DEGREE PROGRAMS

The normal degree program in the Department leads to a Ph.D. in Physics. Only in special cases (i.e., U.S. military officers) are students admitted to pursue a Masters degree in Physics. Sometimes a student admitted for a Ph.D. may decide not to follow the program through to completion or may fail the General Exam. In these cases, the student may be able to satisfy the requirements for the Masters degree.

ADVISING AND REGISTRATION

Upon entering the Department, every student is assigned an academic advisor. Under most circumstances, this faculty member will continue to advise the student until graduation. Later, when the student joins a research group, another faculty member will become his or her research advisor. Thus, for most of their time in the Department, students have two separate faculty members to whom they can turn for help and advice.

Each fall and spring term students must meet with their academic advisor to complete their registration. Each student will be sent a scheduled time for meeting with his or her advisor on registration day. Summer registration is handled in the Physics Education Office (PEO). To make a subject change after registration day, students should use the Institute form, available in the Student Services Center (11-120) or the PEO. The subject's instructor must sign the form if a subject is being added and, in all cases, the form requires an academic advisor's signature. To avoid late charges and the need to petition a change through the Dean of Graduate Students, students should be sure to change their registration before the Registrar's deadlines. The add date is about five weeks into the term and the drop date is about three weeks before the last day of classes. Pre-registration for all terms is done on-line via WEBSIS.

CHOOSING FIRST YEAR SUBJECTS

The Department does not require students to take any subjects other than those needed to satisfy the specialty and breadth requirements described below. However, many students begin by taking some combination of graduate Quantum Mechanics (8.321), graduate Electricity and Magnetism (8.311), and graduate Statistical Mechanics (8.333). These are the subjects that have proven to give students a broad view of basic physics as well as a foundation for Part II of the General Exam.

First-year students concerned with the level of their undergraduate preparation (in this regard, Part I of the General Exam is a useful diagnostic tool) are encouraged to take senior level undergraduate subjects such as Electricity and Magnetism (8.07) and Statistical Mechanics (8.08). Some first-year students may wish to sample basic graduate subjects in specialty areas: Atomic and Optical Physics (8.421 and 8.422), Solid State Physics (8.511), Plasma Physics (8.613J), Introduction to Nuclear and Particle Physics (8.701), and Astrophysics (8.901). These subjects may later be counted towards one's specialty or breadth requirements. While planning their first year program, students should keep in mind that the normal load for those with full-time RAs and TAs is two academic subjects, or about 24 units.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MASTERS DEGREE

Masters candidates must complete 66 units, 42 of which must be "H" level subjects. A thesis is required; however, an oral thesis defense is not required. The thesis will be assigned a grade by the research supervisor in consultation with the thesis committee.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PhD

The specific requirements for the Ph.D. are:

SATISFACTORY PROGRESS

Satisfactory academic progress involves passing the three parts of the General Exam on time (see the timetable that follows), completing the subject requirements in the specialty area, and satisfying the breadth requirement. The Dean for Graduate Students, in conjunction with the Department, may issue academic warnings to graduate students who maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or lower or whose unit load for any given term is below 36 units.

Satisfactory progress in research is more difficult to define since Ph.D. research does not follow a rigid time schedule and each professor has his or her own approach. Certainly satisfactory progress includes completing assigned RA or TA duties competently and on time. More importantly, a student is expected to take responsibility for a specific project, both solving the day-to-day problems and mustering the vision, ingenuity, and skills necessary to bring the project to completion. By meeting regularly, the student and research supervisor can agree on the scope of the thesis project and establish a reasonable schedule for milestones along the way. Students should maintain close contact with their research supervisor and make known as early as possible any dissatisfaction with their projects, or any desire to leave the group.

Research assistantships are generally renewed on a yearly basis (except for first year students, who are normally appointed for nine months). The award of an assistantship imposes no obligation to continue such support beyond a given appointment. The Department has the policy that, in the event of unsatisfactory performance, notice of termination must be given to the student by the research supervisor, in writing, at least one full term in advance. Written notification of unsatisfactory progress must also be sent to the student and his or her academic advisor at least three months before the termination notice. Specific notification dates for each term are available in the Physics Education Office. The student has a responsibility to continue working as long as he or she is being supported.

In the event that there are differences between the research supervisor and the student concerning unsatisfactory performance, the problem should be brought to the attention of the student's academic advisor or brought before the Graduate Committee. Committee members are willing to discuss, in private, problems encountered by either the student or the research supervisor before formal action takes place. Additional resources are listed in the introductory section of these Guidelines.

 

TIMETABLE OF PROGRESS TOWARD A PH.D.
YEAR	TERM	DEADLINE*
1st	Fall**	Part I General Exam: First Attempt
	Spring**
2nd	Fall	Part I General Exam: Final Attempt
	Spring	Part II General Exam: Deadline for First Attempt
3rd	Fall	Part II General Exam: Final Attempt
	Spring	Part III General Exam: Deadline for First Attempt
4th	Fall	Part III General Exam: Final Attempt Thesis Proposal Due: Must be registered for 8.THG this term.
	Spring
5th
6th		Mean time to Ph.D. is 5.7 years.
		*If delays or postponements are needed, contact Prof. Barton Zwiebach (General Exams) or Prof. Patrick Lee (Thesis Proposal).
		**Students who enter in February should invert the Fall and Spring terms in this table, i.e., Part I General Exam: First Attempt would take place in the Spring term of the first year.

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