Most applicants for graduate study apply for entry into the Ph.D. program, and the bulk of admissions are for those intent on obtaining the Ph.D. Graduate students typically concentrate on course work for one or two years before beginning research. At the beginning of the second year a Common Exam, which tests for basic proficiency in the areas of classical physics, electrodynamics, quantum mechanics, and mathematical methods, is given to all Ph.D. candidates. Once this exam is successfully completed a student may formally begin Ph.D research. The time to completion of the Ph.D. degree is highly variable, but we encourage a time scale of roughly five years (from date of entry). The Ph.D. course requirements are similar to those of other major universities:
Year 1:
Year 2:
3 quarters of Quantum Mechanics (Physics 722, 723, 724)
2 quarters of Electrodynamics (Physics 711, 712)
1 quarter of Graduate Laboratory (Physics 671)
Year 3:
6 quarters of Electives
Financial support is available in the form of teaching assistantships (TA's), research assistantships (RA's), and fellowships. Each year the Department has 15-20 new TA positions for entering Ph.D. students; applicants who require financial assistance should be sure to request a teaching assistantship position by filling out the appropriate form in the applications material provided by the department. The TA positions are competitively awarded by the Admissions Committee, and support the bulk of the entering class. Only in exceptional cases will entering students be given research assistantships or graduate fellowships; these are usually given to students who have already begun their Ph.D. research.
The Physics Department is in the process of establishing a Medical Physics Program, in collaboration with a number of other departments. It is expected that this program will take effect starting autumn 1993. A student in this program may receive a Ph.D. degree in physics with a specialty in medical physics. The course requirements in this program will be slightly different than those in in our regular physics program. They will include a somewhat reduced list of required core courses but will include a larger number of elective courses because of the diversity of research in the medical physics area. Students interested in applying to this program should so indicate on their application. Questions about the program may be addressed to Professor David C. Ailion, chairman, Medical Physics Program.
In addition to the Ph.D., the department offers an M.S. degree in a special program, the Master's of Science in Instrumentation Physics (M.S.I.). This is a unique terminal M.S. program designed to provide advanced training in a wide area of modern instrumentation and computational techniques that are commonly employed in scientific and engineering-based industry. This highly successful program meets an outstanding need within industry. Many of our M.S.I. students are paid by their employers to obtain this advanced training, and those who come directly from their undergraduate study have little difficulty finding placement in universities or industry after completion of the program. The program of study lasts two years, and includes the following course requirements:
Theoretical Physics (Physics 501, 502, 503) (waived for students with a B.S. in Physics)
Computational Physics (Physics 573, 574)
Optics (Physics 575)
Physics of Transducers (Physics 576, 577, 578)
Instrumentation Project (design and construction of a piece of instrumentation for use in one of the faculty research programs, or for industrial application).
The Physics Department does not usually admit students for a terminal M.S. degree other than the M.S.I. degree described above. Nevertheless, the department does formally offer the M.S., M.A., and M. Phil. degrees for students who meet these degree requirements which are given in detail in the Physics Department Graduate Handbook. This handbook is given to all entering students, and fully describes all details of graduate study, including helpful logistical information and general information about the Physics Department. To obtain a copy of the handbook, or to answer any other specific questions you may have about the department or the application process, please write to:
Mr. Lynn Higgs
Physics Department, 201 JFB
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, UT 84112UT 84112
801-581-7140
higgs@physics.utah.edu
The University of Utah Department of Physics adheres to the Resolution Regarding Graduate Scholars, Fellows, Trainees, and Assistants as espoused by the Council of Graduate Schools:
Acceptance of an offer of financial aid (such as graduate scholarship, fellowship, traineeship, or assistantship) for the next academic year by an actual or prospective graduate student completes an agreement which both student and graduate school expect to honor. In those instances in which the student accepts the offer before APRIL 15, and subsequently desires to withdraw, the student may submit in writing a resignation of the appointment at any time through April 15. However, an acceptance given or left in force after April 15 commits the student not to accept another offer without first obtaining written release from the institution to which a commitment has been made. Similarly, an offer by an institution after April 15 is conditional on presentation by the student of the written release from any previously accepted offer.
The University of Utah is fully committed to policies of nondiscrimination and equal opportunity, and vigorously pursues affirmative action in all programs, activities, and employment with regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age, and status as a handicapped individual. Religion, sexual orientation, and status as a disabled veteran or veteran of the Vietnam era are also protected under nondiscrimination and equal opportunity employment practices. Evidence of practices not consistent with these policies should be reported to the Office of the President of the University, 581-8365.