Graduate Programs

Physics Graduate program information

Graduate Classes:

Course #	Title	Description	Previous instructors
PHYS 5503 - 5504	Advanced Modern Physics	3 credits. Study of the elementary principles of quantum mechanics and an introduction to atomic, solid state, and nuclear physics. Quantum mechanics will be used as much as possible. PHYS 5503 is a PREREQ for 5504. PREREQ: MATH 3360 OR EQUIVALENT, AND PHYS 3301. ||
PHYS 5505	Advanced Laboratory	2 credits. Experiments in radiation detection and measurement, nuclear spectroscopy including x-ray and gamma spectroscopies, neutron activation and ion beam methods. Available to Geology, Engineering, and Physics majors. PREREQ: PERMISSION OF INSTRUCTOR. ||
PHYS 5509	Introductory Nuclear Physics	3 credits. A course in Nuclear Physics with emphasis upon structural models, radioactivity, nuclear reactions, fission and fusion. PREREQ: KNOWLEDGE OF ELEMENTARY QUANTUM MECHANICS AND DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS OR PERMISSION OF INSTRUCTOR. ||
PHYS 5510	Science in American Society	2 credits. Observational basis of science; technology’s historical influences on scientific developments; perceptions of science in contemporary America; tools/strategies for teaching science. Cross-listed as GEOL 5510. PREREQ: PERMISSION OF INSTRUCTOR. ||
PHYS 5515	Statistical Physics	3 credits. Topics covered may include kinetic theory, elementary statistical mechanics, random motion and the theory of noise. Choice of topics will depend upon the interest of the students and instructor. PREREQ: PHYS 2212, MATH 3360.||
PHYS 5516	Radiation Detection and Measurement	3 credits. Lecture/laboratory course emphasizing practical measurement techniques in nuclear physics. PREREQ: CHEM 1111, CHEM L1111, CHEM1112, CHEML1112, AND EITHER (PHYS1111 AND PHYS1113) OR (PHYS2211 AND PHYS 2213). ||
PHYS 5521-5522	Electricity and Magnetism	3 credits. Intermediate course in fundamental principles of electrical and magnetic theory. Free use will be made of vector analysis and differential equations. PHYS 5521 is a PREREQ for 5522.PREREQ: PHYS 2212 AND MATH 3360.
PHYS 5542	Solid State Physics	3 credits. Introduction to the field of solid state physics emphasizing the fundamental concepts. Topics usually covered are crystal structure, X-ray diffraction, crystal binding energies, free electron theory of solids, energy bands. PREREQ: PHYS 3301, PHYS 5583, MATH 3360 OR PERMISSION OF INSTRUCTOR. ||
PHYS 5552	Intermediate Optics	3 credits. Wave theory, e/m waves, production of light, measurement of light, reflection, refraction, interference, diffraction, polarization, optical systems, matrix methods, Jones vectors, Fourier optics, propagation of e/m waives in materials, atmospheric optics. PREREQ: PHYS 2212. COREQ: MATH 3360 ||
PHYS 5553	Topics in Astrophysics	2 credits. Applications of physics to astronomy or cosmology. May include lab exercise. PREREQ: PERMISSION OF INSTRUCTOR. ||
PHYS 5561-5562	Introduction to Mathematical	Physics 3 credits. Introduction to the mathematics most commonly used in physics with applications to and practice in solving physical problems; includes vector analysis, ordinary and partial differential equations. PHYS 5561 is a PREREQ for 5562. PREREQ: PHYS 2212 AND MATH 3360.||
PHYS 5583	Theoretical Mechanics	4 credits. Detailed study of the motion of particles, satellites, rigid bodies and oscillating systems. Develop and apply Langrangian and Hamiltonian methods. PREREQ: PHYS 2212 AND MATH 3360.||
PHYS 5592	Colloquium in Physics	1 credit. Faculty and student lectures in current research topics in physics. Open to upper division and graduate students in physics. May be repeated to a maximum of 4 credits. ||
PHYS 5597	Professional Education Development Topics.	Variable credit. A course for practicing professionals aimed at the development and improvement of skills. May not be applied to graduate degrees. May be repeated. May be graded S/U.||
PHYS 6602	Theoretical Methods of Physics	3 credits. Calculus of variations, Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formalisms of classical mechanics, some classical scattering theory, methods of solving PDEs, Green’s functions, functions of complex variables,vector and tensor analysis, matrix, group and operator theory, and numerical methods integrated throughout each topic. ||
PHYS 6603	Particle Physics	3 credits. Basic constituents of the standard model, experimental methods, particle interactions: weak, gravitational, strong and electromagnetic, conservation laws, hadron structure and interactions, unification of interactions, physics beyond the standard model. PREREQ: PHYS 6624 OR PERMISSION OF INSTRUCTOR. ||
PHYS 6609	Advanced Nuclear Physics	3 credits. Nucleon-nucleon interaction, bulk nuclear structure, microscopic models of nuclear structure, collective models of nuclear structure, nuclear decays and reactions, electromagnetic interactions, weak interactions, strong interactions, nucleon structure, nuclear applications, current topics in nuclear physics. PREREQ:PHYS6624 OR PERMISSION OF INSTRUCTOR. ||
PHYS 6611	Electricity and Magnetism	3 credits. Maxwell’s equations and methods of solution, plane wave propagation and dispersion, wave guides, antennas and other simple radiating systems, relativistic kinematics and dynamics, classical interaction of charged particles with matter, classical radiation production mechanisms. ||
PHYS 6612	Advanced Electricity and Magnetism	3 credits. Advanced topics in application of Maxwell’s equations to wave guides, antennas and other simple radiating systems. Particular emphasis upon the relativistic interaction of charged particles with matter, energy loss, and classical radiation production and absorption mechanisms. PREREQ: PHYS 6611 OR PERMISSION OF INSTRUCTOR. ||
PHYS 6615	Activation Analysis	3 credits. Theory and use of activation methods for quantitative chemical analysis of natural and synthetic materials. Applications will be emphasized. PREREQ: PERMISSION OF INSTRUCTOR. ||
PHYS 6621	Classical Mechanics	3 credits. Lagrange equations, small vibrations; Hamilton’s canonical equations; Hamilton’s principal, least action; contact transformation; Hamilton-Jacobi equation, perturbation theory; nonlinear mechanics. PREREQ: PHYS5583, PHYS5561-5562, OR PERMISSION OF INSTRUCTOR. ||
PHYS 6624-6625	Quantum Mechanics	3 credits. Schrodinger wave equation, stationary state solutions; operators and matrices; perturbation theory, non-degenerate and degenerate cases; WKB approximation, non-harmonic oscillator, etc.; collision problems. Born approximation, method of partial waves. PHYS 6624 is a PREREQ for 6625. PREREQ: PHYS 5561-5562, PHYS 6621 OR PERMISSION OF INSTRUCTOR. ||
PHYS 6626	Advanced Quantum Mechanics	3 credits. Elementary quantum field theory and practical applications. Emphasis upon non-relativistic and relativistic quantum electrodynamics, radiative processes, bremsstrahlung, pair-production, scattering, photo-electric effect, emission and absorption. PREREQ: PHYS 6625 OR PERMISSION OF INSTRUCTOR.
PHYS 6630	Accelerator Physics	3 credits. The physics of direct voltage accelerators, betatrons, sychrotrons, linear induction acceleration; high current accelerators; electromagnetic particle optics, free electron lasers and synchrotron light sources. PREREQ: PHYS 6612, PHYS 6624 OR EQUIVALENT. ||
PHYS 6631	Accelerator Technology	3 credits. Topics will include high voltage and pulsed power techniques, waveguide and R.F. structures, ion and electron beam sources and beam measurements as applied to particle beam machines. PREREQ: PHYS 6612 OR EQUIVALENT.
PHYS 6632	Particle Beam Laboratory	1-3 credits. Laboratory projects in particle beam and ion optics, radiation detectors, ion source operation, etc. May be repeated up to 3 credits. PREREQ: PERMISSION OF INSTRUCTOR.||
PHYS 6640	Statistical Mechanics	3 credits. Statistical ensembles; the Maxwell-Boltzmann law; approach to equilibrium, quantum statistical mechanics; application of statistical mechanics to thermodynamic processes. PREREQ: PHYS5515 AND PHYS 6621. ||

PHYS 6641 Field Theory, Particles, and Cosmology I 3 credits. Topics may include Dirac theory, group theory, Feynman diagrams, superstrings, supergravity, relativity and cosmology. PREREQ: PERMISSION OF INSTRUCTOR.

PHYS 6642 Field Theory, Particles, and Cosmology II 3 credits. A continuation of 641. Topics may include Dirac theory, group theory, Feynman diagrams, superstrings, super gravity, relativity and cosmology. PREREQ: PERMISSION OF INSTRUCTOR.

PHYS 6643 Advanced Solid State Physics 3 credits. Electron many-body problem, crystal and reciprocal lattice, Bloch functions, pseudo potentials, semi-conductors, transition metals, crystal momentum and coordinate representations, electric and magnetic fields, impurities and defects in crystals and semi-conductors, radiation effects on solids, lattice vibrations, electron transport. PREREQ: PHYS 6624 OR PERMISSION OF INSTRUCTOR.

PHYS 6648 Special Topics in Physics 1-3 credits. Survey, seminar, or project (usually at an advanced

level) in one area of physics. Content varies depending 

upon the desires of the students and faculty. May be repeated until 6 credits are earned. PREREQ: PERMISSION OF INSTRUCTOR.

PHYS 6649 Graduate Seminar 2 credits. Advanced seminar topics in currently active areas of applied physics. Students will be required to make presentations and will be required to submit a paper. Four credits required. May be repeated.

PHYS 6650 Thesis 1-10 credits. Maybe repeated. Graded S/U .

PHYS 6699 1-6 Credits. This is an experimental course. The course title and number of credits are noted by course section and announced in the class schedule by the scheduling department. Experimental courses may be offered no more than three times. May be repeated.

PHYS 8850 Doctoral Dissertation Variable credit. Research toward and completion of the dissertation. May be repeated. Graded S/U.

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