MS requirements towards PhD
MS Degree for Ph.D. track
Revised 5/16/95
PROGRAM FOR THE M.S. DEGREE IN THE DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS
Each physics graduate student in the Ph.D. program will have an opportunity to earn a Master's degree in Physics. Each student who wishes to pursue the M.S. degree in physics will be advised by a faculty member in the Physics Department. The faculty advisor will assist in planning a program appropriate for the student's needs and interests. For the M.S. degree, the Graduate School requires 45 credits, with a 3.00 grade point average (minimum) and with approximately 2/3 or the credit in the major and the remaining 1/3 in a minor. The minor requirement can be completed within the Physics Department or in another department.
Program Requirements:
(1) Completion of 27 credits of core courses:
Dynamics/Statistical Thermophvsics PH 621, 641, 642
Electromagnetic Theory PH 631, 632, 633
Quantum Mechanics PH 651, 652, 653
(2) Completion of 9 credits of:
Advanced Quantum Theory PH 654, 655, 656
(3) Completion of 9 credits from additional 500 or 600 level courses.
Note that courses selected from
PH 501 Research
PH 505 Reading and Conference
PH 507 Seminars
are subject to Graduate School restrictions (maximum 6 credits of blanket courses).
(4) The student will perform satisfactorily at the M.S. level on the written comprehensive exam set by the department. A detailed description of this requirement is given in a bulletin entitled "Comprehensive Examinations."
(5) Each term, all students shall register for and attend the weekly departmental colloquium
(PH 507, sec 1) presented by faculty members and visiting speakers on a wide range of topics of current interest.
(6) The Graduate School requires a two-hour M.S. final oral examination on the major and minor subjects. This is ordinarily taken during the final term of study toward the M.S. degree. For students continuing toward a Ph.D., the comprehensive oral examination for Ph.D. candidacy, if passed, will satisfy the Master's oral requirement. In this case, the student must have both programs approved and on file with the Graduate School, and must request that the Graduate School schedule concurrent oral examinations for the Ph.D. preliminary and the M.S. final.
Notes concerning the M.S. Minor:
Each M.S. student will select a minor field of study in addition to the major field of study (physics). The minor may be within the physics department or outside of the department. For students continuing toward a Ph.D., a minor in the physics department is recommended. Possible minors within the physics department are: physics, atomic physics, computational physics nuclear physics, optical physics, particle physics, relativity, and solid state physics. A minor outside the physics department (see the Graduate catalog for a list) requires an additional 15 credits of approved courses in the minor field. In addition, the student must have a professor from the minor department on the examining committee.