Proposal for curriculum revisions

for the Ph.D. degree in Physics and Astronomy

At one time, the M.S. degree was the main research degree of the physics and astronomy program at UD, with only few students following up with a Ph.D. This has not been the case for a long time. Most students enter the graduate program, with or without a master’s degree, with the intention to obtain a Ph.D. Therefore, it is important to have a mechanism in place that early on determines if the student has the capabilities to eventually obtain a Ph.D. or should be advised to leave the program, possibly after having obtained an MS degree. In the current situation, with a Ph.D. qualifying exam that can be take as late as at the end of the 7^th semester in the program, and only after extensive course work, this determination is made far too late. The proposed revision introduces a Ph.D. candidacy exam which is reduced in scope, but which students will have to pass at the latest by the end of their third semester. To ensure that all students have competence at the PhD level in the core material, students have to pass a set of required courses with a B or better. (Previously, this material was covered in the PHD qualifying exam.)

Specifically we propose the following changes:

1) Bing forward the PhD candidacy exam while reducing its scope, while at the same time introducing an oral/research component. Students must pass the written part of the exam within 3 semesters rather than the current 7 semesters.

2) To ensure that all students have competence at the PhD level in the core material, students have to pass a set of required courses with a B or better. Previously, this material was covered in the PHD qualifying exam.

Changes are indicated by highlighting the relevant sections in the current (2002) and proposed (2005) Graduate Program Policy Statements.