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Physics

All courses are 3 credits unless otherwise noted.

Note: Students must maintain a minimum of a 3.0 GPA to be in good standing.

PH 500. Independent Study (ISG)
(credits are arranged: 1-3)
Various specialized topics and/or research areas from one to two graduate students. Arranged individually with the faculty.

PH 511. Classical Mechanics
Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formulations. Rigid body motion. Poisson brackets, Hamilton-Jacobi theory. (Prerequisite: B.S. in physics or equivalent.)

PH 514. Quantum Mechanics I
Schrodinger wave equation, potential wells and barriers, harmonic oscillator, hydrogen atom, angular momentum and spin. (Prerequisite: B.S. in physics or equivalent.)

PH 515. Quantum Mechanics II
Perturbation theory, scattering theory, Born approximation, quantum theory of radiation, the Dirac equation. (Prerequisite: PH 514)

PH 522. Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics
Ensemble theory; canonical, microcanonical, and grand canonical ensembles. Quantum statistical mechanics, Bose-Einstein and Fermi-Dirac statistics. (Prerequisite PH 511)

PH 533. Advanced Electromagnetic Theory
Classical electrodynamics including boundaryvalue problems using Green's functions. Maxwell's equations, electromagnetic properties of matter, wave propagation and radiation theory. (Prerequisite: B.S. in physics or equivalent.)

PH 554. Solid State Physics
Phonons and specific heat of solids; electronic conductivity and band theory of solids; Fermi and Bose gases; magnetic interactions. (Prerequisite: PH 514)

PH 597. Special Topics

See the supplement section of the on-line catalog for descriptions of courses to be offered in this academic year.

Directed Research
(varies)
A directed and coherent program of research that, in most cases, will eventually lead to thesis or dissertation research. This is also used for Directed Research Rotation (for 3 credit hours) for first year students who have not yet taken the Qualifying Examination in order to explore the available research opportunities.

M. Sc. Thesis Research
(varies)
Each student will work under the supervision of a member of the department on an experimental or theoretical problem.

Ph.D. Dissertation
(varies, no more than 30)
Required in the last semester or two for the writing and defending of a Ph.D. dissertation

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Last modified: September 08, 2006 10:48:58