2005-06 Handbook for Physics and Astronomy Graduate Students
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Program Descriptions and Degree Requirements
The Rutgers Graduate Program in Physics and Astronomy offers several advanced degree programs in physics as described below. Faculty advisors, and faculty and student mentors are assigned to all students upon their arrival at Rutgers. At a later stage their research supervisor becomes their faculty advisor. The advisor discusses course selections and signs all the appropriate forms, but consultation about more general physics topics is encouraged. For more information students should consult the Graduate Director, their advisor, or their mentors.
Doctor of Philosophy Degree (Ph.D.) in Physics
Introduction
Examination Requirements
Ph.D. Candidacy (Qualifying) Examination
Ph.D. Final Examination
Course Requirements
Research Requirements
Recommended Normal Programs of Study
English Language Studies
Financial Support
Admission
Seminars and Colloquia
Student Academic Appeals
M.S. Degrees
Master of Science degree
Course and Thesis Requirements
M.S. Examination
Financial Support
Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) degree
Master of Science for Teachers (MST) degree
Non-matriculated Students
Rutgers University Department of Physics and Astronomy
2005-06 Handbook for Physics and Astronomy Graduate Students
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Doctor of Philosophy Degree (Ph.D.) in Physics and Astronomy
Introduction
Examination Requirements
Ph.D. Candidacy (Qualifying) Examination
Astronomy Option
Ph.D. Final Examination
Course Requirements
Physics Option
Astronomy Option
Research Requirements
Recommended Normal Programs of Study
Physics Option
Astronomy Option
English Language Studies
Financial Support
Admission
Seminars and Colloquia
Student Academic Appeals
Introduction
The purpose of this degree program is to train students broadly in the fundamentals of physics and in the analytical techniques of the physicist. A thesis of original research is required to give the students experience in bringing themselves up to the frontier of an important area of physics. Students are encouraged to study in several areas of physics so that they will be prepared to apply their fundamental knowledge in new areas, not necessarily directly related to the field of their thesis work.
A total of 72 credits is required, of which at least 24 must be in research. No minimum number of course credits is specified, but certain courses are required, as described below. Because this is a research degree, students are encouraged to enter research as soon as possible in their graduate program. Students are expected to graduate in about five to six years. The department will do its best to facilitate rapid completion of degree requirements. After the course credit requirement is satisfied graduate students supported by research grants should consult with the Graduate Director about reducing the number of credits for which they are enrolled, since this could reduce tuition costs charged to the grant.
Students who have taken graduate courses at another university may be able to transfer up to 24 credits after they have completed 12 credits at Rutgers. The necessary form, with more detailed information, is available in the graduate office.
Examination Requirements
Ph.D. Candidacy (Qualifying) Examination
All prospective candidates take the Ph.D. candidacy examination, normally after the equivalent of one year of graduate work. Students are required to take the examination at least by the beginning of the semester after their successful completion of Quantum Mechanics 501-502, Electricity and Magnetism 503-504, and Classical Mechanics 507, or their equivalents, or by the beginning of their second year, whichever occurs later. Students transferring into the graduate program with advanced standing may be required by the Graduate Studies Committee to take the examination earlier. In very unusual situations the Ph.D. candidacy examination may be delayed with approval of the Graduate Director. Incoming students with advanced standing may take the exam without penalty at the beginning of their first semester at Rutgers.
Most of the material tested on the Qualifying Exam is discussed in the following textbooks which can generally be found on reserve in the Physics Library:
Mechanics: Classical Dynamics by Marion and Thornton
Electricity & Magnetism: Introduction to Electrodynamicsby Griffiths and Chaps. 1-7 of Classical Electrodynamics by Jackson
Statistical Mechanics: Chapters 1-13 of Fundamentals of Statistical and Thermal Physics by Reif
Quantum Mechanics: Introduction to Quantum Mechanics by Griffiths
The level and nature of the exam can be best learned by examining copies of earlier written examinations, which are available in the graduate office. The books listed above define the appropriate topics for the exam and the level of the questions; they are not necessarily the best books to use for actual study. In addition, some questions will test general knowledge, current topics, and experimental aspects related to the more formal topics.
The Ph.D. candidacy exam has both a written and an oral part. The written examination is given in two sessions on two non-consecutive days. Each of the two components is designed as a three hour examination but students may take up to seven hours to finish. The oral exam consists of a one-hour sessions before a panel of three faculty members. The oral exam is given shortly after completion of the written exam. The oral examination committee will have at its disposal the results of the written examination and may wish to base some of its questions on those results. Based on the results of the examinations, course performance (a grade average of B is normally required for promotion to candidacy), teaching, and research activities, the Graduate Studies Committee will make recommendations to the faculty concerning each examinee. At a special meeting soon after the completion of the examinations, the Graduate Faculty then considers each case separately, generally after extensive discussion, deciding whether or not the student is admitted to Ph.D. candidacy. Students who fail to be admitted to Ph.D. candidacy after the first series of examinations will be allowed to repeat the exam at each offering until the start of the fourth semester of study. Thus a student entering in September 2005 must normally pass the exam no later than the by the January 2007 offering of the exam. Students not admitted to candidacy by the start of the fourth semester are normally asked to leave the program. In most cases they are able to earn an M.S. degree before leaving.
Students are allowed to see their own exams and exam scores after the exam. A student may make a written request for regrading. This request will be considered by the Graduate Director.
Ph.D. Final Examination
The Ph.D. final examination is a public defense of the candidate's Ph.D. thesis. It is administered by the candidate's Ph.D. committee and is open to the public. The defense typically takes the form of a seminar, in which the student presents the background, development, and results of the research. Frequent questions from the committee test the candidate's understanding of the field of research and may also probe the breadth of the candidate's knowledge in other areas of Physics and Astronomy.
The thesis itself must be a clearly written account of original research. In addition to a description of the details and results of the research, it should contain an appropriate general and historical introduction, written at a level understandable to most second-year graduate students. The quality of the writing must be comparable to that found acceptable for publication in the standard journals. If the thesis consists of more than one piece of research, the parts should be tied together in the introduction and the conclusion.
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Rutgers University Department of Physics and Astronomy
2005-06 Handbook for Physics and Astronomy Graduate Students
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Doctor of Philosophy Degree (Ph.D.) in Physics and Astronomy
Course Requirements
Physics Option
The following courses must be completed before the Ph.D. degree is awarded: 502 Quantum Mechanics, 504 Electricity and Magnetism, 507 Classical Mechanics, and 611 Statistical Mechanics. It is understood that students will take appropriate lower level courses, if necessary, to prepare themselves for these courses. Students who have taken equivalent courses elsewhere may have some requirements waived with the permission of the Graduate Director.
In addition to these core courses, each Ph.D. student shall complete at least four additional graduate courses of 3 credits or more. These will normally be chosen from the department's offerings, but courses in related fields such as mathematics, chemistry, computer science, or engineering may also be used. At least two must be in areas not directly related to the student's research area, and usually students will take either 615 Overview of Quantum Field Theory or 620 Many-Body Theory as one of their advanced courses. Finally, 511 Math Physics and 506 Modern Experimental Techniques are strongly recommended for each candidate. Students may continue after their first year only if they have received at least two grades of B or better in their first year courses.
In addition to these formal courses, all first year students will be required to take 633,634 Seminar in Physics, a weekly one hour seminar in which a professor discusses his or her research area. The aim of this seminar is to familiarize students with the department, to ease the search for a research advisor, and to inform students about long-term career opportunities.
Astronomy Option
The following courses must be completed before the Ph.D. degree is awarded: 501 Quantum Mechanics, 504 Electricity and Magnetism, 507 Classical Mechanics, and 541 Introductory Astrophysics. Students who have taken equivalent courses elsewhere may have some requirements waived with the permission of the Graduate Director.
In addition to these core courses, each Ph.D. student in the astronomy option shall complete at least five additional graduate courses of 3 credits or more from the following options:
607 Galactic Dynamics 608 Cosmology
609 Fluid & Plasma Physics 610 Interstellar Matter
628 High Energy Astrophysics 629 Observational Techniques
605 Nuclear Physics 611 Statistical Mechanics
613 Particles 617 General Relativity
Research Requirements
It is the student's responsibility, with the help of faculty advisors and mentors, to talk with members of the faculty about their research interests and then to determine a research advisor by mutual agreement. Students are encouraged to begin this process early in their careers here. After attending the first year seminar, reading about the research programs of individual faculty in this booklet, and talking with senior graduate students and their current faculty advisor and mentor, students should systematically discuss possible research topics and opportunities with individual faculty members. Sympathetic faculty members and experienced students can be very helpful in arranging appropriate contacts. Students who are having difficulties should seek the advice of the Graduate Director. By the end of the first semester after advancement to candidacy, students will be expected to have at least tentatively identified a research advisor.
Once a research advisor has been chosen (and the student has been admitted to Ph.D. candidacy), the Graduate Director will appoint a Ph.D. committee with four members; the committee chairperson is usually the student's research advisor. The committee exists to help continuously the student in research and to monitor progress toward the degree on a periodic basis.
Students are expected to have the first meeting with the research committee within one year of advancement to candidacy. This first meeting will function as a research test. It will be used to help the student and the advisor assess the talents and potential for research of the student in the chosen area with the chosen advisor.
Several months before the first meeting, the student and advisor will have chosen a trial project which may consist of a trial problem, background reading, preliminary experiments, design of apparatus, data analysis, etc. A written summary of progress on this project should be given to each committee member two days before the meeting. During the meeting, the student will make a short oral presentation and the committee will focus their questions on the project. At the end of the meeting, the committee will decide whether the student should continue to work in the chosen area with the chosen advisor. If the committee feels the student is not prepared or does not have the potential for research in this area, the student will have to repeat this research test, no later than the end of the following semester. The committee and the student's advisors and mentors will work with the student to help identify a more appropriate area of research and/or advisor. In all cases, the student will be expected to complete satisfactorily this test within 18 months of advancement to candidacy in order to remain in good standing.
Formal committee meetings will continue to take place at least once a year. Students obtain the appropriate summary forms from the graduate secretary and are expected to give each committee member a well-written summary of recent accomplishments, at least 2 days before the meeting. During the meeting, the students make a well-planned oral presentation of the successes and failures of their research; this presentation should be comparable in quality to a talk before a professional society. In addition to discussing possible technical improvements in the research, the committee explores the students' breadth of knowledge in their research area. In addition to these formal yearly meetings, the student or a member of the committee may request that the committee convene at any time to discuss the student's progress. The student should feel comfortable at any time in approaching individual members of the committee or the Graduate Director for advice on handling possible problems between the student and the advisor. Finally, it is the Ph.D. committee which administers the final examination and approves the thesis.
The normal time required for completion of the Ph.D. degree is 5 to 6 years for full-time students. Students may not continue for more than 7 years without special permission from the Graduate School. Financial support from Departmental resources will not be available to students for more than six years, and students not maintaining satisfactory course or research progress may be required to withdraw from the program by vote of the faculty.
Recommended Normal Programs of Study
The program listed below is to serve only as a guide, although the spirit of the course requirements is generally strictly observed. Every effort will be made to adjust programs to fit the preparation and interests of the individual student. In addition, even beginning graduate students are encouraged to work on research projects in the department, especially during the summer; research internships are often available for this purpose.
First Year
FALL SPRING
501 Quantum Mechanics I* 502 Quantum Mechanics II*
503 Electricity & Magnetism I* 504 Electricity & Magnetism II*
507 Classical Mechanics* 611 Statistical Mechanics*
or Elective (choices include 506 Modern Experimental Techniques)
633 Seminar in Physics* 634 Seminar in Physics*
Second Year
FALL SPRING
601 Solid State I** 613 Particles**
605 Nuclear Physics I** 541, 607, or 608 Astrophysics**
615 Overview of Quantum Field Theory***
620 Many Body Theory***
* These courses or their equivalents are required.
** Three courses in different areas are required. These are the traditional options offered in our Department. Courses from other departments can be substituted upon approval of the Graduate Director.
*** One of these two courses is highly recommended.
Astronomy Option
First Year
FALL SPRING
501 Quantum Mechanics I* 541 Introductory Astrophysics
503 Electricity & Magnetism I* 504 Electricity & Magnetism II*
507 Classical Mechanics* One Elective in Astronomy**
633 Seminar in Physics* 634 Seminar in Physics*
Second Year
FALL SPRING
Two Electives in Astronomy** Two Electives in Astronomy**
* These courses or their equivalents are required.
** Each of the advanced courses in astronomy is offered at least once every three years. Students in the astronomy option are required to take at least 5 electives in astronomy, but are encouraged to take all advanced courses in astronomy when they are offered.
English Language Studies
Students whose native language is not English may be required to take courses in the Program in American Language Study (PALS). Satisfactory completion of these requirements is an important aspect of study here, and failure to do so in a timely fashion may result in loss of financial support. Summer teaching assistantships, for example, are generally not available to students who have not passed the PALS exams. It should be noted, moreover, that these are minimum standards. English has become the international language of physics and astronomy and students should make every effort to improve their communication skills, both written and oral. Reappointment as a teaching assistant may also be contingent upon passing the PALS exams.
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Rutgers University Department of Physics and Astronomy
2005-06 Handbook for Physics and Astronomy Graduate Students
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Doctor of Philosophy Degree (Ph.D.) in Physics and Astronomy
Financial Support
The department policy is that most full-time graduate students in their first year and all students who maintain satisfactory academic progress in their subsequent years receive full financial support through teaching assistantships, graduate research assistantships, or fellowships, if such support is needed (a few exceptions are students employed outside the university). It is possible, however, that such support may not be awarded after the 6th year, and no student will be eligible for Departmental (as opposed to grant) support for more than six years.
Teaching Assistants are appointed annually. The teaching assistantships are for 10 months (the 9-month academic year plus one month vacation); the rate of pay is at least $16,730 plus full tuition remission. Teaching and Graduate Assistants and their dependents are eligible for complete health plan benefits. A full-time teaching assistant normally teaches three 180-minute lab sections, four 55-minute recitation sections, or four 80-minute workshops in a general physics course, or the assistant will have three grading assignments per semester. Homework solutions for first time graders in graduate and some undergraduate courses are normally provided by the instructor. The total work load should not be more than 15 hours per week, averaged over the semester. Any student who feels that this average is being exceeded should immediately meet with the instructor and/or the Graduate Director to discuss the situation.
Teaching assistants will be chosen for reappointment based upon their previous performance as students and teaching assistants. Minimum requirements are:
They must remain students in good standing in the graduate program. Students who maintain a 3.2 or better grade point average are generally automatically approved by the Graduate School.
They must have performed their duties as teaching assistants adequately. This includes, as appropriate, depending on the particular assignment:
Appearing punctually for labs, recitations, workshops, tutoring sessions, course meetings and other assignments.
Completing grading assignments in a timely manner.
Interacting effectively with the undergraduate students in their labs, recitations, workshops, and tutoring sessions.
Generally performing to the satisfaction of the faculty member under whom they are working. (By the same token, faculty members are expected to be sensitive to the workload of their assistants and to organize activities so that the work of the assistants can be completed within the allotted time.)
Decisions concerning initial appointments are made by the Graduate Director or Admissions Committee, as appropriate. In this case students will be appointed who can reasonably be expected to meet the above requirements based upon the information available. Students with undergraduate grade point averages of at least 3.2, scores of better than the 80th percentile on the Graduate Record General examinations, and TOEFL scores above 600 (for foreign students) are generally automatically approved by the Graduate School.
Appointments and re-appointments will of course be contingent on the availability of positions and funding. If these are inadequate to support all qualified students who desire appointment as TA's, the Graduate Director, with the advice of other faculty, shall choose those who have the best course grades and the best previous or potential performance as teaching assistants. In the case of advanced students, grades on the qualifying examinations and research accomplishments (as judged primarily by the students' research committees) will also be taken into account. Completion of ESL exams for students for whom English is not their native language will also be considered as a condition for re-appointment.
Many advanced students are supported by Graduate (research) Assistantships funded by the research grants of various faculty members. In this case, the individual faculty members themselves decide whom to support.
The department also has a limited number of Graduate (research) Assistantships funded by Rutgers University; these positions are awarded annually by the departmental Graduate Studies Committee. All Graduate Assistants are appointed to a 12-month term (11-months and 1 month vacation); the annual rate of pay is at least $19,000. There are no specific duties attached to these appointments, except to carry out the normal research activities required of all Ph.D. candidates. These assistantships include eligibility for complete health benefits. The Departmental GA's are awarded to the students, rather than to the faculty advisors; this provides some additional flexibility on the part of the students to choose their own research project. They are awarded primarily on the basis of excellence, usually in the last (or next to last) year of graduate studies. In no case will an individual student be awarded a Departmental GA appointment for more than 2 years. An annual competition for these GA awards will be held, with applications due in the Graduate office on or before April 1. Candidates should submit a statement about their research project, a proposal for the next year's work, and a copy of the most recent report from the thesis committee. Normally the student must have met with his/her committee within since the previous April to be eligible for a departmental GA. The student should also ask his/her research advisor to submit a letter of recommendation for the award.
Graduate Fellowships, which require no specific duties, are awarded on a competitive basis, normally to entering students. These awards are usually made for two years. The stipend is at least $20,000 for the academic year. The Department may also have Department of Education Fellowships which are used to recruit outstanding new students. These fellowships are available only to US citizens and permanent residents.
There are typically some summer teaching assistantships available and also some summer grant-supported research internships to encourage the students' active involvement in the research programs of the department. The department will make every effort to find suitable employment for qualified students during the summer. Finally, coadjutant appointments are often available during the school year. These positions, generally for teaching in the elementary courses, can provide additional support for students for whom the usual stipend is inadequate. These coadjutant positions also provide a way for students supported by fellowships or research assistantships to obtain teaching experience.
Admission
All necessary forms for admission to the Graduate School and admission to our program can be obtained by sending email to
graduate@physics.rutgers.edu
or by writing to
Graduate Director
Department of Physics and Astronomy
Rutgers University
136 Frelinghuysen Road
Piscataway, New Jersey 08854-8019
All applicants must take the General Test and the Subject Test in Physics of the Graduate Record Examination. Information about these tests may be obtained from Graduate Record Examinations, Educational Testing Service, Box 6000, Princeton, New Jersey 08541-6000. There is no rigidly observed minimum score required, but in recent years the average percentile of the entering class on the GRE Subject Test in Physics has risen to over 70%, with the average score considerably higher for foreign students.
Applicants whose native language is not English are also required by the Graduate School to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A score of 560 or better is usually required for admission; a score of at least 600 is expected for candidates for a TA appointment.
A grade point average of 3.0 or better in undergraduate courses is normally required for admission. Admissions decisions are based on the undergraduate record, GRE examination scores, personal statement, and letters of recommendation.
Decisions are made before April 15 on all completed applications received by January 1. While late applications may be considered, admission and financial support depend on availability of positions.
Seminars and Colloquia
The departmental colloquia are held every Wednesday afternoon at 4:30 p.m. (after tea, coffee and cookies). All graduate students are expected to attend as part of their regular graduate program. Normally, an outside speaker is invited to talk about new developments in a particular area of physics, at a level intelligible to non-specialists. There are also specialized weekly seminars in astrophysics, condensed matter physics, surface science, nuclear physics, and elementary particle physics, as well as the Seminar in Physics course, required of all first-year students.
Student Academic Appeals
a) Students may appeal actions of one or several faculty members to the Graduate Director. After consultation with the affected parties, the Graduate Director will propose a solution. If this is not agreeable to all parties, the matter will be referred to the Graduate Studies Committee, which will decide the matter. In special circumstances, a student may then appeal to the entire faculty.
b) Students may appeal actions of the entire faculty to the Graduate Studies Committee through the Graduate Director. The Committee will decide whether special circumstances warrant reconsideration of the matter by the entire faculty.