Graduate Programs
at the Department of Physics and Astronomy


Degree Programs
Graduate study and research leading to the Master of Arts, Master of Science, and the Doctor of Philosophy degrees are offered in the Department of Physics and Astronomy. The research activities of the department are broad and currently include nuclear and particle physics, condensed matter and surface physics, biophysics and astrophysics. Both experimental and theoretical studies are in progress in these areas. Interdisciplinary and inter-departmental programs of study are also possible.

Expected Student Preparation
Students entering these degree programs are normally expected to have successfully concluded undergraduate work in mechanics, electricity and magnetism, thermodynamics, statistical mechanics and quantum mechanics, and should also possess a working knowledge of mathematics including calculus, ordinary differential equations, Fourier series, vector analysis, and the elements of partial differential equations. It is recommended that applicants take the Graduate Record Examination, including the advanced test for physics. Deficiencies of undergraduate preparation should not deter a prospective student with an otherwise good record, as these may be made up during the first year of graduate study.

Degree Requirements

General Requirements
Participation in the weekly colloquium, PHYS 891, is required of all graduate students. Participation in one of the area-specific seminar series and in special topics course offerings is encouraged.

Requirements for the M.S. and M.A. Degree
The M.S. degree can be earned by submission of a research thesis with an oral examination and at least 20 credit hours of graduate level lecture or laboratory courses in physics and astronomy. The oral examination of the M.S. thesis will consist of a presentation by the student describing the research followed by questions from the thesis committee. The questions will be designed to test the student's understanding of the research they have performed. They will begin with topics related to the student's Masters thesis, but can then proceed to more basic questions associated with the investigation. In this way the committee will also probe the student's knowledge of the background to the work they carried out for their M.S.

It can also be obtained under a non-thesis option which requires satisfactory completion of a faculty-approved project (of two to six credits), and must include a core set of courses consisting of one quarter of Classical Mechanics (605), two quarters of Electrodynamics (607 and 608), two quarters of Quantum Mechanics (611 and 612), one quarter of Mathematical Methods (615), and one quarter of Statistical Mechanics (512), or their equivalents. The M.A. is an option reserved for special cases and usually involves substantial work in other fields. Candidates must follow an approved program filed with the Departmental Graduate Committee and submit a scholarly paper based on these studies for approval by at least two readers. For either the M.A. or M.S. degree, a candidate is required to earn at least 45 graduate credits in physics, astronomy, and approved electives.

There also exists the possibility of obtaining an M.S. degree with a specialization in Applied Nuclear Physics; more information about this option is available here.

Requirements for the Ph.D. Degree

Course Requirements
Students in pursuit of a Ph.D.in physics are required to pass the core set of courses (PHYS 512, 605, 607, 608, 611, 612, and 615 described in the previous section) with a B (3.0) average. First and second year graduate students consult with assigned advisors to determine a program of study. Course requirements may be waived with adequate evidence of equivalent work elsewhere. In addition to the core courses, Ph.D. students must take a graduate level laboratory course (ASTR 510, PHYS 531, 601, 604) and seven of the following courses: ASTR 501, 502, 503, PHYS 520, 523, 553, 571, and non-core courses numbered 600 and higher. Research courses PHYS 696 and 895 are excluded from this list. At least one of the seven courses must be in an area outside the student's area of specialization. Courses or Labs offered by other departments may substitute for a limited number of these requirements with the approval of the student's advisor and the Graduate Chair. Typically a student would take the core courses in the following order:

FIRST YEAR
Fall Winter Spring
(551 QM) 611 QM 612 QM
605 Cl M 607 ED 512 St M
LAB 615 MM 608 ED


Students requiring additional preparation in statistical mechanics or quantum mechanics are advised to take PHYS 511 or PHYS 551; however, these courses do not count toward the seven required courses.

Qualification for Ph.D. Candidacy
At the end of a student's first year of graduate study, his/her suitability for Ph.D. candidacy will be evaluated by the full Physics & Astronomy faculty. This evaluation will be based primarily on the student's GPA in the seven core courses (see above). As a general guide, a core-course GPA of 3.3 or higher might qualify the student to proceed to research work directed towards a PhD dissertation. However, additional considerations, such as performance as a teaching and/or research assistant will also be taken into account when the faculty assesses the student's readiness for PhD candidacy. Students who are fulfilling the minimum requirement of a GPA above 3.0 for remaining in the graduate program, but are not recommended for Ph.D. candidacy by the faculty, will be asked to complete a research project with a faculty member and obtain an M.S. degree by thesis (see above) within one year. If they complete this M.S. they will be reconsidered for Ph.D. candidacy by the full faculty.

Dissertation Prospectus and Formation of the Dissertation Committee
After achieving Ph. D. candidacy, students form a Dissertation Committee in consultation with their research advisor. Students must prepare a Dissertation Prospectus for approval by this committee within eighteen months of being admitted to candidacy. The Prospectus is typically 10-20 pages long. It should be produced in consultation with the student's research advisor, but must be written by the student him/herself. The Prospectus should set the proposed Dissertation in the context of related scholarly activities, outline the shape of the research that will ultimately form the student's Ph. D work, and demonstrate its feasibility. Therefore the document should: (a) contain some discussion of relevant literature; (b) provide a summary of any research results the student has already obtained which are part of his/her Ph. D. work; (c) lay out plans for the research that will form the rest of the Dissertation; and (d) describe an approximate time line for completion of the Ph. D.

The student will defend the Dissertation Prospectus in front of their Dissertation Committee after the Committee has had at least one week to consider the document. At that time the student will discuss with the Committee any questions or concerns that they may have. The Committee may then either approve the Prospectus, or, if they have susbtantial concerns, ask the student---in consultation with his/her advisor---to revise the document and re-submit it for the Committee's later consideration and approval. The final dissertation need not exactly follow the plans layed out in the Prospectus, but once the Prospectus is approved the student's Dissertation Committee must be informed if plans change substantially. The Graduate Chair may also convene the Dissertation Committee for advice should problems arise.

Dissertation Defense
The remainder of the Ph.D. program consists of research, advanced coursework, and other studies relevant to the Dissertation. Upon completion of the Dissertation, the student gives a public presentation of the findings. The Ph.D. is awarded following the successful defense of the Dissertation before the Dissertation Committee.

There are no specific deadlines, but most applications for financial aid are received by March 1 and most offers are made by April 15. Most students enter the physics program in the fall; although some add the preceding summer session. Entry during the academic year is possible although not generally encouraged. For all details concerning graduate programs, write to the Physics Graduate Committee.

Last modified on 03/26/2008

 
Dept. of Physics & Astronomy, Clippinger Lab 251B, Athens, OH 45701
Tel: 740-593-1718 Fax: 740-593-0433 Email:physics@ohio.edu