Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
Physics and Astronomy
Graduate Degrees
The Department of Physics and Astronomy offers graduate study at the master’s and doctoral degree levels. The graduate program prepares students for professional careers in research, teaching and developmental applications of physics.
Entering students spend time in intensive course work providing a broad background in advanced physics regardless of degree objective. Subsequent study involves a mix of course work, practical training and independent research (depending on degree objective). The doctoral program affords exceptionally close collaboration between students and faculty.
Research Areas: Experimental, Theoretical and Computational
Opportunities for research are offered in atomic, molecular and optical/laser physics, astrophysics, elementary particle theory, string theory, quantum field theory, earthquake physics, helioseismology, condensed matter physics, quantum electronics/nonlinear optics, space physics and ultralow temperature physics.
Degree Requirements
Graduate degrees in the Department of Physics and Astronomy are under the jurisdiction of the Graduate School. Refer to the Requirements for Graduation section and the Graduate School section of this catalogue for general regulations. All courses applied toward the degrees must be courses accepted by the Graduate School.
Graduate study in physics is divided into three degree objectives:
Master of Science and Master of Arts in Physics
Admission Requirements
The prerequisite for admission for a master’s degree in the Department of Physics and Astronomy is a bachelor’s degree in physics or a related field. All applicants for admission must take the Graduate Record Examinations, including the Physics Subject Test. Transcripts of undergraduate records as well as transcripts of any graduate-level courses are required. The TOEFL or IELTS is required of international students applying for a teaching assistantship as well as for those applying for admission only. Applicants may be admitted as a degree candidate at the beginning of fall or spring semester.
Residence
All M.S. and M.A. degree students normally take at least three courses for each of two semesters. A total of 24 units of credit is required for graduation. Admitted students may transfer a maximum of 4 units of credit to apply toward the degree requirements.
Foreign Language Requirement
There is no foreign language requirement for the M.S. or M.A.
Course Requirements
Option A M.S. in Physics: The M.S. degree requires satisfactory completion of seven courses (exclusive of PHYS 500 and PHYS 594), of which no more than one course may be PHYS 590 Directed Research. In addition, satisfactory completion of a thesis (and 4 units of PHYS 594) is required.
Option B M.A. in Physics: The M.A. degree requires satisfactory completion of eight courses (exclusive of PHYS 500 and PHYS 590) plus a high level of performance on the comprehensive examination.
The required courses for either option are PHYS 504, PHYS 508a and PHYS 558a. For either option at least five courses must be at the 500 level or higher and remaining courses at the 400 level or higher; at least five courses must be in physics. All required physics courses must be passed with a grade of B- or better. No upper-division courses required for the B.A. in physics at USC may be counted for credit toward the M.A. or M.S. degree.
Comprehensive Examination
All master’s degree candidates are required to take the departmental screening examination not later than during their second semester (excluding summer). This examination serves as the required comprehensive examination for the M.A. degree. A high level of performance is required for the M.A. degree, and a superior level is required for admission to (or continuation in) the Ph.D. program.
Master of Science in Physics for Business Applications
Admission Requirements
The prerequisite for admission to the Master of Science in Physics for Business Applications is a bachelor’s degree in physics, chemistry, mathematics, engineering or related field. Applicants should have previous upper-division course work in electricity and magnetism and quantum mechanics/modern physics. All applicants for admission must take the Graduate Record Examinations general test and are encouraged to take the Physics Subject Test. Transcripts of undergraduate records as well as transcripts of any graduate-level courses are required. The TOEFL or IELTS is required of international students applying for a teaching assistantship as well as for those applying for admission only. Applicants may be admitted to the program at the beginning of fall or spring semester.
Residence
All full-time M.S. degree students are expected to take three courses toward the degree for each of the first three semesters. Part-time students are expected to complete at least three courses per calendar year. A total of 36 units of credit is required for graduation. Admitted students may transfer a maximum of 8 units of credit to apply toward degree requirements.
Foreign Language Requirement
There is no foreign language requirement for the M.S. degree.
Computer Language Requirement
By the end of the first semester in residence, students are required to demonstrate a skill level in programming in C or C++. This skill may be demonstrated by a practical exam or by passing a relevant computer language course.
Course Requirements
The M.S. in Physics for Business Applications degree requires completion of 36 units of course work plus satisfactory submission of a final technical report. The physics requirement is 17 units of courses, including PHYS 516, PHYS 518, PHYS 520, PHYS 558a, PHYS 650 and PHYS 692. The business requirement is 12 units of courses. Business courses may be selected from one of three tracks: Corporate Finance (GSBA 510, GSBA 548 and one of GSBA 518 or GSBA 543 are required with electives chosen from FBE 529, FBE 531, FBE 532 and FBE 562); Information Systems (GSBA 518 or GSBA 543 required with electives chosen from IOM 533 and IOM 540); or Operations Management (GSBA 518 or GSBA 543 required with electives chosen from DSO 525, DSO 537, DSO 581, DSO 582 and DSO 583). Alternative business tracks can be taken with departmental approval. An additional 6 units of technical electives are required, to be chosen from PHYS 408b, PHYS 440, PHYS 504, PHYS 510, PHYS 558b, MATH 407 or MATH 408. Alternative technical electives can be taken with departmental approval. All required courses must be passed with a grade of B- or better.
Final Technical Report
All students in physics are required to submit a final technical report within one semester of completion of the internship PHYS 692. This report will be reviewed by the department to establish both its technical merit and the quality of written communication skills of the master’s student. A grade will be registered for PHYS 692 upon satisfactory review of the final report.
Doctor of Philosophy in Physics
Application deadline: January 1
Admission Requirements
The prerequisite for admission to the doctoral program in the Department of Physics and Astronomy is a bachelor’s (or master’s) degree in physics or related field. All applicants for admission must take the Graduate Record Examinations, including the Physics Subject Test. Transcripts of undergraduate records as well as transcripts of any graduate-level courses are required. The TOEFL or IELTS is required of international students applying for a teaching assistantship as well as for those applying for admission only. Applicants may be admitted to the program at the beginning of the fall or spring semester.
Residence
Ph.D. students in physics normally enroll in three courses for each of the first four semesters in graduate school. A total of 60 units of credit is required for graduation. Students admitted to the Ph.D. program may transfer a maximum of 30 units of credit to apply toward degree requirements. For students admitted with Advanced Standing (entry with an appropriate completed graduate degree from an accredited institution), a minimum of 36 units of course work beyond that graduate degree, exclusive of PHYS 794, will be required.
Foreign Language Requirement
There is no foreign language requirement for the Ph.D.
Course Requirements
The student is expected to have prepared for understanding all branches of physics. A minimum of 11 graduate courses in physics, excluding graduate colloquium, dissertation and directed research courses, taken at this university and elsewhere, is required. The required courses for the Ph.D. are PHYS 504, 508ab, PHYS 510, PHYS 518 and PHYS 558ab plus four elective graduate courses in physics. In addition, four units of PHYS 500 and PHYS 794 are required. All required physics courses (except 500 and 794) must be passed with a grade of B- or better. After passing the qualifying examination the student must register for PHYS 794 Doctoral Dissertation each fall and spring semester.
Screening Procedure
Any student proceeding toward the Ph.D. in physics must pass the departmental screening examination at a superior level. The exam must be taken not later than during the second semester (excluding summers, but including time in the M.A./M.S. program) in the department. New advanced students who have passed an equivalent comprehensive examination at a well-recognized research university with superior grades may apply to the departmental examination committee for an oral interview in order to be exempted from the written screening examination. A faculty member who supervises the research of such a student in the department must support this application.
Qualifying Exam Committee
The graduate adviser serves as adviser to incoming students and assists in the appointment of the qualifying exam committee, which is formed after the screening examination has been passed. After the student passes the qualifying examination and a dissertation topic is approved, the five-member qualifying exam committee becomes known as the dissertation committee and is responsible for monitoring the candidate’s progress and for approving the final content and form of the dissertation.
Qualifying Examination
The qualifying examination must be attempted not later than during the fifth semester (or in the case of advanced students, the third semester) in the department (excluding summer). The Ph.D. qualifying examination contains a written part and an oral part. The written part consists of a critical review by the student of a published work selected by the qualifying exam committee and of a research proposal prepared by the student on the area in which the student intends to do a doctoral dissertation. The oral part expands on the written part.
Dissertation
A doctoral dissertation in physics is expected to be an extensive description of original research carried out by the student. A complete discussion of reported research in relation to previous work by others is essential.
Defense of the Dissertation
The dissertation must be defended in a final oral examination. The candidate must be prepared to answer general questions in the field as well as specific questions regarding the dissertation.