Graduate Rules and Requirements

General information:
The Department of Physics and Astronomy offers graduate work leading to the degrees of Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy. The active fields of research are condensed-matter physics, nanoscale studies of physical and biological materials, experimental and theoretical nuclear physics, theoretical particle physics, biophysics, and string theory, general relativity and gravitation, astronomy, and astrophysics. Students with a strong background in physics and an interest in biology can also enroll formally for graduate study with our department and become affiliated for their research with faculty in the UNC Biophysics Program. The graduate courses are designed to give a broad foundation and to introduce the student to areas of active research in the Department. We have 77 graduate students, 36 permanent faculty members, and more than 15 visiting scientists and research associates in our program.

External contract and grant resources to support Departmental research programs has risen to $8.22M in 2001-2002. Additional support has recently become available for the Department to join the 10.5-meter Southern African Large Telescope project, and $1.2M to acquire and upgrade a transmission electron microscope as part of the new W. M. Keck Atomic Imaging and Manipulation Laboratory. The two new facilities complement the Department's ongoing major role in the 4.2-meter SOAR Telescope in Chile and the North Carolina Center for Nanomaterials housed in Phillips Hall. The research support has increased by a factor of over 4 in the past decade and have led to a significant increase in graduate student and postdoctoral fellow support, as well as major new instrumentation.

The deadline for applications is January 1, 2008. For admission to the Physics and Astronomy graduate program a Bachelor's degree is required with a minimum GPA of 3.0. The average GRE scores for those admitted in 2007 were Verbal: 590, Quantitative: 763, and Physics: 694. The TOEFL exam is required for non-native speakers; the minimum acceptable score is 550, though usually, admitted candidates had scores substantially above 600. The department requires three letters of recommendation. The Department of Physics and Astronomy considers it essential for every physics graduate student to participate in graduate research at UNC as early in his/her graduate career as possible. Research should be the central focus of every physics graduate student and no amount of course work can replace the education gained from active participation in research. The following events are intended to enhance the intellectual climate in the Department and make it easier for the students to get involved in research:

Newcomer's Seminar:
It is a series of introductory talks by different faculty members on the current research activities of the Department of Physics and Astronomy. These talks introduce students both to current research and to the faculty in the department.

Colloquia:
Physics and Astronomy Colloquia are held each Monday during the academic year at 4:00 p.m. Colloquium speakers include visitors as well as faculty members from UNC. These lectures increase awareness of current research in the field of physics, and may help focus research interests. Some may also find interesting weekly colloquia held at Duke University on Wednesday afternoon, Nuclear Theory Colloquia operated jointly by three universities, or seminars held in different fields at Duke. Check 'Weekly Calendar' for details.

Seminars:
Seminars are offered in Nuclear Physics, Condensed Matter Physics, Theoretical Particle Physics and Astrophysics. These meetings are generally held weekly. Talks are given by faculty, research associates and graduate students as well as by visitors.