Department of
Physics & Astronomy		 MSU
 
Guidelines for an M.S. in Physics

* 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 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 Mathematical Physics I
*PH 8743 Quantum Mechanics I
and any two of
*PH 8243 Methods of Mathematical Physics II
*PH 8213 Mechanics I
*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, Acknowledgements, 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
c. for students with teaching assignments, maintaining satisfactory teaching performance.

 

 

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