Ph.D. in PhySiCS CooPeraTive beTween UTSa anD UTb

College of Science, Mathematics and Technology
Ph.D. in Physics Cooperative
between UTSA and UTB
Students enrolled in The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) Ph.D.
Physics program now have the option to reside at UTB and conduct their
research under the direction of a graduate faculty member of the UTB
Physics and Astronomy Department. All requirements for the program
including graduation requirements are the same as those established for the
UTSA Ph.D. in physics program.
Admission Requirements
See the UTSA graduate catalog (graduateschool.utsa.edu) and the
department specific requirements. Qualified students conducting their
research at UTB will normally be supported financially through research
assistantships. Contact the chair of the UTB Physics and Astronomy
Department graduate curriculum committee for further information on
financial aid.
Program Requirements
The doctoral degree requires a minimum of 81 semester credit hours
beyond the bachelor’s degree. The coursework in the program includes
a core curriculum (12 semester credit hours) and advanced electives
(27 semester credit hours) including graduate courses offered by other
departments with the approval of the student’s graduate advisor. Research
hours, including Research Seminar (3 semester credit hours), Directed and
Doctoral Research (27 semester credit hours) and Dissertation (12 semester
credit hours), totaling at least 42 semester credit hours, complete the
program.
Transfer of credits
Students who complete the M.S. in physics degree program at UTB can
transfer up to a maximum of 30 credits from the following courses into
the Ph.D. program. Non-degree students who take these courses may also
petition UTSA for transfer of credits. (The list of courses for which credits
can be transferred is provided later in this document).
Courses
A. Core Curriculum (12 semester credit hours):
PHYS 5103 Classical Mechanics I
PHYS 5203 Electrodynamics I
PHYS 5303 Statistical Mechanics
PHYS 5403 Quantum Mechanics I
B. Advanced Physics Electives (27 semester credit hours selected from the
following or from graduate courses offered by other departments, e.g.,
Mathematics, Electrical Engineering, Chemistry, etc.):
PHYS 6103 Classical Mechanics II
PHYS 6113 Fluid Mechanics
PHYS 6123 Plasma Physics and Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD)
PHYS 6203 Electrodynamics II
PHYS 6303 Quantum Mechanics II
PHYS 6313 Solid State Physics
PHYS 6323 Nonlinear Optics and Lasers
PHYS 6403 Fundamentals of Space Physics
PHYS 6413 Fundamentals of Astronomy
PHYS 6503 Mathematical Physics I
PHYS 6513 Mathematical Physics II
PHYS 6523 Computational Physics
PHYS 6613 Methods of Experimental Physics
PHYS 6623 Space Physics Laboratory
Topics courses may be repeated for credit as the topics vary. The student
should consult her/his graduate advisor if in doubt.
PHYS 7403 Topics in Biophysics and Biomedical Physics
PHYS 7503 Topics in Experimental Physics
PHYS 7603 Topics in Condensed Matter Physics
PHYS 7703 Topics in Space Physics
PHYS 7803 Topics in Theoretical Physics
PHYS 7903 Topics in Astrophysics
PHYS 7973 Special Topics in Physics
C. Doctoral Research (42 semester credit hours):
PHYS 7001-3Directed Research (6 hours; prior to passing qualifying exam)
PHYS 7013 Research Seminar (3 hours)
PHYS 7101-3Doctoral Research (21 hours; after successfully passing qualifying exam)
PHYS 7111-3Doctoral Dissertation (12 hours)
Graduate Coordinator
Dr. Teviet Creighton • LHSB 2.218 • 956-882-6651 • [email protected]
Office of Graduate Studies
utb.edu/graduatestudies
Students must enroll in PHYS 7111-3 Doctoral Dissertation each semester
that they receive advice and/or assistance on their dissertation. However,
no more than 12 semester credit hours will count toward the Ph.D. degree.
Students must attend the Research Seminar for a minimum of three full
semesters during their graduate studies. However, no more than three
semester credit hours may be applied to the Ph.D. degree.
Candidacy
All students seeking a doctoral degree at UTSA must be admitted to
candidacy. One of the requirements for admission to candidacy is passing the
“Doctoral Qualifying Examination.” Students should consult UTSA’s “Doctoral
Degree Regulations” for the other requirements.
Qualifying Examination. The qualifying examination is divided into written
and oral portions. The written portion will cover the four core courses. The
oral portion covers the student’s proposed research program and related
fundamentals, must be taken within one year after passing the written
portion of the qualifying examination and will be evaluated by the student’s
dissertation committee. Additional details are described in the UTSA Physics
Department’s Graduate Student Handbook.
Defense
The final oral defense consists of a public presentation of the dissertation
and a closed oral defense. It is administered and evaluated by the student’s
dissertation committee and covers the dissertation and the general field of
the dissertation. The dissertation committee must approve the dissertation.
Courses for which credits can be transferred:
The list below states the courses in the UTB M.S. in physics program for
which credits can be transferred into the UTSA Ph.D. program. A maximum of
30 credit hours constituted by these courses are transferable:
Core Curriculum (12 SCHs):
PHYS 5310 Classical Mechanics I (UTSA PHY 5103)
PHYS 5320 Electrodynamics I (UTSA PHY 5203)
PHYS 5330 Statistical Mechanics (UTSA PHY 5303)
PHYS 5340 Quantum Mechanics I (UTSA PHY 5403)
UTB Advanced Physics Electives (18 semester credit hours selected from the
following):
PHYS 6330 Quantum Mechanics II
(UTSA PHY 6303)
PHYS 6320 Electrodynamics II (UTSA PHY 6203)
PHYS 6331 Solid State Physics
(UTSA PHY 6313)
PHYS 6350 Mathematical Physics I (UTSA PHY 6503)
PHYS 6351 Mathematical Physics II
(UTSA PHY 6513)
PHYS 6352 Computational Physics
(UTSA PHY 6523)
PHYS 6371 Thermodynamics and Kinetics of Biological Systems
PHYS 6373 Statistical Physics of Molecular Cell Biology
PHYS 5375 Structure and Function of Biological Molecules
PHYS 6381 Introduction to Astrophysics
PHYS 5387 Special Topics in Physics
PHYS 5392 Gravitational Wave Astronomy
PHYS 5393 Introduction to General Relativity and Gravitation
PHYS 5394 Advanced Statistical Methods for Modern Astronomy
Students conducting research at UTB can take some of the advanced Physics
Elective courses or the Topics courses in the UTB Ph.D. program via distance
education. The same applies for the Research Seminar course. UTB and UTSA
have a direct video link to facilitate this.
The University of Texas at Brownsville