A limited number of assistantships are awarded to students displaying the most promise in teaching or research.
Awardees are required to complete 8 graduate physics courses (not including research courses) during the first 12 months in residence.
Achievement of a minimum GPA of 3.3 is required thereafter, and a satisfactory record in teaching or research assignments.
Candidates for the MS, MS in Applied Physics, or PhD must satisfy general university degree requirements. Well-prepared students may demonstrate adequate knowledge of the core and basic course material by examination.
Master of Science
A minimum total of 32 graduate hours is required.
Program description (UTD Graduate catalog)
Doctor of Philosophy
A candidate for the PhD must take the following courses: PHYS 5411, 5413, 5422, 5401, 5421, 6400, and PHYS 6401. Students whose research will be carried out in space sciences should substitute PHYS 6383 for PHYS 6401.
A candidate must also take a minimum of three elective courses, two from within his/her area of specialization and one selected from outside the student’s specialty. Additional courses may be required to satisfy the particular degree requirements and/or to ensure sufficient grounding in physical principles.
The graduate advisor and the student’s supervisory committee must approve course selections. In the first two semesters in residence, students in the PhD track should also register for Phys5100. A minimum of one-year residency after admission to the doctoral program is required.
Near the end of the first year in residence, all PhD-track students must take a written qualifier examination. Continuation of teaching assistantships and Graduate Stuties Scholarships are contingent upon satisfactory performance on the qualifier.
Dissertation Work
When a student has completed the required course work with the minimum GPA of 3.3 and has decided upon his/her field of specialization, a committee is formed to guide the student’s dissertation work. Once a dissertation topic has been identified, the student must submit a proposal that outlines the present state of knowledge of the field and presents the research program the student expects to accomplish for the dissertation. This proposal must be approved by the committee and the department head.
A seminar on the dissertation proposal must be presented, followed by an oral examination conducted by the faculty on the proposed area of research and related topics. The Supervising Committee shall determine, by means of the exam and any ancillary information, whether the student is adequately prepared and has the ability to conduct independent research. The approved dissertation proposal is then filed with the Dean of Graduate Studies.
A manuscript embodying a substantial portion of the dissertation research accomplished by the student must be submitted to a suitable, professionally referred journal prior to the public seminar and dissertation defense. A public seminar, successful defense of the dissertation, and its acceptance by the Supervising Committee conclude the requirements for the PhD
In lieu of the traditional dissertation, and at the discretion of the supervising professor, a manuscript dissertation following the guidelines published by the Dean of Graduate Studies may be substituted.
Program Description (Graduate Catalog)
| Term | Course Number & Name | Cumulative Credits |
| Fall | Phys 5301 – Math Methods 1 | 3 |
| Phys 5315 – Scientific Computing | 6 | |
| Phys 5311 – Classical Mechanics | 9 | |
| Spring | Phys 5302 – Math Methods 2 | 12 |
| Phys 5321 – Electromagnetism 1 | 15 | |
| Phys 6300 – Quantum Mechanics 1 | 18 | |
| Summer | Physics Elective &/or Research | 27 |
| Fall | Phys 5322 – Electromagnetism 2 | 30 |
| Phys 6301 – Quantum Mech. 2 or Plasma Physics (6383) | 33 | |
| Phys 5303 – Math Methods 3 or Physics Elective | 36 | |
| Spring | Phys 5313 – Statistical Mechanics | 39 |
| Phys 6302 – Quantum Mech. 3 or Physics Elective | 42 | |
| Physics Elective | 45 | |
| Summer | Physics Elective &/or Research | 54 |
Notes:
- Prior to the second fall semester PhD. students are required to take written and oral qualifying examinations. Satisfactory performance on the qualifiers allows continuation with financial support beyond the second fall term. Students who fail the qualifier will lose TA and GSS support effective at the end of the semester, by which time they should have completed the requirements for the MS degree.
- Beyond the second full year of graduate study students will continue to register for electives and research credit hours as specified by the chairman of their graduate committee and approved by the graduate program advisor. A minimum of three elective courses is required for the doctoral degree, of which one must be outside the student’s graduate specialty.
The semester of a student's official entry into a major determines which catalog requirements apply. Catalogs of previous years are available. Students are strongly encouraged to meet regularly with an academic advisor to establish and review their degree plan.
- Updated: July 16, 2012
