| |
Dec 03, 2024
|
|
|
|
|
2020-2021 SDSM&T Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Physics, PhD
|
|
 Return to: Academic Programs
Contact Information
Dr. Xinhua Bai, Graduate Program Coordinator
Department of Physics
Electrical Engineering/Physics 217
(605) 394-5198
E-mail: Xinhua.Bai@sdsmt.edu
PhD in Physics
The PhD in Physics is a collaborative program between the University of South Dakota and South Dakota School of Mines & Technology.
|
Distribution of credits
Core requirements: 24 credits
Research requirements: 36 credits
Elective requirements: 12 credits
Total credits: 72
South Dakota Board of Regents policy states that a minimum of 36 credits of the required 72 must be taken at the 600 level or above. Students who complete the Physics core and research requirements (described below) will automatically fulfill this requirement.
Students may apply 24 coursework credits and 6 research credits from a previous MS degree toward the PhD requirements, subject to approval by the student’s graduate advisor and confirmation by the advisory committee.
Research requirements
The completion of a doctoral dissertation, approved by the student’s graduate advisory committee and the Dean of Graduate Education, is required for this degree.
Elective requirements
All elective courses must be approved by the student’s graduate advisor. A total of 12 credit hours of elective courses is required. Courses may be chosen from the following list.
Qualifying examination
All students in the PhD program must pass the qualifying examination, typically after two years of graduate coursework. The examination problems are based on the material covered by the core courses, including Classical Mechanics, Statistical Mechanics, Electrodynamics and Quantum Mechanics (including Nuclear and Particle Physics).
The examination takes place typically in mid-August each year.
Detailed policy is given in the physics graduate handbook.
Comprehensive examination and admission to candidacy
All physics PhD students must pass a comprehensive examination in which students present their research plan leading to fulfillment of PhD requirements, as well as their preliminary research. Students should be able to explain the validity of their approach and the relevance of their project to the broader area of their research.
Detailed policy is given in the physics graduate handbook.
The comprehensive examination, and subsequent admission to candidacy, must be completed at least 12 months before the dissertation is defended.
Dissertation defense
A dissertation defense and a final oral examination are required for this degree.
|
Return to: Academic Programs
|
|
