FSU Physics Graduate Study Handbook
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Contents:
- Introduction
- Admission requirements
- Financial support
- Language requirement
- Counseling and registration
- Credit load limit
- Course and credit information
- Course and credit requirements
- Grade requirement
- Teaching requirement
- Research
- Major Professor and Supervisory Committee
- Program of studies
- Master's thesis
- Master's oral comprehensive examination
- Research report requirement
- Doctoral preliminary examination
- Admission to candidacy
- Dissertation
- Defense of dissertation
- Residency requirement
- Time limits
- Application for a degree
- Readmission
- Graduation
- Summary of requirements
1. INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the Physics Department. This guide is to help you during your
studies towards a M.S. or Ph.D. degree. The requirements for earning
either a Master of Science in Physics or a Doctor of Philosophy in
Physics at Florida State University are described in this guidebook.
Students seeking one of the above degrees should familiarize themselves
with these requirements and assume the responsibility for satisfying
them. If a rule change is made after a student has been admitted to the
graduate program, the student has the option of following either the
rule which was in effect when he or she entered or all of the new rules.
Aid in surmounting the bureaucratic barriers on the road to an advanced
degree in Physics can be obtained from the Graduate Secretary whose
office is in Room 307 of the Physics Building. Academic Inquiries or
questions which require a policy decision should be directed to the
Physics Department Director of Graduate Studies or one of the members
of the Graduate Studies Committee.
If
for some unusual reason, such as physical disability, a student feels
that a waiver of some departmental policy is in order, he or she should
submit in writing a request for the waiver to the Physics Department
through the Graduate Studies Director.
Though this guidebook describes the most important requirements for
attaining a graduate degree in Physics, it is not a comprehensive
statement of all University policies. In addition to consulting this
guidebook, students should become familiar with the pertinent sections
of the latest edition of The Florida State University Graduate
Bulletin. Furthermore, each semester before registering, students
should consult the current Florida State University Registrar's Course
Lookup page, not only for course information but also for any deadlines he
or she must meet. In addition, sometime prior to the semester in which a
student hopes to graduate, he or she should obtain from the Graduate
Dean's Office a copy of the brochure Guidelines and Requirements
for Theses, Treatises, and Dissertations.
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2. ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
2.1. General information
The
Graduate Studies Committee is responsible for selecting students for
admission into the Physics department graduate program. All
correspondence concerning admission should be directed to:
Graduate Office
Department of Physics
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida 32306-4350.
2.2. Application
To
be considered for admission, an applicant must submit or arrange for
the submission of items 2.2.1 - 2.2.5 below. Applicants whose native language is not
English, please see item 2.2.6 below.
2.2.1. Application for admission to the Graduate School. Each applicant
must fill out and submit an application form for admission to the
Graduate School. US applicants can
submit an online application here. International applicants should use the International
Student version of the application form available here. Application
forms can also be
obtained from the Physics Graduate Office.
2.2.2.
Official transcripts. Each applicant should ask all post-secondary
institutions which he or she attended to send two official transcripts
of his or her record to the Physics Graduate Office at Florida State
University. Unofficial copies of transcripts or GRE and TOEFL scores
provided by the applicant are acceptable only on an interim basis. Any
admission or financial offer including assistantships made prior to the
reception of official copies provided by the schools attended is made
on a provisional basis only. A grade point average of at least 3.0 on a
4.0 scale in graduate or upper division undergraduate science and
mathematics courses is required for admission in addition to the
requirements of the Graduate School.
2.2.3.
Three letters of recommendation. Each applicant should solicit letters
of recommendation from three persons familiar with his or her
qualifications for advanced study in physics. The letters should be
sent directly to the Physics Graduate Office at Florida State
University by the persons providing the letters. Letters from a
previous application are acceptable if they are less than 1.5 years old.
2.2.4.
GRE score. Each applicant is required to take the verbal and
quantitative portions of the general (aptitude) Graduate Record
Examination (GRE). A combined verbal and quantitative GRE score of at
least 1100 is required for admission. Graduate Record Examinations are
offered several times a year at numerous testing centers in the United
States and abroad. Advance registration is required. Registration,
as well as detailed information on the availability and character of
the examination, may be obtained from
Educational Testing
Services. After taking the exam the applicant should ask
the Educational Testing Service to send the score to the Physics
Department at Florida State University.
2.2.5.
Application fee. Each applicant must send an application fee, currently
thirty dollars, with the application described in item 2.2.1. The
applicant should send either a money order or a check made payable to
Florida State University.
2.2.6.
TOEFL score. A student whose native language is not English and who has
not been educated in an English speaking institution for at least one
year, must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A total
score of at least 80 on the new IB TOEFL test, 213 on the
computer-based TOEFL test, and 550 on the paper TOEFL test is required
for admission.
The TOEFL is offered
six times a year at designated test centers in 170 countries throughout
the world, including all of the states of the United States. Advance
Registration is required. Registration, as well as detailed
information on the availability and character of the examination, may
be obtained from
Educational Testing Services.
After taking the exam the applicant should request the TOEFL
Office to send the score to the Department of Physics at Florida State
University.
2.3. Deadline
For
admission in the Fall semester foreign applicants must satisfy the
above requirements by January 15, and U.S. applicants by February 15. Applications from
students in the U.S. received before February 15th will be given full
consideration; those received after February 15th will also be considered
until all of the available positions are filled.
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3. FINANCIAL SUPPORT
Most graduate students are initially supported by a Teaching
Assistantship or a Fellowship for the Fall and Spring semesters. After
a student has chosen a particular area of research, he or she is
generally supported by a Research Assistantship funded by a grant from
a government agency or other source. A graduate assistantship is
provided with the expectation that the student works full time on their
graduate education.
First year
students are requested to choose a research area by mid February and
are usually supported by Research Assistantships over the summer. There
are only a limited number of Teaching Assistantships available during
the Summer Semester.
A graduate student is normally assured support for five continuous years
provided that he or she is making satisfactory academic progress, he or
she is satisfying the service requirements of teaching or research, and
funds are available.
A review of
each Ph.D. student is conducted every year. If after review a student
is determined not to be making satisfactory progress, his or her
financial support may be terminated. The Department will not provide
tuition waivers beyond the sixth year of study unless the student's
major professor successfully petitions the Graduate Committee.
No graduate student may be appointed to any assistantship without the
approval of the Graduate Studies Committee. Only full time students are
eligible for such appointments. Assistantship appointments are made
with the understanding that the student has no other employment. If a
student has outside employment and has not received prior approval by
the Graduate Studies Committee, his or her assistantship may be
terminated without advanced notice. Also, no student on academic probation
may receive an assistantship for more than one semester.
In addition, those students eligible for in-state residency after their
first year of graduate study must apply for it. The department will not
pay out-of-state tuition waivers for those students who are eligible to
qualify as in-state residents beyond the first year of study.
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4. LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT
There is no departmental language requirement for a student whose native
language is English, or a student who has received his or her
undergraduate degree from a U.S. university.
Students whose native language is not English must have, in addition to
the ability to read and understand English, a reasonable proficiency in
spoken English to pursue a graduate program in Physics at Florida State
University. Such proficiency is necessary for a student to fully
function in one of the research groups and also to satisfy the teaching
requirement discussed in Section 10. To determine whether or not a
student whose native language is not English, and who has also not
received his or her undergraduate degree from a U.S. university, has
such a proficiency he or she is required to take the SPEAK (Speaking
Proficiency English Assessment Kit) test. This test should be taken as
soon as possible, preferably before the beginning of the first
semester. The SPEAK test is administered on campus by Florida State
University. Details on when and where this test is offered may be
obtained from the Physics Department Graduate Office. Those who score
200 or above on the SPEAK test satisfy the language requirement. Those
who score less than 200 must take the course ENS 4405 (Basic Spoken
English) and retake the SPEAK test. Those who again score less than 200
must take ENS 4406 (Advanced Spoken English) and retake the SPEAK test.
Those who still score less than 200 must meet with the Physics
Department Director of Graduate Studies to determine what further steps
are necessary to satisfy this requirement.
The Director of Graduate Studies has the authority to waive the
departmental language requirement for a student whose native language
is not English and who has not received his or her undergraduate degree
from a U.S. university but whose command of English is clearly such as
to make administration of the SPEAK test superfluous.
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5. COUNSELING AND REGISTRATION
The University operates on a semester system with two sixteen week
semesters in the Fall and Spring respectively and a thirteen week
Summer semester. Before registration for the Fall semester or the
Spring semester, a student who does not have a Major Professor will meet
for counseling with the Graduate Studies Committee. Before
registration for the Summer semester, a student who does not have a
Major Professor must meet for advising either with the Graduate Studies
Committee, or if the student is working for a particular faculty member,
with that faculty member. A student who has a Major Professor must meet
for counseling with his or her Major Professor before registering each
semester.
Florida State University
uses a computer registration system. This is a continually developing
system and from time to time the rules change. You should consult the
Florida State University Registrar's Course
Lookup page as well as the Physics Graduate Office each
semester for the procedure to be used.
Classes may be dropped and added without penalty in the first few days
of classes only. The exact date in a given semester beyond which
classes cannot be dropped without penalty can be found on the Registrar's
web page, under "Semester Calendar" for that semester. Significant changes
in a student's schedule should be made only after consultation with his
or her advisor.
Graduate students should be prepared to pay their registration and other
fees at the beginning of each semester. Students who receive financial
support from the department and are relying on this support to make fee
payments should check with the Graduate Studies Office to confirm the
dates and amounts of their payment.
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6. CREDIT LOAD LIMITS
Twelve (12) hours per semester
constitutes a full-time load for graduate students and fellowship holders.
Nine (9) hours is defined as a full-time load for graduate assistantship holders on a quarter-time appointment or larger.
Subject to availability of funds, students on assistantships are granted
tuition waivers. Waivers are given only for Physics Department courses.
Under very exceptional circumstances, an advisor may petition the
Graduate Studies Director for a student to take no more than three (3)
credit hours in another department. Since waivers are given to Physics
Department by the Arts and Sciences College, no waivers are possible
for other colleges. A student may take courses given by other departments
only by personally paying the tuition.
The number of hours which a graduate student may carry without special permission is fifteen (15).
Included in the calculation of student load are hours of graduate credit
other than formal course work, e.g., hours in thesis or dissertation,
in supervised research, and in supervised teaching.
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7. COURSE AND CREDIT INFORMATION
7.1. General information
Information
on the spectrum and content of courses taught at Florida State
University can be obtained from The Florida State University Graduate
Bulletin and The Florida State University General Bulletin. Information
on the scheduling of classes in a given semester can be obtained from
the Florida State University Directory of Classes for that semester.
Additional information about a particular course can be obtained from
the Graduate Studies Office or from the instructor in the course. In
subsections 7.2 to 7.7 below we have provided general information on a
few items of importance.
7.2. Transfer credits
Transfer
of courses from a recognized graduate school is allowed provided: (i)
such transfer has been recommended by the student's Major Professor,
(ii) the courses have been evaluated as graduate courses by the
Registrar's Office at Florida State University, and (iii) the courses
have been completed with a grade of B or better. No more than six
transfer credits can be used to satisfy the requirements for an M.S.
There is no limit to the number of transfer credits which can be used
to satisfy the requirements for a Ph.D. Grades earned at another
institution cannot be used to improve a grade point average or
eliminate a quality point deficiency at Florida State University.
7.3. Acceptable elective course work outside Physics
Courses
in the Chemistry, Biology, and Mathematics departments, and certain
Computer Science courses are usually acceptable as elective course
work, while courses outside the Natural Sciences are not, but (a) the
student's major professor, and (b) the graduate affairs committee must
give their approval in each case.
7.4. Special Topics courses
In
the Fall and Spring semesters one or more Special Topics courses are
normally offered on subjects not covered in the standard courses. The
subjects covered are sometimes of general interest and other times of
particular importance in some specialized area of research. Students
should check with the Graduate Studies Office to obtain information on
the Special Topics courses being offered in a given semester, or being
planned for future semesters.
Proposals
for special topics courses should be submitted by individual faculty
members to the Physics Department Director of Graduate Studies three
months prior to the scheduling of these courses. Student or faculty
groups are encouraged to approach an appropriate faculty member and
persuade him or her to submit a proposal for a course they feel is
needed.
7.5. Directed Individual Study (D.I.S.)
Graduate
students who have particular interests or projects may arrange with
some faculty member to receive direction and credit for their work. The
mechanism for this is PHY 5909 (Directed Individual Study). The credit
hours obtained can be used to satisfy course load and graduation
requirements.
A Directed Individual
Study course may be used to do extended research or reading on a
particular topic or in a particular field of Physics. A student
desiring to register for Directed Individual Study must find a faculty
member willing to direct him or her and discuss the proposed topic or
area before registering for PHY 5909. A student should have a fairly
complete idea about what he or she would like to accomplish before his
or her conference with the faculty member. The methods of handling a
Directed Individual Study vary, and are worked out between the faculty
member and the student. Some faculty members require a weekly
conference, others prefer written reports, or conferences on a less
frequent basis.
In order to register
for DIS credit, you must contact the Graduate Office to obtain a
reference number.
7.6. Supervised Teaching and Supervised Research
A
student can receive credit for Supervised Teaching and Supervised
Research (PHY 5940 and PHY 5918). A student may register for such
activity more than one term, using the same course numbers, and may
count the hours in meeting residence requirements for the degree
program. No more than three (3) semester hours of Supervised Teaching
and three (3) semester hours of Supervised Research may be counted
toward the M.S. degree. No more than five (5) semester hours of
Supervised Teaching and five (5) semester hours of Supervised Research
should be included in the Ph.D. program. During a student's entire
graduate career, he or she should not register for more than a total of
five (5) semester hours of Supervised Teaching and five (5) semester
hours of Supervised Research.
7.7. Audits
Students
will be afforded seating privileges after registration on a space
available basis with permission of the instructor. Regular class
attendance is expected of all those granted seating privilege, but
students are not required to do written work unless a special
arrangement is made between the student and instructor. Regular
registration fees are required for those given seating privileges. A
Seating Privilege form can be obtained from the Registrar's Office. The
form must be signed by the instructor, payment of fees made at the
Bursar's Office, and the form returned to the Registrar's Office. There
are no tuition waivers for audit courses.
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8. COURSE AND CREDIT REQUIREMENTS
The classroom phase of the graduate program is designed to introduce
students to the basic conceptual tools used in physics and to acquaint
them with a variety of research areas.
The well prepared incoming student will have had advanced undergraduate
courses in Mechanics, Electricity and Magnetism, Modern Physics,
Quantum Mechanics, Thermodynamics, and Optics, comparable to the
following undergraduate courses at Florida State: PHY 3221 - 4222
(Mechanics), PHY 4323 - 4324 (Electricity and Magnetism), PHY 3101
(Intermediate Modern Physics), PHY 4604-4605 (Quantum Theory of Matter
A-B), PHY 4513 (Thermal and Statistical Physics), PHY 3424 (Optics).
Students deficient in one or more of these areas should include in
their graduate program whatever undergraduate courses are necessary to
remedy these deficiencies.
The core
graduate courses which contain the material with which every research
physicist should be familiar are: PHY 5246 (Theoretical Mechanics); PHY
5524 (Statistical Mechanics); PHY 5346 and PHY 5347 (Electrodynamics A
and B); PHY 5645 and PHY 5646 (Quantum Mechanics A and B).
8.1. Courses required for the M.S.
Both thesis and non-thesis programs are offered leading to the Master of Science degree.
8.1.1.
Non thesis degree. To qualify for a non-thesis degree the student must
complete at least thirty-three (33) hours in courses numbered 4000 or
above, eighteen (18) of which must be in courses numbered 5000 or
above. At least twenty-one (21) of the thirty-three (33) hours must be
taken on a letter grade basis. At least three (3) of the courses must
be from the six core graduate courses listed above, including at least
one Quantum Mechanics course.
8.1.2.
Thesis degree. To qualify for a thesis degree, the student must submit
an acceptable thesis and complete at least thirty (30) hours in courses
numbered 4000 or above, eighteen (18) of which must be in courses
numbered 5000 or above. At least eighteen (18) of the thirty (30) hours
must be on a letter grade basis. No more than three (3) semester hours
of PHY 5918 credit and three (3) semester hours of PHY 5940 credit may
be counted toward the Master of Science degree. A minimum of six (6)
hours of credit must be earned for the thesis. At least three (3) of
the courses must be from the six core graduate courses listed above,
including at least one Quantum Mechanics course.
8.2. Courses required for the Ph.D.
After attaining mastery of the content of the core courses a Ph.D. student is required to take and pass:
(a) Either PHY 5567, Quantum Field
Theory, or PHY 5670, Quantum Many-Body Physics, or PHY 6938-02,
Phase transitions and Critical Phenomena in Physics.
(b) Two courses from the following set of courses:
PHZ 5491, Condensed Matter Physics I
PHZ 5354, High Energy Physics I
PHZ 5305, Nuclear Physics I
PHZ XXXX, Biophysics I
(c) One course from the following set of courses:
PHZ 5492, Condensed Matter Physics II
PHZ 5355, High Energy Physics II
PHZ 5307, Nuclear Physics II
PHZ 5716, Biophysics II
Although
there are no specific course requirements beyond the above, there are
certain requirements implied by the University residence requirement
(see Section 21) and by the University dissertation requirement (see
Section 19).
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9. GRADE REQUIREMENT
A graduate student is not eligible to take the Doctoral Preliminary
Examination (Section 17), to be admitted to candidacy (Section 18), or
to receive a graduate degree unless his or her cumulative grade point
average (GPA) is at least 3.0 in the courses taken at FSU after his or
her admission to graduate school. In determining the grade point
average courses numbered less than 4000, courses for which S/U grading
is used, and transfer courses are not included. A student whose
cumulative grade point average falls below 3.0 at the end of a semester
will be placed on academic probation. If a student's grade point
average remains below 3.0 for two consecutive semesters, he or she will
not be permitted to continue graduate study. A Major Professor or the
Graduate Studies chairman may petition the Dean of the College of Arts
and Sciences and the Dean of the Graduate School for a probationary
readmission.
A graduate student may repeat one time a
course in which a
grade of C+ or lower has been made, but the original grade and the
grade received in the
second attempt will be used in computing his or her overall grade point
average.
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10. TEACHING REQUIREMENT
Training in teaching is an integral part of the graduate program. To
accomplish this, M.S. candidates are required to teach at least one
laboratory section for one semester and Ph.D. candidates are required
to teach either two laboratory sections for one semester or one
laboratory section for two semesters.
Teaching Assistants who are assigned the duty of grading homework papers
in a course cannot use these duties to satisfy the Teaching Requirement.
Students who have had an equivalent amount of teaching experience at
another school may request an exemption from the above requirement.
Such a request should be in writing to the Physics Department Director
of Graduate Studies, and should state the exact nature of the previous
teaching experience.
The above
teaching requirement must be fulfilled in the first two years of
graduate study.
Occasionally an additional Teaching or Paper Grading Requirement is
imposed on a student to help him or her overcome some deficiency in his
or her preparation.
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11. RESEARCH
Students should become acquainted as early as possible with the various
research activities of the department. It is to a student's advantage
to reach a tentative decision about his or her research interests
before the first Summer semester. This permits the student to spend a
Summer in a research area, normally as a Research Assistant, and to
determine the extent of his or her interest in that area before a firm
commitment is made.
To introduce
incoming students to the research in Physics being done at Florida
State University and to help them decide on a research area to pursue,
a weekly introductory seminar on Research in each of the available
fields is offered in the Fall semester. All first year students are
required to attend these seminars.
Students will also find it helpful in making these decisions to attend
seminars and group meetings in the various research groups, as well as
departmental colloquia. Notices of colloquia and seminars are generally
posted. The time of group meetings and unpublished seminars can be
found by checking with someone in the group or with the Physics
Graduate Office.
Students should also
talk to individual faculty members about their research. They should
also get to know more advanced graduate students, and question them
about the areas of research in which they are working.
Students who have decided on a particular area of research and a
particular faculty member with whom they would like to work should
discuss the matter with the faculty member and find out if he or she is
willing to undertake their direction.
In early February of their first year, each student will be asked by the
Physics Department
Director of Graduate Studies to indicate the faculty member with whom
he or she plans to work during the Summer semester and if he or she
will be supported by a research group. This information is necessary in
order for appointment papers to be completed prior to the Summer
semester.
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12. MAJOR PROFESSOR AND SUPERVISORY COMMITTEE
12.1. Major Professor
When a student has chosen an area of research and a member of the
faculty with whom he or she wishes to work, the student together with
the faculty member should arrange to have the faculty member officially
appointed as his or her Major Professor.
To serve as a Major Professor for a master's degree student, a faculty
member must have master's directive status. To serve as Major Professor
for a doctoral student, a faculty member must have doctoral directive
status. The necessary forms that must be filled out and approved in
order for a faculty member to be appointed as Major Professor for a
particular student are available in the Graduate Studies Office.
Neither the commitment of a student to conduct research under a given
faculty member nor the commitment of a faculty member to serve as Major
Professor for a particular student is a binding commitment. Should the
arrangement at any time prove unsatisfactory to either of the involved
parties, other arrangements should be made.
12.2. Mechanism for changing research groups
The mechanism for changing research groups will be the following: The
student should discuss his or her situation and research interests with the
Chair of the department and/or with the Graduate Affairs Committee
Chair, who will make suggestions about which professors to talk to in
order to find a major professor who is able to provide support. In the
unlikely event that this fails, the
student will, subject to acceptable academic
performance, be temporarily supported by a teaching assistantship.
12.3. Supervisory Committee
After a Major Professor has been appointed, the Major Professor together
with the student should arrange to have a Supervisory Committee formed
and officially appointed. The necessary forms that need to be filled
out and approved in order for a Supervisory Committee to be officially
appointed are available in the Graduate Studies Office. Constraints on
the formation of the committee are discussed below.
12.3.1 Master's Supervisory Committee. The Master's Supervisory
Committee: (i) must have at least three members including the Major
Professor; (ii) must have at least two members from the Physics
department; (iii) may include one or more members from other
departments in the College of Arts and Sciences; (iv) cannot include
faculty who do not hold at least Master's directive status.
12.3.2 Ph.D. Supervisory Committee. The Ph.D. Supervisory Committee: (i)
must have at least five members including the Major Professor; (ii)
must include one theoretical and one experimental physics faculty
member; (iii) must include a representative of the College of Arts and
Sciences from a department other than Physics; (iv) must have three
members including the College representative who hold Doctoral
directive status; (v) must include one member of the physics department
outside of the students research area. (vi) Must have at least three
members from the Physics Department.
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13. PROGRAM OF STUDIES
At least one month before taking the oral portion of the Preliminary
Exam, the student should submit to his or her Major Professor a Program
of Studies, that is, a complete plan of courses taken and to be taken.
Forms for listing these courses are available in the Graduate Studies
Office of the Physics Department. A student's Program of Studies must
be approved and signed by each member of the student's committee, and
by the chairman of the Physics Department. The student should keep one
copy of his or her program of studies, provide his or her Major
Professor with one copy, and see that a signed copy is placed in his or
her file in the Graduate Studies Office.
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14. MASTER'S THESIS
To obtain a thesis Master's degree a student must carry out, under the
direction and supervision of his or her Major Professor, an independent
research project, and prepare a thesis, that is, a written account of
the research and its results.
14.1. Thesis content
The
question as to whether the content of a specific thesis meets the
standards of the Physics Department is the responsibility of the
student's Supervisory Committee. However, a well written thesis should
generally contain the following information: (i) A clear statement of
the problem addressed by the thesis and its significance. (ii) A review
of previous related published work. (iii) Definitions of any
specialized technical terms employed. (iv) A review of the theoretical,
computational, and/or experimental techniques to be used in solving the
problem. (v) A thorough presentation of the student's solution of the
problem. (vi) A discussion of the results of the thesis and an analysis
of the impact of the results on the body of Physics. (vii) A summary of
what was original and significant in the research, and suggestions for
future research in the area.
14.2. Abstract
14.2.1
Thesis Abstract. Every thesis must include an abstract, that is, a
concise but complete and independently intelligible summary of the
contents of the thesis normally placed just prior to the first page of
text. As long as it is concise, there is no limit to the length of the
abstract.
14.2.2 FSU Abstract. In
addition to the above abstract which forms an integral part of the
thesis, a second independent abstract limited to 250 words must be
submitted to the University Graduate Office for use by Florida State
University. If the Thesis Abstract is 250 words or less in length, then
with appropriate reformatting it may be used for the FSU Abstract.
14.3. Format and style
The
particular form and style of the thesis customarily follow the
guidelines in the American Institute of Physics Style Manual. The Major
Professor may allow variations from these guidelines. However, whatever
style is chosen must be consistent with the University clearance
guidelines, as described in the brochure Guidelines and Requirements
for Thesis, Treatise, and Dissertation Writers, a copy of which may be
obtained from the Graduate Dean's Office.
14.4. Thesis credits
A
student working on a thesis must register for thesis credits each term
in which a substantial amount of work is being done on the thesis. A
student who has completed the required course-work and continues to use
campus facilities and/or receive faculty supervision but who has not
made a final thesis submission shall include in the required full-time
load of twelve (12) hours, a minimum of two (2) thesis hours per term.
Those with underload permission must register for at least two (2)
hours of thesis credit per term. The exact number of hours shall be
determined by the Major Professor based on the proportion of
faculty/staff time, facilities, and other resources needed to support
the student. At least six (6) thesis hours must be earned to qualify
for a thesis Master's. (See Section 8.1.2).
14.5. Departmental approval of thesis
When
a student's thesis has been completed, he or she should submit a copy
to each member of his or her Supervisory Committee. This should be done
at least twenty one (21) days prior to the time he or she plans to take
the Master's Oral Comprehensive Examination. After a minimum of ten
(10) days, the student should check with all members of the committee
for any criticisms they may have. After any changes suggested by the
committee are made the student should provide each member of the
committee with a revised copy of the thesis. The revised copies should
be in the hands of the committee at least ten (10) days before the date
set for the Master's Oral Examination (see Section 15). If, after
reviewing the revised thesis and questioning the student on the thesis
at his or her defense in the Master's Oral Examination, the committee
approves the thesis, then the student should have each member of the
committee register his or her approval by signing in black ink one copy
of the title page of the thesis. The signed title page should be in a
form specified by the Graduate School.
If
a student wishes to graduate at the end of the semester in which he or
she has obtained approval of his or her thesis, then it is necessary
for him or her to make sure that all of the above has been completed in
ample time to meet the pertinent University deadlines, which are
described in the following subsection.
14.6. University approval of thesis
--UPDATE FROM GRADUATE BULLETIN--
A fourth copy of the
thesis must be submitted to the Physics Graduate Office, Room 307 Keen.
14.7. Expenses
Expenses
for duplicating, and binding of the thesis must be borne by the
student.
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15. MASTER'S ORAL COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION
To qualify for a Master's degree a student must take and pass an Oral
Comprehensive Examination administered by his or her Supervisory
Committee or satisfy one of the requirements listed below.
15.1. Content
15.1.1.
Non-thesis degree. The exam will cover the subjects of mechanics,
statistical mechanics,
electromagnetism, and quantum mechanics at an advanced undergraduate level.
Alternative 1: Take and pass the
written Preliminary Exam.
Alternative
2: Pass with a grade of B or better in four of the following seven
courses. The courses are: PHY 5246 Theoretical Dynamics; PHY 5524
Statistical Mechanics; PHY 5346, PHY 5347, Electrodynamics A and B; PHY
5645, PHY 5646, Quantum Mechanics A and B.
15.1.2.
Thesis degree. For a student seeking a thesis Master's degree, the exam
will consist primarily of a defense of his or her thesis. The first
portion of this examination is in open session and the second portion
is open to graduate faculty only.
15.2. Schedule
If
the Major Professor and the other members of the Supervisory Committee
consent to the exam, then the student should arrange an exact time and
place for the examination. The Physics Graduate Office will be glad to
help the student schedule the examination, however it is the student's
responsibility to insure that the oral schedule is satisfactory to
every committee member. Once a time has been established, the Major
Professor should inform the Physics Graduate Office that the
examination will take place and when it will take place.
15.3. Grade
15.3.1.
Non-thesis degree. Two weeks after the conclusion of the written exam, the student will
be informed that he or she (i) passed the exam, or (ii)
passed the exam conditionally, or (iii) must retake the exam at some
later date.
15.3.2. Thesis degree.
At the conclusion of the oral exam the student will be asked to step
out of the room and the Supervisory Committee will discuss and evaluate
his or her performance. The student will then be recalled and informed
whether or not his or her thesis and the defense of the thesis were
satisfactory. The Supervisory Committee may at this time also indicate
if further changes should be made in the thesis.
15.4. Certification of results
15.4.1.
Non-thesis degree. After the written preliminary exam is completed, the
members of the preliminary exam committee should certify the results of the
examination on the appropriate form and should provide the Physics
Graduate Office with a signed copy of the form so that it can be
permanently placed in the departmental files.
15.4.2.
Thesis degree. After the defense of the thesis is completed, the
members of the Supervisory Committee should certify the results of the
examination on the appropriate form and should provide the Physics
Graduate Office with a signed copy of the form so that it can be
permanently placed in the departmental files. In addition if the
committee approves the thesis, then the student should have each member
of the committee register his or her approval by signing in black ink
one copy of the title page of the thesis. The signed title page should
be in a form acceptable to the Graduate Office. The student must then
obtain University approval of his thesis as discussed in Section 14.6.
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16. RESEARCH REPORT REQUIREMENT
To determine early in a student's quest for a Ph.D. whether he or she
possesses a genuine potential for research, and also to assure that the
student begins research at an early date, a Research Report, that is, a
formal presentation at an acceptable level of some explicit research
accomplishment, is required of every doctoral student sometime in his
or her first two years. Normally this condition is satisfied after the
student has passed the Preliminary Examination for the Ph.D. and before
the end of his or her second year. If a student has not satisfied this
condition within two calendar years of the time he or she entered, his
or her support will be discontinued until the condition is satisfied.
A Master's student who has passed the Preliminary Examination and seeks
to be supported beyond two years must also satisfy the above
requirement.
The exact nature of the
Research Report is subject to prior approval by the student's
Supervisory Committee. Examples of possible presentations satisfying
the Research Report Requirement are: (i) a Master's Thesis; (ii) a
substantial contribution to a published paper; or (iii) a comprehensive
written report on research progress. The student's Supervisory
Committee is responsible for determining whether the presentation is at
an acceptable level. The fact that a student wrote a Thesis at Florida
State University or elsewhere or was the author or coauthor on a
published paper, does not automatically constitute satisfaction of this
condition. Each case will be considered on an individual basis by the
student's Supervisory Committee.
When
a student has fulfilled the above requirement he or she should submit a
written statement to the Physics Department Director of Graduate
Studies indicating how the condition was fulfilled. This statement must
be signed by all of the members of his or her Supervisory Committee. A
student will not be considered to have formally satisfied the Research
Report Requirement until this statement has been approved by the
Physics Department Director of Graduate Studies and placed in the
student's file.
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17. DOCTORAL PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION
To qualify for a Ph.D. degree, a student is required to take and pass at
an acceptable level the Doctoral Preliminary Examination. The purpose
of this examination is to determine whether or not a student has the
preparation and potential needed for carrying out original research in
physics at an advanced level.
The
Doctoral Preliminary Examination is divided into four parts: (i) a
written examination; (ii) the preparation of a tentative Prospectus;
(iii) an oral examination; and (iv) the approval of the Prospectus. The
time between the first part and the last part typically ranges between
six months and one year. Each of these parts is considered in detail
below. You must register for PHY 8969 in the semester that you plan to
take the written portion of your exam. This grade will remain an "I"
for incomplete until the time that you pass the oral part of your exam.
This course should be registered for once and only once.
17.1. The Written Preliminary Examination.
After
a student has completed the core graduate courses, and/or has mastery
of the material contained in these courses, preparation should be made
to take the written preliminary examination.
17.1.1.
Content and level. --CORRECT/UPDATE--.
17.1.2.
Format. --CORRECT/UPDATE-- .
17.1.3. Schedule. --CORRECT/UPDATE--.
17.1.4. Evaluation
Procedure. Each question on the exam is graded independently by two
graders. If the two grades on a given answer differ substantially, the
graders involved are required to resolve the disagreement. Students
will be permitted to see their corrected tests but not the grades
assigned. After the exam has been graded, the results are reviewed
first by the Comprehensive Exam Committee and then by the faculty as a
whole at a special meeting ordinarily held within a week after the
conclusion of the written exam. The performance of each student is
discussed and a decision made as to whether the performance was
adequate to allow the student to proceed toward a Ph.D.
17.1.5.
Grades. Shortly after the faculty have reached a decision each student
who took the exam is notified whether or not he or she passed the exam.
No specific grades or rankings are provided.
17.1.6.
Retake policy. A student who did not pass the Written Preliminary Exam
on his or her first try will be given a second try at the next regular
offering of the examination. A student who wants a second try must take
it at this time. A student who does not pass the exam on this try will
not be given a third try and will be disqualified from seeking a Ph.D.
in Physics at Florida State University.
17.2. The Tentative Prospectus
After
passing the Written Preliminary Examination, the student should strive
to obtain a comprehensive grasp of his or her chosen field of research,
and then should decide within this field the problem that he or she
would like to undertake for his or her doctoral dissertation.
At
least one week prior to the Oral Preliminary Exam, which is discussed
in Subsection 17.3 below,the student must submit to each member of his
or her Supervisory Committee a tentative Prospectus, that is a proposal
of a research topic suitable for a Ph.D. dissertation. Copies of past
Prospecti are available in the Graduate Studies Office and may be
consulted for guidance as to the form and content of the Prospectus.
Since this tentative Prospectus will be subjected to critical
questioning in the Oral Preliminary Examination discussed in the
following section, it is important that considerable effort be devoted
to making it as correct, clear, and convincing as possible. The
Prospectus is recommended to be about five pages long.
17.3. The Oral Preliminary Exam
Within
one year of passing the Written Preliminary Exam the student must
take the Oral Preliminary Exam. Students who pass the written portion
of the Preliminary Exam during their first year of study should take
the oral portion within one year. The purpose of this examination is
twofold: (i) to determine whether the student's knowledge of the broad
area within which he or she intends to specialize is sufficient to
allow him or her to pursue research in that area; and (ii) to examine
the feasibility of the student's proposed research topic as presented
in his or her tentative Prospectus.
17.3.1.
Format. The oral examination will be conducted by the student's
Supervisory Committee and will consist of (i) a presentation by the
student of his or her proposed research topic, as described in the
tentative Prospectus, (ii) an examination of the student on the
contents of the tentative Prospectus and (iii) an examination of the
student on the broad area of Physics within which he or she intends to
specialize and which forms the background for all problems in this area
and not simply for his or her chosen problem. The exact definition of a
particular area of specialization will be determined by the student's
Supervisory Committee. Any graduate faculty can attend this
examination, otherwise it is closed.
17.3.2.
Grade. At the conclusion of the oral exam the student will be asked to
step out of the room and the Supervisory Committee will discuss and
evaluate his or her performance. The student will then be recalled and
informed that he or she (i) passed the exam, or (ii) passed the exam
conditionally, or (iii) must retake the exam at some later date. The
student will also be informed of any changes which must be made in the
Prospectus before it can be considered as satisfactory.
17.3.3.
Retake policy. If the Oral Preliminary Examination is not passed on the
first attempt, the conditions under which it may be retaken will be
determined by the student's Supervisory Committee. There is no limit to
the number of times the Committee may administer the exam to a given
student. However, the examination must have been passed and the
prospectus submitted and approved within one calendar year from the
time at which the student passed the written portion of the Preliminary
Examination. An exception to this rule is made for a graduate student
who passes the Written Preliminary Exam within twelve months of
entering the graduate program at Florida State. Such a student will be
required to take the oral exam for the first time within twelve months,
rather than six months, of passing the written exam, and will be
required to have passed the oral exam and submitted an approved
prospectus within eighteen months, rather than twelve months, of
passing the written exam.
17.3.4.
Certification of results. When a student has successfully passed the
Preliminary Oral Examination, the student's Major Professor should
provide the Graduate Studies Office with a statement signed by all
members of the student's Supervisory Committee attesting to this fact.
This statement will be placed in the student's file. Forms for
certifying the above result are available in the Graduate Studies
Office.
17.4. The Prospectus
Within
two weeks after passing the Oral Preliminary Examination the student
must present for approval to each member of his or her Supervisory
Committee a final version of his or her Prospectus. If any of the
Committee members find corrections which are still needed, then the
student should make the corrections and resubmit the Prospectus. When
the Prospectus is approved by the Supervisory Committee, it should then
be submitted to the Chairman of the Department for his or her approval.
The student will not be considered to have passed his or her
Preliminary Exam until the Prospectus has been finally approved by the
Supervisory Committee and the Chairman of the Department. When all
members of the Supervisory Committee and the Chairman of the Department
approve the Prospectus, the student should have them indicate their
approval by signing the title sheet. A sample title sheet of a
Prospectus with a place for signatures can be obtained from the
Graduate Studies Office. The student should submit a signed copy to the
Physics Graduate Office. He or she should also give a final copy of the
prospectus to each committee member.
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18. ADMISSION TO CANDIDACY
Once a student has passed the Doctoral Preliminary Examination, the
Physics Graduate Studies Office will certify this fact to the Office of
the Registrar, on an Admission to Candidacy Form. The student is then
considered a Candidate for the Doctoral Degree and is eligible to
register for dissertation credits.
A
student must be admitted to candidacy at least six months prior to the
granting of the degree. The purpose of this requirement is to assure a
minimal lapse of time for effective work on the dissertation after
acquisition of the basic competence and after delineation of the
problem and method of attack. More realistically the student should
expect to spend two years or more of work on the dissertation.
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19. DISSERTATION
To obtain a doctoral degree, a student must complete a dissertation on a
theoretical, experimental, or computational topic in his or her area of
specialization. To be acceptable it must be an original research
achievement, constitute a significant contribution to knowledge, and
display a substantial scholarly effort on the part of the student.
19.1. Dissertation content
The
question as to whether the content of a specific dissertation meets the
standards of the Physics Department is the responsibility of the
student's Supervisory Committee. However, a well written dissertation
will normally though not necessarily contain the following material
which for presentation purposes is divided into hypothetical generic
chapters:
19.1.1.
Introduction. A dissertation should begin with a clear statement of the
problem addressed in the dissertation, its significance, the scope and
originality of the solution presented, and some indication of the
organization of the dissertation.
19.1.2.
Review of the literature. A thorough survey of pertinent previous
published papers on the subject not only places the problem addressed
in context, but also provides some criteria for judging the originality
of the dissertation results.
19.1.3.
Terminology. Careful definitions of specialized technical terms
employed in the dissertation not only makes the dissertation easier to
comprehend for the reader, but in their composition also help the
author clarify his or her own conceptual comprehension of the material.
19.1.4.
Theoretical, Experimental and Computational Background. Not all who
read the dissertation are as familiar as the author with the
theoretical, experimental, and/or computational methods which are
employed in the dissertation. A brief introductory exposition of those
methods which provide the foundation for the developments in the
dissertation is generally in order and never out of place.
19.1.5.
Presentation of original work. The development of the student's
original contribution is the heart of the dissertation. New results
should be clearly identified as they arise and differences with
previous related work stressed.
19.1.6.
Discussion of the Results. Whether experimental, theoretical, or
computational, a dissertation will ultimately be judged on the basis of
the insight it stimulates and the impact it makes on the surrounding
body of Physics both experimental and theoretical. Hence the
implications of the original contributions of the dissertation research
for experiment and theory should be explored as thoroughly as
practicable.
19.1.7. Summary. A
dissertation should conclude with a succinct summary of the important
results of the research, again differentiating what is original in the
research from what was previously available. An evaluation of the
experiment, project, simulation, or calculation should be provided
whenever feasible and the outlook for further applications and
developments of the dissertation project made.
19.2. Abstract
Every
dissertation must include an abstract, that is, a concise but complete
and independently intelligible summary of the contents of the
dissertation normally placed just prior to the first page of text. As
long as it is concise, there is no limit on the length of the abstract.
In
addition to the above abstract which forms an integral part of the
dissertation, two additional independent abstracts must be submitted to
the University Graduate Office. The first is for use by Florida State
University and is limited to 250 words. The second is for publication
in Dissertation Abstracts International and is limited to 350 words. If
the Dissertation Abstract is 250 words or less in length, then with
appropriate reformatting it may be used for the FSU Abstract and for
the DAI Abstract.
19.3. Format and style
The
particular form and style of the dissertation customarily follow the
guidelines in the American Institute of Physics Style Manual. The Major
Professor may allow variations from these guidelines. However, whatever
style is chosen must be consistent with the University clearance
guidelines, as described in the brochure Guidelines and Requirements
for Thesis, Treatise, and Dissertation Writers, a copy of which may be
obtained from the Graduate Dean's Office.
19.4. Dissertation credits
A
student who has been admitted to candidacy must register for
dissertation credits each term in which a substantial amount of work is
being done on the dissertation. A student who has completed the
required course-work and continues to use campus facilities and/or
receive faculty supervision but who has not made a final dissertation
submission shall include in the required full time load of twelve (12)
hours (the required number of credits for students with assistantships
is nine (9)), a minimum of two (2) dissertation hours per term. Those
with underload permission must also register for at least two (2) hours
of dissertation credit per term. The exact number of hours shall be
determined by the Major Professor based on the proportion of
faculty/staff time, facilities, and other resources needed to support
the student. The minimum number of dissertation hours for completion of
a doctoral degree shall be twenty-four (24) semester hours.
19.5. Departmental approval of the Dissertation
When
a student's dissertation has been completed, he or she should submit a
copy of the dissertation to each member of his or her Supervisory
Committee. This should be done at least thirty (30) days before the
time he or she intends to defend the dissertation. After a minimum of
ten (10) days, the student should check with all members of the
committee for any criticisms they may have. After any changes suggested
by the committee are made the student should provide each member of the
committee with a revised copy of the dissertation. The revised copies
should be in the hands of the committee at least ten (10) days before
the date set for the Defense of Dissertation. If, after reviewing the
revised dissertation and questioning the student on the dissertation at
his or her Defense of Dissertation (Section 20), the committee approves
the dissertation, then the student should have each member of the
committee register his or her approval by signing in black ink one copy
of the title page of the thesis. The signed title page should be in a
form acceptable to the Graduate Office.
If
a student wishes to graduate at the end of the semester in which he or
she has obtained approval of his or her dissertation, then it is
necessary for him or her to make sure that all of the above has been
completed in ample time to meet the pertinent University deadlines, as
described in the following subsection.
19.6. University approval of the Dissertation
Before
a student can obtain a Ph.D. it is necessary that his or her
dissertation be approved by the Office of Graduate Studies. The
procedure which one must go through to receive this approval is
described in detail in the brochure Guidelines and Requirements for
Thesis, Treatise, and Dissertation Writers, a copy of which may be
obtained from the Office of Graduate Studies. The following checklist, which is
contained in the brochure, summarizes the procedure: (1)..--UPDATE--(9) A fourth copy
of the dissertation must be submitted to the Physics Graduate Office.
19.7. Expenses
Expenses
for typing, duplicating, and binding of the dissertation must be borne
by the student. If the thesis or portions of the thesis are to be used
without substantial modification in a technical report or a research
publication, then at the discretion of the student's Major Professor
these portions but these portions only may be paid for from funds
available to the major professor.
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20. DEFENSE OF DISSERTATION
After a student has completed his or her dissertation, he or she is
required to defend it in an oral examination. Responsibility for
suggesting the time, designating the place, and presiding at the
examination rests with the Major Professor. However, the examination
must be completed by a specific University deadline each semester prior
to the date on which the degree is to be conferred. The date should be
confirmed with the graduate office.
At
least two weeks prior to the date of the examination, the Major
Professor or student is required to submit an abstract of the
dissertation, a list of committee members, and an announcement of the
dissertation title and the date and place of the examination to the
Office of Graduate Studies. An announcement of the defense will be made
to the general University community by the Office of Graduate Studies.
The Supervisory Committee will conduct the Defense of Dissertation. All
members of the graduate faculty are invited to attend. The first
portion of the defense is open to anyone who wishes to attend.
After the defense the Supervisory Committee must certify in writing the
results of the examination: passed, failed, or to be re-examined. One
reexamination is allowed. The report of results following a
re-examination must indicate the student either passed or failed.
A written critique of the conduct of the examination should be submitted
by the representative-at-large member of the Supervisory Committee to
the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and the Dean of Graduate
Studies within one week after the defense. Suggested forms for the
critique are available in the Office of Graduate Studies.
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21. RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT
21.1. Master's Degree
A minimum of two semesters must be completed in residence to qualify for an M.S. in Physics.
21.2. Doctoral Degree
After
having finished thirty (30) semester hours of graduate work or being
awarded a master's degree, a doctoral student must be continuously
enrolled on the Florida State University campus for a minimum of
twenty-four (24) graduate semester hours credit in any period of twelve
consecutive months.
The intent of
the residency requirement is to ensure that doctoral students
contribute to and benefit from the complete spectrum of educational,
professional, and enrichment opportunities provided on the campus of a
comprehensive university.
Residency
at national or international laboratories, under the supervision of
Florida State faculty and registered for dissertation credits is
acceptable towards the residency requirement.
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22. TIME LIMITS
22.1. Master's Degree
The
work for the Master's degree must be completed within seven years from
the time the student first registers for graduate credit. Any graduate
work completed by extension or transferred from another institution
must have commenced not more than seven years prior to graduation in
order for the credits to be applied toward the Master's degree.
22.2. Doctoral Degree
All
requirements for the doctoral degree must be completed within five
calendar years from the time the student passed the Preliminary
Examination. A student who does not complete the requirements in this
time period is required to retake and pass a new Preliminary
Examination.
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23. APPLICATION FOR A DEGREE
During the semester in which a student expects to receive a degree, and
prior to the deadline listed in the Directory of Classes, application
for the degree must be made at the Office of the Registrar, Graduation
Section. At this time the student will be given instructions on
conditions that must be fulfilled to be officially awarded a graduate
degree. If it becomes obvious that the student will not complete the
requirements by the end of the semester, the Registrar should be
notified as soon as possible. A student who does not complete the
requirements in a given semester must reapply within the appropriate
period of the following semester or the semester in which he or she
plans to graduate.
Registration is
required in the final term in which a degree requiring a thesis or
dissertation is granted and must consist of a minimum of one (1)
semester hour of thesis or dissertation credit even if the student has
completed the requirements for the degree in previous semesters. This
is to reimburse the University for the administrative costs of
manuscript clearance and final degree clearance procedures. If the
student has not been enrolled for the previous two terms, readmission
is required before registration.
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24. READMISSION
If the student has not been enrolled for the two previous terms,
readmission is required before registration. Also, if a student is
receiving a non-terminal M.S. degree then he or she must apply for
readmission to continue their studies.
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25. GRADUATION
At least four weeks before graduation, cap and gown, and hood for the Ph.D. should be rented from the Bookstore.
If students find that they will not be here to receive their degrees,
they should inform the Physics Graduate Office near the end of the term
and they will automatically receive their degrees in absentia.
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26. SUMMARY OF REQUIREMENTS
26.1. Summary of requirements for non-thesis M.S.
To qualify for a non-thesis Master's degree, a student must:
1.
Complete at least thirty-three hours of acceptable course work,
complete three graduate core courses, including at least one in Quantum
Mechanics.
2. Maintain a 3.0 grade point average.
3. Teach one laboratory section.
4. Take and pass the Written Preliminary Examination OR one of the alternatives.
5. Be in residence a minimum of two semesters.
6. Complete all requirements within seven years.
7. Make formal application for the degree with the Registrar.
26.2. Summary of requirements for thesis M.S.
To qualify for a thesis Master's degree, a student must:
1.
Complete at least thirty hours of acceptable course work, complete
three graduate core courses, including at least one in Quantum
Mechanics.
2. Maintain a 3.0 grade point average.
3. Teach one laboratory section.
4. Have a Major Professor and Supervisory Committee appointed.
5. Registar for at least six hours of thesis credit (PHY 5971)
6. Take and pass the Defense of Thesis (PHY 8976)
7. Prepare and submit an acceptable Thesis.
8. Have a Thesis approved by the University Graduate Studies Office.
9. Be in residence a minimum of two semesters.
10. Complete all requirements within seven years.
11. Make formal application for the degree with the Registrar.
26.3. Summary of requirements for Ph.D.
To qualify for a Doctoral degree, a student must:--UPDATE--
1. Complete an acceptable program of courses.
2. Take two of the following courses: PHZ 5491, PHZ 5354, PHZ 5305.
3. Take PHY5670 and one of the following courses: PHZ 5492, PHZ 5355, PHZ 5307, PHY 6938, PHY 5846c.
4. Maintain a 3.0 grade point average.
5. Teach two laboratory sections.
6. Take and pass the Proficiency Examination at an acceptable level.
7. Have a Major Professor and Supervisory Committee appointed.
8. Submit an acceptable Program of Studies.
9. Prepare and present an acceptable Research Report.
10. Take and pass the Written Preliminary Examination (PHY 8969).
11. Take and pass the Oral Preliminary Examination.
12. Prepare and submit an acceptable Prospectus.
13. Be admitted to candidacy.
14. Prepare and submit an acceptable Dissertation.
15. Make a successful Defense of Dissertation (PHY 8985)
16. Have Disseration approved by the University Graduate Studies Office.
17. Register for at least twenty-four hours of dissertation credit (PHY 6980).
18. Be in continuous residence as a full time student for one year after
finishing thirty semester hours of graduate work.
19. Complete all requirements within five years of passing the Preliminary Examination.
20. Make formal application for the degree with the registrar.
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