Program Requirements
Program Requirements
Coursework
Nine graduate courses are required for all Ph.D. and M.S. candidates. For Ph.D. students, the required courses include six core courses (210, 212, 214, 215, 216, 219), two electives, and 202, Introduction to Teaching in Physics. M.S. students have to take four core courses (210, 212, 215, 219), four electives, and 202. The electives are chosen in consultation with their faculty adviser. In addition, all Ph.D. students are required to take 205, Introduction to Research, and attend the Department’s weekly colloquium (292). 202, 205, and 292 do not fulfill the elective requirement, but are useful opportunities to learn about and engage with current research. Students are allowed to fulfill their elective requirements with appropriate courses outside the Department (provided they are approved by their adviser), and are allowed to take more than two electives. The student-to-faculty ratio is low so that M.S. and Ph.D. students can work closely with faculty and pursue programs that fit their individual needs.
Sample Planner
The table below is for informational purposes only. Your plan may vary depending on prior coursework, research opportunity, and individual circumstance:
| Year | Fall | Winter | Spring | Summer |
| 1 | Written Quals PHYS 202 PHYS 210 PHYS 212 PHYS 292 | PHYS 205 PHYS 214 PHYS 215 PHYS 292 | PHYS 216 PHYS 219 PHYS 292 | TA/GSI/Research |
| 2 | Written Quals Grad Elective PHYS 297A/B PHYS 292 | Grad Elective PHYS 297A/B PHYS 292 | Apply for MS PHYS 297B PHYS 292 Join Research Group | TA/GSI/Research |
| 3 | PHYS 297B Nominate Oral Qual Committee | PHYS 297B Schedule Oral Qualifying Exam | PHYS 297B Take Oral Qualifying Exams Nominate Dissertation Reading Committee | TA/GSI/Research International Student Deadline to ATC |
| 4 | PHYS 299B | PHYS 299B | PHYS 299B | TA/GSI/Research All student deadline to ATC in normative time |
| 5 | PHYS 299B | PHYS 299B | Apply for PhD PHYS 299B Defend Dissertation | |
| 6 | PHYS 299B | PHYS 299B | Apply for PhD PHYS 299B Defend Dissertation | Deadline to graduate in normative time |
Written Pre-Qualifying Exams
Two weeks prior to Fall classes starting students take up to five written qualifying exams:
- mathematical methods
- classical mechanics
- quantum mechanics
- statistical mechanics
- electricity and magnetism
Exams are 3-4 hours long each, spaced out every other day to give time for rest and study. The exams evaluate for prior knowledge and any content gaps the student is entering with. Once a student passes an exam in any one of the five areas they do not need to take an exam in that area again.
Score 12+ to pass
You have 2 attempts to pass all five exams, scoring at least 12 out of 20 to pass. You do not need to take all five exams at once – you can space out your attempts.
If you choose to space out your attempts, first-year students are encouraged to take on their first attempt:
- mathematical methods
- classical mechanics
- electricity and magnetism
and on your second attempt:
- quantum mechanics
- statistical mechanics
Third Attempt
Students with at most one or two failed tests have a third opportunity to pass their remaining tests at the beginning of the winter quarter of their second year. Students who fail any of the remaining tests at this third and last attempt, and students who have not passed three or more of the five written tests after two attempts can either transfer to the terminal M.S. program (the M.S. degree is automatically awarded to students who passed at least four of the five sections, and it requires an additional written research thesis for those who only passed three of the five sections), or appeal to the Graduate Committee to continue on the Ph.D. route. In this latter case, the Graduate Committee considers whether there is evidence of likely success in the Ph.D. program. The committee evaluates and reviews the student’s progress toward candidacy, including performance in courses and progress in research, and may require possible remedial coursework or an oral examination, or may require that the student transfer to the terminal M.S. route.
Master’s Degree
Students may obtain a master’s degree through course work and submission of an approved thesis. The M.S. thesis may be waived by passing four sections of the written Ph.D. qualifying examination. Master’s candidates are encouraged to write a research thesis and may do so in any of the research fields in the program, thereby developing laboratory and computational skills in areas such as electronics design, computer simulation and visualization, cryogenics, X-ray scattering, complex novel materials and devices, or materials science.
Advancing to Candidacy – Oral Qualifying Exam
In order to advance to doctoral candidacy students must successfully pass their Oral Qualification Examination. Students create a four person faculty committee, including one faculty member outside of the Physics Department. They then present their research to this committee, field questions, and demonstrate their mastery of the material. Upon successful completion of the Oral Qualification Examiantion students are admitted to doctoral candidacy and can begin to register for dissertation hours.
Dissertation Research & Defense
Doctoral candidates work closely with their faculty advisor while completing the research and writing necessary to complete their PhD dissertation. Whereupon the faculty advisor and the dissertation reading committee agree that the doctoral candidate has completed work worthy of awarding a Ph.D. in Physics, the student defends the dissertation and graduates.