Year 1
Summer Bootcamp:
- The Bootcamp on Physics Fundamentals is an optional two-week program in August intended to help students review Quantum physics and Classical Mechanics before the first-year classes begin.
First Semester:
- Begin course requirements: Five foundational courses + one advanced elective + one PHYS 990: Special Investigations (SI) + two research seminars.
- PHYS 500: Advanced Classical Mechanics + PHYS 508: Quantum Mechanics I + an advanced elective or PHYS 990: Special Investigations (SI) + PHYS 515: Topics in Modern Physics Research
- Required teaching: Teaching Fellows Program, 10hrs/week
Second Semester:
- PHYS 502: Electromagnetic Theory I + PHYS 512: Statistical Physics I + PHYS 608: Quantum Mechanics II* + advanced elective or PHYS 990: Special Investigations (SI) + PHYS 590: Responsible Conduct in Research for Physical Scientists
- *PHYS 608 can be postponed until the second year
- Required teaching: Teaching Fellows Program, 10hrs/week
Summer:
- Work as Assistant in Research to identify potential thesis research advisers
- English language training to prepare for SPEAK test through the Center for Language Study (International students)
- Qualifying Examination preparation
Year 2
First Semester:
- Sit for Qualifying Examination at the start of the Fall semester
- Required teaching: Teaching Fellows Program, 10hrs/week
- Once requirements are finished, take advanced electives as desired
- Work as Assistant in Research to identify potential thesis research advisers
Second Semester:
- PHYS 608: Quantum Mechanics II if not taken in the first year
- Required teaching: Teaching Fellows Program, 10hrs/week
- Once course requirements are complete, take advanced electives as desired
- Work as Assistant in Research to identify potential thesis research advisers
Summer:
Finalize thesis adviser and begin dissertation research
Year 3
First Semester:
- Sit for Qualifying Examination portions and Oral exam if not completed at the beginning of second year
- Preliminary Dissertation Research
- Establish a 3 faculty “Core Thesis Committee”, including thesis adviser
Second Semester:
- Prepare Thesis Prospectus
End of Third Year/Summer:
- Submit Thesis Prospectus with oral defense to the core thesis committee
- Admission to Candidacy after Thesis Prospectus approval
- Work with the thesis adviser to complete initial Dissertation Progress Report (DPR) send out by the Graduate School; due 30 days after Admission to Candidacy
Years 4 & 5
- Continue dissertation research
- Identify 4th faculty member for core thesis committee
- Work with thesis adviser to identify an external reader for core thesis committee
- Meet with core thesis committee at minimum once a year and discuss progress towards dissertation; includes oral presentation of research progress to committee
- Complete Dissertation Progress Report (DPR) with thesis adviser; DPR is sent out by the Graduate School before May 1st of each year.
Years 5+
- Continue dissertation research
- Work with thesis adviser to complete the Dissertation Progress Report (DPR) sent out by the Graduate School before May 1st of each year.
- When you and your adviser agree you are ready:
- Notify department of intent to submit dissertation by August for December degree or February for May degree (dates determined by the Graduate School)
- Schedule Thesis Defense and oral examination by core thesis committee. Submit written dissertation to 4 internal core thesis committee members to read, 3 weeks in advance of scheduled defense. The Graduate School will send the dissertation out to the external reader after the oral defense and official submission.
- Official submission of written dissertation to the Graduate School by October for December degree or March for May degree (dates determined by Graduate School)
- Reader’s reports from all core thesis committee members (including external reader) due one month after submission of written dissertation
- Degree awarded
Printable version.