PHYSICS, PHD
Physics
Ph.D. Program
All students are required to take the following core courses:
PH 760 Methods of Mathematical Physics I (3 CH, 1 semester)
PH 715 Advanced Statistical Mechanics (3 CH, 1 semester)
PH 750 Classical Electrodynamics I (3 CH, 1 semester)
PH 771 Quantum Mechanics I (3 CH, 1 semester)
PH 793-PH 794 Scientific Communications I, II 2 credit hours
In addition, GRD717, Responsible Conduct in Research, must be taken prior to admission to candidacy. Students are encouraged to take the course during their first summer semester in the PhD program.
A qualifying examination is given to test a student’s competency in fundamental areas of Physics. This examination is divided into three sections: statistical mechanics, electromagnetic theory, and quantum physics. Each exam must be taken at the first offering following the completion of the related core course, PH 715, PH 750, and PH 771. PH 760 should be passed before any of the qualifying exams. The examination may not be taken more than twice. Scientific communications, PH 793 and PH 794, must be taken at the first offering following the completion of the qualifying examinations.
Following satisfactory completion of the core qualifying examinations and consultation with individual faculty members, the student selects a specific area for dissertation research under the supervision of an appropriate graduate faculty member. The student's Graduate Study Committee, chaired by the major advisor, will outline a program of study including graduate courses and appropriate tools of research, such as computer and/or foreign language competency. Also, the Graduate Study Committee will administer an oral selected topic examination to test the student's knowledge in the area of research. The student must pass this oral examination in no more than two attempts. Then, with direction from the major advisor, the student should focus on formulating and writing a formal research proposal that must be presented and defended before the Graduate Study Committee; this should lead to a recommendation from the committee for admission to candidacy. Dissertation research culminates in the successful oral defense of the dissertation.
A detailed timeline for admission to candidacy and the appropriate forms for Plan I students may be found at the Graduate School website.
Deadlines for the Application for Degree and appropriate forms may be found here.
Additional general information regarding steps to the degree and graduate school requirements may be found here.
The Physic Graduate program offers two tracks, the Physics Track and the Applied Physics Track.
Physics Track:
For students entering with a B.S. degree, the program requires a total of 72 credit hours distributed as follows:
- Fourteen semester hours of the core courses listed above
- PH 752 Light-Matter Interactions (3 credit hours)
- GRD 717 (3 credit hours)
- Three credit hours of elective courses approved by dissertation committee and/or graduate program director
- Participation in Colloquium (1 credit hour/semester)
- Directed and Dissertation Research (at least 2 semesters of dissertation research are required to graduate)
For information about transferring credits from a Masters of Science program, please contact the department.
Applied Physics Track:
For students entering with a B.S. degree, the program requires a total of 72 credit hours distributed as follows:
- Fourteen semester hours of the core courses listed above
- PH 746 Applied Physics Internship (3 credit hours)
- GRD 717 (3 credit hours)
- Participation in Colloquium (1 credit hour/semester)
- Three credit hours of elective courses approved by dissertation committee and/or graduate program director
- Directed and Dissertation Research (at least 2 semesters of dissertation research are required to graduate
For information about transferring credits from a Masters of Science program, please contact the department
The following is a partial list of elective courses. Others may be suggested by the student or advisor. All electives must be approved by the graduate advisor and/or PhD committee.
Elective Courses for the Applied Physics Track
- PHY 792: Cell Interactions with Biomaterials. 3 credit hours
- PH 753-754: Advanced Solid State Physics. 6 credit hours
- MSE 743-744: Materials Characterization I and II. 6 credit hours
- PH 732-733: Growth and Characterization of Thin Films I, II. 6 credit hours
- BME 590: Tissue Engineering. 3 credit hours
- PH 587: Nanoscale Science and Applications. 3 credit hours
- PH 575-576: Introduction to Biophysics I, II. 6 credit hours
- PH 581-582: Laser Physics I, II. 6 credit hours
- PH 585: Laser Spectroscopy. 3 credit hours
- PH 525-526: Applications of Contemporary Optics I, II. 6 credit hours
The following doctoral fellowships are available to the graduate students enrolled in the PhD program in physics at UAB.
Blazer Graduate Research Fellowship in Physics
Applicants to the PhD program in Physics, who have demonstrated exceptional promise in research and scholarship, will be considered for the UAB Blazer Fellowship. Fellowship recipients will receive a fellowship stipend as well as tuition and health insurance. Furthermore, they will be able to engage in research at the beginning of their first year with no teaching duties. It is expected that the Blazer Fellow will be able to commence PhD research and choose a research mentor by the end of their first year.
For information about the application, contact the Physics Graduate Program director at mezvanut@uab.edu.
NASA-Alabama Space Grant Consortium Fellowships
Awards are up to $37,000 ($24K in student stipend, up to $12K for tuition/insurance and $1K for student travel allowance) and are made initially for one 12-month period and may be renewed annually for a maximum total award of 36 months (3 years) support. Must be a U.S. citizen, enrolled full-time in good academic standing with a GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale at an Alabama Space Grant member university pursing any space-related field of graduate study (Masters or Doctoral level). Must conduct a specific faculty-mentored research project that has a NASA or aerospace relevance. Cannot receive funds from any source for work other than that defined by the student's approved proposed research and plan of study for which the award is made (supplements to the student's award may be made by the home university using funds from any source, provided the amount and source are disclosed in advance - see information booklet for more details). Awardees must also complete an extramural NASA experience sometime during the fellowship year. The details are to be worked out with the faculty advisor and NASA lab facility where the student plans to participate in a research activity. It is advisable that a NASA contact be found prior to submission of the fellowship proposal. Fellows are also expected to be involved in ASGC outreach activities and submit a final report at the end of the award period.
The online Graduate Fellowship Application is available through the department website.
Graduate Research Scholars Program
Graduate students working toward their PhD may compete for a research fellowship based on the quality of their present research and promise of future success through the the Graduate Research Scholars Program (GRSP). The GRSP is designed to strengthen and enhance the research capacity of member institutions of the Alabama Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). Students submit a complete research proposal package to the UAB EPSCoR Coordinator in Spring each year, and successful recipients are announced in early Summer.
For up-to-date information about additional fellowships, please contact the Physics Graduate Program Director, mezvanut@uab.edu
Additional Information
| Deadline for Entry Term(s): | Each Fall semester |
| Deadline for All Application Materials to be in the Graduate School Office: | Six weeks before term begins |
| Number of Evaluation Forms Required: | Three |
| Entrance Tests: | GRE (TOEFL and TWE also required for international applicants whose native language is not English.) |
| Comments: | GRE General Test is required; in addition, subject test is recommended |
