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2022-2023 Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Physics, MS

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Contact Information

Dr. Xinhua Bai, Graduate Program Coordinator
Department of Physics
Electrical Engineering/Physics 217
E-mail: Xinhua.Bai@sdsmt.edu

Department Website

Students are responsible for checking with their advisors for any program modifications that may occur after the publication of this catalog.

MS in Physics

The MS in Physics is a collaborative program between South Dakota School of Mines & Technology and the University of South Dakota. It includes a thesis and a non-thesis option. The thesis option requires a thesis based on original research, while for the non-thesis option the thesis requirement is substituted by additional coursework and a research project.

The Accelerated MS option is not available for this degree.

Degree requirements for thesis option

Distribution of credits

Core requirements: 19 credits
Research or project requirements: 7 credits
Elective requirements: 6 credits
Total credits: 32

South Dakota Board of Regents policy states that a minimum of 16 credits of the 32 required must be taken at the 600 level or above. Students who complete the Physics core requirements described below will automatically fulfill this requirement.

Core requirements

Research or project requirements

The completion of a master’s thesis, approved by the student’s graduate advisory committee and the Dean of Graduate Education, is required for this degree.

  • Credits: 1 to 9 **

  • ** Seven (7) credits of PHYS 798 are required for this option. Additional credits of PHYS 798 may be needed to complete the thesis but will not be counted toward the degree.

Elective requirements

All elective courses must be approved by the student’s graduate advisor. Electives may be chosen from the list below. At least 6 credits of approved electives must be earned.

Examinations

A thesis defense and an oral final examination are required for this degree.

Detailed policy and procedures can be found in the Physics Graduate Program Handbook available from the Physics Graduate Education webpage www.sdsmt.edu/Academics/Departments/Physics/Graduate-Education/.

Additional requirements

In addition to these degree-specific requirements, the student must also meet the university requirements and policies applied to all graduate degrees  by the Council of Graduate Education.

Degree requirements for non-thesis option

Distribution of credits

Core requirements: 19 credits
Research or project requirements: 2 credits
Elective requirements: 11 credits
Total credits: 32

South Dakota Board of Regents policy states that a minimum of 16 credits of the 32 required must be taken at the 600 level or above. Students who complete the Physics core requirements described below will automatically fulfill this requirement.

Core requirements

Research or project requirements

The completion of a master’s project, approved by the student’s graduate advisor, is required for this degree.

  • Credits: 1 to 5 **

  • ** Two (2) credits of PHYS 788 are required for this option. Additional credits of PHYS 788 may be needed to complete the research assignments but will not be counted toward the degree.

  • Credits: 1 to 9 ***
  • Credits: 1 to 9 ***

  • ***South Dakota Mines students are permitted to use 2 credits of PHYS 798 or 898D as a substitution for PHYS 788.

Elective requirements

All elective courses must be approved by the student’s graduate advisor. Electives may be chosen from the list below.

Examinations

No final degree examination is required for the non-thesis option.

Additional requirements

In addition to these degree-specific requirements, the student must also meet the university requirements and policies applied to all graduate degrees  by the Council of Graduate Education.

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