The Physics Ph.D. Program at UNH has academic and research components.
On the academic side, students will take 8 required core courses, one year of the 806 seminar, and an additional 4 elective courses. Students will typically start getting into a research project during their first summer, working with a faculty advisor. The following years, they will get more involved in research, while still completing their coursework. Later, they will move to primarily working on their research, while possibly still finishing up some elective classes.
The Physics Ph.D program employs a Competency-Based Qualification model, which includes the following milestones during a PhD student's career at UNH:
- (beginning of 2nd year) Early Review
- (by end of 2nd year) Finish core courses
- (by end of 3rd year) Thesis Proposal after performing preliminary research work and making a plan for their PhD thesis work
- Writing and Defending their PhD Thesis.
PhD students are typically financially supported by working as graduate assistants, usually starting as teaching assistants (TAs) working in undergraduate classes and labs, and later as research assistants (RAs) when being involved in an externally funded research project with their advisor.
Physics Ph.D.: Proficiency in teaching
All Ph.D. students are required to develop and demonstrate proficiency in lecturing. Normally this requirement is met by students satisfactorily completing one year of teaching as a Teaching Assistant. The faculty will accommodate special arrangements, by petition, to achieve and demonstrate the equivalent level of oral communication.
Teaching Assistants and Education Courses
All PhD students, and M.S. students working as TAs, must take PHYS 806. One of the main objectives of this course is to help new TAs with their duties.
There are courses offered on campus about issues in college teaching, which are designed for students who are contemplating college teaching as a career. Check the Graduate School Preparing Future Faculty web page for more information.
Foreign Language
There are no foreign language requirements for Ph.D. students who are not yet proficient in speaking or understanding English should take "English As A Second Language", which is offered through the English Department.
Full Time Student Status
All teaching and research assistants must take at least 6 credits per semester (two classes) to be considered full time students; all other graduate students must take 9 credits per semester (three classes) to have full-time status.
Once being involved in research, students may sign up for as many credits in Master's Thesis (899) or Doctoral Thesis (999) as necessary to make them full time. Ph.D. students must take a minimum of two semesters of 999.
