REGULATIONS FOR GRADUATE WORK
IN PHYSICS AND
INTRODUCTION
The Department
of Physics and Astronomy and the Bartol
Research Institute offer a joint graduate program leading to the M.A.,
M.S., or Ph.D. degrees in Physics and Astronomy. This manual provides an
outline of the requirements for these degrees. Many aspects of graduate work at
the
Nearly all graduate students in the program are at some point or another supported as Teaching Assistants. Valuable information about being a Teaching Assistant can be found in the TA Handbook, issued by the Center for Teaching Effectiveness. This handbook also provides a convenient summary of University policies that apply to the appointment of graduate teaching assistants.
Other useful information, on matters such as campus life, computer technology on campus, policies on responsible computing, resources for foreign students, as well as a very convenient index can be found at a website maintained specifically for current graduate students.
Material regarding the admissions process can be found in the relevant sections of the graduate catalog and on the DPA website.
DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
Classroom courses: The M.A. degree requires 30 credit hours of graduate level formal course work, at least 24 of which are PHYS 600/800. The course work will not be accomplished merely by accretion of scattered credits, but will be methodically planned in consultation with the student's faculty advisor. In appropriate circumstances a project entered under PHYS 868 can be substituted for as many as 3 credits of formal course work.
Because it requires neither research nor a thesis, the M.A. degree may be the more suitable for students attending on a part-time basis. The M.A. degree is viewed as a terminal degree, and its recipients will not normally be considered for candidacy in the M.S. or Ph.D. programs within the DPA/BRI.
Conversely, a student who has been admitted to
the MS or PhD program may not transfer to the MA program.
Classroom courses: The M.S. degree requires
·
24 credits of classroom course work including at least six at the
800-level in Physics.
·
6 credits of thesis work (PHYS 869) for the master's degree. [Six hours
of research (PHYS 868) or a combination of both PHYS 868 and 869 will be
accepted.]
Thesis requirement: The writing of a thesis is required for the M.S. degree. The purpose of the M.S. thesis is to demonstrate that the student can conduct research under supervision and communicate the results clearly in English. The thesis is defended in an oral examination administered by a committee of three members of the DPA and/or BRI faculties.
Coursework and Ph.D. Qualifying Exam: Students may enter the Ph.D.
program after successfully completing an M.S. degree program, at the
Students on the regular track must satisfy the following requirement:
· Taking and passing, with an average grade of 3.0 or better, 30 credits of course work within the first five semesters after entering graduate school. At least 21 of these credits must be from among PHYS 607, PHYS 608 and 800-level PHYS courses.
· Passing the Ph.D. qualifier exam within 3½ years of entering the DPA/BRI graduate program.
Students following the fast track must meet the following
requirements to remain on that track:
·
Taking 12 credits of classroom courses,
including 6 at the 800-level within their first year. (But note the general
requirement that students who have not passed the qualifier exam must take at
least 5 PHYS courses in their first year and at least 6 credits of PHYS course
work in subsequent semesters.)
· Passing the PhD qualifier exam by the summer following their fourth semester of residence.
All Ph.D. students must take a minimum of 12 credits of classroom courses beyond the core curriculum. These courses must be at or above the 600 level and be in Physics or Physics-related areas.
No student may attempt the Ph.D.
qualifier exam more than three times. Students following the fast track are expected to attempt the
Ph.D. Qualifying exam by the end of their first year. If a student on the fast
track has not passed the exam after two semesters, the Graduate Review
Committee will promptly examine the student’s progress and issue a
determination whether the student should remain on the fast track or should
shift to the regular track.
Course credit earned at the
Ph.D. Thesis: Upon successful completion of a research program, the PhD candidate will write a dissertation showing originality of thought and scholarship, properly expressed in English. The dissertation is defended in an oral examination administered by the student's dissertation (doctoral) committee (see below). The committee may require that changes or revisions be made to the dissertation. The final oral examination is not considered to have been passed until the thesis revisions have satisfied the committee. In general, doctoral committees should strive to achieve consensus concerning the student’s performance and quality of work. In the case of dissenting votes, the majority opinion rules and a majority vote in favor is needed for a successful defense.
Role of the Ph.D. committee:
· Within six months of passing the Ph.D. Qualifying Examination, the candidate, together with his/her advisor, should decide upon the composition of the dissertation committee. The dissertation committee should thereupon make a careful review of the candidate's current and projected research program.
· The committee should meet regularly, at least annually, with the candidate. At least six months prior to the anticipated defense of the thesis, the candidate will make a careful written and oral presentation to the dissertation committee, which may advise upon the final stages.
Composition of the Ph.D. committee: It is the policy of the University's Graduate Program that each dissertation committee will consist of between four and six members.
· At least one committee member will be drawn from an academic unit other than the department of the advisor, or from an institution or organization external to the University. So far as dissertation committees are concerned, Department of Physics and Astronomy and Bartol Research Institute together comprise a single academic unit.
· The chair of the committee is the faculty member in charge of the candidate's research and dissertation.
· At least one member of the committee will be a member of the joint DPA-BRI faculty from a research area distinct from that of the candidate.
· At least one member of the committee will be from the DPA faculty
The members who satisfy the various requirements need not be distinct.
Ph.D Qualifying Exam: The qualifying examination is given twice per year, in late August or early September and in early February. It is a written exam covering general physics, mechanics, electricity and magnetism, statistical mechanics and thermodynamics, modern physics, quantum mechanics, and mathematical methods of physics. All members of the Physics and Bartol Faculties are asked to submit questions for inclusion in the PhD Qualifying Exams. The exams are made up of questions selected by the PhD Qualifying Exam Committee. All faculty take part in the grading, with each question graded by two people independently. The chair of the committee reviews all grades and ask the graders to resolve any serious disagreements about grades.
Summary of degree requirements
|
Degree |
Total Credits |
800 Level Credits |
Beyond the core |
Thesis credits |
|
M.A. |
30 |
- |
- |
- |
|
M.S. |
24 |
6 |
- |
6 |
|
Reg. Track Ph.D. |
30 |
21 |
12 |
9 |
|
Fast track Ph.D. |
12 |
6 |
12 |
9 |
Summary of time limits
|
Degree |
Time for Completion of the Degree |
Time for Passing the Ph.D. Qualifying exam |
|
M.A. |
5 years |
- |
|
M.S. |
3 years |
- |
|
Reg. Track Ph.D. |
7 years |
3 ½ years |
|
Fast track Ph.D. |
5 years |
2 years |
GENERAL RULES of the PROGRAM
Enrolment: In order to remain in good standing in the DPA/BRI graduate program, each full-time Master's candidate must take at least six credit hours of 600 or 800 level PHYS courses during each semester, maintaining in these PHYS credit hours a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better, until he/she either has fulfilled the course requirements for the Master's degree. Ph.D. candidates must continue with six or more credit hours of 600 or 800 level PHYS courses in each semester until they have passed the Ph. D. Qualifier Exam, maintaining in these PHYS credit hours a GPA of 3.0 or better. Courses designated as pass/fail and courses in research, in thesis/dissertation, or in self-study do not satisfy the six PHYS credit hour per semester course requirement and are not considered in computing the required grade point average.
In addition the following rules apply:
· Approval of the Graduate Review Committee is required if more than six classroom credit hours are from departments other than Physics and Astronomy, or if any hours are in a discipline unrelated to Physics.
· First year students will register for PHYS 600/800 courses only.
·
All full-time first-year graduate students who
have not yet passed the qualifying exam are required to take for credit in
their first year at least 5 classroom PHYS courses at the 600- or 800-level, of
which at least 4 must be core courses
Advisement: The Director of the Graduate Program functions as the initial advisor for the first year students. Students are encouraged to select a research advisor early, and must formally identify one (subject to possible change later) by May 15 to be eligible for financial support during summer. They are assisted in their choice of research area and research advisor by a one credit pass/fail course, PHYS 600, in which members of the faculty presents brief, informal descriptions of their research programs. Students are also encouraged to broaden their awareness of current research by attending the DPA/BRI colloquia and graduate student research talks.
The Graduate Review Committee will consult with each first year graduate student and his or her advisor in May in order to settle on a written plan setting out the courses to be taken for a degree program.
The Graduate Review Committee meets in the Fall semester to examine the time table for students who have completed one year or more in the graduate program. The committee reviews their status regarding progress and financial support, and reports thereupon to the Director of the Joint Graduate Program.
Progress towards a graduate degree: A reasonable goal for a well-prepared graduate student is the completion of an M.S. degree within three years from the time of first entering graduate school, and the completion of a Ph.D. degree within five years if the student enters with an MS or seven years when entering with a BS. In order to extend support beyond these time limits, the Graduate Student Review Committee would have to take positive action. It is in the student's interest to complete a degree as soon as possible insofar as is consistent with work of good quality. Thus every effort is made to encourage a student and his or her advisor to design a degree program which can be completed within these time limits. In the event that extensions of support are needed, a student and his or her advisor should submit a written request to the Graduate Review Committee as soon as the need for extra time becomes clear.
Students who are on the fast track towards a Ph.D. and fail to pass the Ph.D. qualifying exam before the end of their second year may continue on the regular track. Students on the regular Ph.D. track who fail to pass the qualifying exam within 3 ½ years may request transfer to the MS program with the aim of completing an MS thesis.
Good Academic Standing: To be considered in good academic standing, a student must maintain a minimum cumulative graduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale each semester. To be eligible for an advanced degree, a student’s cumulative grade point average shall be at least a 3.00 and the student’s grades in courses counted toward the degree requirements of the program shall equal at least a 3.00. A grade below a C- will not be counted toward the course requirements for a degree but is calculated in the student’s cumulative grade point average.
Arbitration: In those instances in which difficulties arise in communications between a student, the advisor, and/or the Graduate Review Committee, informal consultation with the Director of the Graduate program may be helpful. Should this avenue fail to restore healthy communication, the matter may be considered by the entire Graduate Studies Committee.
Core courses: The following
courses are considered to belong to the core curriculum.
|
Course |
Course number |
|
Electricity and Magnetism |
603, 604 |
|
Mathematical Methods |
607, 608 |
|
Quantum Mechanics |
610, 811, 812 |
|
Thermodynamics |
616 |
|
Mechanics |
620 |
|
Modern Physics |
621 |
|
Electromagnetism |
809, 810 |
|
Statistical Mechanics |
813 |
|
Research Talks |
600 |
Graduate student
TEACHING AND financial support
Students who are awarded
fellowships or assistantships assume a contract
with the University. The University agrees to provide a scholarship for the
student’s tuition and pay a stipend. As with any professional appointment, the
amount of service may vary but the average is usually expected to be 20 hours
per week. Continuation of the appointment is contingent upon satisfactory
performance of assigned duties, continued academic eligibility and compliance
with the University’s Code of
Ethics.
Eligibility for financial support: The University will not permit support of a student who has not obtained a 3.00 (B) grade-point average in graduate-level courses. The department may request a one-semester temporary continuation of support for a student whose grade-point average has fallen slightly below 3.0.
A student must be classified as full-time to be eligible to hold an assistantship or fellowship. Students holding a teaching assistantship, a research assistantship, a graduate assistantship, a tuition assistantship, or a tuition scholarship must register for at least 6 credit hours of graduate-level courses each fall and spring semester to meet full-time status. Students holding a fellowship must register for at least 9 credit hours. Students on contract in fall or spring semester who are completing a thesis or a dissertation may register in sustaining credit to meet full-time status.
SUMMER REGISTRATION. Students who are supported by the University as teaching assistants, research assistants, or fellows during the summer months are required to be registered for at least three credits during this period. Students may register in 868-800 (research), 869 (thesis), 969 (dissertation), sustaining, or a regular course offered in summer session. Except for 869, 969, or regular courses, grades assigned are pass/fail.
TA training: First-time recipients of Teaching Assistantships in the DPA are required to attend the Annual Conference for Graduate Teaching Assistants offered by the Center for Teaching Effectiveness. They are required also to participate in a one-credit pass/fail course, PHYS 601 Introduction to Teaching Physics and Astronomy. International TAs must also attend the ELI/ITA training program and meet the SPEAK/UDIA score requirements to be eligible for a TA appointment
Teaching in winter session: Students supported as TAs in Winter Session will have a teaching assignment amounting to one section. Provided their (research) advisor approves, both TAs and RAs may request to be TA for one (additional) section, for which the student will be paid an additional stipend. Past teaching effectiveness will be used to determine the allocation of these sections. RAs may not be assigned more than one section.
Instructorships: Some students may be offered positions as lecturers in Summer or Winter Sessions. In order to lecture, a student must have passed the Qualifying Examination, or have obtained a Master's degree, or have shown other convincing evidence of competence. In addition, lecturers will be expected to have shown high teaching ability, using student evaluations and classroom visits by Physics Department faculty members as evidence. Research Assistants may not spend more than 20 hours per week teaching in Winter Session and therefore may not hold instructorships.
Approved by a vote of the Joint
Faculty,