Program Requirements and Policies

The Department of Physics offers graduate programs leading to the degrees of Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.). Both programs are intended to provide a broad understanding of foundational areas of Physics. The doctoral program provides intensive training and experience in an important area of current research. A primary requirement for the Ph.D. degree is an original and significant research contribution, which is presented in the Ph.D. dissertation.

There are opportunities in our department for experimental and theoretical research in the areas of atomic and molecular physics, computational physics, condensed matter physics, materials physics, nuclear and particle physics, and statistical physics. Almost all of our graduate students are in the Ph.D. program and receive financial support in the form of Teaching Assistantships, Research Assistantships, or Fellowships.

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Ph.D. Program Requirements
General Program Requirements:
Number of Credits Required Beyond the Baccalaureate: 38
Time Limit for Degree Completion: 7 years
Recommended Time for Degree Completion: 6 years
  • Core Courses (25)
  • Electives (6)
  • Research Courses (7)
  • Exams
  • Dissertation
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Required Core Courses: 25 credits (out of 38 total required)
Course Code
Course Title
Credits
PHYS 5002
​Physics Research and Ethics
1
PHYS 5101
​Analytical Mechanics
3
PHYS 5301
​Electromagnetic Theory
3
PHYS 5501
​Mathematical Physics
3
PHYS 5701
​Quantum Mechanics I
3
PHYS 5702
​Quantum Mechanics II
3
PHYS 8102
Statistical Mechanics
3
PHYS 8702
​Solid State Physics
3
PHYS 8703
Nuclear and Elementary Particle Physics
3
Graduate Students on a Teaching Assistantship also have to take PHYS 8001: Practicum Teaching of Physics (1 credit).
Select two from the following (6 credits):
Course Code
Course Title
Credits
PHYS 5302
​Advanced Electromagnetic Theory
3
PHYS 5502
Computational and Mathematical Physics
3
PHYS 8020
​Topical Seminar I
3
PHYS 8701
​Quantum Field Theory
3
PHYS 8704
​Many Electron Theory
3
PHYS 8705
​Advanced Topics in Nuclear and Particle Physics
3
or any new course designated as PHYS 870X
The combined number of credits of PHYS 9998 and PHYS 9999 must be at least 7, with a minimum of 2 credits of PHYS 9999 required.
Course Code
Course Title
Credits
PHYS 9998
​Pre-Dissertation Research / Elevation to Candidacy
1
PHYS 9999
Dissertation Research
1
Graduate students who are Teaching Assistants (and thus have to take PHYS 8001: Practicum Teaching for Physics) must have at least 6 research credits to graduate (with a minimum of 2 credits of PHYS 9999).
For elevation to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree, the student must pass written and oral preliminary examinations. The written part of the exam is typically taken at the end of the summer of the first year of study on information from six core courses: PHYS 5101, PHYS 5301, PHYS 5501, PHYS 5701, PHYS 5702, and PHYS 8102. The oral part, also known as the Early Research Progress Exam, is given by the student's research committee at the end of the fifth term of study. In the event of failure, the exam may be retaken once six months later. The Department or Graduate Chair is present for the second attempt. If the student fails a second time, s/he is dropped from the graduate program.
A topic for the Ph.D. dissertation is selected in consultation with a faculty member who agrees to serve as the dissertation supervisor. For elevation to candidacy, the student must submit a dissertation proposal that meets the approval of the Graduate Program Committee and the Graduate School. The completed dissertation is submitted to the department before the final examination, in which the dissertation is presented and defended by the candidate in an oral examination.
Additional information is available here.

M.S. Program Requirements
The objective of the M.S. degree program in Physics is to provide advanced training in Physics sufficiently broad to permit the graduate to pursue a range of technical careers. Students choose to pursue the Coursework Track or Thesis Track to complete the M.S. degree.
General Program Requirements:
Number of Credits Required Beyond the Baccalaureate: 30
Time Limit for Degree Completion: 3 years
  • Thesis Track
  • Coursework Track
  • Thesis
  • Comprehensive Examination
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Required Courses: 27 credits (out of 30 total required)
Course Code
Course Title
Credits
PHYS 5101
​Analytical Mechanics
3
PHYS 5301
​Electromagnetic Theory
3
PHYS 5501
​Mathematical Physics
3
PHYS 5701
​Quantum Mechanics I
3
PHYS 5702
​Quantum Mechanics II
3
PHYS 8102
​Statistical Mechanics
3
PHYS 8702
Solid State Physics
3
PHYS 8703
​Nuclear and Elementary Particle Physics
3
PHYS 9996
Master's Thesis Research
3
Select 3 credits of additional coursework from the following:
Course Code
Course Title
Credits
PHYS 8004
​Problems in Experimental Physics
3
PHYS 8005
Problems in Theoretical Physics
3
PHYS 9996
Master's Thesis Research
3
Additional information is available here.
Required Courses: 30 credits
Course Code
Course Title
Credits
PHYS 5101
​Analytical Mechanics
3
PHYS 5301
​Electromagnetic Theory
3
PHYS 5501
​Mathematical Physics
3
PHYS 5701
​Quantum Mechanics I
3
PHYS 5702
​Quantum Mechanics II
3
PHYS 8102
​Statistical Mechanics
3
PHYS 8702
Solid State Physics
3
PHYS 8703
​Nuclear and Elementary Particle Physics
3
Value
Additional Coursework (see below)
6
The balance of coursework is identified in consultation with the graduate advisor and subject to the approval of the Graduate Program Committee. No more than 3 credits may be taken in these independent study courses: PHYS 8004 Problems in Experimental Physics; PHYS 8005 Problems in Theoretical Physics; or PHYS 9998 Pre-Dissertation Research / Elevation to Candidacy.
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Additional information is available here.
A master’s thesis is required for students in the Thesis Track, but not for students in the Coursework Track. The thesis is based on the student’s research and approved in accordance with the policies of the Department of Physics and the Graduate School.
The M.S. comprehensive examination is required for students in the Coursework Track, but not for students in the Thesis Track. The exam, which tests the student's mastery of undergraduate and beginning graduate physics, consists of a three-part written exam. General subject areas covered by the examination include classical electromagnetic theory, classical mechanics, mathematical physics, modern physics, quantum mechanics, statistical mechanics, and thermodynamics.

M.S. students in the Coursework Track are required to take the comprehensive examination in the summer at the end of their first year of full-time graduate study. They are tested on the subject matter in six core courses: PHYS 5101, PHYS 5301, PHYS 5501, PHYS 5701, PHYS 5702, and PHYS 8102. In the event of failure, the exam may be retaken once. If the student fails a second time, s/he is dropped from the graduate program.

Program Policies
(A) Progress of Ph.D. Students
  1. Students in the Ph.D. program are encouraged to submit a dissertation proposal to the Graduate School for elevation to Ph.D. candidacy soon after passing the Preliminary Exam. For students admitted to the program in the Fall semester without Advanced Standing, the dissertation proposal must be submitted by the end of the 3rd year in the program. For all other students the due date for the proposal is determined in consultation with the Graduate Advisor.
  2. After a student has been elevated to Ph.D. candidacy, she/he must provide the Dissertation Advisory Committee with an annual progress report, which is then signed by all the members of the committee, and then submitted to the Department Chair and the Graduate Chair. The report must include the following information: (i) title of the project; (ii) list of scientific goals from last year's report; (iii) list of scientific accomplishments over the past year; (iv) list of scientific goals for the next year; (v) projected graduation date. The report is due by April 30 of each year.
  3. Students admitted to the Ph.D. program without Advanced Standing should aim at defending their theses within 6 years of entering the program. Extensions of the allowed time beyond 7 years must be approved by the Department Chair and the Graduate Chair.
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(B) Advising of Ph.D. Students
  1. With the approval of the Graduate Chair, graduate students may carry out thesis research for a Ph.D. degree in Physics in another department, under the joint supervision of a faculty member from the other department and a member of the Physics Graduate Faculty, with the Dissertation Advisory Committee chaired by the latter. The financial support of the student must be arranged in consultation with the Physics Chair.
  2. Graduate students may carry out their Ph.D. research under the supervision of faculty members with a joint appointment in the Physics Department. The financial support of the student must be arranged in consultation with the Physics Chair.

Contacts

Graduate Admissions: [email protected]
Graduate Program: Prof. Rongjia Tao, Chair of the Graduate Program, [email protected]

Department of Physics
Temple University
1925 N. 12th Street
SERC, Room 406
Philadelphia, PA 19122-1801