Degrees

The comprehensive examination is a written exam that tests knowledge of the physics fundamentals that a physics graduate student is expected to know at the end of the first year, and for the student's continuation into the research phase of the doctoral program. It consists of the following topics: classical mechanics, electromagnetism, quantum mechanics, and statistical physics. The examination is prepared and administered by a faculty committee appointed by the Chairperson, and it is evaluated by this committee with the approval of the department's faculty.

The examination is offered twice a year, the week before the beginning of each semester. The student must pass one of two possible attempts in order to continue in the graduate program before the end of their second year. A student, who fails the first attempt, MUST make their second attempt the next time the exam is offered. This second written exam will also include an oral component, which can increase or decrease the final score by a small percentage.  The FIRST attempt would be a fall exam taken a week before the beginning of the student’s second fall semester. If unsuccessful, the second try would be a spring exam, one week before the beginning of their second spring semester.

Within one year of passing the comprehensive examination, a student shall take the Research Proposal Exam (RPE). The purpose of this oral examination is for the student to demonstrate their readiness to embark on a PhD project.  This includes demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of the research area and articulating a research project that addresses one or more open questions in that area.

The RPE is a 40-minute, public presentation followed by 10 minutes of questions by the public and 20 minutes of questions by the exam committee in private. The presentation should include a detailed explanation of how the student proposes to address open questions in the field and preferably include preliminary results. The topic of the RPE will be chosen by the graduate student in consultation with their doctoral research adviser. The examination will be evaluated by a committee prepared by the student and thesis adviser, and will consist of at least two additional department faculty. The questions asked by the committee during the RPE presentation need not be restricted to the RPE topic but will also test the student’s ability to demonstrate some breadth of knowledge in physics. The student will have at most two opportunities to pass this exam. Those who do not pass the RPE on the first try must make a second attempt within six months. Students will not advance to Ph.D. candidacy without passing the RPE, and after two unsuccessful attempts, will not receive additional TA support from the department.

If a student has a legitimate reason to postpone their RPE, they should first discuss it with their advisor and then arrange for a meeting with the graduate chair to discuss the reason. The graduate chair will meet with the student and their advisor to assess the situation before making a final decision. A formal letter of extension will be signed by the student if the extension is granted.

Upon the student's passing performance of the RPE, the student and their advisor, in consultation with the Chairperson, shall establish a doctoral thesis committee consisting of the student’s adviser who will chair the committee and at least three additional tenure track faculty members. In addition to the advisor, at least two must be from the physics department. The committee will read and evaluate the completed thesis and conduct an open meeting at which the thesis is defended in an oral examination. The thesis is accepted when endorsed on the official title page by the Doctoral Thesis Committee after the oral examination.

To continue enrollment as a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Physics, students must maintain acceptable levels of performance and progress towards their degree in all three aspects of their graduate work: courses, teaching, and research duties. A student must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 (B) consistent with the policies of the Graduate School of the MCA&S. In addition, students should be on track to complete all of their required courses by the end of their third year, consistent with the requirements that Ph.D. students should also be making progress towards passing the Comprehensive and Research Proposal Exams, according to the timeline provided by the department. Students must perform all of their assigned duties satisfactorily as a teaching or research assistant. The duties are defined by their teaching and/or research supervisor(s) in accord with the assigned hours. This includes making timely progress to graduation by the end of their sixth year in the program, as determined by the thesis adviser. It also includes grading the homework, lab books, and exams in time, according to the timeline set by the course professor, and being present in all recitation classes or lab demonstrations. Students in jeopardy of losing their status of good academic standing shall receive notification in writing, with a follow up meeting scheduled within one month. A time-line for improvement and consequences will be clearly stated in the letter.