Departments & Programs
Department of Physics
Graduate Programs
Graduate Program
The Department of Physics offers graduate programs leading to Purdue University Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees. For master’s degree students, both thesis and nonthesis options are available.
Admission Requirements
Students who seek enrollment in the physics graduate program should have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution and have a background in the usual undergraduate courses in physics, mathematics, and other sciences. An average grade point average of 3.0 (B) or higher in physics courses is expected. Graduates from related fields of study in pure and applied science or engineering may be accepted on a probationary basis until they have completed any necessary undergraduate courses in physics. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is normally expected of all applicants. The GRE physics test is recommended, but not required.
Transfer Credit
The Department of Physics will normally accept, from approved institutions, a maximum of 6 transfer hours of graduate credit that are in excess of undergraduate degree requirements.
Application for Admission
Application materials and information can be obtained online at www.physics.iupui.edu or by writing to the chairperson of the graduate committee, IUPUI Department of Physics, Science Building, LD 154, 402 N. Blackford Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202-3273; phone (317) 274-6900. While the application is being processed, it is possible to enter IUPUI as a temporary graduate student. Generally, only 12 hours of credit earned under this classification may be counted toward an advanced degree.
Financial Assistance
Most physics graduate students receive financial support. Types of support available include teaching and research assistantships, fellowships, and tuition remission.
Master of Science
The general requirements include admission to regular graduate status, completion of the English requirement, passing the core physics classes (PHYS 51000, PHYS 51700, PHYS 53000, and PHYS 55000 or equivalent) with a 3.0 grade point average and no grades below B-, satisfactory completion of an approved plan of study, and 30 hours of graduate credit as outlined below.
The English requirement for candidates whose native language is English is satisfied by having no undergraduate grades below B in English composition or by scoring 600 or higher on the Verbal Aptitude Section of the Graduate Record Examination. Students who do not satisfy the English requirement by either of the above methods may take a written examination administered by the Department of English to demonstrate their proficiency. Students whose native language is not English must pass the TOEFL examination with a grade of 79 or higher (with minimums of 18 in Writing, 18 in Speaking, 14 in Listening, and 19 in Reading) and take a diagnostic test when they arrive at IUPUI. The score on this test will determine what English courses are required.
The student’s plan of study is worked out in cooperation with the student’s graduate advisor and committee. It must be submitted and accepted by the graduate school no later than the semester before the one in which the student plans to graduate. The English requirement must be satisfied before the plan of study may be filed.
The master’s degree requires the satisfactory completion of 30 credit hours of course work at the 500 and 600 level. Twenty-four (24) credit hours must be in physics and biophysics. In the thesis option, 6 of the physics credit hours will be earned by enrolling in PHYS 69800 Research M.S. Thesis. This option requires a written thesis. In the non-thesis option, 6 of the physics credit hours will typically be earned through enrollment in PHYS 59000 Reading and Research. This option requires a written report. Six (6) credit hours must be in mathematics, which may be replaced in part by PHYS 60000 Methods of Theoretical Physics. The grade requirements are A or B in 500-level courses; A, B, or C in 600-level courses; A, B, or C in mathematics courses; and a minimum grade point average of 2.8.
Doctor of Philosophy
The general requirements include admission to regular graduate status, completion of the English requirement, passing the qualifying examination, satisfactory completion of an approved plan of study, passing a preliminary exam, and 60 hours of graduate credit after the completion of an M.S. There are four core courses that must be completed: PHYS 61700, Statistical Mechanics; PHYS 63000, Advanced Theory of Electricity and Magnetism; PHYS 66000, Quantum Mechanics I; PHYS 66100, Quantum Mechanics II. The student must take three additional specialty courses approved by the Graduate Committee. These in general would be relevant to the student's area of interest. Additional courses may be taken based on the student's background and needs.
The English requirement for candidates whose native language is English is satisfied by having no undergraduate grades below B in English composition or by scoring 600 or higher on the Verbal Aptitude Section of the Graduate Record Examination. Students who do not satisfy the English requirement by either of the above methods may take a written examination administered by the Department of English to demonstrate their proficiency. Students whose native language is not English must pass the TOEFL examination with a grade of 79 or higher (with minimums of 18 in Writing, 18 in Speaking, 14 in Listening, and 19 in Reading) and take a diagnostic test when they arrive at IUPUI. The score on this test will determine what English courses are required.
The qualifying examination is a written examination composed and graded by the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) Department of Physics. The examination will be physically given at IUPUI and supervised and graded by IUPUI Physics faculty. Students are allowed two attempts to pass the exam, plus an optional attempt before starting our program at IUPUI.
The qualifying exam is given twice a year, shortly before classes begin in the Fall and Spring semesters. The examination consists of two, 3-hour parts given on successive days. There are eight problems in each part.
The IUPUI Physics Department Graduate Committee sets passing scores on the exam. Traditionally the Ph.D. pass is around 50%.
This examination requies a knowledge of classical mechanics at the level of the texts by Fowles, Analytical Mechanics, and Marion and Thornton, Classical Dynamics of Particles and Systems; of electricity and magnetism as presented in Griffiths, Introduction to Electrodynamics and Reitz, Milford and Christy, Foundations of Electronmagnetic Theory and Marion, Classical Electromagnetic Radiation; of quantum physics at the level of French and Taylor, An Introduction to Quantum Physics and Eisberg and Resnick, Quantum Physics of atoms, molecules, solids, nuclei, and particles; and of Thermal Physics as found in Kittel and Kroemer, Thermal Physics. Finally, a general knowledge of modern physics at the level of texts by Weidner and Sells, Krane, Sandin, Serway and Tipler is required.
New students are encouraged to take the exam at the first opportunity upon arrival at IUPUI before taking any classes to become familiar with the exam and for the Department to assess their standing. This attempt is not counted against the two attempts provided the student has no graduate degrees in Physics from U.S. institutions. Students must take the exam after completing nine (9) hours of graduate courses. If the exam is failed, it must be taken again at the next time it is given (exceptions may be made in extenuating circumstances). Those entering the program with a graduate degree in physics from an institution in the U.S. are permitted only one further attempt beyond the one taken before the first semester of enrollment. The further attempt must be no later than the beginning of their second semester of study in the Department.
The preliminary exam is a certification exam where the student presents a plan of work to be followed to perform his/her research. It is defended in front of the advisory committee. Besides the preliminary exam, students need to present annual progress reports to the advisory committee.
