Physics - PhD

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College of Science

Department of Physics

In addition to the general requirements, a total of 60 credits is required - 30 credits of coursework and 30 credits of research.

A student entering the PhD Prgram with an MS Degree requires a total of 30 credits.

Degree Verification

A bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. college or university or a similarly recognized international university is required for admission to and completion of a graduate program.

Overall Graduate GPA at least 3.0 and no grades of C- or lower;

Graduate students are required to maintain at least a 3.0 GPA for degree-program courses. Grades of C- or lower will not be accepted for a graduate degree.

Course Number Acceptability

The Program of Study for a master’s degree or a doctoral degree, if the student has a master’s degree, must include at least 15 semester credits at the level of 6000 or above.

For a doctoral degree, if the student does not have a master’s degree, the Program of Study must include at least 30 credits at the level of 6000 or above.

Credits in the following areas are not acceptable in a degree program: foreign languages (unless included in an approved Program of Study), continuing graduate advisement, individual home study, military science, and courses numbered below 3000.

Matriculation Start Semester

A doctorate must be completed within eight years of entering the degree program. Additional time may be requested by the student’s committee and submitted to the Vice Provost of Graduate Studies for review.

Coursework Validity

Coursework over eight years old at the time of degree completion may not be used for a graduate degree unless it is revalidated.

USU Residency Requirement

At least 33 semester credits for a doctoral (Ph.D.) degree must be taken from Utah State University and be part of an approved Program of Study. At least three semesters, two of which must be consecutive, of full-time registration in residence at Utah State University, is required.

Dissertation Research Credits 7970

A minimum of 12 dissertation credits (7970) is required if the student has a master’s degree, and a minimum of 18 is required if the student has a bachelor’s degree.

All graduate students must complete the online CITI -Responsible Conduct in Research (RCR) This should be completed in the first semester.

Doctoral forms: approval of academic forms required for doctoral students by the School of Graduate Studies.

Supervisory Committee
Program of Study
Application for Candidacy
Appointment for Examination
Record of Examination
SGS and library review and approval

The required courses are:

PHYS 5340 - Methods of Theoretical Physics I 3 credit(s)
PHYS 5350 - Methods of Theoretical Physics II 3 credit(s)
PHYS 6010 - Classical Mechanics I 3 credit(s)
PHYS 6110 - Electrodynamics I 3 credit(s)
PHYS 6120 - Electrodynamics II 3 credit(s)
PHYS 6210 - Quantum Mechanics I 3 credit(s)
PHYS 6410 - Statistical Mechanics I 3 credit(s)
PHYS 6330 - Plasma Physics I 3 credit(s)
PHYS 6530 - Solid State Physics I 3 credit(s)
PHYS 6910 - Relativity I 3 credit(s)
Dissertation Requirement: A successful defense and dissertation approval by department and School of Graduate Studies is required.
Note: With permission from the student’s Supervisory Committee, a Core course can be substitued with one or more of the following courses to enhance their area of research.
PHYS 6220 - Quantum Mechanics II 3 credit(s)
PHYS 6240 - Space Environment and Engineering 3 credit(s)
PHYS 6310 - Solar-terrestrial Physics I 3 credit(s)
PHYS 6320 - Solar-terrestrial Physics II 3 credit(s)
PHYS 6340 - Plasma Physics II 3 credit(s)
PHYS 6420 - Statistical Mechanics II 3 credit(s)
PHYS 6540 - Solid State Physics II 3 credit(s)
PHYS 6680 - Optics II 3 credit(s)
PHYS 6920 - Relativity II 3 credit(s)
PHYS 6930 - Quantum Field Theory I 3 credit(s)
PHYS 6940 - Quantum Field Theory II 3 credit(s)
PHYS 7210 - Spacecraft Instrumentation 3 credit(s)

Note:

Each student is required to attend the Physics Colloquium for four consecutive semesters, beginning with the first semester after matriculation. The student must take a candidacy examination, consisting of a written report and a presentation made by the student, which is followed by an oral examination from departmental faculty. The candidacy exam is based upon a research topic set by the student’s supervisory committee. The candidacy examination will normally occur no later than the fifth semester after the student begins graduate coursework.

The Physics Department requires each PhD student to present at least two research seminars associated with his/her research (neither of which can be the Candidacy Examination oral presentation). One of these is associated with the dissertation defense, the other seminar can be a local seminar given to members of a local research group, a presentation at a regional, national, or international conference, or an invited talk at another institution.

Physics PhD students are required to complete the CITI-Research, Ethics and Compliance Training.