physics phd coursework

Doctoral Program (Ph.D.)

• Graduate Programs

The Physics Ph.D. program provides students with opportunities to perform independent research in some of the most current and dynamic areas of physics. Students develop a solid and broad physics knowledge base in the first year through the core curriculum, departmental colloquia, and training.

Upper-level courses and departmental seminar series subsequently provide more specialized exposure. Armed with the core knowledge, doctoral students join a research group working in an area of particular interest. This research is performed in very close collaboration with one or more faculty whose interests span a wide range of physics fields.

Applicants are expected to have a strong background in physics or closely related subjects at the undergraduate level. All applications are evaluated holistically to assess the applicant's preparation and potential for graduate coursework and independent research, which can be demonstrated in multiple ways.

Submitting General and Physics GRE scores is recommended (but not required), especially for non-traditional students (this includes applicants with a bachelor's degree outside of physics or applicants who have taken a long gap after completing their bachelor's degree).

Three recommendation letters from faculty or others acquainted with the applicant's academic and/or research qualifications are required.

If you have submitted an application and need to make changes or add to the application, do not send the materials to the Physics department. The department is unable to alter or add to your application. Contact the  Graduate School staff  for all changes.  

Ph.D. Program Milestones and Guideposts

• Work toward joining a research group
• Pass 3 courses per semester if a TA or 4 courses per semester if a Fellow with at least 50% B's or better
• Complete 6 core courses (PHYS 2010, 2030, 2040, 2050, 2060, 2140)
• Begin research
• Complete PHYS2010 (or other core courses) if not taken during Year 1
• Complete at least 2 advanced courses
• Pass qualifying exam
• Complete 2nd Year Ethics Training
• Identify prelim committee
• Continue research
• Complete remaining advanced courses
• Pass preliminary exam and advance to candidacy
• Complete thesis research
• Write and defend thesis

Ph.D. Resources

• Ph.D. Program Student Handbook
• Graduate Core Course Listing
• Finding a Research Group
• Comprehensive Exam Information
• Ph.D. Second Year Ethics Training Requirement
• Ph.D. Preliminary Exam Requirements and Guidelines
• Ph.D. Prelim Form
• Physics Department Defense Form
• Ph.D. Dissertation Defense Requirements and Guidelines
• Ph.D. Course Waiver/Permission Form

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Graduate studies, commencement 2019.

The Harvard Department of Physics offers students innovative educational and research opportunities with renowned faculty in state-of-the-art facilities, exploring fundamental problems involving physics at all scales. Our primary areas of experimental and theoretical research are atomic and molecular physics, astrophysics and cosmology, biophysics, chemical physics, computational physics, condensed-matter physics, materials science, mathematical physics, particle physics, quantum optics, quantum field theory, quantum information, string theory, and relativity.

Our talented and hardworking students participate in exciting discoveries and cutting-edge inventions such as the ATLAS experiment, which discovered the Higgs boson; building the first 51-cubit quantum computer; measuring entanglement entropy; discovering new phases of matter; and peering into the ‘soft hair’ of black holes.

Our students come from all over the world and from varied educational backgrounds. We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment and attracting the widest possible range of talents.

We have a flexible and highly responsive advising structure for our PhD students that shepherds them through every stage of their education, providing assistance and counseling along the way, helping resolve problems and academic impasses, and making sure that everyone has the most enriching experience possible.The graduate advising team also sponsors alumni talks, panels, and advice sessions to help students along their academic and career paths in physics and beyond, such as “Getting Started in Research,” “Applying to Fellowships,” “Preparing for Qualifying Exams,” “Securing a Post-Doc Position,” and other career events (both academic and industry-related).

We offer many resources, services, and on-site facilities to the physics community, including our electronic instrument design lab and our fabrication machine shop. Our historic Jefferson Laboratory, the first physics laboratory of its kind in the nation and the heart of the physics department, has been redesigned and renovated to facilitate study and collaboration among our students.

Members of the Harvard Physics community participate in initiatives that bring together scientists from institutions across the world and from different fields of inquiry. For example, the Harvard-MIT Center for Ultracold Atoms unites a community of scientists from both institutions to pursue research in the new fields opened up by the creation of ultracold atoms and quantum gases. The Center for Integrated Quantum Materials , a collaboration between Harvard University, Howard University, MIT, and the Museum of Science, Boston, is dedicated to the study of extraordinary new quantum materials that hold promise for transforming signal processing and computation. The Harvard Materials Science and Engineering Center is home to an interdisciplinary group of physicists, chemists, and researchers from the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences working on fundamental questions in materials science and applications such as soft robotics and 3D printing.  The Black Hole Initiative , the first center worldwide to focus on the study of black holes, is an interdisciplinary collaboration between principal investigators from the fields of astronomy, physics, mathematics, and philosophy. The quantitative biology initiative https://quantbio.harvard.edu/  aims to bring together physicists, biologists, engineers, and applied mathematicians to understand life itself. And, most recently, the new program in  Quantum Science and Engineering (QSE) , which lies at the interface of physics, chemistry, and engineering, will admit its first cohort of PhD students in Fall 2022.

We support and encourage interdisciplinary research and simultaneous applications to two departments is permissible. Prospective students may thus wish to apply to the following departments and programs in addition to Physics:

• Department of Astronomy
• Department of Chemistry
• Department of Mathematics
• John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS)
• Biophysics Program
• Molecules, Cells and Organisms Program (MCO)

If you are a prospective graduate student and have questions for us, or if you’re interested in visiting our department, please contact  [email protected] .

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PhD Program

A PhD degree in Physics is awarded in recognition of significant and novel research contributions, extending the boundaries of our knowledge of the physical universe. Selected applicants are admitted to the PhD program of the UW Department of Physics, not to a specific research group, and are encouraged to explore research opportunities throughout the Department.

Degree Requirements

Typical timeline, advising and mentoring, satisfactory progress, financial support, more information.

Applicants to the doctoral program are expected to have a strong undergraduate preparation in physics, including courses in electromagnetism, classical and quantum mechanics, statistical physics, optics, and mathematical methods of physics. Further study in condensed matter, atomic, and particle and nuclear physics is desirable. Limited deficiencies in core areas may be permissible, but may delay degree completion by as much as a year and are are expected to remedied during the first year of graduate study.

The Graduate Admissions Committee reviews all submitted applications and takes a holistic approach considering all aspects presented in the application materials. Application materials include:

• Resume or curriculum vitae, describing your current position or activities, educational and professional experience, and any honors awarded, special skills, publications or research presentations.
• Statement of purpose, one page describing your academic purpose and goals.
• Personal history statement (optional, two pages max), describing how your personal experiences and background (including family, cultural, or economic aspects) have influenced your intellectual development and interests.
• Three letters of recommendation: submit email addresses for your recommenders at least one month ahead of deadline to allow them sufficient time to respond.
• Transcripts (unofficial), from all prior relevant undergraduate and graduate institutions attended. Admitted applicants must provide official transcripts.
• English language proficiency is required for graduate study at the University of Washington. Applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate English proficiency. The various options are specified at: https://grad.uw.edu/policies/3-2-graduate-school-english-language-proficiency-requirements/ Official test scores must be sent by ETS directly to the University of Washington (institution code 4854) and be received within two years of the test date.

For additional information see the UW Graduate School Home Page , Understanding the Application Process , and Memo 15 regarding teaching assistant eligibility for non-native English speakers.

The GRE Subject Test in Physics (P-GRE) is optional in our admissions process, and typically plays a relatively minor role.  Our admissions system is holistic, as we use all available information to evaluate each application. If you have taken the P-GRE and feel that providing your score will help address specific gaps or otherwise materially strengthen your application, you are welcome to submit your scores. We emphasize that every application will be given full consideration, regardless of whether or not scores are submitted.

Applications are accepted annually for autumn quarter admissions (only), and must be submitted online. Admission deadline: DECEMBER 15, 2024.

Department standards

Course requirements.

Students must plan a program of study in consultation with their faculty advisor (either first year advisor or later research advisor). To establish adequate breadth and depth of knowledge in the field, PhD students are required to pass a set of core courses, take appropriate advanced courses and special topics offerings related to their research area, attend relevant research seminars as well as the weekly department colloquium, and take at least two additional courses in Physics outside their area of speciality. Seeking broad knowledge in areas of physics outside your own research area is encouraged.

The required core courses are:

In addition, all students holding a teaching assistantship (TA) must complete Phys 501 / 502 / 503 , Tutorials in Teaching Physics.

Regularly offered courses which may, depending on research area and with the approval of the graduate program coordinator, be used to satisfy breadth requirements, include:

• Phys 506 Numerical Methods
• Phys 555 Cosmology & Particle Astrophysics
• Phys 507 Group Theory
• Phys 557 High Energy Physics
• Phys 511 Topics in Contemporary Physics
• Phys 560 Nuclear Theory
• Phys 520 Quantum Information
• Phys 564 General Relativity
• Phys 550 Atomic Physics
• Phys 567 Condensed Matter Physics
• Phys 554 Nuclear Astrophysics
• Phys 570 Quantum Field Theory

Graduate exams

Master's Review:   In addition to passing all core courses, adequate mastery of core material must be demonstrated by passing the Master's Review. This is composed of four Master's Review Exams (MREs) which serve as the final exams in Phys 524 (SM), Phys 514 (EM), Phys 518 (QM), and Phys 505 (CM). The standard for passing each MRE is demonstrated understanding and ability to solve multi-step problems; this judgment is independent of the overall course grade. Acceptable performance on each MRE is expected, but substantial engagement in research allows modestly sub-par performance on one exam to be waived. Students who pass the Master's Review are eligible to receive a Master's degree, provided the Graduate School course credit and grade point average requirements have also been satisfied.

General Exam:   Adequate mastery of material in one's area of research, together with demonstrated progress in research and a viable plan to complete a PhD dissertation, is assessed in the General Exam. This is taken after completing all course requirements, passing the Master's Review, and becoming well established in research. The General Exam consists of an oral presentation followed by an in-depth question period with one's dissertation committee.

Final Oral Exam:   Adequate completion of a PhD dissertation is assessed in the Final Oral, which is a public exam on one's completed dissertation research. The requirement of surmounting a final public oral exam is an ancient tradition for successful completion of a PhD degree.

Graduate school requirements

Common requirements for all doctoral degrees are given in the Graduate School Degree Requirements and Doctoral Degree Policies and Procedures pages. A summary of the key items, accurate as of late 2020, is as follows:

• A minimum of 90 completed credits, of which at least 60 must be completed at the University of Washington. A Master's degree from the UW or another institution in physics, or approved related field of study, may substitute for 30 credits of enrollment.
• At least 18 credits of UW course work at the 500 level completed prior to the General Examination.
• At least 18 numerically graded UW credits of 500 level courses and approved 400 level courses, completed prior to the General Examination.
• At least 60 credits completed prior to scheduling the General Examination. A Master's degree from the UW or another institution may substitute for 30 of these credits.
• A minimum of 27 dissertation (or Physics 800) credits, spread out over a period of at least three quarters, must be completed. At least one of those three quarters must come after passing the General Exam. Except for summer quarters, students are limited to a maximum of 10 dissertation credits per quarter.
• A minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 must be maintained.
• The General Examination must be successfully completed.
• A thesis dissertation approved by the reading committee and submitted and accepted by the Graduate School.
• The Final Examination must be successfully completed. At least four members of the supervisory committee, including chair and graduate school representative, must be present.
• Registration as a full- or part-time graduate student at the University must be maintained, specifically including the quarter in which the examinations are completed and the quarter in which the degree is conferred. (Part-time means registered for at least 2 credits, but less than 10.)
• All work for the doctoral degree must be completed within ten years. This includes any time spend on leave, as well as time devoted to a Master's degree from the UW or elsewhere (if used to substitute for credits of enrollment).
• Pass the required core courses: Phys 513 , 517 , 524 & 528 autumn quarter, Phys 514 , 518 & 525 winter quarter, and Phys 515 , 519 & 505 spring quarter. When deemed appropriate, with approval of their faculty advisor and graduate program coordinator, students may elect to defer Phys 525 , 515 and/or 519 to the second year in order to take more credits of Phys 600 .
• Sign up for and complete one credit of Phys 600 with a faculty member of choice during winter and spring quarters.
• Pass the Master's Review by the end of spring quarter or, after demonstrating substantial research engagement, by the end of the summer.
• Work to identify one's research area and faculty research advisor. This begins with learning about diverse research areas in Phys 528 in the autumn, followed by Phys 600 independent study with selected faculty members during winter, spring, and summer.
• Pass the Master's Review (if not already done) by taking any deferred core courses or retaking MREs as needed. The Master's Review must be passed before the start of the third year.
• Settle in and become fully established with one's research group and advisor, possibly after doing independent study with multiple faculty members. Switching research areas during the first two years is not uncommon.
• Complete all required courses. Take breadth courses and more advanced graduate courses appropriate for one's area of research.
• Perform research.
• Establish a Supervisory Committee within one year after finding a compatible research advisor who agrees to supervise your dissertation work.
• Take breadth and special topics courses as appropriate.
• Take your General Exam in the third or fourth year of your graduate studies.
• Register for Phys 800 (Doctoral Thesis Research) instead of Phys 600 in the quarters during and after your general exam.
• Take special topics courses as appropriate.
• Perform research. When completion of a substantial body of research is is sight, and with concurrence of your faculty advisor, start writing a thesis dissertation.
• Establish a dissertation reading committee well in advance of scheduling the Final Examination.
• Schedule your Final Examination and submit your PhD dissertation draft to your reading committee at least several weeks before your Final Exam.
• Take your Final Oral Examination.
• After passing your Final Exam, submit your PhD dissertation, as approved by your reading committee, to the Graduate School, normally before the end of the same quarter.

This typical timeline for competing the PhD applies to students entering the program with a solid undergraduate preparation, as described above under Admissions. Variant scenarios are possible with approval of the Graduate Program coordinator. Two such scenarios are the following:

• Students entering with insufficient undergraduate preparation often require more time. It is important to identify this early, and not feel that this reflects on innate abilities or future success. Discussion with one's faculty advisor, during orientation or shortly thereafter, may lead to deferring one or more of the first year required courses and corresponding Master's Review Exams. It can also involve taking selected 300 or 400 level undergraduate physics courses before taking the first year graduate level courses. This must be approved by the Graduate Program coordinator, but should not delay efforts to find a suitable research advisor. The final Master's Review decision still takes place no later than the start of the 3rd year and research engagement is an important component in this decision.
• Entering PhD students with advanced standing, for example with a prior Master's degree in Physics or transferring from another institution after completing one or more years in a Physics PhD program, may often graduate after 3 or 4 years in our program. After discussion with your faculty advisor and with approval of the Graduate Program coordinator, selected required classes may be waived (but typically not the corresponding Master's Review Exams), and credit from other institutions transferred.
• Each entering PhD student is assigned a first year faculty advisor, with whom they meet regularly to discuss course selection, general progress, and advice on research opportunities. The role of a student's primary faculty advisor switches to their research advisor after they become well established in research. Once their doctoral supervisory committee is formed, the entire committee, including a designated faculty mentor (other than the research advisor) is available to provide advice and mentoring.
• The department also has a peer mentoring program, in which first-year students are paired with more senior students who have volunteered as mentors. Peer mentors maintain contact with their first-year mentees throughout the year and aim to ease the transition to graduate study by sharing their experiences and providing support and advice. Quarterly "teas" are held to which all peer mentors and mentees are invited.
• While academic advising is primarily concerned with activities and requirements necessary to make progress toward a degree, mentoring focuses on the human relationships, commitments, and resources that can help a student find success and fulfillment in academic and professional pursuits. While research advisors play an essential role in graduate study, the department considers it inportant for every student to also have available additional individuals who take on an explicit mentoring role.
• Students are expected to meet regularly, at a minimum quarterly, with their faculty advisors (either first year advisor or research advisor).
• Starting in the winter of their first year, students are expected to be enrolled in Phys 600 .
• Every spring all students, together with their advisors, are required to complete an annual activities report.
• The doctoral supervisory committee needs to be established at least by the end of the fourth year.
• The General Exam is expected to take place during the third or fourth year.
• Students and their advisors are expected to aim for not more than 6 years between entry into the Physics PhD program and completion of the PhD. In recent years the median time is close to 6 years.

Absence of satisfactory progress can lead to a hierarchy of actions, as detailed in the Graduate School Memo 16: Academic Performance and Progress , and may jeopardize funding as a teaching assistant.

The Department aims to provide financial support for all full-time PhD students making satisfactory progress, and has been successful in doing so for many years. Most students are supported via a mix teaching assistantships (TAs) and research assistantships (RAs), although there are also various scholarships, fellowships, and awards that provide financial support. Teaching and research assistanships provide a stipend, a tuition waiver, and health insurance benefits. TAs are employed by the University to assist faculty in their teaching activities. Students from non-English-speaking countries must pass English proficiency requirements . RAs are employed by the Department to assist faculty with specified research projects, and are funded through research grants held by faculty members.

Most first-year students are provided full TA support during their first academic year as part of their admission offer. Support beyond the second year is typically in the form of an RA or a TA/RA combination. It is the responsibility of the student to find a research advisor and secure RA support. Students accepting TA or RA positions are required to register as full-time graduate students (a minimum of 10 credits during the academic year, and 2 credits in summer quarter) and devote 20 hours per week to their assistantship duties. Both TAs and RAs are classified as Academic Student Employees (ASE) . These positions are governed by a contract between the UW and the International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW), and its Local Union 4121 (UAW).

Physics PhD students are paid at the "Assistant" level (Teaching Assistant or Research Assistant) upon entry to the program. Students receive a promotion to "Associate I" (Predoctoral Teaching Associate I or Predoctoral Research Associate I) after passing the Master's Review, and a further promotion to "Associate II" (Predoctoral Teaching Associate II or Predoctoral Research Associate II) after passing their General Examination. (Summer quarter courses, and summer quarter TA employment, runs one month shorter than during the academic year. To compendate, summer quarter TA salaries are increased proportionately.)

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Ph.D. program

The Applied Physics Department offers a Ph.D. degree program; see  Admissions Overview  for how to apply.  

1.  Courses . Current listings of Applied Physics (and Physics) courses are available via  Explore Courses . Courses are available in Physics and Mathematics to overcome deficiencies, if any, in undergraduate preparation. It is expected the specific course requirements are completed by the  end of the 3rd year  at Stanford.

Required Basic Graduate Courses.   30 units (quarter hours) including:

• Basic graduate courses in advanced mechanics, statistical physics, electrodynamics, quantum mechanics, and an advanced laboratory course. In cases where students feel they have already covered the materials in one of the required basic graduate courses, a petition for waiver of the course may be submitted and is subject to approval by a faculty committee.
• 18 units of advanced coursework in science and/or engineering to fit the particular interests of the individual student. Such courses typically are in Applied Physics, Physics, or Electrical Engineering, but courses may also be taken in other departments, e.g., Biology, Materials Science and Engineering, Mathematics, Chemistry. The purpose of this requirement is to provide training in a specialized field of research and to encourage students to cover material beyond their own special research interests.​

​ Required Additional Courses .  Additional courses needed to meet the minimum residency requirement of 135 units of completed course work. Directed study and research units as well as 1-unit seminar courses can be included. Courses are sometimes given on special topics, and there are several seminars that meet weekly to discuss current research activities at Stanford and elsewhere. All graduate students are encouraged to participate in the special topics courses and seminars. A limited number of courses are offered during the Summer Quarter. Most students stay in residence during the summer and engage in independent study or research programs.

The list of the PhD degree core coursework is listed in the bulletin here:  https://bulletin.stanford.edu/programs/APLPH-PHD .

3.  Dissertation Research.   Research is frequently supervised by an Applied Physics faculty member, but an approved program of research may be supervised by a faculty member from another department.

4.  Research Progress Report.   Students give an oral research progress report to their dissertation reading committee during the winter quarter of the 4th year.

5.  Dissertation.

6.  University Oral Examination .  The examination includes a public seminar in defense of the dissertation and questioning by a faculty committee on the research and related fields.

Most students continue their studies and research during the summer quarter, principally in independent study projects or dissertation research. The length of time required for the completion of the dissertation depends upon the student and upon the dissertation advisor. In addition, the University residency requirement of 135 graded units must be met.

Rotation Program

We offer an optional rotation program for 1st-year Ph.D. students where students may spend one quarter (10 weeks) each in up to three research groups in the first year. This helps students gain research experience and exposure to various labs, fields, and/or projects before determining a permanent group to complete their dissertation work. 

Sponsoring faculty members may be in the Applied Physics department, SLAC, or any other science or engineering department, as long as they are members of the Academic Council (including all tenure-line faculty). Rotations are optional and students may join a group without the rotation system by making an arrangement directly with the faculty advisor. 

During the first year, research assistantships (RAs) are fully funded by the department for the fall quarter; in the winter and spring quarters, RAs are funded 50/50 by the department and the research group hosting the student. RAs after the third quarter are, in general, not subsidized by the rotation program or the department and should be arranged directly by the student with their research advisor.

How to arrange a rotation

Rotation positions in faculty members’ groups are secured by the student by directly contacting and coordinating with faculty some time between the student’s acceptance into the Ph.D. program and the start of the rotation quarter. It is recommended that the student’s fall quarter rotation be finalized no later than Orientation Week before the academic year begins. A rotation with a different faculty member can be arranged for the subsequent quarters at any time. Most students join a permanent lab by the spring quarter of their first year after one or two rotations.  When coordinating a rotation, the student and the sponsoring faculty should discuss expectations for the rotation (e.g. project timeline or deliverables) and the availability of continued funding and permanent positions in the group. It is very important that the student and the faculty advisor have a clear understanding about expectations going forward.

What do current students say about rotations?

Advice from current ap students, setting up a rotation:.

• If you have a specific professor or group in mind, you should contact them as early as possible, as they may have a limited number of rotation spots.
• You can prepare a 1-page CV or resume to send to professors to summarize your research experiences and interest.
• Try to tour the lab/working areas, talk to senior graduate students, or attend group meeting to get a feel for how the group operates.
• If you don't receive a response from a professor, you can send a polite reminder, stop by their office, or contact their administrative assistant. If you receive a negative response, you shouldn't take it personally as rotation availability can depend year-to-year on funding and personnel availability.
• Don't feel limited to subfields that you have prior experience in. Rotations are for learning and for discovering what type of work and work environment suit you best, and you will have several years to develop into a fully-formed researcher!

You and your rotation advisor should coordinate early on about things like: 

• What project will you be working on and who will you be working with?
• What resources (e.g. equipment access and training, coursework) will you need to enable this work?
• How closely will you work with other members of the group? 
• How frequently will you and your rotation advisor meet?
• What other obligations (e.g. coursework, TAing) are you balancing alongside research?
• How will your progress be evaluated?
• Is there funding available to support you and this project beyond the rotation quarter?
• Will the rotation advisor take on new students into the group in the quarter following the rotation?

About a month before the end of the quarter, you should have a conversation with your advisor about things like:

• Will you remain in the current group or will you rotate elsewhere?
• If you choose to rotate elsewhere, does the option remain open to return to the present group later?
• If you choose to rotate elsewhere, will another rotation student be taken on for the same project?
• You don't have to rotate just for the sake of rotating! If you've found a group that suits you well in many aspects, it makes sense to continue your research momentum with that group.

Application process

View Admissions Overview View the Required Online Ph.D. Program Application  

Contact the Applied Physics Department Office at  [email protected]  if additional information on any of the above is needed.

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Graduate education in physics offers you exciting opportunities extending over a diverse range of subjects and departments. You will work in state-of-the-art facilities with renowned faculty and accomplished postdoctoral fellows. The interdisciplinary nature of the program provides you with the opportunity to select the path that most interests you. You will be guided by a robust academic advising team to ensure your success.

You will have access to Jefferson Laboratory, the oldest physics laboratory in the country, which today includes a wing designed specifically to facilitate the study and collaboration between you and other physics graduate students.

Students in the program are doing research in many areas, including atomic and molecular physics, quantum optics, condensed-matter physics, computational physics, the physics of solids and fluids, biophysics, astrophysics, statistical mechanics, mathematical physics, high-energy particle physics, quantum field theory, string theory, relativity, and many others.

Graduates of the program have secured academic positions at institutions such as MIT, Stanford University, California Institute of Technology, and Harvard University. Others have gone into private industry at leading organizations such as Google, Facebook, and Apple. 

Additional information on the graduate program is available from the Department of Physics , and requirements for the degree are detailed in Policies . 

Areas of Study

Engineering and Physical Biology | Experimental Astrophysics | Experimental Physics | Theoretical Astrophysics | Theoretical Physics | Unspecified

Admissions Requirements

Please review the admissions requirements and other information before applying. You can find degree program-specific admissions requirements below and access additional guidance on applying from the Department of Physics .

Academic Background

Applicants should be well versed in undergraduate-level physics and mathematics. Typically, applicants will have devoted approximately half of their undergraduate work to physics and related subjects such as mathematics and chemistry. It is desirable for every applicant to have completed at least one year of introductory quantum mechanics classes. An applicant who has a marked interest in a particular branch of physics should include this information in the application. If possible, applicants should also indicate whether they are inclined toward experimental or theoretical (mathematical) research. This statement of preference will not be treated as a binding commitment to any course of study and research. In the Advanced Coursework section of the online application, prospective students must indicate the six most advanced courses (four in physics and two in mathematics) they completed or will complete at their undergraduate institution.

Personal Statement

Not Accepted

Standardized Tests

GRE General: Optional GRE Subject Test: Optional

Theses and Dissertations

Theses & Dissertations for Physics

See list of Physics faculty

APPLICATION DEADLINE

Questions about the program.

Department of Physics

Introduction to the Graduate Program

Thank you for your interest in graduate studies in Physics. Here we give a general overview of Princeton’s Physics Ph.D. program. For information on admissions and more detailed program requirements, please see the links to the left.

We welcome students from diverse backgrounds and strive to provide a sense of community and inclusiveness where students are enabled to achieve their full potential. Graduate study in the Department of Physics is strongly focused on research , and only the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) program is offered. The Physics Department maintains an active research program with equal emphasis on theoretical and experimental studies. Besides its traditional strengths in theoretical and experimental elementary particle physics, theoretical and experimental gravity and cosmology, experimental nuclear and atomic physics, mathematical physics, and theoretical condensed matter physics, it has newer strong and growing groups in experimental condensed matter physics and biophysics.

Physics department faculty and graduate students are active in research collaborations with scientists in several other departments, including astrophysical sciences , electrical engineering , chemistry , biology , neuroscience , and the program in quantitative and computational biology , as well as the Institute for Advanced Study and the Princeton Institute for the Science and Technology of Materials . If prior approval is obtained, students may conduct their research under the supervision of advisers from outside the physics department.

For information on graduate student life check out the Student Experience page

For more information, please contact :  Professor Simone Giombi, Director of Graduate Studies

PhD Handbook

The Ph.D. is at its core a research degree. The degree requires substantial original research, presented in the form of a dissertation. The path to the Ph.D. consists of two stages. In the first (pre-dissertator) stage, the student passes the department’s Qualifying Examination, completes required coursework (core and minor), and starts research with their faculty research advisor in preparation for the Preliminary Examination. Once the student completes all departmental and Graduate School requirements and passes the Preliminary Examination, the student has achieved dissertator status. In this stage of the program, the student focuses on their thesis research and completes their dissertation. The student defends the dissertation in the thesis defense. The student then deposits the dissertation with the Graduate School, which is the final step to the degree. The requirements for the Ph.D. are in accordance with the department’s learning goals of the program, and UW-Madison Graduate School policy. The full details of the program requirements can be found in the GUIDE .

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CREDIT REQUIREMENTS

Total Credits

The Physics Ph.D. degree includes a number of coursework and credit requirements. The Ph.D. degree itself requires 51 credits in total to align with the Graduate School minimum graduate degree credit requirement:

https://grad.wisc.edu/documents/minimum-graduate-degree-credit-requirement/

Credits Before Dissertator Status

The Graduate School minimum graduate residence requirement requires that at least 32 credits towards the doctoral degree must be completed prior to achieving dissertator status:

https://grad.wisc.edu/documents/minimum-graduate-residence-credit-requirement/

The 32 credits are achieved via the core coursework sequence, the Ph.D. minor, and a combination of other coursework and Physics 990 research. 15 of the credits will be accumulated from the Physics core coursework and a minimum of 9 credits will be accumulated from the minor. The remaining 8 credits can include research or other coursework.

Graduate Level Credits

The Graduate School minimum graduate coursework (50%) requirement states that at least 50% of the 51 credits must be at least 700 and above or courses with the Graduate Coursework (G50%) attribute:

https://grad.wisc.edu/documents/minimum-grad-coursework-requirement/

To determine which courses can be used to satisfy the graduate level (G50%) credit requirement, please consult http://enroll.wisc.edu   (Search: “Other Options”, check the box “50% Graduate Coursework Requirement”). This will provide accurate results of which courses have been approved through the University to count towards the G50% requirement.

STEPS TO THE PHD

The steps to the Ph.D. are:

• Pass the departmental Qualifying Examination
• Complete the required core coursework
• Complete the minor requirement
• Acquire a faculty research advisor and begin research
• Pass the Preliminary Examination
• Complete thesis research and defend the dissertation
• Deposit the dissertation with the Graduate School

SATISFACTORY PROGRESS

• Enroll each semester according to the Graduate School minimum enrollment requirements ( https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1208 ) and the department’s enrollment requirements (described below).
• Maintain an overall graduate GPA of 3.0 or above (Graduate School requirement: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1203 ).
• Pass each of the four sections of the Qualifying Exam at the Ph.D. level (nominally 60% or above) within the four officially allowed consecutive attempts (see Qualifying Exam section below), as required for continuation in the Ph.D. program.
• Make progress on completing relevant coursework in a timely fashion.    This includes core coursework, minor coursework, and satisfying Graduate School credit requirements (further details are described below under coursework and minor requirements).
• Make progress in acquiring a faculty research advisor and joining a research group in a timely fashion, preferably by the beginning of the summer following the first year in the program.
• Make satisfactory progress in research as judged by the faculty advisor.
• A typical timeline is for students to take and pass the Preliminary Exam is in the third year of the Ph.D. program, though this can vary significantly by subfield.  
• Make satisfactory progress in research as judged by the faculty advisor by earning a P (Progress) or S (Satisfactory) in 990 research each semester.
• Successfully completing and defending the doctoral thesis within five years of passing the Preliminary Exam.

FIRST-YEAR COMMITTEE

A committee of 4-6 faculty serve, in pairs, in the capacity as advisors for 1 st year grad students. The purpose of the committee is to provide consistent guidance on 1 st year courses, student specific qualifying exam guidance, and to provide mentorship before students establish a long-term thesis advisor.

Each incoming student will be scheduled for a meeting with their assigned First Year Committee faculty pair in advance of the fall semester.  Committee members will meet again with students before the start of the second semester and at the end of the second semester to check on progress and advise students on future course work, qualifying exam progress, and guidance finding a permanent thesis advisor.

The Graduate School policy indicates the minimum enrollment requirements each semester:  https://grad.wisc.edu/documents/enrollment-requirements/

Physics Ph.D. students must enroll in at least 2 credits of Physics coursework each semester until the Preliminary Exam is completed. Individual 1 credit courses or a combination of 1 credit courses, such as Physics 701 and 801, do not count towards this requirement.

It is often suggested that students who hold teaching assistant (TA) appointments take only 6 credits during their first semester, as more than this may affect performance in both teaching and coursework as students become acquainted with the demands of the program. After the first semester, students are encouraged to take three courses per semester until they reach dissertator status. All students are encouraged to consult with the faculty advisor and mentoring committee to discuss the course schedule each semester.

Core Course Sequence

All physics Ph.D. students must take the Physics core course sequence and achieve a grade of B or better in each core course or repeat these courses until a B grade is achieved.  The core courses are as follows:

• Physics 711 (Dynamics)
• Physics 715 (Statistical Mechanics)
• Physics 721 (Electrodynamics)
• Physics 731 (Quantum Mechanics)
• Physics 732 (Quantum Mechanics)

Course Waivers: Prior Coursework

Students who believe that they have done graduate-level work in one or more of the core course subjects prior to their arrival may be eligible for course waivers, or they may decide to try to test out of these subjects. Course waivers or test-out forms are available for those students who have taken equivalent courses at another institution. Waivers of core courses can be granted for credits earned at other universities in equivalent graduate-level courses, pending approval by the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies. Students who believe that they qualify for a waiver of the course requirement for a core course based on prior graduate course work from another institution should request consideration for a waiver within the first month of the graduate program. The Graduate School will allow these credits to count towards the graduate degree at UW-Madison only if they were earned post-baccalaureate as outlined in the Prior Coursework policy:

https://grad.wisc.edu/documents/prior-coursework/

Students who believe that they have had graduate level coursework in a subject or subjects comparable to what is covered in the core courses, but who do not clearly qualify for a waiver of any specific courses, have the option of trying to test out of the course. At a minimum, this typically requires passing the final exam for the course at a level that would clearly lead to a grade of B or better in the course. Requests to test out of core courses should be made to the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies during the first month in the graduate program. Testing is to be completed during the first semester in the graduate program. Testing out of a course does not include any credits towards a graduate degree at UW-Madison.

Breadth is a required component of graduate study at UW-Madison.  The Graduate School policy outlines the minimum requirements for all doctoral minors:

https://grad.wisc.edu/documents/minors/

The purpose of the minor is to add breadth to the Ph.D. course of study by broadening students’ knowledge of physics or related fields, and/or to support their research and prospective professional activities. There are two options for completing the minor – Option A: External or Option B: Distributed. Minors must be approved by the faculty advisor and the Associate Chair for Graduate Program.  Option A: External minors must also be approved by the appropriate channels in the external department. The Ph.D. Minor Form must be completed, signed, and returned to the Graduate Coordinator at or before the time the warrant for the Preliminary Exam is requested.  In addition, all Graduate School students must utilize the Graduate Student Portal ( MyGradPortal in MyUW) to  add/change their doctoral minor.  (NOTE:  Physics students will not be allowed to select a Physics GMIN.  If you are completing a Distributed minor (see below), you should select Distributed GMIN.)

Option A Minor: External

• Minimum of 9 credits in an external department at the graduate level
• Consists of coursework in one single department outside of the Department of Physics and is named accordingly
• Consult with the minor department for specific minor requirements and the processes to declare an external minor in another department
• A list of all external doctoral minors and the Graduate School external minor requirement: https://guide.wisc.edu/graduate/#doctoralminorstext

Option B Minor: Distributed

• Minimum of 9 credits of minor coursework taken in one or more departments
• Must include a minimum of 3 credits in Physics at or above the 500 level
• Coursework must be outside of the student’s area of specialization, form a coherent theme, and provide breadth in programmatic or professional development
• Physics core coursework may NOT be counted towards the minor
• Additional coursework relevant to the student’s area of specialization may NOT be counted towards the minor
• Up to 3 credits of the 9 credits may be satisfied by Physics 900 (Colloquium) which is a 1 credit course offered every semester
• 1 credit of the 9 credits may be satisfied by Physics 701 (First Year Seminar)

Physics Minor for Non-Physics Students

The doctoral minor requirement in Physics for non-physics graduate students is 9 credits numbered above 300, each passed with a B or better. The program must be approved by the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies before it is completed:

https://guide.wisc.edu/graduate/physics/physics-doctoral-minor/index.html

The Graduate School provides information on graduate assistantships, benefits, minimum stipend levels, and stipend levels by program: https://grad.wisc.edu/funding/graduate-assistantships/

The Graduate Assistantship Policies and Procedures (GAPP) document outlines campus level policies and procedures for Project (PA), Teaching (TA), and Research (RA) Assistants.   https://hr.wisc.edu/policies/gapp/

Teaching Assistant (TA)

Many Physics Ph.D. students will hold a teaching assistantship (TA) at some point during the program. A TA is both a job and a means of financial support for graduate study. Because of the coexistence of these two functions, the relationship between the department and the individual teaching assistant (TA) is complex. The advantages of holding a teaching assistantship for at least one semester during graduate studies are that teaching activities solidify and deepen the teaching assistant’s undergraduate education in physics, help improve communication skills, and help prepare for a possible career in teaching. Because teaching is a job, the Department of Physics conducts regular TA evaluations. TA’s are evaluated by their students at the middle and end of each semester.  The purpose of the mid-term evaluation is for the TA to get feedback from the students (who remain anonymous), while there is still time to change teaching practices. The mid-term evaluations are not part of the TA’s permanent record. The final evaluation results in a letter, which does remain on the TA’s record, in which the TA’s performance is classified as either Excellent, Very Good, Good, Satisfactory, Marginally Satisfactory, or Unsatisfactory.

Because teaching is a means of financial support for graduate study, the Department of Physics typically admits graduate students with a guarantee of support in the form of a TA. This guarantee is described in each student’s offer of admission. During the time covered by the funding guarantee, students who are not supported as RA’s or Fellows, and who remain in good standing and making satisfactory progress, are guaranteed by the department to be supported as TA’s during the academic year.

After the natural expiration of the funding guarantee, students who need TA positions during the academic year may apply for them, but cannot be assured of receiving them. The number of TA positions available depends on the number of undergraduates who enroll in physics classes that use TA’s, as well on the percentage time of each position. Whereas guarantees of support typically specify 50%-time appointments, the minimum percentage required for a TA to receive a tuition remission is 33%. The Department of Physics sometimes offers non-guaranteed graduate students 33% positions, in order to maximize the number of students who might receive the tuition remission. On occasion students have requested 33% positions rather that 50% positions in order to free up more time for research. If a TA in the Physics Ph.D. program switches to another graduate program on campus, the physics department’s commitment to continuing support is terminated.

There are a small number of TA positions available in the summer term. Please note that the support guarantee does not extend into the summer. Depending on the number of requests, TA positions may or may not be available for all who request them. For further information about summer TA positions, please consult the Director of Undergraduate Studies. The majority of TA positions are in large general Physics classes for non-physics-majors. TA’s in these classes lead both discussion sections and laboratory sections. There are also a few TA positions in smaller, more advanced classes for physics majors. These are usually (although not always) given to experienced TA’s. Some involve discussion only (no lab), others involve lab only (no discussion).

Research Assistant (RA)

Many Physics Ph.D. students will hold a research assistantship (RA) at some point during the program.  RA positions are made available by individual professors to students who have decided on their field of research. Students who wish to be considered for an RA appointment should contact the faculty directly.

Fellowship opportunities for graduate students include external fellowships, as well as supplemental fellowship opportunities that are available through the UW-Madison campus or the Department of Physics. UW campus fellowship opportunities include University Fellowships and Advanced Opportunity Fellowships (AOF), which are awarded by the Graduate School upon recommendation of the Department of Physics during the admissions process. The Department may also have fellowships available for incoming first-year graduate students.  Funding for graduate student fellowship support is made possible by generous endowments from Physics Department alumni. Information about fellowships.

QUALIFYING EXAM

The qualifying exam requirement is designed to verify that any student leaving UW-Madison with a Ph.D. in physics has a sophisticated understanding of undergraduate physics. Undergraduate physics is a body of knowledge that is critical to experimentalists and theorists.

The qualifying exam is a written exam that assesses students’ understanding of core physics topics at the undergraduate level. The exam helps to ensure the strong foundation that is needed for demonstrating mastery of core physical concepts in Classical Mechanics, Electricity and Magnetism, Quantum Mechanics, and Statistical Mechanics, which is one of the learning outcomes for the physics Ph.D. program. https://guide.wisc.edu/graduate/physics/physics-phd/#learningoutcomestext

The exam is offered twice a year. The dates will be posted on the Graduate Program Events calendar:  https://www.physics.wisc.edu/twap/?name=grad     Students with special requirements must consult with the Graduate Coordinator in advance (at minimum two weeks before the exam, or earlier if a specified deadline is given).

The exam is separated into four sections:

• Classical Mechanics (CM)
• Electricity and Magnetism (EM)
• Statistical Mechanics/Thermodynamics (SM)
• Quantum Mechanics (QM)

The nominal Ph.D. passing score for each section is 60% and the nominal Master’s passing score for each section is 50%.

Each exam section can be passed independently. If a student receives a failing score on one or more sections of the exam, in subsequent attempts the student only needs to take the section or sections of the exam that remain to be passed.

All physics Ph.D. students have four consecutive opportunities within the first two years of the program to pass the exam in its entirety at the Ph.D. level. All entering Ph.D. students are required to take the qualifying exam in its entirety in their first semester in the program.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the timeline for students who started the program in Fall 2020 to complete the qualifying exam requirement with the four allowed attempts is extended by one semester (Fall 2022).

Students that pass all sections of the exam at the Ph.D. level within the four allowed attempts have passed the department’s qualifying exam requirement and have received qualification status for continuing in the Ph.D. program.

Exam Structure

The qualifying exam is held at the start of every fall and spring semester. Each section of the exam is 1.5 hours long. .

Each section of the exam consists of five problems. Students are to do the first two problems, which are at the calculus-based introductory level, and to do two other problems (out of three offered) at the intermediate/advanced level. Students must only submit answers to these four problems for each section of the exam. The first two problems comprise one-third of the total score, and the second two chosen problems comprise the remaining two-thirds of the total score.

Exam Topics

The exam covers standard topics as included in undergraduate physics courses in CM, EM, QM, and SM at both the introductory and intermediate/advanced levels. These topics may include:

• CM: motion in electromagnetic and gravitational fields, rigid bodies, coupled oscillations, and continuum vibrations;
• EM: statics, fields in matter, time-dependent fields, Maxwell’s equations, light and radiation (with optics and circuits covered at the introductory level);
• QM: wave mechanics, matrix mechanics, observables and measurements, angular momentum, perturbation theory, elementary atomic physics, and elementary scattering theory;
• SM: thermodynamics and statistical mechanics of matter and radiation.

Grading Policies

The exam is graded anonymously by faculty.  The Qualifying Exam Committee reviews all graded problems in detail. It is only after this thorough review that the final grade of pass or fail for each student in each exam section is assigned. The results are then unblinded and distributed.  Students receive their scores and the grading rubrics used by faculty in grading the exam.

Students may request a review of their grades for specific exam problems to the chair of the Qualifying Exam Committee at any point within two weeks after the exam is returned.  The committee chair consults with the faculty that graded the problems in question and returns the final grade determination to the student.  Students should be aware that the grading rubrics used for assigning partial credit, which are also reviewed prior to the final pass or fail score assignments, are generally respected unless there are obvious inconsistencies or errors.

Appeal Process

If a student does not pass all four topical areas of the written qualifying exam at the Ph.D. level after the four exam attempts, the student can request an appeal. An appeals committee is then formed to assess the student’s case. The appeals committee consists of a faculty member of the student’s choosing, such as the student’s faculty advisor, and two other faculty that are to be determined on a case-by-case basis by the Qualifying Exam Committee. Further information about the appeals process will be provide on an individual basis when relevant at the time when qualifying exam scores are returned.

The appeal is designed to be a broad assessment that includes the student’s prior qualifying exam results, performance in graduate courses, and progress to date in research. Upon evaluating all factors, the appeals committee makes the final decision as to whether the student has achieved qualification status to continue in the Ph.D. program.

FACULTY RESEARCH ADVISOR

The responsibility to acquire and be accepted by a faculty research advisor, is entirely with the student. Acceptance for Ph.D. research by a faculty member depends on the professor’s appraisal of the student’s potential for research and on the ability of the professor to accept a student at that time. All incoming students are assigned a temporary advisor to help oversee their progress in the first few semesters in the program, but the temporary advisor is not automatically the research advisor unless there is a clear and concrete understanding between both the student and the faculty advisor that the student has already been accepted by that professor into their group.

To aid incoming students in selecting a research area and faculty advisor, Physics 701: Introductory Seminar, is offered each fall semester.  In this course, professors from each of the research groups describe their research, show their laboratories, and discuss matters of general interest to graduate students. First-year students are required to enroll in Physics 701.

Graduate students should begin research work as early as possible. Ideally students make progress in acquiring a faculty research advisor and joining a research group in a timely fashion, preferably by the beginning of the summer after the first year.  The summer after the first year is the ideal time to do research unencumbered by course work or teaching. It is also very important to determine summer funding support options as soon as possible. Ideally most students will have begun a trial project with an advisor or at least made the necessary introductions and have at least one solid prospect by the end of the first year.

MASTER’S DEGREES

Master of Arts (M.A.)

The master of arts degree is a purely academic degree, requiring 30 credits of graduate course work, completion of the core graduate coursework and passage of the qualifying exam at the master’s level. It is designed to strengthen the student’s physics background and enhance the opportunities for employment as a physicist or in physics education.

To earn the M.A. degree in the Department of Physics, a student must satisfy the department’s minimum graduate-level credit requirement and pass the qualifying exam at the master’s level. The department requires at least 30 credits at the 500 level or above. 15 of the 30 credits must be earned from taking the physics core graduate courses, each passed with a grade of B or better. These courses are Physics 711 (Dynamics), 715 (Statistical Mechanics), 721 (Electrodynamics), and 731 and 732 (Quantum Mechanics). The remaining 15 credits may be earned through a combination of coursework, directed study, and research to be determined in consultation with the student’s faculty advisor. The courses should be selected in consultation with the student’s faculty advisor to best meet the student’s professional objectives.

The M.A. degree requires the student to complete the add/change program/plan process through the Graduate School. In this case, the student must request to “add” the M.A. plan to their student record. Once the M.A. plan has been added to the student record, and all M.A. degree requirements have been met, a warrant request can be made to the Graduate Coordinator, allowing at least three weeks for the warrant to be processed.

Master of Science (M.S.)

The master of science degree in Physics requires the completion of a directed master’s project and thesis in the student’s area of interest, completion of the core graduate coursework, and passage of the qualifying exam at the master’s level. It is designed to strengthen the student’s background and experience in physics, and enhance the opportunities for employment as a physicist or in physics education.

To earn the M.S. degree in the Department of Physics, a student must satisfy the department’s minimum graduate level credit requirement and pass the Qualifying Exam at the Master’s level. The department requires at least 30 credits at the 500 level or above. 15 of the 30 credits must be earned from taking the core graduate courses, each passed with a grade of B or better. These courses are Physics 711 (Dynamics), 715 (Statistical Mechanics), 721 (Electrodynamics), and 731 and 732 (Quantum Mechanics). The remaining 15 credits may be earned through a combination of coursework, directed study, and research to be determined in consultation with the student’s academic advisor. The courses should be selected in consultation with the student’s advisor to best meet the student’s professional objectives.

Additionally, the student must present satisfactory evidence of scientific research, writing, and presentation skills. This will usually be done through a master’s research project that results in the submission of a master’s thesis written at a satisfactorily professional level, together with an oral presentation of the project in a master’s thesis defense.

The M.S. degree requires the student to complete the add/change program/plan process through the Graduate School. In this case, the student must request to “add” the M.S. plan to their student record. Once the M.S. plan has been added to the student record, a warrant request can be made to the Graduate Coordinator, allowing at least three weeks for the warrant to be processed.

PRELIMINARY EXAM

The Preliminary Exam must be passed for admission to candidacy for the Ph.D. and to achieve dissertator status through the Graduate School. It should be taken no later than the end of the fifth semester in the program, unless a student has received approval for an extension.  If the Preliminary Exam not passed on the first attempt, it may be repeated once before the end of the sixth semester.

The Preliminary Exam is intended to test whether the student has mastered the physics and technology necessary for research in the proposed general area of study, and to assess whether the student is on track to satisfying the department’s learning goals for the Ph.D. degree. The Preliminary Exam is held before the student’s Preliminary Exam Committee, which typically consists of four members:

• Faculty research advisor, who serves as the chair of the committee
• Faculty representative from the departmental Preliminary Exam Committee (student should contact the current Prelim Committee Chair to obtain this member)
• Two additional committee member(s) typically chosen by the student in consultation with their advisor.  Typically a UW-Madison faculty either in physics or another related department.

The exam is typically scheduled during a two-hour time block.  The student gives a presentation aimed at a general physics audience and should be understandable for a physicist working in an entirely different area.  The format can vary slightly depending on the research advisor and research group, but it typically begins with a one-hour presentation covering a subject in the student’s chosen area of research, and is followed by a question and answer period designed to assess the student’s background knowledge and research potential. The committee will ask questions to clarify points made in the talk and determine if the student adequately understands the physics behind the topics that were discussed.  The question and answer period typically takes place both in open session (in front of a general audience) and in closed session (just in front of the committee). The committee will deliberate the exam outcome in closed session, and communicates the result to the student once the decision is made. The committee will indicate the result of pass by signing the Preliminary Exam warrant.

A student planning to take the Preliminary Examination will need to present a completed and signed Minor Form and request a Preliminary Examination warrant from the Graduate Coordinator at least three weeks prior to the date of the examination. After the exam, the Graduate Coordinator will route the warrant for digital signatures and, once signed, will submit it to the Graduate School for processing of dissertator status. Students will receive an email confirmation from the Graduate School once the signed warrant has been submitted confirming dissertator status for the next semester.

DISSERTATOR STATUS

The Graduate School sets the minimum requirements and deadlines each semester for dissertator status:

https://grad.wisc.edu/deadlines/

https://grad.wisc.edu/documents/dissertator-status/

Dissertator status is effective at the start of the semester immediately following the completion of these requirements. In addition to the Graduate School requirements for dissertator status, the Physics program also requires students to:

• Pass the Qualifying Exam at the Ph.D. level
• Complete the required core coursework with a grade of B or better
• Satisfy the minor requirement
• Pass the Preliminary Exam

DOCTORAL DEGREE

Thesis Defense

The doctoral thesis defense is an oral defense of the dissertation. The thesis defense includes both a presentation of the dissertation material, and a question and answer sessions that can take place both in open session (in front of a general audience) and closed session (only the doctoral thesis committee). Graduate School policy requires that the thesis defense must be completed within five years of passing the Preliminary Examination. Details from the Graduate School about the final oral examination (thesis defense) can be found here:  https://grad.wisc.edu/documents/final-oral-examination/

The thesis defense also requires a warrant. Warrant requests must be made to the Graduate Coordinator at least three weeks prior to the date of the thesis defense.  The date, time, and location of the defense, as well as the dissertation title and committee members, must be finalized before requesting the warrant.

Thesis Committee

In accordance with Graduate School policy, the doctoral thesis committee consists of the student’s faculty advisor and three other committee members. The chair or one of the co-chair’s must be graduate faculty from the Department of Physics.  At least three of the members must be graduate faculty; at least one of the faculty must be from another graduate program.  Further details are available here: https://grad.wisc.edu/documents/committees/

The Graduate School doctoral guide outlines the specific formatting requirements for the dissertation as well as the steps to deposit the dissertation: https://grad.wisc.edu/current-students/doctoral-guide/

Degrees at UW-Madison are conferred three times during the year by academic term: Fall, Spring, & Summer.  The date the dissertation is deposited to the Graduate School determines the degree term.  The Graduate School degree deadlines are listed here: https://grad.wisc.edu/deadlines/

Degree Conferral & Payroll End Dates

The Graduate School policy on degree conferral and payroll end dates explains how students maintain tuition remission and the degree window period.

Graduate students should consult their faculty advisor, mentoring committee, the Associate Chair for Graduate Program, and/or the Graduate Coordinator about any concerns related to academic issues or the academic environment. Graduate students may also reach out directly to the Department Chair as an alternate approach. The hope is that this will result in the development of a working environment that all will find supportive. If graduate students have a question of whether or not a situation or discomfort should be discussed, the answer is YES! Any issue that is troubling should be addressed and, if it is within the Department’s authority, it will be resolved.

If a graduate student feels unfairly treated or aggrieved by faculty, staff, or another student, it is recommended that the concerns are first handled directly with the person responsible for the objectionable action, if possible. If the student is uncomfortable making direct contact with the individual(s) involved, the student should contact the faculty advisor or the person in charge of the unit where the action occurred (program or department chair, section chair, lab manager, etc.), and/or contact the people mentioned above.

There are also resources and formal grievance procedures at the campus level that can be followed, which are outlined in the Graduate School policies: https://grad.wisc.edu/documents/grievances-and-appeals/

The following resources may also be helpful in addressing concerns:

• Bias or Hate Reporting
• Graduate Assistantship Policies and Procedures
• Office of the Provost for Faculty and Staff Affairs
• Dean of Students Office  (for all students to seek grievance assistance and support)
• Employee Assistance  (for personal counseling and workplace consultation around communication and conflict involving graduate assistants and other employees, post-doctoral students, faculty and staff)
• Employee Disability Resource Office  (for qualified employees or applicants with disabilities to have equal employment opportunities)
• Graduate School  (for informal advice at any level of review and for official appeals of program/departmental or school/college grievance decisions)
• Office of Compliance  (for class harassment and discrimination, including sexual harassment and sexual violence)
• Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards  (for conflicts involving students)
• Ombuds Office for Faculty and Staff  (for employed graduate students and post-docs, as well as faculty and staff)
• Title IX  (for concerns about discrimination)

LEAVE OF ABSENCE

While in most cases participation in the program is continuous over time, students sometimes find it necessary to take a temporary leave of absence. Graduate students may request a leave of absence for one semester or for one year by submitting a form outlining the timeline for the leave and general reasons. The faculty advisor must agree that the student is leaving in good standing and may re-enter the program in a reasonable stated length of time. The Department Chair, in consultation with the Associate Chair for Graduate Program, will review all leave of absence requests.

If a student is granted a one semester leave of absence, the milestone due dates and terminal deadlines are pushed back one semester. If a student is granted a full year leave of absence, all due dates and deadlines are pushed back one year. Students may be granted a leave of absence for no more than one year at a time.  Students who do not register for more than one semester (Fall or Spring) will be considered inactive by Graduate School standards and must apply for re-entry.  Students who take a leave of absence and are in good standing are likely to be approved for re-entry upon return.  Prior funding guarantees may or may not continue to be in effect and will be decided in a case by case basis.  A leave of absence is not required for summer term as summer term is not a required term of enrollment if a student is not being paid as a graduate assistant or fellow.

Graduate students who leave the program in good standing for more than one term (not including summer) may request re-entry to the program by completing the Graduate School application for re-admission. Department leadership will review the request based on the information provided at the time the student plans to return.

The Graduate School outlines the policy for readmission for previously enrolled graduate students: https://grad.wisc.edu/documents/readmission/

Time Limits

In addition, the Graduate School specifies time limits for completion of current coursework and research.  Students who take a leave of absence or re-enter into the program should be aware of these policies: https://grad.wisc.edu/documents/time-limits/

The Department Chair has the authority to make individual exceptions to policies found in the PhD program handbook. Exceptions must involve extenuating and/or unique individual circumstances. Requests for such exceptions should be made in writing to the Associate Chair for Graduate Program from the student and/or faculty advisor.

Quick Links +

Phd program.

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree requires a thorough understanding of the foundations of physics and mathematical methods as evidenced by performance on the written Preliminary Exam and the oral Qualifying Exam, as well as submission of a dissertation which must include an original contribution to fundamental physics. There is no foreign language requirement for the Ph.D. degree.

Ph.D. students must complete the  graduate core courses  in classical physics (200ABC), statistical physics (219A), and quantum mechanics (215AB). Most students are also required to take either field theory (230A) or a third quarter of quantum mechanics (215C), with the choice usually depending on the student's planned research area. The required curriculum can be tailored to fit an individual student's preparation and needs. Students who have completed graduate classes elsewhere may have certain requirements waived, while students who have gaps in their undergraduate preparation or who have taken time away from school may begin their studies with advanced undergraduate courses. A faculty adviser consults with each incoming student about possible deviations from the standard coursework. First-year students must also enroll in the Colloquium (290), in which outside speakers give broad overviews of topics of current research, and an introduction to department research (295), in which UC Davis faculty members discuss their own research. Physics 295 is especially useful for students as they pick a specialization and Ph.D. adviser.

Each research area requires a  cluster  of more specialized classes, which students normally take during their second year of graduate school.

The  Preliminary Exam  is given twice a year, in Fall before the start of classes and during the Spring quarter. The exam covers Upper Division undergraduate physics, and students are expected to pass the exam by the end of their second year.

After beginning their research, students prepare for the  Qualifying Examination , which should be taken during the third year of graduate school.This exam consists of a research talk by the student and a question session. Questions often emphasize the candidate's broad field of specialization but can address any area. After the student passes the oral exam, the only remaining requirement is the dissertation itself.

Typical time for completion of the Ph.D. degree is five to seven years, although we see times outside range in both directions. The duration depends on the student's preparation, the research area, and how fully the student devotes him/herself to the work. Events outside the student's control can also have significant influence, from the weather during scheduled telescope time to problems with a particle accelerator.

Students making good progress towards their degrees usually have  funding  through teaching, research, or  fellowship  positions for their entire time in graduate school.

This  timeline  outlines the expected progress.

Physics, PhD

Zanvyl krieger school of arts and sciences, admission requirements.

To obtain admission, a student is expected to submit evidence that they have a good chance to succeed. 

A complete application will include:

• Statement of purpose. We look for a thoughtful, well-written statement that shows the ability to overcome challenges, dedication to attain chosen goals, a capacity for creativity, an understanding of physics and/or astronomy, and any other indication of potential for research.
• Three letters of recommendation. Recommendation letters should help us evaluate your capacity for research, the most important criterion for admission.
• Transcripts of all previous work. Transcripts submitted with the application may be unofficial transcripts. Successful applicants who accept the offer of admission must supply an official transcript before they can begin the PhD program at JHU. In the case of students in the final year of their bachelors program, the official transcript must show completion of all coursework required for the degree.
• TOEFL or IELTS for international students. A reproduction is acceptable. Johns Hopkins prefers a minimum score of 600 (paper-based) or 250 (computer-based) or 100 (Internet-based) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
• $75 non-refundable application fee. The application fee may be waived .

Note: submission of General GRE and Physics GRE scores is optional.

Successful applicants applying in the last year of their Bachelor’s program will need to demonstrate the completion of their Bachelor’s degree program before they can begin the Ph.D. program at JHU.

Program Requirements

The Ph.D. program has strong emphasis on early and active involvement in graduate research. Thus, students are required to have a research advisor and file a research summary every semester they are enrolled in the program, starting with the first one. Furthermore, students must complete the required courses with a grade of B- or better; the coursework is typically done over the first two years. In the beginning of the second year, students complete the research examination, and in the beginning of the third year – the University’s Graduate Board Oral examination, both of which are based on completed or proposed research. During the first two years, students are typically involved in introductory research projects, which may or may not be related to their thesis work, and sometimes work with several different advisors, but they must identify (and have an agreement with) a thesis advisor no later than the beginning of their third year in the program, after which point students focus on their thesis research. The thesis is to be completed by no later than the end of the 6th year, ending with an oral presentation of the thesis to a faculty committee.

Course Requirements

Ph.d. in physics.

Students must complete the following courses:

Ph.D. in Astronomy and Astrophysics

Students in both programs must receive at least a B- in each required course, or they will be required to retake the specific course once more and pass it. Graduate courses may only be retaken once.

The department offers a wide range of graduate physics, astrophysics, mathematical methods and statistics classes, and while only five are required, the students are encouraged to use the flexibility of the graduate program and the available classes to design programs of study that best prepare them for their chosen area of research. In addition to the required courses listed above, below is the list of the graduate courses that have been taught in recent years:

Research and Advising

The principal goal of graduate study is to train the student to conduct original research. Therefore, physics and astronomy graduate students at Johns Hopkins are involved in research starting in their first semester in the program.

First and Second-Year Research Requirement

By the end of September, the student chooses their first research advisor among the professorial faculty and starts working on the first-semester research project. If the proposed research advisor does not hold a primary appointment as a tenure-track or research faculty member in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, the form must be co-signed by a PHA faculty member, who will provide mentorship  (relevant department faculty members list) . This requirement holds for all semesters of research. The first-semester project continues through intersession in January. The spring-semester research project continues until the end of the spring semester. The summer semester lasts from June through August. Students may continue with one advisor through the entire first year, or they may choose to cycle through several different research advisers from one semester to the next.

This system of semester projects continues during the first two years of the program, when students also complete required coursework. The nature of these first- and second-year research projects varies from student to student, from advisor to advisor and from one sub-field of physics to another. Some may be self-contained research projects that lead to published scientific papers and may or may not be related to the thesis research in later years. Others may comprise reading or independent-study projects to develop background for subsequent research. In other cases, they may be first steps in a longer-term research project.

This system accommodates both the students who have chosen the direction of their thesis work before graduate school and those who would like to try a few different things before committing to a long-term project. As students get more familiar with the department and the research opportunities, they zero in on their thesis topic and find a thesis advisor. This may happen any time during the first two years, and students are required to find a thesis advisor by the beginning of the third year.

Thesis Research and Defense

Securing a mutual agreement with a thesis advisor is one of the most important milestones of our graduate program. Students must find a thesis advisor and submit the thesis advisor form before the first day of their 3rd year. The form represents a long-term commitment and serious efforts in planning and communication between the student and the advisor. If the proposed thesis advisor does not hold a primary appointment as a tenure-track or research faculty member in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, the form must be co-signed by a PHA faculty member, who will serve as the departmental advisor of record (relevant department faculty members list) . 

After the student chooses a thesis advisor, the student forms their Thesis Committee consisting of three faculty members in the Dept. of Physics and Astronomy (PHA). At least two should be tenure track faculty with primary appointments in PHA. An external advisor may be added as the fourth member of the committee. These committees function as extended advisory bodies; students have the opportunity to discuss their progress and problems with several faculty. They also conduct one formal annual review of each student’s progress.

Research leading to the dissertation can be carried out not only within the Department of Physics and Astronomy, but with appropriate arrangements, either partly or entirely at other locations if necessitated by the project goals. At the conclusion of thesis research, the student presents the written dissertation to the faculty committee and defends the thesis in an oral examination.

Requirements for the M.A. Degree

Although the department does not admit students who intend to pursue the master’s degree exclusively, students in the department’s Ph.D. program and students in other Ph.D. programs at Johns Hopkins may apply to fulfill the requirements for the M.A. degree in the Department of Physics and Astronomy. Students from other JHU departments must seek approval from their home department and from the Department of Physics and Astronomy.

Before beginning their M.A. studies, students must have mastered the undergraduate physics material covered by the following courses:

Students must receive at least a B- in each required course, or they will be required to retake the specific course once more and pass it.  Graduate courses may only be retaken once.

Courses taken elsewhere may qualify at the discretion of the Graduate Program Committee (normally this requirement is satisfied by the Ph.D.-track students before they arrive at JHU as they have completed a B.A. or B.Sci. in Physics at another institution).

To qualify for the M.A. degree in Physics, students must complete eight one-semester 3-credit graduate-level courses in the Department of Physics and Astronomy and pass the departmental research exam. For the M.A. degree in Astronomy, students must complete eight one-semester 3-credit graduate-level courses in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, plus the seminar “Language of Astrophysics” and pass the departmental research exam. The student must receive a grade of B- or above in each of the courses; graduate courses can be retaken once in case of failure.

Of the eight one-semester courses, four must be the core courses listed above in the Ph.D. requirements and two must be Independent Graduate Research courses. The remaining two course requirements for the M.A. degree may be fulfilled either by 3-credit graduate electives or by additional Independent Graduate Research. The research courses must include an essay or a research report supervised and approved by a faculty member of the Department of Physics and Astronomy.

Under most circumstances students pursuing their Ph.D. qualify for the M.A. degree by the end of their second year if they have taken all four core courses in their discipline at JHU, the “Language of Astrophysics” seminar (for M.A. in Astronomy), four semesters of Independent Graduate Research, and passed the research exam. Graduate courses taken at another institution or in another department at JHU in most cases do not count toward the M.A. requirements (therefore, students who are interested in the M.A. degree, but are planning to waive any graduate courses because they have passed a comparable graduate course at another institution, should discuss their eligibility for the M.A. degree with the Academic Program Administrator as soon as they arrive at JHU). Students should expect that no M.A. requirements can be waived; that the minimal research requirement is two semesters; and that at most one of the core courses can be substituted by another (non-research) graduate course in exceptional circumstances. Any requests for M.A. course substitutions must be made to the Graduate Program Committee at least a year before the expected M.A. degree so that the committee can recommend an appropriate substitution.

Secondary Menu

• Ph.D. Requirements

Our graduate program is designed to solidify your command of the concepts and methods of the discipline through course work and research. You will participate in state-of-the-art research early on, work closely with a faculty member , and gain personal research experience and a deep understanding of a particular subfield. Your education culminates in the completion of a Ph.D. dissertation based on an original piece of research.

Requirements

Students who enter the graduate program have to complete the following milestones before they become eligible for the Ph.D. degree:

• Assessment Exams (to assess the preparation for graduate coursework)
• PHYSICS 760: Mathematical Methods of Physics
• PHYSICS 761: Classical Mechanics
• PHYSICS 762: Electrodynamics
• PHYSICS 763: Statistical Mechanics
• PHYSICS 764: Quantum Mechanics
• PHYSICS 765: Advanced Quantum Mechanics
• PHYSICS 766S: Physics Research Seminars
• In addition to the core courses students are required to take 6 credits of electives. These can be chosen from any combination of of regular courses (3 credits) or mini courses (1 credit) offered by the department at various times.
• English Examination Requirements (for non-English speaking students in the first two years)
• Annual reporting — required for each student beyond the first year, to be submitted before March 31
• Research talks — present at least one talk each year
• Preliminary Exam (any time before the end of the sixth semester)
• Responsible Conduct in Research (RCR) training (any time, total of 12 credits)
• Dissertation and Defense (final milestone)
• Students must complete at least 6 units of graduate physics elective courses. ( Mini-courses carry one unit).
• Specific research groups may have written policies of courses students should take if they intend to work in their group.

A single course may be used to satisfy both of the above conditions.

Typical Degree Timeline

• First Academic Year : Most students will work as a TA for the nine-month academic year. First-year graduate TAs are assigned duties of approximately 12–15 hours per week, normally assisting with the general undergraduate physics courses.
• First Summer : Most students will work as an RA for the three-month academic year.
• Second Academic Year : Most students resume their teaching assistantships in their second academic year, however sometimes a professor will recruit a student to work on a research project with him/her.
• Second Summer and Beyond : Most students will be working with a research group and embark on their dissertation research project.

The normal course sequence is: (Each course carries 3 credit units unless otherwise noted.)

Placeout Exams

Students who have already mastered the material in one or more of the core graduate courses may place out of the course by taking a place-out examination. In order to do so, the student should contact the DGS and the core course instructor offering the course and request for such an examination well before the course is offered. The details are then worked out on a case by case basis. It is important to note that to pass a place-out examination the student needs to show mastery of the course material at least at the 75th percentile level.

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For Graduate Students

The MIT Department of Physics has a graduate population of between 260 and 290 students, with approximately 45 students starting and graduating each year. Almost all students are pursuing a PhD degree in Physics, typically studying for 5 to 7 years and with the following degree structure:

Elements of the Doctoral Degree in Physics:

This is a roadmap for the path through our doctoral program. Each category is an element needed to complete your degree. Further information is available by clicking the accordion and links.. Read our Doctoral Guidelines PDF for more complete information.

Core Requirements – Written Exams/Classes

Students demonstrate knowledge in 4 four areas. Each of the Core Requirements can be satisfied either by:

• passing a written exam ; or
• receiving a qualifying grade in a related class.

A B+ grade or above in the related subject satisfies the requirement in:

• Classical Mechanics ( 8.309 )
• Electricity & Magnetism ( 8.311 )
• Quantum Mechanics ( 8.321 )
• Statistical Mechanics ( 8.333 )

See the Written Examination section of the General Doctoral Examination page for more information and schedule for the upcoming written examination .

Required Classes – Specialty & Breadth

In addition to the demonstrated proficiency in the 4 subject in the Written Exams, graduate students must take 4-5 additional subject classes in Physics Specialty and Breadth areas .

• The Specialty Area builds proficiency related to the student’s research area, with 2 subject classes required (3 in NUPAT and 3 in NUPAX ( effective Fall 2023 )) from the pre-approved Specialty Area chart.
• The Breadth Area extends the student’s knowledge beyond their research area with 2 subject classes in different areas of Physics. The pre-approved Breadth Area chart lists many options.
• Oral Exams are given in each Research Areas
• Team of 3 faculty examiners
• Research Supervision Form
• Research Co-Supervision Form
• Starting research work with the Supervisor’s Group
• After completing the Oral Exam
• Forming a Committee and Submitting a Thesis Proposal

Thesis Committee and Proposal

• Generally by the beginning of third year, after completing Oral Exam
• Submitting a Thesis Committee Proposal
• Completing the Committee
• Holding the first meeting
• Thesis Proposal Cover Sheet
• PHD Thesis Proposal Form
• SM Thesis Proposal Form

Preparing to Complete the Degree – Final Year

• Submitting any necessary requests for any subject substitutions, if needed.
• Consulting with Thesis Supervisor about scheduling the Thesis Defense
• International Students – Consulting International Students Office with post-completion plans
• Writing up Research in final Thesis document

Defense of Thesis Research

Student defends Thesis Research to Committee Members

Written Thesis

• Formatting Thesis

Thesis Submission and Degree Completion

• Submission of Written Thesis for MIT Archives
• Fill out the  Degree Application  through the student section of  WebSIS . Petitioning to be on the degree list for a particular commencement is required. Note that it is easier to be removed from the degree list to be added, so students are encouraged to apply for the degree list if there is any reasonable chance they will complete the PhD in the coming term.
• Full Guidelines and Policies for the MIT Physics PhD program
• Progress Benchmarks and Nominal Timetable (found under Academic Issues section)
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Note: For more detailed information regarding the cost of attendance, including specific costs for tuition and fees, books and supplies, housing and food as well as transportation, please visit the SFS website .

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Department of Physics

You are here, graduate studies - courses, courses - please note: some courses are not offered every year, please see yale course search for current course offerings, physics 500, advanced classical mechanics.

Newtonian dynamics and kinematics, Lagrangian dynamics, small oscillations, Hamiltonian dynamics and transformation theory, completely integrable systems, regular and chaotic motion of Hamiltonian systems, mechanics of continuous systems: strings and fluids.

Physics 502, Electromagnetic Theory I

Classical electromagnetic theory including boundary value problems and applications of Maxwell equations. Macroscopic description of electric and magnetic materials. Wave propagation.

Physics 504L, Modern Physics Measurements

A laboratory course with experiments in atomic, condensed matter, nuclear, and elementary particle physics. Data analysis provides an introduction to computer programming and to the elements of statistics and probability.

Physics 506, Mathematical Methods of Physics

Survey of mathematical techniques useful in physics. Includes vector and tensor analysis, group theory, complex analysis (residue calculus, method of steepest descent), differential and integral equations (regular singular points, Green’s functions), and advanced topics (Grassmann variables, path integrals, supersymmetry.

Physics 508, Quantum Mechanics I.

The principles of quantum mechanics with application to simple systems. Canonical formalism, solutions of Schrodinger’s equation, angular momentum and spin.

Physics 510, Quantum Mechanics II

Approximation methods, scattering theory and the role of symmetries. Relativistic wave equations. Second quantized treatment of identical particles. Elementary introduction to quantized fields.

Physics 512, Statistical Physics I

Review of thermodynamics, the fundamental principles of classical and quantum statistical mechanics, canonical and grand canonical ensembles, identical particles, Bose and Fermi statistics, phase-transitions and critical phenomena, renormalization group, irreversible processes, fluctuations.

Physics 515, Topics in Modern Physics Research

A seminar course intended to provide an introduction to current research in physics and an overview of physics research opportunities at Yale.

Physics 522, Introduction to Atomic Physics

This course is intended to develop basic theoretical tools needed to understand fundamental atomic processes. Emphasis given to applications in laser spectroscopy. Experimental techniques discussed when appropriate.

Physics 523, Biological Physics

An introduction to the physics of biological systems, including molecular motors, protein folding, membrane self-assembly, ion pumping, and bacterial locomotion. Background concepts in probability and statistical mechanics are introduced as necessary, as well as key constituents of living cells.

Physics 524, Introduction to Nuclear Physics

Introduction to a wide variety of topics in nuclear structure, nuclear reactions, and nuclear physics at extremes of angular momentum, isospin, energy, and energy density.

Physics 525, Quantum Physics at Femto- and Nano-scales

Classical and quantum field theories, symmetries and their breakdown, dynamics of collective excitations, renormalization group, weak coupling methods, quasi-classical approximation, topological effects, phase transitions and critical phenomena. A wide range of examples and applications will be presented, including Quantum Chromo-Dynamics, quark-gluon plasma, nuclear structure, nano-scale systems (especially graphene and carbon nano-tubes), physics of black holes and the Early Universe.

Physics 526, Introduction to Elementary Particle Physics

An overview of particle physics including a historical introduction to the standard model, experimental techniques, symmetries, conservation laws, the quark-parton model, and a semiformal treatment of the standard model.

Physics 538, Introduction to Relativistic Astrophysics and General Relativity.

Basic concepts of differential geometry (manifolds, metrics, connections, geodesics, curvature); Einstein’s equations and their application to cosmology, gravitational waves, black holes, etc.

Physics 548 and 549, Solid State Physics I and II

A two-term sequence covering the principles underlying the electrical, thermal, magnetic, and optical properties of solids, including crystal structures, phonon, energy bands, semiconductors, Fermi surfaces, magnetic resonance, phase transitions, and superconductivity. Also E&AS 850au,851bu.

Physics 602, Classical Field Theory

Covariant formulation of electrodynamics as an example of a classical relativistic field theory. Lagrangian formalism, symmetries and conservation laws, nonlinear phenomena. Introduction to general relativity and other classical field theories.

Physics 609, Relativistic Field Theory I

The fundamental principles of quantum field theory. Interacting theories and the Feynman graph expansion. Quantum electrodynamics including lowest order processes, one loop corrections, and the elements of renormalization theory.

Physics 610, Quantum Many-Body Theory I

Second quantization, quantum statistical mechanics, Hartree-Fock approximation, linear response theory, random phase approximation, perturbation theory and Feynman diagrams, Landau theory of Fermi liquids, BCS theory, Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov method. Applications to solids and finite-size systems such as quantum dots, nuclei, and nanoparticles.

Physics 624, Group Theory

Lie algebras, Lie groups and some of their applications. Representation theory. Explicit construction of finite-dimensional irreducible representations. Invariant operators and their eigenvalues. Tensor operators and enveloping algebras. Boson and fermion realizations. Differential realizations. Quantum dynamical applications.

Physics 628, Statistical Physics II

An introduction to topics in many-body physics, namely, Ising models, transfer matrix, critical phenomena, renormalization group in critical phenomena and field theory, sigma models, and bosonization.

Physics 630, Relativistic Field Theory II

An introduction to nonabelian gauge field theories, spontaneous symmetry breakdown and unified theories of weak and electromagnetic interactions. Renormalization group methods, quantum chromodynamics, and nonperturbative approaches to quantum field theory.

Physics 631, Computational Physics I

A laboratory course on modern numeric computational techniques with applications to science problems of current interest. Topics include data analysis, numerical integration, solutions to differential equations, and Monte Carlo techniques. Previous experience with a computer programming language is desirable. Some applications will use Mathematica.

Physics 632, Quantum Many-Body Theory II

A second course in quantum many-body theory, covering the core physics of electron systems, with emphasis on the electron-electron interaction, on the role of dimensionality, on the coupling either to magnetic impurities leading to the well-known Kondo effect or to the electromagnetic noise. Applications to mesoscopic systems and cold atomic gases are also developed.

Physics 633, Introduction to Superconductivity

The fundamentals of superconductivity, including both theoretical understandings of basic mechanism and description of major applications. Topics include historical overview, Ginzburg-Landau (mean field) theory, critical currents and fields of type ii superconductors, BCS theory, Josephson junctions and microlectronic and quantum-bit devices, and high Tc oxide superconductors.

Physics 634, Mesoscopic Physics I

Introduction to the physics of nanoscale solid state systems that are large and disordered enough to be described in terms of simple macroscopic parameters like resistance, capacitance, and inductance, but small and cold enough that effects usually associated with microscopic particles, like quantum-mechanical coherence and/or charge quantization, dominate. Emphasis is placed on transport and noise phenomena in the normal and superconducting regimes.

Physics 650 and 651, Theory of Solids I and II

Theoretical techniques for the studyof the structural and electronic properties of solids, with applications. Topics include band structure, phonons, defects, transport, magnetism, and superconductivity.

Special Topics Courses

Physics 661, the art of data analysis.

The course is an introduction to mathematical and statistical techniques used to analyse data. The course is fairly practice-oriented, and is aimed at students who have, or anticipate having, research data to analyze in a thorough and unbiased way. It will cover subjects in statistics, computing/numerical techniques, data analysis, but also topics related to data reconstruction and pattern recognition which are closely linked to the understanding of the data derived from those methods. The intention is to prepare students for a better approach to their own analysis. Many of the topics covered are related to typical problems in experimental high energy and nuclear physics but are fairly general in nature. If you are interested please contact: thomas.ullrich@bnl.gov .

Physics 662, Special Topics in Particle Physics: Beyond the Standard Model

By arrangement with faculty. 

Modern concepts in particle physics, including electroweak symmetry breaking, mass generation, conformal symmetry, strongly coupled quantum field theories, supersymmetry, and extra dimensions. Material covered includes the theoretical basis of these ideas, experimental tests and constraints, and implications for cosmology.

Physics 663, Special Topics in Cosmology and Particle Physics

By arrangement with faculty.

Physics 664, Special Topics in Nuclear Electromagnetic Interactions

Physics 664, special topics in nuclear physics.

Emphasis is on nuclear structure. The approach stresses physical ideas, leading to an understanding of a number of advanced nuclear models and to practical case studies with them.

Physics 665, Special Topics in Atomic Physics

Physics 666, special topics in classical field theory, physics 667/g&g 767, special topics in condensed matter physics seminar in ice physics and geophysics/john wettlaufer.

This seminar brings together the basic thermodynamics and statistical mechanics of crystal growth, surface phase transitions, metastability and instability to explore the many faces of the surface of ice. The motivating factor is the incommensurability between the length of the history of observations of the shapes of snow crystals (which begins in ancient China, continues with Kepler’s little known studies of 1611, and carries on from Descartes to the present day) and our continued ignorance concerning the physical processes that are responsible for those shapes. Those processes are unique insofar as we understand that microphysics is clearly controlling macroscopic shapes. The outstanding question is how? The prize of understanding these processes extends beyond the enigma of the snowflake, having implications in, inter alia, the atmosphere ranging from radiative transfer to the heterogenous chemistry in the polar stratosphere, to materials processing and applied mathematics. The seminar will be driven by the literature, which spans periodicals in many branches of physical science and engineering, and will be a journal club environment.

Physics 667, Special Topics in Condensed Matter Physics

An introduction to nonequilibrium statistical mechanics in classical and quantum systems. Brief survey of equilibrium physics and processes, Green-Kubo theory, and approaches ranging from those of Kawasaki to Zubarev. The relation of dynamical systems and chaos to statistical mechanics and transport. Discussion of open problems and applications.

Physics 668, Special Topics in Geometry and Modern Field Theory

By arrangement with faculty

Explores the relation between modern geometry and (supersymmetric) gauge theories. Topics include a survey of fiber bundles, connections, holonomy, characteristic classes, Dirac operators, and the supersymmetric proofs of the index theorems.

Physics 671, Special Topics in Experimental Nuclear and Particle Physics

Propagation of particles and photons in matter, modern detection techniques, types of detectors, large detector systems, accelerators, and seminal experiments are studied. The subject spans the range of energies from low energy nuclear physics up through high energy physics.

Physics 672, Special Topics in Experimental Physics

Physics 673, special topics in atomic physics, physics 674, quantum information, quantum cryptography, and quantum computation.

The basic principles of quantum information, cryptography, and computation will be covered. Following the theoretical introduction, methods of realizing real world devices will be discussed. These will encompass methods based on both atomic/molecular systems and solid state systems. Lecture section of the course as described will take approximately half the class time; the remaining time will be devoted to student presentations of selected papers.

Physics 675, Principles of Optics with Applications

Introduction to the principles of optics and electromagnetic wave phenomena with applications to microscopy, optical fibers, laser spectroscopy, nanophotonics, plasmonics and metamaterials. Topics included propagation of light, reflection and refraction, guiding light, polarization, interference, diffraction, scattering, Fourier optics, and optical coherence.

Physics 680, The Experiments of General Relativity

The basic physical ideas and mathematical formulation of general relativity are reviewed, although many results that apply to particular experiments are given without proof. The modern experiments that make precision tests of the theory are explained. These include lunar laser ranging, radar timing from planet Venus reflections, and gravitational radiation from a binary pulsar. A discussion of the LIGO experiment (earth-based gravity wave detector) and LISA (space-based gravity wave detector) is conducted. The course is open to upper-level undergraduates as well as graduate students.

Graduate Program

The graduate physics program at Cornell is multidisciplinary, broad and congenial, and has access to superb facilities. 

About the program

The program is designed for the student who wants to become a professional physicist. It has two main components:

Mastery of at least a core of advanced general physics. This component is intended to provide the students with the foundational knowledge enabling them to pursue a broad range of employment options upon graduation, including teaching physics at a four-year college level or higher, and/or conducting research in areas different than that of the thesis.

Original research in a specific area of physics . The research component provides the student with an in-depth knowledge of a particular area of active physics research, along with significant research experience in that area culminating in production of a thesis based on original scientific findings.

About the Graduate Program

The graduate experience

The Physics Graduate Society (PGS) exists to further the professional and social interests of the physics graduate students at Cornell. PGS has weekly coffee hours, lunch meetings with visiting scientists, professional development opportunities, movie nights, game nights, day trips, and many new events and activities each year.

The Graduate Experience

For prospective students

Prospective Graduate Students

Graduate course information

Graduate Students should consult with their special committee in choosing courses. Guidelines can be found in the "yellow book”.

General descriptions of the courses can be found in the  course catalog , and scheduling information in the  course/time roster .

Course of Study

Graduate Degree

Each fall, approximately 45 students from colleges and universities around the world begin their Ph.D. studies in the graduate program in Physics at UC Berkeley.

Ph.D. candidates are required to pass written examinations in classical and modern physics (the preliminary exams), which are offered at the beginning of each semester.

After completing their preliminary exams, students are encouraged to establish connections with a research group as soon as possible. The Physics Department at Berkeley is large, with diverse faculty interests that span the full spectrum of modern physics. Associations with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and opportunities to participate in research at the Space Sciences Laboratory, the Molecular Design Institute, or with faculty in related departments on campus further expand the range of possibilities for graduate research.  Nationally-ranked programs at Berkeley such as Astronomy, Molecular and Cell Biology, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Mathematics are also important resources for our students.

We believe in making the department a pleasant and productive place for students, faculty, and staff, a task made easier by the physical beauty and cultural richness of the San Francisco Bay Area. Weekly colloquia, over a dozen specialized weekly seminars, and a weekly department tea create an exciting, friendly, intellectual environment, and provide opportunities for students to interact with distinguished visitors from other laboratories and institutions throughout the world. Annual social events include the department picnic and holiday party.

The normative time to Ph.D. is six years. After graduation, Ph.D. recipients from Berkeley take their place among the nation’s scientific leaders, in both academia and industry.

The Physics Department only admits graduate students for the fall semester. The application deadline for Fall 2024 admission to the Ph.D. program is  December 13, 2024 at 8:59 PM (Pacific Standard Time)/11:59 PM (Eastern Standard Time) .

• You must apply online. To go to the  online graduate application, please click here . 
• For  physics graduate admissions information, please click here .  

Academic Catalog 2024-2025

Physics, phd.

The Department of Physics offers a Doctor of Philosophy in Physics with specializations in different subfields that reflect the forefront research activities of the department, including biological physics, condensed matter physics, elementary particle physics, astrophysics, nanomedicine, and network science. The program for the PhD degree consists of the required course work, a qualifying examination, a preliminary research seminar, the completion of a dissertation based upon original research performed by the student, and a dissertation defense upon completion of the dissertation. Based on these measures, students are expected to obtain a graduate-level understanding of basic physics concepts and demonstrate the ability to formulate a research plan, communicate orally a research plan, and conduct and present independent research.

The required courses are grouped into two sets, Part 1 and Part 2, having a total of 42 semester hours as a minimum. Part 1 courses (first-year courses) are typically taken prior to the qualifying exam. Students without a master’s degree must complete all Part 1 courses in the first year to remain in good academic standing in the graduate program. Part 2 courses (second-year courses) may be taken before or after passing the qualifying exam.

Grade Requirements

The minimum grade required for the successful completion of the Part 1 courses is a B (3.000) average. Students will only be allowed to take the qualifying exam if they fulfill this requirement. The minimum grade required for the successful completion of Part 2 (excluding advanced research) is at least a B (3.000) average for the Part 2 courses. The Part 2 courses, including any makeup of grade-point-average deficiencies (see following), must be completed within two calendar years of passing the qualifying exam. The department expects students to complete the bulk of these courses in the first year after the qualifying exam. The cumulative average will be calculated each semester. No more than two courses or 8 semester hours of credit, whichever is greater, may be repeated in order to satisfy the requirement for the PhD degree. A student who does not maintain a 3.000 cumulative average for two consecutive semesters, or is otherwise not making satisfactory progress toward the PhD degree requirements, may be recommended for termination at the discretion of the graduate committee. Within the above limitations, a required course for which a grade of F is received must be repeated with a grade of C or better and may be repeated only once. In calculating the overall cumulative average, all graduate-level course work completed at the time of clearance for graduation will be counted.

Qualifying Exam Requirement

A student who fails to achieve the required B average for the Part 1 courses must petition the graduate committee in order to remain in the graduate program and be eligible to take the qualifying exam. A student who fails to achieve the required B average for the Part 2 courses must petition the graduate committee in order to remain in the graduate program. All students registered in the PhD program are required to pass a qualifying exam unless they are granted an exemption (see below). The qualifying exam may include both written and oral parts.

The qualifying exam consists of two parts:

• Part 1: Classical physics (based on classical mechanics and mathematical methods), electromagnetic theory, and statistical physics.
• Part 2: Quantum physics (based on quantum mechanics and its applications) and statistical physics. The content of the qualifying exam will be based on the content of the first-year courses, excluding Principles of Experimental Physics ( PHYS 5318 ) . A syllabus is available and on request will be distributed by the graduate coordinator to any student prior to the exam.

The qualifying exam is given twice yearly: once prior to the start of the fall semester and again within the first two weeks of the start of the spring semester. The exam will consist of one day each on Part 1 (classical physics/mathematical methods, electromagnetism, and statistical physics) and Part 2 (quantum physics and statistical physics).

All students enrolled in the PhD program must take the fall qualifying exam after completing their first-year course of study with the required grade-point average unless they are granted an exemption. Students taking the exam for the first time must take both Part 1 and Part 2. A student who does not pass the exam on his or her first attempt must pass the exam the next time it is given in order to continue in the PhD program. However, a student who passes one part of the first attempt is not required to repeat that part.

Any PhD student will be exempt from taking the quantum part of the qualifying exam if they receive both a grade of B+ or higher in Quantum Theory 1 ( PHYS 7315 ) , Quantum Theory 2 ( PHYS 7316 ) , and Statistical Physics ( PHYS 7305 ) and have a GPA of 3.670 or higher in those three courses. To meet this standard, they must take all the above courses. Any PhD student will be exempt from taking the classical part of the qualifying exam if they receive both a grade of B+ or higher in Classical Mechanics/Math Methods ( PHYS 7301 ) , Electromagnetic Theory ( PHYS 7302 ) , and Statistical Physics ( PHYS 7305 ) and have a GPA of 3.670 or higher in these three courses. To meet this standard, they must take all three of these courses.

A student who fails the written exam by less than 5 percent of the total possible score on the second attempt for that part will be automatically given an oral exam. A student who fails the written exam by more than 10 percent is excluded from taking an oral exam. These provisions apply separately to Parts 1 and 2 of the exam.

PhD Candidacy

Degree candidacy is established when the student has passed the qualifying examination and completed both the Part 1 and Part 2 course requirements. PhD candidacy may be achieved before completion of the advanced elective if the elective in the student’s specialization is not offered in a given year. The elective must be taken at the next opportunity. PhD degree candidacy is certified by the college. A maximum of five years after the establishment of doctoral degree candidacy is allowed for the completion of degree requirements.

PhD Dissertation Requirement

All PhD students are required to complete a dissertation based upon new and original research in one of the three following options:

• In one of the current theoretical or experimental research programs in the department, under direct supervision of an advisor from the Department of Physics. A dissertation committee will be formed consisting of the advisor, two full-time members of the department, and an additional member, either from within the department or from an outside department or institution.
• In a recognized interdisciplinary field involving another research area of the university, under the direct supervision of a faculty member in that field. In this case, an interdisciplinary committee is formed under the approval of the graduate committee, consisting of the direct supervisor, a departmental advisor, one other member of the department, and an additional member of either the department or the external department.
• In an area of applied research in one of the industrial or high-technology laboratories associated with the department’s industrial PhD program. The direct supervisor is associated with the institution where the research is performed. In this case, a dissertation advisory committee is established by the graduate committee, consisting of the direct supervisor, the departmental advisor, and two other members of the department.

PhD students must select their departmental advisor no later than the end of the spring semester of their second year or their second semester after having passed the qualifying examination, whichever comes first. This process should start as soon as the student has identified a field of research or has passed the qualifying exam.

PhD Dissertation Committee, Preliminary Thesis Proposal, and Preliminary Research Seminar

By the end of the spring semester of the third year or the second semester in which the student is enrolled for PhD dissertation, whichever comes first, each PhD student must have an approved dissertation committee and thesis proposal. 

The student (with the aid and approval of his or her thesis advisor) will submit a PhD thesis proposal to the graduate committee clearly outlining a plan to carry out new and original research in the context of previously published research in the scientific literature and also describe the methodologies to be employed. The thesis proposal is limited to 15 pages or less, including references.  A proposed makeup of the dissertation committee will be submitted at the same time.

The graduate committee will evaluate the merit of the proposal and make recommendations for improvements when necessary, including any changes to the composition of the dissertation committee. No more than two submissions for a particular proposal may be made. In the case where a revised proposal does not meet a minimum academic standard that provides a basis for making such improvements, the graduate committee may instruct the student to select a different thesis topic or advisor.

After approval by the graduate committee, the proposal is circulated to the general faculty for comments. If the graduate coordinator receives any objections, the proposal will be referred back to the graduate committee for final resolution.

After the proposal and dissertation committee have been approved, the student will make a public presentation of the material in the preliminary research seminar before the dissertation committee in a format open to the full department and advertised one week in advance. The dissertation committee will then meet in closed session to evaluate the seminar. The preliminary research seminar must take place no later than the semester after the thesis proposal is approved and, normally, in the same semester.

In the event that the dissertation advisor is changed, a new committee must be formed, with the approval of the graduate committee, and a new preliminary research seminar given.

PhD Dissertation Defense

The dissertation defense consists of a public presentation, followed by a question period conducted by the dissertation committee and limited to them and the department faculty. The date of the dissertation presentation must be publicized and a copy of the thesis deposited with the graduate program coordinator at least one week prior to the defense. If during this posting period or in the two business days following the defense a written objection to the thesis is lodged with the department chair by a member of the faculty, the chair may appoint an ad hoc postdefense review committee to provide advice on the scientific issues raised by the objection. Students should note that they must be registered for Dissertation or Dissertation Continuation during the semester in which they defend their dissertation and that they should schedule their defenses well in advance of the end of the semester in order to accommodate the review/waiting period and the time required to deposit the thesis.

The final dissertation defense is held in accordance with the College of Science regulations.

PhD Specialization Options

Students choose a specialization in biological physics; particle physics; condensed matter physics; or, with preapproval of a faculty member, in the following areas: nanomedicine or network science.

Multiple specializations are allowed if the individual requirements for each specialization are met.

Note that the specialization will not appear on the degree diploma or on the official transcript but can be listed as the field of study on CVs and grant proposals.

Transfer Credit

Students must petition in writing through the graduate committee to the director of graduate student services for all transfer credit. A copy of an official transcript must be attached to the Request for Transfer Credit form. A maximum of 9 semester hours of credit obtained at another institution may be accepted toward the PhD degree provided that the credits transferred consist of a grade of B or better; are graduate-level courses; have been earned at an accredited institution; and have not been used toward any other degree. Grades are not transferred.

Course Waivers

Course waivers may be accepted toward the PhD degree course requirements, though they will not change the numbers of credits required for the program. The student must have received a B grade or better in equivalent graduate-level core courses that have been earned at an accredited institution. Students must petition in writing to the graduate committee for all course waivers and provide documentation in the form of official transcripts to support their petition.

Residence Requirement

The residence requirement is satisfied by at least one year of full-time graduate work (i.e., enrollment in PhD Dissertation, for two consecutive semesters). Students must be continually enrolled throughout the pursuit of the dissertation.

Internship Option

A PhD candidate may spend one year in a participating high-technology, industrial, or government laboratory immediately after passing the PhD qualifying examination. In this program, the student is expected to remain in touch with the university by taking one course per semester at the university and by frequent contact with a faculty advisor. After the one-year paid internship, the student returns to the university to do the dissertation. Eligibility for this program is contingent on acceptance both by the department and by the external laboratory.

• Concentrations and course offerings may vary by campus and/or by program modality.  Please consult with your advisor or admissions coach for the course availability each term at your campus or within your program modality.  
• Certain options within the program may be  required  at certain campuses or for certain program modalities.  Please consult with your advisor or admissions coach for requirements at your campus or for your program modality. 

Bachelor’s Degree Entrance

Complete all courses and requirements listed below unless otherwise indicated.

Two qualifying examinations Annual review Candidacy Preliminary research seminar proposal with proposed dissertation committee Preliminary research seminar talk Dissertation defense

Core Requirements 1

A specialization is required. 2 Note: Specialization in nanomedicine or network science requires prior approval.

Dissertation 

Program Credit/GPA Requirements

42 total semester hours required Minimum 3.000 GPA required

Methods for Teaching in the Introductory Physics Laboratory 1 ( PHYS 7220 ) and Methods for Teaching Introductory Physics Laboratory 2 ( PHYS 7230 )  are required for students awarded a Teaching Assistantship.

By approval of the graduate committee, biological physics students may substitute graduate courses in biology, physics, or chemistry from the following list instead of Biological Physics 2 ( PHYS 7741 ) :   

Biochemistry ( BIOL 6300 ) ,  Molecular Cell Biology ( BIOL 6301 ) , Optical Methods of Analysis ( CHEM 5613 ) ,  Molecular Modeling ( CHEM 5638 ) , .

Additional appropriate courses may also be substituted by approval of the physics graduate committee.

Elementary Particle Physics ( PHYS 7323 ) is required for a specialization in particle physics. The advanced elective may be Topics: Elementary Particle Physics and Cosmology ( PHYS 7733 ) .

The Department of Physics offers a Doctor of Philosophy in Physics with specializations in different subfields that reflect the forefront of research activities of the department, including biological physics, condensed matter physics, elementary particle physics, nanomedicine, and network science. The program for the PhD degree consists of the required coursework, a qualifying examination, a preliminary research seminar, the completion of a dissertation based upon original research performed by the student, and a dissertation defense upon completion of the dissertation. Based on these measures, students are expected to obtain a graduate-level understanding of basic physics concepts and demonstrate the ability to formulate a research plan, communicate orally a research plan, and conduct and present independent research.

Students entering with a master’s degree from a U.S. institution in physics or a related area approved by the department will be required to take 10 semester hours of courses. The courses will be determined by the graduate director based on the student's transcripts. Students entering with a MS degree awarded by an institution outside the United States will need to consult the graduate director for a transcript evaluation to determine required coursework and course waivers.

The minimum grade required is a B (3.000) average. A student who does not maintain a 3.000 cumulative average for two consecutive semesters, or is otherwise not making satisfactory progress toward the PhD degree requirements, may be recommended for termination at the discretion of the graduate committee.

All students registered in the PhD program are required to pass a qualifying exam unless they are granted an exemption. The qualifying exam may include both written and oral parts. Students who enter with a master's degree from a U.S. institution may take either the classical or the quantum exam, or both, at the first opportunity upon entering the program in the fall. In this case, the exam will count as a first attempt only if the student submits the exam to the examiner.

• Part 2: Quantum physics (based on quantum mechanics and its applications) and statistical physics. A syllabus is available and on request will be distributed by the graduate coordinator to any student prior to the exam.

All students enrolled in the PhD program must take the fall qualifying exam after completing their first-year course of study with the required grade-point average. Students taking the exam for the first time must take both Part 1 and Part 2. A student who does not pass the exam on their first attempt must pass the exam the next time it is given in order to continue in the PhD program. However, a student who passes one part of the first attempt is not required to repeat that part.

A student who fails the written exam by less than 5% of the total possible score on the second attempt for that part will be automatically given an oral exam. A student who fails the written exam by more than 10% is excluded from taking an oral exam. These provisions apply separately to Parts 1 and 2 of the exam.

Degree candidacy is established when the student has passed the qualifying examination and completed 10 semester hours of courses. PhD degree candidacy is certified by the college. A maximum of five years after the establishment of doctoral degree candidacy is allowed for the completion of degree requirements.

The student (with the aid and approval of their thesis advisor) will submit a PhD thesis proposal to the graduate committee clearly outlining a plan to carry out new and original research in the context of previously published research in the scientific literature and also describe the methodologies to be employed. The thesis proposal is limited to 15 pages or less, including references. A proposed makeup of the dissertation committee will be submitted at the same time.

Core Requirements

Dissertation

10 total semester hours required Minimum 3.000 GPA required

Methods for Teaching in the Introductory Physics Laboratory 1 ( PHYS 7220 ) is required for students awarded a teaching assistantship.

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Indian Institute of Technology Bombay

Department of physics.

• The Department
• How to find Us
• B.Tech.-M.Tech.
• Academic Rules
• DEPARTMENT COUNCIL
• Undergraduate
• Postgraduate
• Doctoral Studies
• PhD Admissions
• General News
• Research News
• Past Events
• Event Calendar
• Faculty Recruitment
• Post Doctoral Fellowship
• Research Associate
• Prospective Students

A special welcome to all who wish to pursue a career in Physics research at the department rated as the best in India (QS World University Rankings, 2015).  With state-of-the art infrastructural facilities and a sound research base, IITB Physics offers a Ph.D. programme in a wide variety of areas. The Ph.D. degree program involves a course credit requirement and a research project leading to thesis submission.

Detailed information about the IIT Bombay Ph.D. admissions can be found here .

May 2024 Ph.D. admission:

1. Full information on the available positions and projects in the Physics department is available  here .

2. The interested students can access the research profiles of individual faculty members  here .

3. Information about the online Test in April 2023 can be found here and here .

Full information on the available positions and projects in the Physics department will be available soon.

The research profiles of individual faculty members can be accessed here .

© 2024 Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai - 400076 Phone: +91-22-25767551 Fax: +91-22-25767552 E-Mail: [email protected]

Department of Physics

Graduate students, prospective students, find all the information you need, including application,  here ..

The Department of Physics offers the opportunity for students to pursue a Ph.D. in many areas of experimental and theoretical physics. Entering students typically have undergraduate degrees in physics or related fields, and are drawn from among the most talented students around the world. The department does not offer a terminal master's program.

The Graduate Recruitment Initiative Team (GRIT) began as a grassroots student organization and has grown to encompass 18 graduate programs in the Biological Sciences Division (BSD) and Physical Sciences Division (PSD) at the University of Chicago with over 50 members and a dedicated faculty counterpart in the form of the Diversity Council. GRIT is committed to enhancing diversity, inclusion, and equity across the BSD and PSD graduate programs. GRIT focuses on three central components:  recruitment ,  retention , and  sustainability  in order to increase the recruitment and retention of students from marginalized backgrounds.

Learn more about GRIT  here .

Incoming and Returning Students

If you wish to speak to someone about the Ph.D. program, or other issues pertaining to the graduate student experience, please contact either  Zosia Krusberg , the Director of Graduate Studies,  Stuart Gazes , the Undergraduate Program Chair, or  P eter Littlewood , the Department Chair.

Links to detailed information and resources for incoming and returning graduate students are found under the tabs below.

Incoming Student Information

• PSD Autumn 2023 New Student Information
• Prepare for  Graduate Diagnostic Examination
• Autumn 2023 Department of Physics Orientation

For international incoming students, please check out International Students Resource for more information.

Dean of Students (Physical Science Division)

The Dean of Students Office works with students, faculty, divisional staff, and campus partners to advance the academic, personal, and professional development of students in the Physical Sciences Division. Our central mission is to foster a welcoming and inclusive environment for all students as they pursue their education and thrive as members of the broader University of Chicago community. 

Our regular business hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM. You can reach the Dean of Students Office by emailing  [email protected] .

• Dean of Students Contant Page
• Quarterly Check List for PSD Graduate Students
• Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information and Resources

A full list of resources can be found under Dean of Students Current Student Resources .

UChicagoGRAD

• UChicagoGRAD is a one-stop shop of integrated services to help graduate students and postdocs navigate their academic and professional careers. Download an overview of our office  here .
• Led by Jason Merchant, Vice Provost, UChicagoGRAD programs provide flexible training that complements support in academic units.
• UChicagoGRAD  staff  are committed to serving the graduate and postdoc community, focusing on recruitment; skills and experience; career development; and alumni engagement.

Contact [email protected] , and visit grad.uchicago.edu  to learn more.

Graduate Program Policies

Students with questions may contact Zosia Krusberg  (Director of Graduate Studies), Putri Kusumo (Assistant Director of Graduate Affairs), Bahareh Lampert  (Dean of Students in the Physical Sciences Division), or Amanda Young (Associate Director, Graduate Student Affairs) in UChicagoGRAD. 

• Experimental Physics Requirement
• Candidacy Courses Guidelines
• Advancement to Candidacy
• Post-candicacy Course Requirements
• First Year Advising
• Thesis and Advisory Committees
• Thesis Committee Meeting Guidelines
• Annual Academic Progress Report
• Graduation Guidelines
• Dissertation: Deadlines , Checklist , Dissertation  Guidelines , Dissertation Template ,  Dissertation Office
• PhD Registration Limit Policy
• Residential Requirement
• Graduate Student Yearly Checklist
• Master's Degree Requirements
• Current Course Offerings : U of C class search site
• Textbook Lists : Current Quarter
• Graduate Course Inventory 2021-2022
• Physics Instructional Services : lab schedules, office hours, lost & found, etc.
• A list of previously approved non-physics electives can be found here .
• General Guidance for Research
• Research in the Physics Department
• Research Facilities
• Writing Resources
• University Libraries
• Teaching Assistants 
• Chicago Center For Teaching :Teaching Support Source
• Financial Aid
• Third-Party Contract (External Award)
• Self-Payment Options
• Fellowship Database
• Graduate Council Travel Fund
• Emergency Assistance Programs
• External Award Reporting Form (PhD students)
• Annual Funding Checklist (PhD students) : include Direct Deposit sign-up instructions
• Payment Schedule Overview (PhD students)
• Tax Information  

International Student Resources

• General Contact
• Shashi Dyamenahalli , Adviser for PSD students: for specific international affairs
• Apply for F1/J1 Statu s
• Apply for SSN or ITINs : for on and off-campus job
• Tax Responsibilities  
• Visa  Renewal
• Program Extention of I-20 or DS-2019  (please notify Putri Kusumo of the I-20 update)
• Academic English Pre-Matriculation Program (Incoming Students) 

Life at UChicago

• Safety and Security
• Transportation : shuttles ( day ,  night ),  buses , and  parking
• Food:  campus dining ,  Hyde Park
• Graduate Housing: UC site , additional information
• The Graduate Council  
• Chicago Studies : Engaging students with the community
• About Hyde Park
• Kersten Physics Teaching Center: room 205
• Elsewhere On Campus  (scroll to the bottom)

Career Planning

• UChicago Career Advancement
• Career Development Resources
• Grad Talk : Presenting and Interviewing
• Grad Global Impact : Internship Program
• Employment Data

Health and Well-being

• Student Health and Counseling Services
• University Health Insurance
• UChicago Medicine
• Athletics and Recreation for Students

Diversity and Inclusion

• Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Department of Physics
• Center for Identity + Inclusion
• LGBTQ Student Life
• Office for Access and Equity
• Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in PSD
• Office of Multicultural Student Affairs
• PSD Outlist
• Student Disability Services
• Women in Graduate Science
• Women in Science

IT Services

• UChicago IT Services

Department of Physics

Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati Guwahati, Assam, India

• Undergraduate
• Postgraduate
• Doctoral Program

Doctor of Philosophy

Ph. D. program:

Admission to ph.d program, admission test / interview:, dppc functionalities, department postgraduate programme committee (dppc) functions on the following matters:.

To oversee the conduct of all postgraduate courses of the department.

To ensure academic standard and excellence of the courses offered by the department.

To discuss and recommend the syllabi of all the postgraduate courses offered by department from time to time before sending the same to the Institute Postgraduate Programme Committee (IPPC).

To consider any matter related to the postgraduate programme of the department.

DPPC Composition