Physics, PhD

The Doctor of Philosophy degree represents the attainment of a high level of scholarship and achievement in independent research. To be granted a PhD with a major in physics, a graduate student admitted to the physics PhD program must achieve the following: (1) admission to candidacy for the PhD, and (2) approval for the granting of the PhD. The program requires a minimum of 72 credit hours in 5000- and 6000-level courses beyond the bachelor’s degree or 42 hours beyond the master’s degree, including a 12-hour dissertation.

Admission to candidacy

Admission to candidacy for the PhD with a major in physics involves a two-part qualification process. In the first part, the student must demonstrate proficiency in the core areas of physics; in the second, the student must complete required advanced course work, and demonstrate preparedness for conducting independent research toward the dissertation.

Physics core courses

Students must take the following core courses at UNT or their equivalent elsewhere and earn a grade of at least B in all six:

Additional requirements

Additionally, students must pass a qualifying examination over the core areas of physics, to be scheduled and administered by a departmental examination committee. Course duplications are allowed, as described elsewhere in this catalog. If a course is repeated, the last grade recorded will be considered by the department in determining whether the student has passed this part of the qualification process. To continue in the program, a student must pass this part of the qualification process after no more than three years of full-time graduate study if entering the program with only a bachelor’s degree in physics, and after no more than one year of full-time study if entering the program with a master’s degree in physics.

Preparation for independent research

There are several aspects to this part of the qualification process. First, the student must select a major professor and a doctoral advisory committee. A major professor provides close guidance and supervision of the student’s doctoral studies. The doctoral advisory committee is selected by the student in consultation with the major professor and must include the major professor. Second, the student must file a degree plan, which must be approved by the doctoral advisory committee and the graduate advisor. Third, the student must complete organized course work required by the degree plan and earn a minimum grade of B in each course. Fourth, after the student and major professor have decided upon a dissertation research project for the student, the student must present a proposal for the research to the doctoral advisory committee. This proposal must be in the form of both a written report and an oral presentation to the doctoral advisory committee. At least 7 days prior to the oral presentation, the student must provide each member of his or her doctoral advisory committee with a copy of the report. The report and the oral presentation to the doctoral advisory committee must include both a description of the research already done and a proposal of research for completing the dissertation. The doctoral advisory committee will administer an oral examination at the end of the oral presentation over the proposal and related topics. The doctoral advisory committee must approve of the admission to candidacy for the PhD degree before the student applies for candidacy at the Toulouse Graduate School.

To be considered for departmental assistantships, a student must pass this part of the qualification process after no more than four years of full-time graduate study if entering the program with a bachelor’s degree in physics, and after no more than two years of full-time study if entering the program with a master’s degree in physics. Any exceptions associated with extenuating circumstances must be approved by the graduate committee.

Approval of granting the PhD

Approval of granting the PhD degree in physics requires demonstration of professional research aptitude. Professional research aptitude must be demonstrated by conducting independent research under the overall supervision of the major professor and reporting the research in at least one peer-reviewed professional journal article of which the student is the first author, in a dissertation and in an oral presentation to the doctoral advisory committee known as the final defense. The appropriateness of the journal publication(s) must be evaluated by the Graduate Affairs Committee. At least 3 weeks prior to the scheduled final defense, the student must provide each member of his or her doctoral advisory committee with a copy of his or her completed dissertation At least a week before the scheduled defense, the student must provide the committee with a copy of the requisite journal article(s), which must be either already published or accepted for publication—in the latter case, copies of the letter(s) of acceptance for publication must be included. The doctoral advisory committee must approve the granting of the PhD degree before the student may submit the dissertation to the graduate dean for final approval.

To be considered for departmental assistantships, a student must not exceed six years of full-time graduate study if entering the program with only a bachelor’s degree in physics, and five years of full-time study if entering the program with a master’s degree in physics.

Additional requirements

Seminar in current literature or colloquium

Generally, all non-dissertating physics PhD students are expected to attend a Department of Physics colloquium each week during each long term/semester of full-time graduate study. As part of this requirement, all full-time students, except those enrolled only in PHYS 6950 , must enroll in PHYS 5941 each long term/semester.