Master of Arts Degree - Education Concentration

This program is designed for in-service secondary school teachers or students interested in teaching physical sciences in Community Colleges.

The degree requires 30 semester hours of graduate work. Prospective candidates for the Master of Arts degree-Education concentration are expected to have earned credit in courses equivalent to PHYS 2054, 2074, 3614, and 3113. Deficiencies may be removed either by taking the appropriate courses or by examination.

The candidate's program must include at least six semester hours of physics courses numbered 5000 or above, and at least three hours of 502V. Not more than nine semester hours of credit toward this degree will be allowed from physical science and graduate education courses. All courses selected to apply to this degree must be approved by the student's advisor in accordance with the above requirements. Recommended courses include PHYS 400V, 4113, 4213, 462L, 4053, 588V, and 590V.

Each person receiving the Master of Arts degree-Education concentration must have at least one hour of Master's Research, satisfied by a written research report based either on the 502V or 588V project. A final, comprehensive oral exam is given by the advisory committee.

Master of Science In Physics

And

Master of Science In Applied Physics

Students in these degree programs can choose either a 31-semester hour thesis path or a 37-semester hour non-thesis path.

Both degree paths require that the student complete PHYS 501V Seminar (Introduction to Research), PHYS 5073 Mathematical Methods of Physics I, PHYS 5413 Quantum Mechanics I, and PHYS 5333 Advanced Electromagnetic Theory. The student must complete one of the three courses in the Techniques in Research block: PHYS 5123 Condensed Matter Physics; PHYS 5133 Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics; or PHYS 502V Individual Study in Advanced Physics. Students must also complete at least one of the following three courses: PHYS 5754 Applied Nonlinear Optics, PHYS 5713 Solid State Physics, or PHYS 5513 Atomic and Molecular Physics.

Thesis path students must complete at least nine additional hours in elective graduate courses. Thesis candidates for M.S. degree in Physics must choose all nine hours from the physics courses, whereas candidates for M.S. degree in Applied Physics may elect to take courses in other departments. However, at least one of these courses must be in physics.

Non-thesis path students must complete at least eighteen additional hours in elective graduate courses. Non-thesis candidates for M.S. degree in Physics must choose all 18 hours from physics courses, whereas candidates for M.S. degree in Applied Physics may elect to take courses in other departments. However, at least three of these must be in physics.

Students will select electives from courses listed in the graduate catalog as appropriate to their field of specialization, with course selection approved by their advisory committee. Students who have had similar courses at another institution may substitute up to 12 credit hours, on a course-by-course basis, upon petitioning the Graduate Affairs Committee, as long as the Graduate School minimum is satisfied.

The thesis path will require completion of six masters thesis hours under PHYS 600V and will require a written thesis successfully defended in a comprehensive oral exam given by the student's advisory committee. The non-thesis path will require completion of three hours under PHYS 502V Individual Study in Advanced Physics, and will require a written project report successfully defended in a comprehensive oral exam given by the student's advisory committee.

Doctor of Philosophy Degree

Students must complete a minimum of 40 semester hours in graduate courses. These hours must include PHYS 501V Seminar (Introduction to Research), PHYS 5073 Mathematical Methods of Physics I, PHYS 5413/5423 Quantum Mechanics I and II, PHYS 5333 Advanced Electromagnetic Theory, PHYS 5713 Solid State Physics, PHYS 5513 Atomic and Molecular Physics, PHYS 5103 Advanced Mechanics, and PHYS 5213 Statistical Mechanics. The hours must also include a two-semester course sequence in the Research Techniques block: PHYS 5123/6123 Condensed Matter Physics I and II; PHYS 5133/6133 Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics I and II; or PHYS 502V Individual Study in Advanced Physics. Nine additional hours in elective physics graduate courses will be required, and they must be selected from courses listed in the graduate catalog appropriate to the student's field of specialization and approved by the student's advisory committee. Students who have had similar courses at another institution may obtain a substitution for up to 21 credit hours, on a course-by-course basis, upon petitioning to the Graduate Affairs Committee.

To be admitted to candidacy for the degree the student must (a) file a Declaration of Intent with the Graduate School, (b) form an advisory committee, (c) pass the candidacy exam (see Sec.VI), and (d) be approved by the physics faculty. The advisory committee consists of the research advisor as chair, three members of the physics faculty, and one member of the graduate faculty not from the Physics Department.

The students must also earn 18 hours of credit in Doctoral Dissertation, submit a dissertation, and defend it successfully in a comprehensive oral examination given by the advisory committee.