Frequently Used Tools:

• UTSI Webmail |
• Tmail |
• Online@UT | Lunch Menu

Search The University of Tennessee:

User-Defined Navigation:

• Future Students
• Current Students
• Alumni & Friends
• Faculty & Staff

Main Navigation:

• About the Space Institute
• Academic Programs
• Campus Administration
• Computer Services
• Continuing Education
• Distance Education
• Facilities & Operations
• Human Resources
• Library
• Office Directory
• Research
• Support Council
• Support the University

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

All students are expected to take the graduate core curriculum in physics consisting of the following courses: Physics 521-22, 531, 541, 551, and 571. Students specializing in chemical physics may substitute Chemistry 572 for Physics 551, and should complete at least 6 semester hours from Chemistry 570, 571, 670. Students must take a minimum of 15 hours of 600-level courses, with 6 of these hours in their area of specialization. Physics 601-02 are normally required of students specializing in atomic physics; Physics 621-22 of students in nuclear physics; Physics 626-27 of students in elementary particle physics (and/or Physics 611-12 for students specializing in theoretical high-energy physics); and Physics 671-72 of students in condensed matter and surface physics.

To be admitted to Ph.D. candidacy students must: a) fulfill all general requirements by the Graduate School, b) pass the qualifying examination, c) have at least a 3.0 GPA on the graduate core curriculum in physics, d) form a doctoral committee and e) pass the comprehensive examination.

The qualifying examination is designed to test the student's general knowledge of the fundamentals of physics. The performance needed to pass this examination corresponds to a mature command of the material typically included in the undergraduate physics major curriculum. The qualifying examination should be passed after the student's first year of study. Based on the student's performance on a) the qualifying examinations, b) the course work, c) the GRE scores and d) optional research participation, the faculty will decide if the student will be allowed to continue in the Ph.D. program. If the student is initially not allowed to continue in the Ph.D. program, he/she can request an additional oral test on the material covered by the qualifying exam. This request should be forwarded to the department head within one week of the initial faculty decision. The oral exam will be held within three weeks of the original faculty decision and will be conducted by the faculty committee responsible for the written part of the qualifying exam. Based upon the recommendation from this committee, the full faculty will then make the final decision on whether the student will be allowed to continue in the doctoral program.

An exceptionally well-prepared student may take the qualifying exam instead of the diagnostic exam before the first year of study. If the student does not pass this exam, no additional oral exam can be requested. Instead, the student can still take the qualifying exam after the first year of study.

Students are required to find a research advisor and form a doctoral committee before the end of the second year of study. This committee is responsible for advising the student and monitoring his/her progress towards the doctoral degree.

The comprehensive examination is designed to test the students on a) specific knowledge and skills in the areas essential to the student's research program, b) capability to successfully complete the doctoral dissertation and c) general knowledge of the graduate core curriculum. The most essential component of this examination is the presentation and defense of an original research proposal. The comprehensive examination must be passed before the end of the third year of study. It contains both a written and an oral component and is conducted by the student's doctoral committee and an additional faculty member appointed by the department head.

The dissertation topic will be chosen with reference to one of the fields in which research facilities can be made available either at The University of Tennessee laboratories in Knoxville; The University of Tennessee Space Institute at Tullahoma, Tennessee; the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee; or at other research facilities used by the University faculty.