Department Chair:          Dr. Sylvio May
Graduate Coordinator:   Dr. Alan Denton
Department Location:    218 South Engineering
Telephone Number:       (701) 231-8974
Degrees Offered:            Ph.D., M.S.
Application Deadline:     For U.S. students, one month before registration; for international students, March 1 for fall semester and September 1 for spring/summer semester.
Test Requirements:        GRE (general and subject recommended)
English Proficiency        RA-TOEFL ibT 79, IELTS 6
Requirements:                TA- TOEFL ibT 81 (Speaking 23, Writing 21), IELTS 7 (Speaking 6, Writing 6)                                                                                         

Program Description

The Department of Physics offers graduate study leading to the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. Advanced work may involve specialized training in the following areas: biophysics, computational physics, condensed matter, laser applications, optics, chemical physics, soft matter, statistical mechanics, physics education and polymer physics.

Research and academic programs are tailored to meet individual needs and interests. Soon after their arrival, new students are strongly urged to visit faculty members to discuss research opportunities.

Admissions Requirements

The Department of Physics graduate program is open to all qualified graduates of universities and colleges of recognized standing.

Financial Assistance

The student must apply to the Graduate School and be accepted in full or conditional status before being eligible for an assistantship in the Department of Physics.

Generally, graduate students are supported during the academic year by either teaching assistantships or research assistantships. The 2014-2015 academic year stipend is $16,000 for 9 months. Additional support during the summer is also possible. Graduate tuition (except for student activity fees) is fully waived for all teaching assistants and research assistants.

Master of Science

The Graduate Coordinator or Chair shall assign to each incoming graduate student a temporary advisor, who shall assist in the selection of courses. During the first semester, the student is expected to discuss potential projects for thesis research with faculty members. By the beginning of the second semester, the student must have a permanent research supervisor. By the end of the second semester, the student must have filed a plan of study, selected a thesis topic, and secured two additional faculty members for the Advisory Committee.

Master of Science

Each student must earn at least 30 graduate credits, numbered 601-798, of which:

• at least 10 credits are Physics courses numbered 601-689 or 700-789;
• at least 16 credits are didactic courses numbered 601-689 or 700-789;
• between 6 and 10 credits are Physics 798 (Master's Thesis);
• at least one credit must be Physics 790 Graduate Seminar.

Students are required to attend all seminars and colloquia.

Doctor of Philosophy

The Ph.D. program requires the completion of at least 90 graduate credits, numbered 601-799. Credits used to satisfy the requirements for the M.S. degree may be included in the total:

• 27 or more must be in letter-graded courses
• 19 are the required physics courses (655, 752, 758, 761, 771, 781, and 790)
• No more than 12 credits are in non-physics courses

Students are required to attend all seminars and colloquia.

Comprehensive Examination

By the end of their fourth semester, students: 

• hand in a report that summarizes their research results so far and details a research plan for the rest of their research work
• give a talk about their research accomplishments and plans
• must pass an oral examination by the Advisory Committee to confirm doctoral candidacy

Students who pass the comprehensive examination and, at the time of the exam, have completed 30 credits (16 of which are didactic) will earn a Master's degree and be eligible to participate in commencement that semester. Students should choose the Ph.D. + Master's option from the drop-down menu on the Doctoral Degree Plan of Study and on the Request to Schedule Examination. After students have passed the comprehensive examination, they should complete the Exit Survey and the Degree Application. A link to these items will be e-mailed to them by the Graduate School.

If the student fails the comprehensive examination, she/he will be given the opportunity to repeat the examination in the next semester (this examination can be repeated only once). Alternatively, the student may elect to work for a Master's degree instead.

Students should submit their doctoral thesis for examination at the end of their fourth year.

Dissertation Video

Doctoral students are required to submit a three-minute video summarizing their dissertation research for a lay audience.  The video should be produced, with guidance from the thesis supervisor, during the final semester of study and presented to the supervisory committee at the final defense.

For the comprehensive and final examinations, students must submit the appropriate forms to the Graduate School.