Physics, Ph.D.

Additional Requirements

1. Students seeking a Ph.D. degree in physics must complete at least two graduate level courses appropriate to the focused research area (6-8 hours). Course choices should be selected after discussion with the research adviser, and approval of the graduate director.
2. Students seeking a Ph.D. degree in physics in any concentration must complete at least 12 additional hours of 8000-level physics (PHYS) courses, excluding PHYS 8710 , PHYS 8910 , or PHYS 8999 . This must include at least two (but not more than three) hours of PHYS 8900 /ASTR 8900  Seminar. Courses should be selected in consultation with the student’s research adviser and the graduate director. Alternatively, up to 9 hours of 8000-level non-physics graduate courses in the area of concentration may be counted toward this requirement with approval of the graduate director.
3. Students must complete PHYS 6300  Teaching Physics and PHYS 6310  Teaching Physics Lab Practicum for a total of 3 hours.
4. A minimum of 20 hours of either PHYS 9999  or ASTR 9999  Doctoral Dissertation Research must be completed. No more than 20 hours may count towards the 71-hour program of study for the Ph.D.
5. Additional graduate levels courses should be taken to complete the 71 hour program of study for the Ph.D.
6. Proficiency in an approved language or research skill. Contact the graduate director for details.
7. Students must serve as teaching assistants for at least five instructed lab sections (e.g. lab sections of PHYS 1111K, PHYS 1112K, ASTR 1010K, ASTR 1020K or equivalent). Large or more involved lab sections may count as more than one lab section, as determined by the associated Graduate Director.  It is recommended that a lab be taught concurrently with PHYS/ASTR 6310 Teaching Lab Practicum.
8. Students seeking a Ph.D. degree in Physics must take the physics general examination, administered as a written examination, after taking the required core courses.
9. Students pursuing the Ph.D. degree are strongly urged to satisfy the requirements for the M.S. (non-thesis option) as soon as possible after entering the program. See the appropriate director of graduate studies for details.
10. An oral presentation and discussion of the student’s proposed dissertation research.
11. A dissertation.
12. A final oral presentation and defense of the dissertation.

Prior to registration each semester, students must be advised by either the chair of the department or the appropriate director of graduate studies. Please note, 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 71-hour program of study, as well as additional hours of ASTR 9999 /PHYS 9999 , ASTR 8710 /PHYS 8710 , and ASTR 8910 /PHYS 8910 .

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.