The Department of Physics
The Department of Physics offers advanced degree opportunities in many areas of experimental and theoretical physics, supervised by a distinguished group of research faculty. Applications are accepted from students of diverse backgrounds and institutions: graduates of research universities or four-year colleges, from the U.S. and world-wide. Most applicants, but not all, have undergraduate degrees in physics; many have had significant research experience. Seeking to identify the most qualified students who show promise of excellence in research and teaching, the admissions process is highly selective and very competitive.

Doctor of Philosophy

During the first year of the doctoral program, a student takes introductory graduate physics courses and usually serves as a teaching assistant assigned to one of the introductory or intermediate undergraduate physics courses. The student is encouraged to explore research opportunities and is also preparing for the candidacy examination, which is usually taken just before the beginning of the second year of study. After admission to candidacy and identification of a research sponsor, the student begins dissertation research while completing course requirements. Within a year after research begins, a Ph.D. committee is formed with the sponsor as chairman. A student continues research, from time to time consulting with the members of the committee, until completion of the dissertation. The average length of time for completion of the Ph.D. program in physics is about five and a half years.

In addition to fulfilling University and divisional requirements, a candidate for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in physics must:

  1. Pass the candidacy examination. This examination on basic physics covers fundamental material usually studied in upper-division undergraduate courses (mechanics, electricity and magnetism, special relativity, and quantum mechanics) and requires some knowledge of particles and fields and of the structure of matter. The candidacy examination is given every September and April and must be passed within two years of the time of matriculation.
  2. Fulfill the experimental physics requirement by completing Advanced Experimental Physics (Physics 33400) or a Special Experimental Project (Physics 33500).
  3. Pass four post-candidacy advanced graduate courses devoted to the broad physics research areas of (A) Condensed Matter Physics, (B) Particle Physics and (C) “Large-Scale” Physics (i.e. Astrophysics and/or Cosmology related). The four courses selected must include at least one from each category.
  4. Pass two other advanced (40000-level) courses either in physics or in a field related to the student’s Ph.D. research.
  5. Within the first year after beginning research, convene a “first-meeting” of the Ph.D. committee to review plans for the proposed thesis research and for fulfilling the remaining Ph.D. requirements.
  6. One to two quarters prior to the defense of the dissertation, hold a pre-oral meeting at which the student and the Ph.D. committee discuss the research project.
  7. Defend the dissertation before the Ph.D. committee.
  8. Submit for publication to a refereed scientific journal the thesis which has been approved by the Ph.D. committee or a paper based on the thesis. A letter from the editor acknowledging receipt of the thesis must be provided to the department office.

Master of Science

The graduate program of the Department of Physics is oriented toward students who intend to earn a Ph.D. degree in physics. Therefore, the department does not offer admission to students whose goal is the Master of Science degree. However, the department does offer a master’s degree to students who are already in the physics Ph.D. program or other approved graduate programs in the University. Normally it takes one and a half years for a student to complete the master’s program. A master’s degree is not required for continued study toward the doctorate.

In addition to fulfilling University and divisional requirements, a candidate for the degree of Master of Science in physics must:

  1. Demonstrate a satisfactory level of understanding of the fundamental principles of physics by either (a) passing the Ph.D. candidacy examination at the master’s level or higher or (b) passing nine approved courses with a minimum grade point average of 3.0. Five of the nine courses must be Physics 31600, 33000, 34100, 34200, and either 32200 or 33100.
  2. Complete Advanced Experimental Physics (Physics 33400).

Teaching Opportunities

Part of the training of graduate students is dedicated to obtaining experience and facility in teaching. Most first-year students are supported by teaching assistantships, which provide the opportunity for them to engage in a variety of teaching-related activities. These may include supervising undergraduate laboratory sections, conducting discussion and problem sessions, holding office hours, and grading written work for specific courses. Fellowship holders are invited to participate in these activities at reduced levels of commitment to gain experience in the teaching of physics. First-year graduate students attend the weekly workshop, Teaching and Learning of Physics, which is an important element in their training as teachers of physics.

Teaching Facilities

All formal classwork takes place in the modern lecture halls and classrooms and instructional laboratories of the Kersten Physics Teaching Center. This building also houses special equipment and support facilities for student experimental projects, departmental administrative offices, and meeting rooms. The center is situated on the science quadrangle near the John Crerar Science Library, which holds over 1,000,000 volumes and provides modern literature-search and data-retrieval systems.

Research Facilities

Most of the experimental and theoretical research of Physics faculty and graduate students is carried out within the Enrico Fermi Institute and the James Franck Institute. These research institutes provide close interdisciplinary contact, crossing the traditional boundaries between departments. This broad scientific endeavor is reflected in students’ activities and contributes to their outlook toward research. The research institutes are connected to the Kersten Physics Teaching Center by an enclosed bridge.

In the Enrico Fermi Institute, members of the Department of Physics carry out theoretical research in particle theory, string theory, field theory, general relativity, and theoretical astrophysics and cosmology. There are active experimental groups in high energy physics, nuclear physics, astrophysics and space physics, infrared and optical astronomy, electron and ion microscopy, and modern optics and solar energy concentration. Some of this research is conducted at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, at Argonne National Laboratory (both of these are near Chicago), and at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Geneva, Switzerland.

Physics faculty in the James Franck Institute study chemical, solid state, condensed matter, and statistical physics. Fields of interest include chaos, chemical kinetics, critical phenomena, high Tc superconductivity, non-linear dynamics, low-temperature, disordered and amorphous systems, the dynamics of glasses, fluid dynamics, surface and interface phenomena, non-linear and nanoscale optics, unstable and metastable systems, and polymer physics. Much of the research utilizes specialized facilities operated by the institute, including a low-temperature laboratory, a materials preparation laboratory, x-ray diffraction and analytical chemistry laboratories, laser equipment, a scanning-tunneling microscope, and extensive shop facilities. Some members of the faculty are involved in research at Argonne National Laboratory.

A new interdisciplinary research institute, called the Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, has been formed at Chicago. It includes members of both the Physical Sciences and Biological Sciences Divisions, and focuses on the physical basis for molecular and cellular processes. This interface between the physical and biological sciences is an exciting area that we expect to develop rapidly over the next few years, with a bi-directional impact. Initial research topics include the creation of physical materials by biological self-assembly, the molecular basis of macromolecular interactions and cellular signaling, the derivation of sequence-structure-function relationships by computational means, and structure-function relationships in membranes.

In the areas of chemical and atomic physics, research toward the doctorate may be done in either the physics or the chemistry department. Facilities are available for research in crystal chemistry; molecular physics; molecular spectra from infrared to far ultraviolet and Raman spectra, both experimental and theoretical; surface physics; statistical mechanics; radio chemistry; and quantum electronics.

Interdisciplinary research leading to a Ph.D. degree in physics may be carried out under the guidance of faculty committees including members of other departments in the Division of the Physical Sciences, such as Astronomy & Astrophysics, Chemistry, Computer Science, Geophysical Sciences or Mathematics, or related departments in the Division of the Biological Sciences

Admission and Student Aid

Most students entering the graduate program of the Department of Physics of the University of Chicago hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree in physics from an accredited college or university.

December 28 is the deadline for applications for admission in the following autumn quarter. The Graduate Record Examination given by the Educational Testing Service is required of all applicants. Applicants should submit recent scores on the verbal, quantitative, and analytic aptitude tests and on the advanced subject test in physics. Arrangements should be made to take the examination no later than December in order that the results be available in time for the department’s consideration. Applicants from non-English-speaking countries must provide the scores achieved on the TOEFL examination. A minimum score of 600 with 60 in each subscore, or, on the computerized version of the test, a minimum score of 250 with 25 in each subscore is rerquired.

All full-time physics graduate students in good standing receive financial aid. Most graduate students serve as teaching assistants in their first year.

For an application and detailed information about departmental degree requirements, financial aid, and faculty research interests, e-mail physics@uchicago.edu or write to: Graduate Affairs, Department of Physics, University of Chicago, 5720 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637-1434. A departmental counselor will be glad to answer questions. Use URL http://physics.uchicago.edu to access the department’s World Wide Web home page for more information.

This text was last revised on 9/02/2003.