Program Overview

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Physics, Ph.D.

The Department of Physics and Astronomy in the College of Liberal Arts offers the Ph.D. in Physics, a terminal degree designed primarily to meet the needs of students who intend to pursue professional careers in physics, either in academia, as research physicists, or in industry careers.

About the Ph.D. in Physics

The Ph.D. in Physics is designed to prepare students for professional careers in physics. The department has research groups in the following areas:

• Condensed matter
• High energy
• Gravitational physics
• Physical acoustics

Program Information

Degree

Ph.D. in Physics

Required Credit Hours

54

Program Type

Doctorate Program

Program Location

Oxford

School

College of Liberal Arts

Duration

5-7 years

Graduate Program Coordinator

The Graduate Program Coordinator is delighted to support graduate students in their academic and research journeys. The department offers a welcoming and supportive environment with cutting-edge research opportunities, world-class faculty, and a collaborative community dedicated to exploring the fundamental mysteries of the universe.

Ph.D. in Physics Program Details

Application Process

The application deadline is January 15 for fall entry or September 15 for spring entry. To apply, students must:

1. Complete the Graduate School's Online Application.
2. Upload Supplemental Application materials for the department on the online application. Applicants for graduate admission should have at least a GPA equivalent to a B (3.0 on the US university GPA 4-point scale) in previous university/college studies.

Curriculum

Students in the Ph.D. in Physics complete 54 credit hours, including 36 hours of graduate classroom hours.

• 12 credit hours in 700-level physics courses
• 18 credit hours in 600-level or higher physics courses
• Five core courses:
  • Phys 709: Advanced Mechanics I
  • Phys 711: Quantum Mechanics I
  • Phys 727: Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics
  • Phys 721 and 722: Advanced Electromagnetic Theory I, II
• Three breadth courses:
  • Phys 605: Advanced Acoustics
  • Phys 607: Atomic and Nuclear Physics
  • Phys 637: Fluid Dynamics
  • Phys 712: Quantum Mechanics II
  • Phys 725: Solid State Physics I
  • Phys 731: Quantum Field Theory I
  • Phys 733: Elementary Particle Physics
  • Phys 735: Gravitational Physics
• 18 hours of dissertation research (Phys 797) Up to 6 credit hours in a related field, such as mathematics, chemistry, or engineering, are accepted. Students must pass a comprehensive examination as well as submit and defend a dissertation prospectus and dissertation. All students teach laboratory or lecture sections for at least two semesters as part of their graduate training. They can obtain a Master of Education degree (M.Ed.) by taking a few more courses and field work.

Financial Support

Support for PhD students is available during degree studies through a combination of teaching assistantships and research assistantships. Students with a graduate assistantship funded in the department receive:

• A scholarship that covers some or all of the tuition and non-residency fee, if applicable, for regular semesters
• Subsidized health insurance

Facilities

The Department of Physics and Astronomy is housed primarily in Lewis Hall. Several faculty and graduate students have offices and research space in the Jamie Whitten National Center for Physical Acoustics nearby on campus. The Kennon Observatory, adjacent to Lewis Hall, houses astronomy labs. Lewis Hall houses some upper-division teaching laboratories in undergraduate physics and astronomy courses. The department's machine shop is equipped with a large computer-controlled lathe, three computer-controlled mills, and a computer-controlled measuring machine. The shop employs a full-time machinist. The Duff Center for Science and Technology Innovation has extensive dedicated space for basic undergraduate teaching labs for the Department of Physics and Astronomy. The Kennon Observatory has a variety of telescopes used in astronomy laboratories, including a portable 25-inch Dobsonian telescope, a 15-inch refracting telescope, and a 17-inch Plane Wave Corrected Dall Kirkham (CDK) telescope. The Jamie Whitten National Center for Physical Acoustics contains the technical and support facilities of a world-class research program, including a high-bay laboratory, an anechoic chamber, and a large open bay with subsonic and supersonic wind tunnels.

Department of Physics and Astronomy

The Department of Physics and Astronomy has access to the extensive research and computing facilities of The University of Mississippi. Researchers on campus have easy access to facilities of the Mississippi Center for Supercomputing Research.