Modality
On Campus
Program URL
https://physics.georgetown.edu/graduate/
The Physics Department is a vibrant community of faculty, students, and staff committed to Georgetown’s mission as a student-centered research university. The academic programs feature close student-faculty interactions and include the novel Industrial Leadership in Physics track for doctoral students. Faculty-led research groups work in areas such as Biological Physics, Hard Condensed Matter, Micro and Nano Technologies, Optics and Imaging, Physics Education, Soft Condensed Matter, Statistical Physics and Ultracord Gases, sponsored by grants from government agencies such as the National Science Foundation, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, and the Department of Energy.
Academic Policies
The academic policies and procedures of the Physics program are those specified in Georgetown University’s Bulletin and the department handbook.
Program Requirements
To earn a Ph.D. in Physics, students must complete the following requirements:
- 34 credits of coursework
- Participate in the Integrative Experience after the first two semesters of coursework
- Complete 3 lab rotations
- Receive a final grade of B or better in each first-year core course OR pass a comprehensive examination
- Pass the Qualifying Examination
- Research, write, and defend a dissertation.
Students are also expected to submit an Annual Progress Report by September 15 detailing their work over the previous year. Review of these reports serves as a means for determining satisfactory academic progress within the program.
Students select one of two tracks in which to study: Standard Physics Track or the Industrial Leadership Track. The requirements for each track are outlined below.
Required Examinations
Comprehensive Examination
Students who receive a final grade of B or better in each of their first-year core courses will not be required to take a comprehensive examination. Students who do not meet these conditions will be required to pass an exam based on the core course where the final grade was below B.
Students who are not required to take the exam will begin lab rotations in early June, right after the end of first-year coursework.
Qualifying Examination
The Qualifying Examination is a written report and an oral presentation that address research progress to date and present the proposed thesis/dissertation project. While there are not length requirements for the examination, most written reports are 15-20 pages.
For the oral portion of the exam, the student should prepare a 30-minute presentation. Following the presentation, the committee members will ask questions that prove the depth and breadth of the student’s knowledge of the broader research field.
Thesis Requirements
A least 6 weeks before the Qualifying Examination, students must submit their Thesis/Dissertation Proposal Form. Each member of the Thesis Committee, as well as the Director of Graduate Studies, must approve the form before it is submitted to the Graduate Program Coordinator, who will make a copy for departmental records and submit the original form to the Graduate School.
Any revisions to the Thesis Proposal Form reflecting feedback from the Thesis Committee should be submitted to the DGS within two weeks after the Qualifying Examination.
Once the dissertation proposal is approved, students may begin research and writing. Upon completion of the dissertation, students must deliver a public 30-minute oral presentation open to the academic community and answer questions from attendees. During the private phase of the review, the Thesis Committee will ask the candidate additional questions.
Passing the Dissertation Defense requires approval of all or all but one of the committee members.
