Degree Requirements
Graduate Programs
- Master of Science
- Doctor of Philosophy
(For up-to-date information, see www.physics.du.edu.)
Examination
Before registering, new graduate students must take a diagnostic examination covering undergraduate physics. This examination serves to identify undergraduate deficiencies and helps to determine the student's initial program.
A qualifying examination is given once a year for full-time MS and PhD candidates. This examination must be completed successfully at the level appropriate to the degree desired before the comprehensive examination may be taken.
Master of Science
Degree Requirements
- Option I (Research Thesis)
45 quarter hours in an approved course of study, up to 10 hours of which may be in thesis research; an acceptable thesis; oral final examination (primarily a thesis defense). Two departmental faculty and an outside chair are required for the oral examination.
- Option II (No thesis)
45 quarter hours in an approved course of study; oral final examination covering course work. Two departmental faculty are required for the oral examination.
Course Requirements
A minimum of 45 credit hours beyond the baccalaureate, including:
- PHYS 4511 Advanced Dynamics
- PHYS 4551 Mathematical Physics I
- PHYS 4611 Advanced Electricity and Magnetism I
- PHYS 4811 Statistical Mechanics
Students may omit one or more of these courses if content mastery is demonstrated by transfer credit or individual examinations. PHYS 3111, 3112, 3113 Quantum Physics I, II, III and PHYS 3711 Optics I may be applied to the degree. Other 3000-level PHYS courses and graduate-level courses in other departments may be applied to the degree, with the approval of the departmental graduate committee or the student's masters advisory committee.