise) and the number of credits of formal or reading courses taken; thus a research assistant who takes no formal courses in a given semester registers for at least 9 credit-hours of PHY or AST 595. 

Credit Requirements

All graduate students in our department are given, upon admission, a tuition waiver good for 90 credit-hours. Full-time graduate students who hold research or teaching assistantships must register for at least 12 credit-hours each semester, until the 90-credit limit is reached. If you reach 90 units hours, you may not register for any more unit bearing courses without special approval from both the Department and the AS&E GEPA office. If you reach 90 credit hours in a semester causing units for that semester to be under the 12 required to be full-time, you will also need to add either PHYS 997 onto your schedule as a placeholder to make you full-time if it is in your 4th year, or if in your 5th year or beyond, please add PHYS 999 as the place holder for full-time enrollment as well. After completion of formal courses and entrance into the research groups, students should usually register for 12 units each semester of PHY or AST 595 PhD Research in Physics/Astrophysics. After passing the 90-credit limit, full-time graduate students in residence must register for PHY or AST 999 each semester. Enrollment in PHY 999 requires a continuation fee, which is usually -- though not always -- paid by the student's thesis advisor using research funds. 

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Examinations

Preliminary assessment.

The preliminary assessment has replaced the preliminary exam beginning with the 2017-18 academic year. The preliminary assessment is based on the performance in the four required core courses, to a standard deemed passable by the individual faculty teaching those courses. The first year curriculum includes the four required core courses - PHY 403, 407, 415, 418 - plus two electives. (PHY 403: Modern Statistics and Exploration, PHY 407: Quantum Mechanics I, PHY 415: Electromagnetic Theory, PHY 418: Statistical Mechanics). Please see your assigned cohort advisor for elective suggestions.

The preliminary assessment is completed by the preliminary assessment committee. To continue in the PhD program one must pass the assessment at the PhD level.

The committee can decide to pass a student or it can require that the student repeat poorly performed parts of the assessment. If a student shows specific weaknesses, the committee may also choose to pass that student under the condition that the student remedies the deficiency with additional coursework.

Normally each student is allowed two attempts to pass the preliminary assessment.

Advanced transfer students who have passed similar assessment at another graduate school may be excused from taking it in the department. This decision will be made by the Graduate Committee, in consultation with members of the Preliminary Assessment Committee and the department chair.

Qualifying Examination

Students must pass the qualifying examination to continue for the doctoral degree. Once you have passed the qualifying exam, you will be considered advanced to candidacy. The exam is usually taken once the student has chosen a thesis advisor and an area of research. The exam is usually scheduled within two years of passing the preliminary assessment but in any case must be taken before the end of year four. The function of the qualifying examination is to demonstrate that the student is ready to proceed with independent research. The qualifying exam in our department is not considered a thesis proposal. Whether or not the specifics/brief from your qualifying exam become part of your dissertation is a topic of discussion and entirely up to you and your advisor for a later date.

As soon as possible, but ideally no later than one year after a student obtains a PhD advisor, students should form a Dissertation Advisory Committee (DAC), which will serve as the Qualifying Exam Committee, and set a date or a range of dates for the qualifying exam.

After the DAC is formed, students must submit a short, informal written statement to the graduate coordinator summarizing their work in the previous term after every semester. The coordinator then disseminates the statements to the advisor and members of the DAC.

To take the qualifying examination, each student must find a faculty sponsor. The sponsor is usually the student's thesis advisor, but is not required to be.

The sponsor and student will mutually agree on a research topic in which the student will prepare an oral presentation, no more than 25 minutes in length and an accompanying written brief of no more than 10 journal-style pages. The presentation and brief should demonstrate progress toward original research. The qualifying exam is closed, to be attended only by the student and their committee.

If a student has published, submitted, or drafted a paper for a research journal based on this research, that document or a subset of it can be used as the brief, provided that the advisor deems the document to be reasonably accessible to the broader audience of the qual committee.

The chosen topic and copies of the brief should be distributed to the Qualifying Examination Committee members at least two weeks prior to the exam.

The committee for the Qualifying Examination will consist of at least four faculty members, including:

• The student's thesis advisor or sponsor. The advisor fills only that role on the committee.
• A faculty member in the same research area
• One theorist for a student in experimental physics or one experimentalist for a student in theoretical physics.
• One faculty member outside of the research area
• At least two faculty members on the committee must be primarily appointed in physics and astronomy

One of the members may be from outside of the department, if appropriate. 

Each student should schedule the qualifying examination, in consultation with the exam committee members and the graduate program coordinator, and make all final arrangements at least two weeks before the exam. The graduate students reaches direclty out to the committee members, after being given persmisison to proceed from their advisor, to arrange for the exact date and the exact time for the qualifying exam to be held. The student must email the graduate program coordinator at least two weeks before the exam is to be held with the date, time and list of committee members. The graduate program coordinator then completes the exam appointment form obtaining approval from the students advisor, the director of graduate studies and finally the AS&E GEPA office. It is this approval process that is part of the reason for the two weeks advanced notice of the exam. The other main reason for the two weeks notice is that the brief must be written and out to the committee with at least two weeks notice so that your faculty committee each are given sufficient time to review the brief and perpare for the exam.

To begin the exam, the committee may ask the student to step out of the room while it briefly reviews the student's academic progress toward degree, the advisor conveys any necessary annotations, and the committee organizes its questioning procedure. The student will the be called in for their presentation. 

After the examination, the Exam Committee files a written report. Three members of the Examination Committee will continue to serve as a Dissertation Advisory Committee for the student, and meet about once a year to provide the Graduate Committee with a written report of progress toward a PhD. These regular meetings may be waived only by permission of the chair of the Graduate Committee.

The Dissertation Advisory Committee can be called into special session at any time by any of the following parties: the student, the thesis advisor (and/or internal advisor), or the Graduate Committee.

Students are required to serve at least one year as a Teaching Assistant (TA). The basic duties of a TA include:

• Running workshop,recitation or laboratory sessions
• Offering office hours for consultation with students
• Grading homework and examinations

Faculty teaching supervisors may also ask TAs to assist in curriculum development. First time TAs must also participate in the TA training program .

Both teaching and research assistants are expected to be present for duties during the entire period of their appointment, even when classes are not in session. Students who are registered for 12 credit-hours of non-research courses are expected to work an average of 16 hours a week on their teaching or research responsibilities. Students are entitled to two weeks of vacation during the academic year, which should be arranged in coordination with their supervisor.

In addition, the department also offers its PhD students an opportunity to earn a certificate in college teaching of physics and astronomy . The training program leading to this certificate includes complete responsibility for teaching an introductory physics course during the summer session, under the general guidance of a faculty mentor.

As soon as possible, graduate students should become familiar with the research programs available in the department, choose a field of specialization, and ask a faculty member to serve as thesis advisor and principal PhD supervisor. It is each student's own responsibility to find a thesis advisor. Usually, one's advisor will provide financial support (in the form of a research assistantship) through some appropriate research grant. There is no formal assignment process for joining a research group. Once a student has an understanding with a research advisor to join the group, the graduate program coordinator must be notified so that the financials can be transferred over to the appropriate account(s) and approvals obtained in the 506 form process.

It is also possible pursue your thesis in a research group outside the department. If you choose to work with a thesis advisor who does not hold a full-time appointment at the University or a joint appointment in this department, you must also find a member of our department faculty who is willing to act as the internal advisor for your thesis.

The Graduate Committee and graduate program coordinator must be apprised of your proposed arrangement.

Dissertation and Defense

All PhD students are required to prepare and defend a dissertation. The purpose of the thesis defense is to demonstrate the significance of the dissertation, and the adequacy of the arguments presented in support of the thesis. Please notify the graduate office ( [email protected] ) of your intention to complete a thesis and set a defense date.

The written dissertation must conform to the format specified by the University Office of Graduate Studies’ Preparing Your Thesis (PDF) . The rules for the PhD defense are given in the Official Bulletin on Regulations Concerning Graduate Study (PDF). The dean of graduate studies has also provided a helpful Guide for Graduate Students Preparing for PhD Defense .

When it is complete, and approved by all members of your Thesis Committee, your dissertation may be registered with the dean of graduate studies through the graduate program coordinator, and your defense scheduled no later than 15 business days before the date of the defense.

The examining Thesis Defense Committee consists of the thesis advisor, at least two other full-time department faculty members, and at least one faculty member from another department. A separate defense chair, also from another department, oversees and manages the exam. He or she can, but is not expected to, participate in the questioning. The student and thesis advisor suggest committee members, choose a committee chair, and then the student and graduate program coordinator register the defense.

In advance of the registration of a thesis, students and advisors should plan on at least 10 additional working days for each committee member to review the thesis document and sign off on the work. Students can send copies of their thesis to the committee electronically, as long as they provide bound paper copies to those who request them.

Each defense consists of a public, one-hour lecture by the candidate, followed by a closed-session oral examination of the candidate's thesis. The examination includes the subject matter of the dissertation, and developments in the specialty area in which the dissertation is written. After questioning, the candidate is briefly excused from the room while the Thesis Defense Committee votes on the results. The vote to pass the defense must be unanimous.

After your defense, the University Deans’ Office will send you an email with instructions for electronic submission of the final corrected dissertation and abstract to ProQuest, along with additional instructions for degree completion.

Linda Case, Graduate Program Office

[email protected]

Students can also contact the Graduate Committee .

Northern Illinois University Department of Physics College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

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Ph.D. Program

Students are required to complete 90 semester hours of graduate course work. This includes 15 hours selecting five out of six core courses covering classical and quantum mechanics, statistical physics, and electromagnetic theory, and 12 hours of 600 or 700 level courses in two different areas of physics. The remaining hours are for dissertation work or other graduate course work in physics and related fields.

Transfer credits for students entering with a master's degree or with graduate coursework from another institution are allowed. Transfer credits are limited to a total of 30 semester hours.

Typically each semester some courses are offered in the evening in order to accommodate non-traditional and part-time students. 

Exam Requirements

Students entering the program without a master's degree in physics are required to pass a MS qualifying examination covering undergraduate material, which is usually taken during the first year. This can be waived given a physics GRE score of 50%.

Successful completion of a Ph.D. candidacy examination based on the core courses and upper-level undergraduate courses is required of all students in the Ph.D. program.

The Ph.D. candidacy exam is divided into three areas: classical mechanics, quantum mechanics and E&M. The  Physics Graduate Manual  describes exam policies further.

Related Links

• Graduate Admission Information
• Physics Graduate Manual  (PDF)
• M.S. Course Requirements
• Ph.D. Course Requirements
• Graduate Course Descriptions
• Recent Thesis and Dissertations
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Director of Graduate Studies

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