Degree Requirements

Guidelines for the Master's Degree in Physics

Thesis Option

The MS program in physics is designed to be a two-year program. Normally, a student shall select a research director by the end of his/her second academic semester, and begin research during the following summer. The student is required to have on file in the Physics Department Office by the end of his/her second academic semester the Program of Graduate Study form, listing the courses the student will take and the student's permanent advisory committee. The thesis defense should occur nominally at the end of the summer following the second academic year. This timing will of course vary from one student to another, but under nearly all circumstances the thesis defense should occur no later than the end of the fifth academic semester.

Academic requirements are 24 hours of graduate courses, exclusive of thesis research. At least half of the MS program must be at 8000 level or above. In addition, a minimum of 6 hours of thesis research are required. Required core courses are PH 8233, Methods of Theoretical Physics I; PH 8743, Quantum Mechanics I; and any two of PH 8243, Methods of Theoretical Physics II; PH 8213, Mechanics I; and PH 8313, Electromagnetic Theory I. The MS thesis should cover primarily the student's own work, and should not include lengthy background or peripheral topics. Appropriate references to the literature of the field should suffice for background material. Normally, the thesis text should be 20 - 50 pages, double-spaced in pica (12 point) or elite (10 point) type, exclusive of Abstract, Acknowledgments, Table of Contents, List of Figures, List of Tables, and the figures and tables themselves. The Department has a commitment to use its limited resources to financially support its graduate students to the greatest extent possible. However, the duration of financial support in the form of graduate assistantships (either teaching or research) is not unlimited. A student who has entered the M.S. program should not expect financial support beyond her/his third year in the program.

Continuing financial support is contingent upon the student (a.) maintaining at least a 3.00 cumulative quality point average; (b.) maintaining satisfactory progress toward completion of the M.S. degree program; and (c.) for students with teaching assignments, maintaining satisfactory teaching performance.

Non-Thesis Option

The MS program in physics is designed to be a two-year program. The non-thesis M.S. option provides a means of enabling Ph.D.-track students to complete their graduate education in a more timely manner. The student is required to have on file in the Physics Department Office by the end of his/her second academic semester the Program of Graduate Study form, listing the courses the student will take and the student's permanent advisory committee.

The non-thesis Master of Science degree in Physics requires a minimum of 30 hours of graduate course work (excluding research). At least 15 hours must be in 8000-level graduate Physics courses. A maximum of nine hours may be from graduate courses in other departments; non-Physics graduate courses must be approved in advance by the departmental Graduate Programs Committee. All non-thesis M.S. candidates will be expected to complete a core curriculum of PH 8213, PH 8233, PH 8243, PH 8313, PH 8743, and PH 8753, and must pass a written qualifying examination on the Physics core courses. Non-thesis M.S. candidates must pass all portions of the written qualifying examination; if all portions of the written qualifying examination are not passed, the candidate will be required to complete an M.S. thesis. After successfully passing the qualifying exam, non-thesis M.S. students are required to pass an oral comprehensive exam.

The Department has a commitment to use its limited resources to financially support its graduate students to the greatest extent possible. However, the duration of financial support in the form of graduate assistantships (either teaching or research) is not unlimited. A student who has entered the M.S. program should not expect financial support beyond her/his third year in the program. Continuing financial support is contingent upon the student (a.) maintaining at least a 3.00 cumulative quality point average; (b.) maintaining satisfactory progress toward completion of the M.S. degree program; and (c.) for students with teaching assignments, maintaining satisfactory teaching performance.

Milestones

[The Department of Physics and Astronomy currently requires all students who wish to enter our Applied Physics Ph.D. graduate program to have an M.S. degree (either thesis or non-thesis) from MSU or from another university. Any graduate student who does not already have an M.S. degree is automatically entered into our M.S. in Physics graduate program.]

• At the time of entering our graduate program in Physics, all students are required to take placement examinations in classical mechanics, electromagnetic theory, and quantum mechanics. The results of these examinations are completely advisory; they are used to advise entering students on whether or not they have the appropriate physics background to take the 8000-level courses or whether it would be prudent to review the material prior to taking the 8000-level courses. The student makes the final decision as whether to take the 6000-level Physics course(s) or the 8000-level Physics course(s).
• All new graduate students who wish to have teaching assignments are required to attend and pass the Teaching Assistant Workshop, which is offered by the University once a year just before the beginning of the Fall semester. All international graduate students who wish to have teaching assignments are also required to attend and pass the International Teaching Assistant Workshop, which is offered by the University once a year just before the beginning of the Fall semester.
• Graduate School rules require that a Program of Graduate Study be completed for each M.S. student by the end of their first semester. Courses for the Program of Graduate Study will be chosen by the student and his/her temporary Graduate Advisory Committee, which consists of the Physics Department Graduate Coordinator and four other faculty members who are selected by the Physics Department's Graduate Program Committee. Until a permanent Graduate Advisory Committee is formed, the temporary Graduate Advisory Committee will meet at least annually to review the student's progress and recommend to the head of the Department of Physics and Astronomy whether the student should continue to receive a graduate assistantship. The Program of Graduate Study document is held in the Department until the student is just about to complete the M.S. when it is submitted to the Graduate School. The Program of Graduate Study may be modified by the student's Graduate Advisory Committee based upon a change of interests or upon the availability of courses.
• By the end of the first year in our department, all M.S. students (either thesis or non-thesis) who wish to pursue research should choose a research area and a research advisor, and begin research. In consultation with his/her research advisor, a permanent Graduate Advisory Committee is chosen to at least annually review the progress of the student and recommend to the head whether or not the student should continue to receive a graduate assistantship. Until the permanent Graduate Advisory Committee is formed, the temporary Graduate Advisory Committee will meet at least annually to review the student's progress and recommend to the head of the Department of Physics and Astronomy whether the student should continue to receive a graduate assistantship. Ultimately the student's permanent Graduate Advisory Committee will serve as the examining committee for the defense of the thesis.
• By two and a half years after entering the thesis M.S. program, students are expected to have completed the Program of Graduate Study courses and to defend their M.S. thesis. An M.S. student should not expect financial support beyond her/his third year in the M.S. program. (See Guidelines for the Master's Degree in Physics.)
• By two and a half years after entering the non-thesis M.S. program, students are expected to have completed the Program of Graduate Study course and to have passed a written qualifying examination on the Physics core courses. All portions of the written qualifying examination must be passed. If all portions of the written qualifying examination are not passed by the second attempt, the student will be required to complete an M.S. thesis. After successfully passing the qualifying exam, non-thesis M.S. students are required to pass an oral comprehensive exam.
• An M.S. student should not expect financial support beyond her/his third year in the M.S. program. (See Guidelines for the Master's Degree in Physics.)
• Students who wish to enter the Applied Physics Ph.D. program should apply for admission to this program at least three, and preferably six months before they expect to defend their M.S. thesis. In order for the written qualifying examination on Physics core courses for non-thesis M.S. students to count toward admission to Ph.D. candidacy, students must simultaneously be enrolled in the M.S. in Physics and the Applied Physics Ph.D. graduate programs.