Program Requirements
General Program Requirements:
Number of Credits Required Beyond the Baccalaureate: 38
Required Courses:
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| PHYS 5002 | Physics Research and Ethics | 1 |
| PHYS 5101 | Analytical Mechanics | 3 |
| PHYS 5301 | Electromagnetic Theory | 3 |
| PHYS 5501 | Mathematical Physics | 3 |
| PHYS 5701 | Quantum Mechanics I | 3 |
| PHYS 5702 | Quantum Mechanics II | 3 |
| PHYS 8102 | Statistical Mechanics | 3 |
| PHYS 8702 | Solid State Physics | 3 |
| PHYS 8703 | Nuclear and Elementary Particle Physics | 3 |
| Electives | 6 | |
| Select two from the following: | ||
PHYS 5302 | Advanced Electromagnetic Theory | |
PHYS 5502 | Computational and Mathematical Physics | |
PHYS 8020 | Topical Seminar I | |
PHYS 8701 | Quantum Field Theory | |
PHYS 8704 | Many Electron Theory | |
PHYS 8705 | Advanced Topics in Nuclear and Particle Physics | |
or any new course designated as PHYS 870X | ||
| Research Courses 1 | 7 | |
PHYS 9994 | Preliminary Examination Preparation 2 | |
PHYS 9998 | Pre-Dissertation Research / Elevation to Candidacy | |
PHYS 9999 | Dissertation Research | |
| Total Credit Hours | 38 | |
- 1
The combined number of credits of PHYS 9994, PHYS 9998, and PHYS 9999 must be at least 7, with a minimum of 1 credit of PHYS 9994 and a minimum of 2 credits of PHYS 9999 required.
- 2
Students typically take PHYS 9994 in the fourth academic term of full-time graduate study.
Culminating Events:
Preliminary Examination:
For elevation to candidacy for the PhD degree, the student must pass a written and oral preliminary examination covering undergraduate- and master’s-level physics. The written part of the exam is typically taken at the end of the summer of the first year of study on information from six core courses: PHYS 5101, PHYS 5301, PHYS 5501, PHYS 5701, PHYS 5702, and PHYS 8102. The oral part, also known as the Early Research Progress Exam, is given by the student's research committee at the end of the fifth term of study. In the event of failure, the exam may be retaken once six months later. The Department or Graduate Chair is present for the second attempt. Any student who fails a second time is dropped from the graduate program.
Dissertation:
A topic for the PhD dissertation is selected in consultation with a faculty member who agrees to serve as the dissertation supervisor. For elevation to candidacy, the student must submit a dissertation proposal that meets the approval of the Graduate Program Committee and the Graduate School. The completed dissertation is submitted to the department before the final examination, in which the dissertation is presented and defended by the candidate in an oral examination.