Nov 27, 2024  
2023-2024 Graduate Catalog 
    
2023-2024 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Physics, M.S. - Standard Program


Concentration Requirements (Minimum of 30 Credit Hours)


Completion or Exemption


Students must either complete or exempt PHYS 6510 , PHYS 6520 , PHYS 6810 , PHYS 7600 , and PHYS 7700  (0-17 hours). Exemption from these courses may be granted on the basis of testing or of having successfully completed similar courses elsewhere. Students not exempting at least two courses must take more than 30 hours to complete the degree requirements.

Competence in the Following Areas of Mathematics


Students must have competence in the following areas of mathematics: matrix algebra, vector and tensor analysis, partial differential equations, Fourier series and boundary value problems, and complex variables.

Core Courses (13 Hours)


Students must complete the following core courses (13 hours):

Additional Graduate Level Courses


Students must complete additional graduate level courses appropriate to the focused research area (0-17 hours). Course choices should be selected after discussion with the research adviser, and approval of the graduate director. No more than two hours of ASTR 6300 /PHYS 6300  Teaching Physics/Astronomy, one hour of ASTR 6310 /PHYS 6310  Teaching Physics/Astronomy Lab Practicum, and three hours of ASTR 8710 /PHYS 8710  Research Topics or ASTR 8910 /PHYS 8910  Directed Study can be applied to the 30 hour program of study for the MS thesis option.

Approved Language or Research Skill


Proficiency in an approved language or research skill. Contact the department for details.

A General Examination


Minimum of Six Hours of


A Thesis


A Final Oral Presentation


A final oral presentation directed primarily to the defense of the thesis

Graduate Assistants Requirements


Graduate assistants are required to enroll for a minimum of 12 credit hours each for the fall/spring semesters and 9 credit hours for the summer semester. These credit hours will consist of courses required for the prescribed 30-hour program of study, as well as additional hours of ASTR/PHYS 8999 , PHYS 8710 , and PHYS 8910 .

GPA


Students are required to maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0. Courses in which a student earns a grade of “C+” or lower cannot count toward the student’s overall degree credit hours.

Non-Thesis Option (Minimum of 36 Credit Hours)


Completion or Exemption


  1. Students must either complete or exempt PHYS 6510 , PHYS 6520 , PHYS 6810 , PHYS 7600 , and PHYS 7700  (0-17 hours). Exemption from these courses may be granted on the basis of testing or of having successfully completed similar courses elsewhere.
  2. Students not exempting at least two courses must take more than 30 hours to complete the degree requirements.

Competence in the Following Areas of Mathematics


Students must have competence in the following areas of mathematics: matrix algebra, vector and tensor analysis, partial differential equations, Fourier series and boundary value problems, and complex variables.

Core Courses (13 Hours)


Students must complete the following core courses (13):

At Least 2 Additional 8000-Level Physics


Students must complete at least 2 additional 8000-level physics (PHYS) courses (6-8 hours), excluding PHYS 8710 , PHYS 8910 , or PHYS 8999 . Courses should be selected in consultation with the graduate director.

Additional Graduate Level Courses


Additional graduate level courses should be taken to complete the 36 hours degree requirements (0-17 hours). No more than three hours of PHYS 6300 - Teaching Physics  and PHYS 6310 - Teaching Physics Lab Practicum , and no more than three hours of PHYS 8710  or PHYS 8910  can be applied to the 36 hour program of study for the non-thesis option.

Approved Language or Research Skill


Proficiency in an approved language or research skill. Contact the department for details.

A General Oral Examination


A Research Paper or Written Report


Graduate Assistants Requirements


Graduate assistants are required to enroll for a minimum of 12 credit hours each for the fall/spring semesters and 9 credit hours for the summer semester. These credit hours will consist of courses required for the prescribed 36-hour program of study, as well as additional hours of ASTR 8710 /PHYS 8710 , and ASTR 8910 /PHYS 8910 .

GPA


Students are required to maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0. Courses in which a student earns a grade of “C+” or lower cannot count toward the student’s overall degree credit hours.