The standard model for the first two years in the Ph.D. program is as follows:
Year 1
Complete 6 core courses (PHYS 2010, 2030, 2040, 2050, 2060, 2140) and work toward joining a research group.
Summer between Year 1 and Year 2
Work on a project for, or begin research with, a potential research advisor.
Year 2
Pass comprehensive exam at beginning of the second year and continue or begin research; complete any core courses not done in the first year; complete 2 advanced courses; complete 2nd Year Ethics Training mid-year, and identify prelim committee by end of academic year.
A student’s specific path may deviate from this model based on individual circumstances and background, but the above model should be adhered to as much as is possible and appropriate.
By mid-April of the first year, each student should have a research plan for the first summer and, hopefully, for the next academic year. Let the Student Affairs and Programs Manager know when you have reached an agreement with a particular faculty member for research support.
A student who has been successful in securing a research affiliation for the second year should register for a research course in the section specific to the research advisor (PHYS 2980 - Research in Physics) unless advised differently by the research advisor.
A student who has not been successful in securing a research affiliation for the second year is required to make arrangements for at least one reading course (PHYS 2710 - Seminar in Research Topics) with a potential research advisor beginning in the Fall semester. If the reading course is not successful in yielding a research position, the student must continue to arrange reading courses until a suitable match is found.
Finding a research advisor/group takes effort and exploration. Students are strongly encouraged to think about, and begin working toward, entering a group during the first semester of their first year. There are multiple tools available:
Students are advised to keep an open mind about the field of research, even about experiment versus theory, and about career options, thus:
Some other things to remember: