If you have been admitted to our Ph.D. program, but wish to switch to a master degree instead, there are a number of steps to be taken.

• Master degree, Plan A. The requirements for this degree are given in the Overview, Table 1.1. Note that you need to register for thesis credits, and complete and defend a thesis. You also need to submit the Add Master’s Degree to Doctoral Degree Form and then submit your GPAS Planner once the degree is added. Steps and forms in the Overview section, Table 1.4.
• Master degree, Plan B. The requirements for this degree are given in the Overview, Table 1.1. Note that you need to register for PHYS 8500 “Plan B project”, and complete and defend the project. You also need to submit the Add Master’s Degree to Doctoral Degree Form and then submit your GPAS Planner once the degree is added. Steps and forms in the Overview section, Table 1.5.
• Master degree, Plan C (either terminal degree, or on the way to the Ph.D). There are no new class requirements for this degree, as sometimes students apply for the master degree simply on their way to the Ph.D. program. You also need to submit the Add Master’s Degree to Doctoral Degree Form and then submit your GPAS Planner once the degree is added. Requirements are summarized in Overview, Table 1.1, and required forms can be found in Overview section, Table 1.6.

Current policies and procedures regarding the Preliminary Oral Examination.

The Ph.D. thesis represents the capstone of your graduate student career. The first part is the preparation of a written document summarizing your original research. Before beginning to prepare the document, you should review the Graduate School thesis format requirements. You should look at other prior theses as examples, particularly those in the same specialty area. Keep in mind that many students have developed electronic templates and packages to format the thesis.

Once the thesis is written, and before the oral defense, students must request a Graduation Packet. Requests for a Graduation Packet can be made up to one semester before the thesis defense. Included in the packet are the Thesis Reviewer's Report, Application for Degree, and Preparing Doctoral Dissertation. Complete copies of the thesis should be given to the thesis reviewers at least three weeks before the defense. The Thesis Reviewer's Report form must be signed by the thesis reviewers at least one week before the thesis defense is scheduled, and taken to the Graduate Office. The thesis should also be given to the other committee members at least two weeks prior to the defense.

The thesis defense date and time is scheduled by the student, in consultation with the adviser and the committee members. When the defense is formally scheduled, the names of the committee members are entered by the student into the scheduling online interface. The composition of the committee is then approved by the adviser and by the Director of Graduate Studies. Note that the adviser cannot serve as the chair of the Thesis Defense Committee. In the online form, you will designate at least three reviewers for the thesis, who will need to approve it as being ready for defense before the Graduate School will schedule your final defense. Two of the reviewers must be faculty in the Physics graduate program (and one of them can be the adviser). The third reviewer must be a committee member from outside physics.

School of Physics guidelines for the composition of the committee are given in the Graduate Policies section.

The thesis defense consists of a public and a private portion. The public portion is a one hour seminar. Because the thesis presentation is required to be public by the University, the time and place of the thesis defense must be announced in the weekly departmental calendar. It is the student responsibility to make sure that this announcement is made. After the seminar, there will be an opportunity for questions from anyone in attendance. Next, the Committee will have an opportunity to privately question the student about the thesis. At this time, generally, only questions about the thesis and related subjects are asked. Finally, the Committee will excuse the student and take a vote. For a pass, there must be no more than one dissenting vote.

The Graduate School permits an opportunity to graduate any month of the year. If the Graduate Application for Degree form is submitted by the end of the first business day of the month, the student will graduate as of that month provided all other requirements are completed, and all forms are in the Graduate School office by the end of the last business day of the month. Otherwise, the date of the degree will be delayed until the month in which all the requirements are completed.

5001: Quantum Mechanics I

5002: Quantum Mechanics II

5011: Classical Physics I

5012: Classical Physics II

5201: Thermal and Statistical Mechanics

5072: Best Practices in College Physics Teachings - Total of 3 credits in 2 semesters (required to be a TA)

4711: Introduction to Optics

8161: Atomic and Molecular Structure

5081: Introduction to Biopolymer Physics

5401: Physiological Physics

5402: Radiological Physics

8311: Biological Physics of Single Molecules

8312: Biological Physics of Macroscopic Systems

8300: Biological and Medical Physics Seminar

4211: Introduction to Solid State Physics

5701: Solid State Physics for Engineers and Scientists

5702: Solid State Physics for Engineers and Scientists

8702: Statistical Mechanics and Transport Theory

8711: Solid State Physics I

8712: Solid State Physics II

8750: Advanced Topics in Condensed Matter Physics

8700: Condensed Matter Physics Seminar

4511: Introduction to Nuclear and Particle Physics

8011: Quantum Field Theory I

8012: Quantum Field Theory II

8013: Special Topics in Quantum Field Theory

8901: Elementary Particle Physics I

8902: Elementary Particle Physics II

8911: Introduction to Supersymmetry

8950: Advanced Topics in Elementary Particle Physics

8900: Seminar: Elementary Particle Physics

4041: Computational Methods in the Physical Sciences

5041: Mathematical Methods for Physics

8001: Advanced Quantum Mechanics

8301: Symmetry and its Application to Physical Problems

4511: Introduction to Nuclear and Particle Physics

8801: Nuclear Physics I

8802: Nuclear Physics II

8850: Advanced Topics in Nuclear Physics

8800: Seminar: Nuclear Physics

4611: Introduction to Space Physics

4621: Introduction to Plasma Physics

8601: Plasma Physics I

8602: Plasma Physics II

8611: Cosmic Rays and Plasma Astrophysics

8650: Advanced Topics in Space and Plasma Physics

8600: Seminar: Space Physics

5022: Relativity, Cosmology, and the Universe

8501: General Relativity and Cosmology I

8502: General Relativity and Cosmology II

8200: Seminar: Cosmology and Astrophysics

8100: Seminar: Problems of Physics Teaching and Higher Education

Typical course programs for various sub-fields can be found here.

Typical courses for first year students were discussed in the previous section. In succeeding years, the selection of courses will depend on the student's research field, and on whether the student is a theorist or experimentalist. Some of these courses are not offered every year. After 24-28 credits of course work during the first year, another 12-16 credits are required for the Ph.D. program. Since most of the 8xxx classes are 3 credits, 4 to 6 such courses, along with the group seminar, will be needed.

A few suggestions for the second year follow: