Program Descriptions
Physics MS Program
Description
The Department of Physics offers graduate work leading to the Masters of Science degree with a major in physics. The program is two years in length with a thesis requirement. SIUC Physics is a unique program in that it provides many research opportunities within the department offering students a wide choice of specific areas of study. A low student to faculty ratio allows students to work closely with faculty.
Course work requirements
In addition to the general requirements of the Graduate School, the student must complete PHYS 500a (or mathmatecis equivalent), 510, 520a,b, and 530a,b.
For specific requirements, see the physics section of the current graduate catalog
Applied Physics PhD Program
Program of Study
The Department of Physics offers graduate work leading to the Ph.D. in applied physics. This unique program, begun in 2005, provides many research opportunities within the department, offering students a wide choice of specific areas of study. A low student-to-faculty ratio allows students to work closely with faculty. More information, including specific degree requirements, can be found in the physics section of the current graduate catalog.
Financial Aid
Successful candidates may be offered an opening in the Physics Graduate Program and a Teaching Assistantship. If an assistantship is offered, it will include a waiver of tuition. Student fees are not covered in the waiver and are the responsibility of the student. Typical teaching duties for the first year are teaching laboratory classes, grading, proctoring, and/or a help desk assignment. Assistantships are renewable with satisfactory performance and are dependent on the availability of department funding.
Applying
Candidates should have a minimum GPA of 2.7 for admission into the Master’s degree program and a minimum of 3.25 for admission into the doctoral program. The GRE is required for the Ph. D. applicants and strongly recommended for the M. S. degree applicants. See the application page for details.
Degree Requirements
In addition to completing all the requirements set by the Graduate School, the student must complete a sequence of Required Basic Core courses that includes: Classical Mechanics, Quantum Mechanics, Electromagnetic Theory, Statistical Mechanics and Solid State Physics; in addition, students are required to complete one additional course from a list that includes: Computational Physics, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy, Adv. Topics in Surface Physics, Adv. Topics in Magnetism and Magnetic Materials, Adv. Topics in Quantum Computing, Adv. Topics in Applied Physics, Adv. Topics in the Spectroscopy of Materials or Adv. Topics in the Physics of Hybrid Materials.
- After completing the Required Basic Core courses, doctoral students will need to complete another 9 credit hours of graduate level elective courses selected from a list approved by the Department.
- Starting no later than the third semester in the doctoral program, students will be required to enroll for two consecutive semesters in a Special Projects in Physics course.
- In addition to the above-described course-work, while working on their dissertation students must complete 24 credit hours of Physics 600 (Dissertation).
- To be admitted into candidacy, students must pass a Qualifying Examination which must be taken no later than during the third semester in the program.
- No later than six months after admission to candidacy the student must request the appointment of a dissertation committee. Within two months after its formation, the student must present the dissertation committee with a written dissertation proposal, and must also describe this proposal to the committee in an oral presentation.
- Upon completion of the dissertation, the dissertation committee will administer a final oral examination, the dissertation defense.