MISSION 

The primary mission of the Department of Physics is teaching and research of the highest quality at the graduate level for students pursuing their higher studies leading to Master's and Ph.D. degrees in Physics. The Department provides an excellent educational experience for the graduate students who work in high technology research in optics/materials science programs and provides outreach and service as an academic institution. The Department of Physics strives to provide support for its faculty in utilizing their expertise to the benefit of the regional, national and international scientific communities. 

OBJECTIVES 

1.      To offer specialization in optics/lasers and material science areas of applied physics, and train qualified students for careers in academics, government, and in industries which are heavily involved in research and development in the areas of modern optics, lasers, optical communication and in the science and applications of new materials. 

2.      To increase the opportunities for students, teachers and scientists in the United States and, particularly, in North Alabama to obtain training in the area of physics and applied physics.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Master of Science 

For admission to the Master of Science program in applied physics, applicants must have received a bachelor's degree from a recognized university with a major in any of the physical sciences or engineering and must have an overall GPA of 3.00 (based on a 4.00 system). Also, students with bachelor's degrees in optical science or optical engineering, or materials science or materials engineering programs will be eligible for admission into the graduate program with optics/lasers and materials science concentrations. Students with a degree in an area other than physics may be required to take prerequisite undergraduate physics courses. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score of at least 600 in the quantitative section of the general area is required. Students from non-English speaking countries are required to have a minimum score of 550 on the Test for English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). All graduate students must demonstrate proficiency in English via the University English Competency test for graduate students.

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS 

Master of Science (Thesis option): Students must complete at least 24 semester hours of course work with a minimum of 12 hours in an area of concentration, write a thesis on an approved topic under the supervision of a thesis advisor, and satisfactorily defend the the thesis before an advisory committee appointed by the department and approved by the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies. 

Master of Science (Non-Thesis option): Students must complete at least 30 semester hours of course work, with at least 15 of these being in the area of concentration, and pass a comprehensive examination given by the department. 

Master of Science (Physics Education option): Students must complete a minimum of 36 semester hours of graduate credit including the following core courses: 12 semester hours of advisor-approved 500 level courses in Physics, and 24 semester hours from the following courses: SPE 501(0-3 Hr.), EDU 501(3 Hr.), EDU 502(3 Hr.), EDU 503(3 Hr.), EDU 536(3 Hr.), EDU 542(3 Hr.) or *EDU 529, EDU 615(3 Hr.), SED 530(3 Hr.), SED 527(3 Hr.), or EDU 532, and advisor-approved electives (1-3 Hr.) or *EDU 531. 

* Required electives for students in State Scholarship Technology program.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS 

Doctor of Philosophy  

The program is open for admission to students who satisfy the general criteria for admission to the School of Graduate Studies and who also meet the departmental requirements for admission to the graduate program in the specialization of choice. The admission to the doctoral program requires a Master's degree in physics or any field of physical sciences or engineering or a closely related field. An undergraduate physics major with a GPA of 3.5 on a scale of 4.0, and a strong recommendation of the Graduate Admission Committee, could be admitted directly to the Ph.D. program. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score of at least 600 in the quantitative section of the general area is required. The GRE Advanced in Physics is strongly urged. These applicants, as well as applicants with master's degrees, must pass the various examinations described later. Students from non-English speaking countries are required to have a minimum score of 550 on the Test for English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). All graduate students must demonstrate proficiency in English via the University English Competency test for graduate students.

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS 

In order to earn the Ph.D. degree in applied physics, a graduate student must earn a total of at least 60 semester hours of credit including 15 semester hours in the area of general physics. In addition to this, a student must pass a departmental qualifying examination before completing 24 semester hours of graduate credits and must also pass a departmental candidacy examination before being considered as a Ph.D. candidate. Also, the student must do research on an approved topic, earn a minimum of 12 semester hours of credit for the dissertation, and defend the findings of research before an advisory committee. A student cannot register for more than 6 credit hours of dissertation during a given semester. There is no foreign language requirement for the degree.  

A student must pass three examinations in the following sequence before the degree is awarded: 

1.   All students seeking for a Ph.D. degree must pass a qualifying examination before completing 24 semester hours of graduate credits. A person who has been admitted on the basis of a master's degree may take the qualifying examination after the first semester in the program. 

2.   All students must take a written departmental candidacy examination in the area of specialization before filing for candidacy. This examination must be passed at least nine months before the expected graduation date. A student is considered as a Ph.D. candidate only after passing the departmental candidacy examination. 

3.   A Ph.D. candidate must make an oral presentation on the dissertation and must defend the findings before a committee of examiners as stated earlier. The presentation of the dissertation must be completed at least six weeks before the intended graduation date. 

COURSES FOR GRADUATE CREDIT

GENERAL COURSES

*PHY 500 Analytical Mechanics 3 sem. hrs.
PHY 503 Methods of Mathematical Physics 3 sem. hrs.
PHY 504 Physics in Modern Technology 1-3 sem. hrs.
*PHY 505 Electromagnetic Theory I 3 sem. hrs.
PHY 506 Electromagnetic Theory II 3 sem. hrs.
PHY 518 Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics 3 sem. hrs.
PHY 519 Advanced Statistical Mechanics 3 sem. hrs.
*PHY 521 Quantum Mechanics I 3 sem. hrs.
PHY 522 Quantum Mechanics II 3 sem. hrs.
PHY 525 Solid State Physics I 3 sem. hrs.
PHY 531 Mathematical Methods in Applied Physics I 3 sem. hrs.
PHY 532 Mathematical Methods in Applied Physics II 3 sem. hrs.
PHY 537 Advanced Laboratory 3 sem. hrs.
PHY 600 Solid State Physics II 3 sem. hrs.
PHY 601 Seminar/Colloquium 1-3 sem. hrs.
PHY 701 Applied Solid State Electronics I 3 sem. hrs.
PHY 791 Applied Solid State Electronics II 3 sem. hrs.
PHY 792-94 Selected Topics 1-4 sem. hrs. 

All Master's degree candidates must complete at least 12 semester hours, and all Ph.D. degree candidates must complete 15 semester hours from these general courses.

*Required courses for all students.

OPTICS COURSES

*PHY 649 Geometrical Optics 3 sem. hrs.
PHY 650 Instrumental Optics 3 sem. hrs.
PHY 651 Spectroscopy 4 sem. hrs.
PHY 655 Optics Laboratory 4 sem. hrs.
*PHY 657 Physical Optics and Interferometry 4 sem. hrs.
PHY 660 Quantum Optics 3 sem. hrs.
PHY 663 Electro-Optical Systems 4 sem. hrs.
PHY 665 Lens Design 4 sem. hrs.
PHY 670 Non-Linear Optics 3 sem. hrs.
*PHY 671 Laser Physics I 4 sem. hrs.
PHY 672 Laser Physics II 4 sem. hrs.
PHY 675 Thin Films & Integrated Optics I 4 sem. hrs.
PHY 680 Holography 3 sem. hrs.
PHY 699 Master's Thesis 1-3 sem. hrs.
PHY 703 Laser Systems 4 sem. hrs.
PHY 712 Optical Phase Conjugation I 3 sem. hrs.
PHY 714 Optical Phase Conjugation II 3 sem. hrs.
PHY 715 Fiber Optics 3 sem hrs.
PHY 725 Optical Fiber Communications 3 sem. hrs.
PHY 750 Laser Spectroscopy 3 sem. hrs.
PHY 755 Optics Laboratory II 3 sem. hrs.
PHY 771 Signal Processing 3 sem. hrs.
PHY 775 Thin Films & Integrated Optics II 3 sem. hrs.
PHY 799 Dissertation 1-6 sem.hrs.

Students specializing in optics must earn:  (1) for the M.S. degree, a minimum of 18 hours for a non-thesis option and 12 hours for a thesis option and (2) for the Ph.D. degree, a minimum of 45 hours.  

MATERIALS SCIENCE COURSES  

*PHY 632 Elements of Materials Science 3 sem. hrs.
PHY 633 Physical Metallurgical Principles 3 sem. hrs.
*PHY 634 Crystal Physics and Crystal Growth 3 sem. hrs.
*PHY 635 Magnetic and Optical Properties of Materials3 sem. hrs.
PHY 636 Semiconductor Physics 3 sem. hrs.
PHY 637 Special Topics in Materials Science 3 sem. hrs.
PHY 638 Imperfections in Solids 3 sem. hrs.
PHY 639 Electron Spectroscopy and Electron Diffraction 3 sem. hrs.
PHY 640 Mechanical Behavior of Solids 3 sem. hrs.
PHY 642 Materials for Energy Production Devices 3 sem. hrs.
PHY 644 Modern Composite Materials 3 sem. hrs.
PHY 648 Advanced Materials Science Laboratory 3 sem. hrs.
PHY 699 Master's Thesis 1-3 sem. hrs.
PHY 705 Solid State Diffusion 3 sem. hrs.
PHY 710 Thermodynamics of Materials 3 sem. hrs.
PHY 720 Radiation Effects in Crystalline Solids 3 sem. hrs.
PHY 730 Solidification Process 3 sem. hrs.
PHY 735 Materials for Radiation Detector 3 sem. hrs.
PHY 796-97 Advanced Topics in Materials Science 1-4 sem. hrs.
PHY 799 Dissertation 1-6 sem. hrs.

Students specializing in materials science must earn:  (1) for the MS, (non-thesis option) 18 semester hours, and (thesis option) 12 semester hours from the above list; (2) for the Ph.D., 45 semester hours from the above list.  

*Required courses.  

OTHER GRADUATE LEVEL COURSES IN PHYSICS  

PHY 501 Concepts in Modern Physics 3 sem. hrs.
PHY 502 Biophysics 3 sem. hrs.
PHY 552 Problems in Physical Science 3 sem. hrs.