Wildcat Spotlight

Olaiya A. Olokunboyo

Ph.D. Student Hopes to Establish the Connection Between Interlayer Alignment and Electronic State

Olaiya Olokunboyo is a Ph.D. student studying condensed matter physics. His hometown is in Ayila, Ogunwaterside in Ogun State, Nigeria and he received a bachelor’s in physics from the University of Ibadan in Oyo State, Nigeria. 1. Why did you choose UNH for your graduate program?

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Wildcat Spotlight

Olaiya A. Olokunboyo

Ph.D. Student Hopes to Establish the Connection Between Interlayer Alignment and Electronic State

Olaiya Olokunboyo is a Ph.D. student studying condensed matter physics. His hometown is in Ayila, Ogunwaterside in Ogun State, Nigeria and he received a bachelor’s in physics from the University of Ibadan in Oyo State, Nigeria. 1. Why did you choose UNH for your graduate program?

Learn More
Wildcat Spotlight

Diana Swanson

Ph.D. Student Working with NASA to Send Small Sounding Rockets into Space

Diana Swanson is a physics and astronomy Ph.D. student studying instruments that measure wind and neutral densities. She works with NASA and their sounding rocket program to launch these instruments into space.

Learn More

Wildcat Spotlight

Diana Swanson

Ph.D. Student Working with NASA to Send Small Sounding Rockets into Space

Diana Swanson is a physics and astronomy Ph.D. student studying instruments that measure wind and neutral densities. She works with NASA and their sounding rocket program to launch these instruments into space.

Learn More

Curriculum & Requirements

Program Description

The Physics Ph.D. program prepares students for a career in industry, education, research or academia. Students will progress from studying a core curriculum encompassing fundamental areas of physics to taking elective classes in their area of interest. They will then conduct original research in a particular research area, leading to their PhD dissertation and defense.

For more details, please consult the physics graduate student handbook.

Applying

Please visit the Graduate School website for detailed instructions about applying to the program.

Cognate in College Teaching

The Cognate in College Teaching is essentially a minor in college level teaching; this minor is given in association with a PhD degree only (not with a Master's); it is not a stand-alone degree. The purpose of the Cognate is to prepare future faculty for their role as teachers. For more information please see the College Teaching program page in this catalog.

Requirements for the Program

Degree Requirements

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
PHYS 805	Experimental Physics (or equivalent demonstrated experimental proficiency)	4
PHYS 931	Mathematical Physics	3
PHYS 935	Statistical Physics	3
PHYS 939	Classical Mechanics	3
PHYS 941 & PHYS 942	Electromagnetic Theory I and Electromagnetic Theory II	6
PHYS 943 & PHYS 944	Quantum Mechanics I and Quantum Mechanics II	6
PHYS 806	Introduction to Physics Research and Teaching (two semesters, taken during the first year in the program)	1
Select four additional 3+ credit elective courses, of which 2 may be at the 800 level ¹		12
Total Credits		38

¹: For Space Science students, these courses must include Plasma Physics (PHYS 951), Magnetohydrodyamics of the Heliosphere (PHYS 953), and one of Magnetospheres (PHYS 987), Heliospheric Physics (PHYS 954).

Students are required to

demonstrate proficiency in teaching,
pass the written comprehensive exam, and
pass an oral qualifying exam on a thesis proposal.

Degree candidates are required to

register for a minimum of two semesters of PHYS 999 Doctoral Research,
pass the oral dissertation defense, and
successfully submit the final dissertation to the Graduate School.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students will master the theoretical concepts in advanced mechanics, electromagnetism, quantum mechanics and statistical mechanics at the graduate level.
Students will have an advanced understanding of the mathematical methods, both analytical and computational, required to solve complex physics problems at the graduate level.
Students will be proficient in experimental physics.
Students will develop and demonstrate proficiency in teaching at the undergraduate level.
Students will have a specialized knowledge of their chosen field of advanced research in physics.
Students will be able to present advanced scientific ideas effectively in both written and oral form.
Students will be well prepared for postgraduate study in physics and related disciplines, as well as advanced careers in a multitude of fields ranging from scientific and technical to financial.

Application Requirements & Deadlines

Apply now

Deadlines

Applications must be completed by the following deadlines in order to be reviewed for admission:

Fall: Jan. 15 (for funding); after that on rolling basis until April 15
Spring: N/A
Summer: N/A
Special: Spring admission by approval only

Application fee: $65

Campus: Durham

New England Regional: VT

Accelerated Masters Eligible: No

New Hampshire Residents

Students claiming in-state residency must also submit a Proof of Residence Form. This form is not required to complete your application, but you will need to submit it after you are offered admission or you will not be able to register for classes.

Transcripts

If you attended UNH or Granite State College (GSC) after September 1, 1991, and have indicated so on your online application, we will retrieve your transcript internally; this includes UNH-Durham, UNH-Manchester, UNH Non-Degree work and GSC.

If you did not attend UNH, or attended prior to September 1, 1991, then you must upload a copy (PDF) of your transcript in the application form. International transcripts must be translated into English.

If admitted, you must then request an official transcript be sent directly to our office from the Registrar's Office of each college/university attended. We accept transcripts both electronically and in hard copy:

Electronic Transcripts: Please have your institution send the transcript directly to grad.school@unh.edu. Please note that we can only accept copies sent directly from the institution.
Paper Transcripts: Please send hard copies of transcripts to: UNH Graduate School, Thompson Hall- 105 Main Street, Durham, NH 03824. You may request transcripts be sent to us directly from the institution or you may send them yourself as long as they remain sealed in the original university envelope.

Transcripts from all previous post-secondary institutions must be submitted and applicants must disclose any previous academic or disciplinary sanctions that resulted in their temporary or permanent separation from a previous post-secondary institution. If it is found that previous academic or disciplinary separations were not disclosed, applicants may face denial and admitted students may face dismissal from their academic program.

Letters of recommendation: 3 required

Recommendation letters submitted by relatives or friends, as well as letters older than one year, will not be accepted.

GRE Optional

The GRE scores are optional, if you wish to provide scores please email the scores directly to the department once you have submitted your application online.

Personal Statement/Essay Questions

Prepare a brief but careful statement regarding:

Reasons you wish to do graduate work in this field, including your immediate and long-range objectives.
Your specific research or professional interest and experiences in this field.

Important Notes

All applicants are encouraged to contact programs directly to discuss program-specific application questions.

International Applicants

Prospective international students are required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or equivalent examination scores. English Language Exams may be waived if English is your first language. If you wish to request a waiver, then please visit our Test Scores webpage for more information.