Model Curricula

Ph.D. Curriculum

Graduate students are expected to take 5 courses per year for the first two years.

Year

Fall

Spring

Year 1

931 Math Physics I

941 E&M I

Year 1

939 Mechanics I

943 QM I

Year 1

806 Intro to Physics Research and Teacing

806 Intro to Physics Research and Teaching

Year 1

 

Elective

Year 2

942 E&M II

935 Statistical Mechanics

Year 2

944 QM II

Elective

Year 2

805 Experimental

 

Year 3

Elective

Elective

 Year 3

999 Research

999 Research

 

Master's Curriculum

Graduate students are expected to take 5 courses per year.

Year

Fall

Spring

Year 1

931 Math Physics I

941 E&M I

Year 1

939 Mechanics I

943 QM I

Year 1

806 Intro to Physics Research and Teacing

806 Intro to Physics Research and Teaching

Year 1

 

Elective

Year 2

805 Experimental

Elective

Year 2

Elective

Elective or Thesis

Year 2

Elective or Thesis

 

 

Space Science Ph.D. track

Required electives

A basic training in plasma physics is needed for Ph.D. research in Space Science. Therefore, the following classes should be taken as three of the electives:

Course Title
PHYS 951 Plasma Physics
PHYS 953 Magnetohydrodynamics of the Heliosphere

and one of

Course Title
PHYS 954 Heliospheric and Galactic Physics
PHYS 987 Magnetospheres

Other electives

Suggestions for other electives for Space Science students are:

Course Title

PHYS 810

Introduction to Astrophysics

PHYS 812

Introduction to Space Plasma Physics

PHYS 995

Space Instrumentation

or a course from another field of physics, such as:

Course Title

PHYS 818

Introduction to Solid State Physics

PHYS 820

Nuclear Physics

PHYS 864

Cosmology & General Relativity

PHYS 961, 962

Advanced Quantum Mechanics

Depending on the research area, courses from other departments may be taken as electives (other courses are eligible with the graduate advisor's approval), e.g.:

Course Title

MATH 853

Introduction to Numerical Methods I

MATH 854

Introduction to Numerical Methods II

IAM 851

Introduction to High Performance Computing

ME 807

Analytical Fluid Dynamics

ME 812

Waves in Fluids

ME 909

Viscous Flow

ME 910

Turbulence

ME 995

Asymptotic Methods