Graduate Program - Doctoral Degree Requirements
It is expected that students in the Ph.D. program be associated with a research advisor by the spring quarter of their first year.
A special seminar class PHYS288 is designed to familiarize the student with research activities of the faculty.
A student is recommended for advancement to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree in Physics upon completion of the following requirements:
Comprehensive Examination |
Satisfactory performance on the comprehensive examination, before the winter quarter of the student's second year is required. The examination is offered twice each academic year. For students starting in the fall quarter of 2010 or thereafter, the exam is offered for the first time in the middle of the Fall quarter of the second year and a make-up exam is offered at the end of the following fall quarter (about the first week in January). The examination consists of a six-hour written exam (two sessions) that covers topics in Classical Mechanics, Statistical and Thermal Physics; Electromagnetism and Quantum Mechanics at the graduate level for the physics track. For the astronomy track, Quantum Mechanics will be replaced by the first year astronomy classes. Based on the exam performance (written) the department recommends a pass at the Ph.D. level, a pass at the M.A./M.S. level, or a fail. The examination may be repeated only once following the initial attempt. |
Coursework |
Satisfactory completion of the courses listed below. Each course must be passed with a grade of B- or better and the student must maintain an average for all courses of B or better. |
In addition, at least three elective graduate lecture courses must be completed from the various tracks a-g. The program for each student must be approved by the graduate committee and by the student's research advisor. Such a program may entail more than the minimum number of courses, and may also involve a mixture of courses in addition to those listed below.
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Qualifying Oral Examination |
Satisfactory performance on an oral examination in the general area of the student's proposed research. This examination is conducted by a doctoral committee, charged with general supervision of the student's research. It is normally taken during the academic year following that in which the Comprehensive examination requirement has been successfully completed. A student who fails this examination on the first attempt may, at the discretion of the committee, be permitted to take it a second time. Only two attempts are allowed. |
The student is recommended for the Ph.D. degree following their advancement to candidacy and completion of the following requirements:
Doctoral Thesis |
Satisfactory completion of a dissertation containing a review of existing knowledge relevant to the candidate's original research, and the results of the candidate's original research. This research must be of sufficiently high quality to constitute a contribution to knowledge in the subject area. |
Final Oral Examination |
Satisfactory performance on a final oral examination conducted by the candidate's doctoral committee. |
Normative Time to Degree: For students pursuing program 1A: 15 quarters for theoretical physics; 18 quarters for experimental physics; 17 quarters for specialization in environmental physics (theory); 20 quarters for specialization in environmental physics (exper-imental). For students pursuiing the astronomy program, 1B: 18 quarters