NEW: NSF fellowships for international research and education in computational condensed matter physics.

UND Graduate School

Doctor of Philosophy in Physics

The Doctor of Philosophy is a research degree conferred in recognition of high achievement in independent research and scholarship. This program requires completion of specialized graduate-level courses beyond the core courses and the writing of a dissertation describing a research project. Advanced courses for the Ph.D. include solid-state physics, statistical physics, seminars and special research topics of current interest.

Program Requirements

The Ph.D. program offers a research degree and is conferred only in recognition of high achievement in independent scientific research and scholarship.

  1. In addition to Physics 590, Research, the course work will amount to approximately 36 hours.
  2. Completion of a regular core of courses which includes:
    • PHYS 509 and 510, Methods of Theoretical Physics
    • PHYS 539 and 540, Quantum Mechanics
    • PHYS 541 and 542, Theory of Electricity and Magnetism
    • PHYS 543, Statistical Physics
    • PHYS 545, Analytical Mechanics
    • PHYS 549, Seminar
  3. Completion of several specialized graduate level courses in physics in order to obtain the in-depth training essential for the development of their research interests.
  4. Completion of at least nine semester hours of graduate work (400 level or above) in a single related field.
  5. After successful completion of the first two semesters of course work, students who entered the program with a bachelor's degree will take a written qualifying examination which covers undergraduate and first-year graduate level courses. Student with a master's degree will take this examination in the second semester of enrollment.
  6. A student who fails to perform satisfactorily in this examination may be re-examined after waiting one semester. In general, no student will be allowed to take the qualifying examination more than twice.
  7. No student may proceed formally toward the Ph.D. degree until this examination has been passed.
  8. Written doctoral comprehensive examination in physics will normally be taken in the fifth semester of graduate enrollment. This must be completed before advancement to candidacy is granted.
  9. Candidates for the Ph.D. must complete a research investigation. Upon satisfactory completion of the research investigation, the student is required to prepare a dissertation covering the research.
  10. At the final oral examination, the candidate presents and defends the dissertation.

Admission Requirements

  1. Completion of a minimum of 21 semester credits of undergraduate physics, plus mathematics through differential equations or the equivalent. Course work should include intermediate courses in mechanics, electricity and magnetism, optics, thermal physics, and modern quantum physics. Adequate preparation in general chemistry also is necessary.
  2. The overall undergraduate grade point average must be 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale).
  3. An applicant without satisfactory undergraduate training may be admitted to the program, but will be required to remove deficiencies by completing the necessary undergraduate courses without receiving graduate credit for them.