Physics and Astronomy

http://plato.phy.ohiou.edu/

Degree Programs

Graduate study and research leading to the Master of Arts, Master of Science, and the Doctor of Philosophy degrees are offered in the Department of Physics and Astronomy. The research activities of the department are broad and currently include nuclear and particle physics, condensed matter and surface physics, acoustics, biophysics and astrophysics. Both experimental and theoretical studies are in progress in these areas. Interdisciplinary and inter-departmental programs of study are also possible.

Expected Student Preparation

Students entering these degree programs are normally expected to have successfully concluded undergraduate work in mechanics, electricity and magnetism, thermodynamics, statistical mechanics and quantum mechanics, and should also possess a working knowledge of mathematics including calculus, ordinary differential equations, Fourier series, vector analysis, and the elements of partial differential equations. It is recommended that applicants take the Graduate Record Examination, including the advanced test for physics. Deficiencies of undergraduate preparation should not deter a prospective student with an otherwise good record, as these may be made up during the first year of graduate study.

Degree Requirements

General Requirements
Participation in the weekly colloquium, PHYS 891, is required of all graduate students. Participation in one of the area-specific seminar series and in special topics course offerings is encouraged.

Requirements for the M.S. and M.A. Degree
The M.S. degree can be earned by submission of a research thesis with an oral examination and at least 20 credit hours of graduate level lecture or laboratory courses in physics and astronomy. It can also be obtained under a non-thesis option which requires satisfactory completion of a faculty-approved project (of two to six credits), and must include a core set of courses consisting of one quarter of Classical Mechanics (605), two quarters of Electrodynamics (607 and 608), two quarters of Quantum Mechanics (611 and 612), one quarter of Mathematical Methods (615), and one quarter of Statistical Mechanics (512), or their equivalents. The M.A. is an option reserved for special cases and usually involves substantial work in other fields. Candidates must follow an approved program filed with the Departmental Graduate Committee and submit a scholarly paper based on these studies for approval by at least two readers. For either the M.A. or M.S. degree, a candidate is required to earn at least 45 graduate credits in physics, astronomy, and approved electives.

Requirements for the Ph.D. Degree

Course Requirements
Students in pursuit of a Ph.D.in physics are required to pass the core set of courses (PHYS 512, 605, 607, 608, 611, 612, and 615 described in the previous section) with a B (3.0) average. First and second year graduate students consult with assigned advisors to determine a program of study. Course requirements may be waived with adequate evidence of equivalent work elsewhere. In addition to the core courses, Ph.D. students must take a graduate level laboratory course (ASTR 510, PHYS 531, 601, 604) and seven of the following courses: ASTR 501, 502, 503, PHYS 520, 523, 553, 571, and non-core courses numbered 600 and higher. Research courses PHYS 696 and 895 are excluded from this list. At least one of the seven courses must be in an area outside the student’s area of specialization. Courses or Labs offered by other departments may substitute for a limited number of these requirements with the approval of the student’s advisor and theGraduate Chair. Typically a student would take the core courses in the following order:

First Year:
Fall: (551 QM), 607 ED, 615 MM
Winter: 611 QM, 608 ED, 512 St M
Spring: 612 QM, LAB, 605 Cl M

Students requiring additional preparation in statistical mechanics or quantum mechanics are advised to take PHYS 511 or PHYS 551; however, these courses do not count toward the seven required courses.

Ph.D. Comprehensive Examination

A written exam is given at the beginning of both the fall and winter quarters to students who have attended a full year of graduate study at Ohio University. The exam is based on undergraduate physics, and first-year graduate-level topics taken from the areas of: classical mechanics, electricity and magnetism, quantum physics, thermodynamics, special relativity, and mathematical physics. Well-prepared incoming students may choose to take the exam in their first year at the beginning of the first winter quarter. An unsuccessful attempt in the first year will not adversely affect the student’s record. At the beginning of the fall quarter of the second year, all students must take the exam if they have not already passed it. If a student is admitted in the winter or spring quarter of a given year, they must take the exam the first time it is offered after the student has been enrolled in the graduate program for one full year. Three outcomes are possible for the written exam. The student may pass the exam, in which case the requirement of the Comprehensive Exam is successfully concluded. The student may fail the written exam, in which case the student is required to take the exam the next time it is offered (normally only one additional attempt is allowed after the first required attempt). In some cases, the faculty may feel that the results of the written exam are ambiguous, and require an oral exam to decide if the student passes or fails the Comprehensive Exam. The oral exam will consist of general questions at the first-year graduate level and possibly those related to the student’s proposed area of study. Based upon performance on the oral exam, the committee makesa recommendation to the faculty, which decides whether the student passes or fails the Comprehensive Exam.

Dissertation Prospectus

After passing the Comprehensive Exam, students form a Dissertation Committee in consultation with their research advisor. Students must prepare a Dissertation Prospectus for approval by this committee within one year of passing the Comprehensive Exam. The Prospectus is a written document, typically 5-10 pages in length, prepared in consultation with the research advisor, which outlines the student’s plan for their dissertation research. Approval of the Prospectus by the Dissertation Committee will occur after the student meets privately with the committee and has answered any questions or concerns the committee may have about the proposed research. If the plans for the student’s Dissertation change substantially from the Prospectus, the student’s Dissertation Committee must be informed. The Graduate Chair may convene the Dissertation Committee for advice should problems arise.

Dissertation Defense

The remainder of the Ph.D. program consists of research, advanced coursework, and other studies relevant to the Dissertation. Upon completion of the Dissertation, the student gives a public presentation of the findings. The Ph.D. is awarded following the successful defense of the Dissertation before the Dissertation Committee.

There are no specific deadlines, but most applications for financial aid are received by March 1 and most offers are made by April 15. Most students enter the physics program in the fall; although some add the preceding summer session. Entry during the academic year is possible although not generally encouraged. For all details concerning graduate programs, write to the Physics Graduate Committee.

Astrophysics Graduate Study

Students interested in pursuing advanced study and research in astrophysics at Ohio University must fulfill general physics courserequirements specified by the department, and are encouraged to complete additional coursework providing a solid background in contemporary astrophysics. A suggested course sequence for the first two years is provided below for students interested in pursuing this option.

First Year:
Fall: (551 QM), 607 ED, 615 MM
Winter: 611 QM, 608 ED, 512 St M
Spring: 612 QM, Astro Lab, 605 CI Mech

Second Year:
Fall: 623 St M1, 650 G Rel1, 501 Stellar Astro4
Winter: 617 M1, 696 Spec Study3
Spring: 553 or 5712,609 ED1, 502 Gala and ISM4

Notes:

Recommended electives. (617 = Methods of Theoretical Physics, 650 = General Relativity)
All graduate students are expected to complete either 553 (Nuclear and Particle Physics) or 571 (Solid State Physics).
May include material covered in ASTR 305.
501 (Stellar Astrophysics), 502 (Galactic and Interstellar Astrophysics), 503 (Extragalactic Astrophysics and Cosmology), and 510 (Observational Astrophysics) are offered on a rotating basis in the winter and spring quarters; consequently most students will need to take one of these courses in the Fall quarter of their third year.
The Colloquium (891) must be attended by all students.

Students should also plan on participating in PHYS 897F, Astrophysics Research Seminar.

The detailed course of study and choice of electives may be adjusted, based on the student’s level of background and interests. Students wishing to pursue the astrophysics option should meet with Profs. Böttcher, Mcnamara, Shields, or Statler for further information and discussion of research possibilities.