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Physics (PhD)
PHYSICS

THE DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DEGREE

Admission Requirements

The basic qualification for admission consists of a Bachelor's degree with adequate specialization in Physics, obtained with first or second class honours or an A or B average. Students with deficiencies may be required to make up these deficiencies by registering in undergraduate courses or by following a program of supervised reading.

Applicants whose academic credentials are difficult to assess may be required to write the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) administered by the Educational Testing Service. Inquiries should be made at the time of application. Details of the examination may be obtained from the Educational Testing Service, Princeton, New Jersey, U.S.A., 08540.

Program Requirements

Period of Study: A minimum of three years in full-time graduate studies is required. Credit for one of the three years may be given for a Master's degree obtained in Physics at the University of Windsor or for graduate work carried out at another institution. Not more than seven years should elapse between registration and completion of the requirements for the degree; an extension of this period may be granted only on recommendation from the program coordinator and approval by the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research.

Candidates with a Master’s degree in Physics (or equivalent): a minimum of 4 graduate courses:
(1) 64-520: Classical Electrodynamics, 64-550: Advanced Quantum Theory I and 64-551: Advanced Quantum Theory II must be taken, if previous equivalent credit has not been obtained.
(2) At least one course chosen from: (a) 64-630: Statistical Physics I and (b) 64-650: Classical and Quantum Field Theory I is required.
(3) 64-610 (Seminar for PhD Students) will be required of all candidates.
(4) Candidates may include in their program, with the permission of the Graduate Coordinator and with the approval with the Supervisor, other graduate courses in Physics and up to one graduate-level course from another department (normally from the Faculty of Science or the Faculty of Engineering).
(5) The student may be required to take up to two additional courses, as stipulated by the Doctoral Committee.

Candidates who do not have a Master’s degree in Physics (or equivalent): a minimum of 7 courses:
(1) 64-520: Classical Electrodynamics, 64-550: Advanced Quantum Theory I and 64-551: Advanced Quantum Theory II, or equivalent, are required.
(2) At least one course chosen from: (a) 64-630: Statistical Physics I and (b) 64-650: Classical and Quantum Field Theory I is required.
(3) 64-610 (Seminar for PhD Students) is required of all candidates. [Note: 64-510 (Seminar for MSc Students) cannot be taken for credit.]
(4) Candidates may include in their program, with the permission of the Graduate Coordinator and with the approval with the Supervisor, other graduate courses in Physics and up to:
    (i) one undergraduate course in physics (at the 400-level) or one course from another department (normally at the 400 level or higher), and
    (ii) one graduate-level course from another department.
    normally from the Faculty of Science or the Faculty of Engineering.
(5) The student may be required to take up to two additional courses, as stipulated by the Doctoral Committee.

Doctoral Committee: Within one month after registration each student will be assigned to an advisory committee consisting of a research advisor and two other faculty members in Physics.
This committee will, from time to time, review the student's progress (see the section titled, The Degree of Doctor of Philosophy - Program Requirements).

For the defense of dissertation (final oral examination) the advisory committee will be supplemented by one professor from outside Physics and an external examiner who, as an expert in the field of physics in which the candidate's research is carried out, will appraise the dissertation and ordinarily will also be present at the final oral examination.

Dissertation: In order to qualify for the degree each candidate must present a dissertation embodying the results of an original investigation in a branch of physics. Graduate courses form an important but subsidiary part of the program.

The candidate, when requested, shall submit to the chief advisor from time to time portions of the dissertation and a complete draft on a date specified by the advisor, and place four typewritten copies of the completed dissertation in the hands of the advisor at least six weeks before Convocation. Rules governing binding, quality of paper, etc., of the dissertation can be found in Procedures to Follow in Preparing a Thesis or Dissertation (see the section titled, The Degree of Doctor of Philosophy - The Dissertation).

Examinations: In addition to the examinations in the courses, all candidates must pass qualifying examinations covering the general field of physics at the level of the honours program given at this university. The examinations must be passed after the completion of the M.Sc. degree, not later than one year after registration as a graduate student proceeding to the Ph.D. Other examinations (written or oral) may be set at the discretion of the program coordinator.

Each candidate will, on recommendation of the advisory committee, submit to a final oral examination in defense of the dissertation.

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