1/21/2021 MIT Department of Physics

Guidelines for Physics Doctoral Candidates

[ Last updated on January 21, 2021 12:07 PM ]

The "Department of Physics Doctoral Guidelines" serves as the handbook of graduate policies and procedures. It contains
academic information such as breadth and specialty requirements, General Exam information, time lines of satisfactory progress
and thesis information. It also contains research information regarding funding, switching groups and other policies/procedures.
[ PDF version ]

Department of Physics Doctoral Guidelines:

1. Introduction 5. Academic Issues 9. Research
2. The Physics Graduate Program 6. General Doctoral Examination 10. Thesis
3. Types of Financial Support 7. Specialty Subject Requirements 11. Career Counseling
4. Satisfactory Progress 8. Breadth Subject Requirements

Introduction

This document describes the doctoral program in the Physics Department. It supplements the Graduate Policies and
Procedures, which outlines the general Institute requirements and is available on the web at https://oge.mit.edu/gpp/.

The primary goals of the graduate program in physics at MIT are to solidify and broaden your knowledge of physics and to
teach you how to do research, how to identify important problems, and how to communicate scientific information effectively. In
short, you will be trained to become a professional physicist and a productive member of the scientific community.

The major steps involved in your graduate career are described in the various sections here.

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The Physics Graduate Program

The physics graduate program is under the direction of the Physics Education Committee, which includes members with the
following graduate responsibilities:

Prof. Deepto Chakrabarty, Associate Department Head

Prof. Matthew Evans, Graduate Admissions Officer
Prof. Mehran Kardar, General Examination and Requirements Coordinator
Prof. Christoph Paus, Graduate Appointments Coordinator
Prof. William Detmold, Graduate Student Coordinator, Graduate Officer
Ms. Catherine Modica, Academic Administrator

The staff in Academic Programs, Room 4-315, can direct you to committee members most appropriate to your specific
questions or concerns. All graduate students and faculty are affiliated with one of the Department’s four research divisions.
Each division is headed by a faculty member with responsibilities for aspects of the graduate program of that division’s
students. The current Division Heads are:

Prof. Raymond Ashoori, Atomic, Bio-, Condensed Matter, and Plasma Physics
Prof. Scott Hughes, Astrophysics
Prof. Joseph Formaggio, Experimental Nuclear and Particle Physics
Prof. Iain Stewart, Theoretical Nuclear and Particle Physics

Professor Deepto Chakrabarty serves as the advisor for student concerns about scientific misconduct issues including
interactions with research supervisors, data integrity, and authorship. In addition, Physics REFS can provide mediation services
between student peers and/or faculty members and Catherine Modica, Academic Administrator, can be helpful in dealing with
sensitive issues.

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Every incoming student is assigned an academic advisor. Under most circumstances this faculty member will continue to advise
the student until graduation. Later, when the student joins a research group, another faculty member will become his or her
research supervisor. Thus, for most of their time in the Department, students have two separate faculty members to whom they
can turn for help and advice. Throughout these guidelines, “advisor” refers to the academic advisor. The term “supervisor” is
associated with the research or thesis supervisor, even though this person is often colloquially known as the “thesis advisor.”

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Types of Financial Support

Students with a Research Assistantship (RA) or Teaching Assistantship (TA) are expected to spend full time on education and
assigned duties and may not engage in any other activity for compensation without the specific approval of the Department
Head. Graduate assistants are required to register for an academic load of 36-48 units (which may include Pre-Thesis
Research, Thesis Research and/or Physics Teaching) during any term (including summer) in which they have any form of MIT
or Departmental support. In addition to course work, students doing research should always register for Pre-Thesis Research
(8.391 in the fall and 8.392 in the spring or summer) or, after turning in a thesis proposal, Thesis Research (8.THG). The
number of units will vary between 12 and 48 according to the approximate number of hours per week spent on research. This
gives students academic credit for their research work. Teaching assistants may register for 12-48 units of Physics Teaching
(8.399). In this way, TAs also receive academic credit for teaching. Under most circumstances, the normal course load for
graduate students with a full-time RA or TA who have not yet completed their qualifying exams is two academic subjects.

The current stipend rates for RAs and TAs are available through the Academic Programs Office. For both RAs and TAs, full
tuition and health insurance is paid over and above the stipend. If a student loses RA support due to termination of a research
contract, the Department will provide support for one additional term (in the form of a TA) and will make every effort to provide
an alternative form of continuing support.

The periods for RA appointments are as follows: Fall: September 1 to January 15; Spring: January 16 to May 31; Summer:
June 1 to August 31.

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Research Assistantships (RAs)
These appointments are generally for the academic year, plus the summer. The amount of time a student spends on RA duties
depends on the amount of course work he or she needs and on the requirements of the group in which he or she works. For
new graduate students taking classes and preparing for the general examination, research duties normally require 20 hours per
week or less. After two to three years, research usually becomes full-time.

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Teaching Assistantships (TAs)
Some TA appointments are available during the fall and spring terms. These appointments involve teaching sections in a
course or lab, tutoring, or grading homework and exams. This work requires up to about 20 hours per week in addition to any
research or class work the student is doing.

Very occasionally, first year graduate students are supported by a nine-month (fall and spring) TA appointment. Although the
Department cannot guarantee employment during the subsequent summer for these students, in the past virtually all have been
able to find summer RA appointments in a Physics Department research group or obtain a summer externship in industry or in
a national laboratory. Students who have a TA in their first year normally join a research group and are supported by an RA in
subsequent years.

TA appointments are typically made after the first year. These appointments are used to encourage students who wish to hone
their teaching skills, to help alleviate funding pressures on the faculty, to facilitate a student’s transition to a different research
group, or to support departmental teaching needs. Each of the four divisions in the department has been assigned a
guaranteed number of TA positions. In the spring, each division compiles a list of students to be funded by TA appointments in
the subsequent academic year. This list is submitted to the department for approval. Thus, students who desire TA support
after the first year must inform their research supervisor, who will forward this information to the Division Head. If, after the
divisions have submitted their TA lists to the Department, additional TAs are needed, the Department will solicit applications
from the physics graduate student population as a whole.

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Fellowships
Fellowships are full time positions, unless specifically exempted by the Department Head. A student entering the Department
with a fellowship has a great deal of flexibility in planning his or her graduate program and in seeking out a research group.
However, the fellowship recipient is responsible for finding a research group that will provide funding upon expiration of the

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fellowship support. Some information on fellowships for graduate students in physics is available through Academic Programs
and the Office of the Dean for Graduate Education, Room 3-134.

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Switching Groups
Many students continue through from their first RA to a thesis in the same group. Others, however, elect to change research
groups. An RA who does not wish to continue research in his or her group, or who simply wishes to investigate other
possibilities, should not hesitate to talk to other professors about different opportunities. However, students are responsible for
notifying their current supervisor of their intention to leave a group. Students are expected to work in the research group as
long as it is providing funding. In order to facilitate the transition from one research group to another, each student is
guaranteed one semester of transitional funding in the form of a TA. Once the decision has been made and approved to switch
groups, the student should complete a Research Supervision Form or Research Co-Supervision Form and submit it to
Academic Programs as soon as possible.

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Satisfactory Progress

Satisfactory progress involves both academic and research benchmarks. These include passing both the Written and Oral
portions of the General Exam on time (see the timetable under Academic Issues), completing the subject requirements in the
specialty area, and satisfying the breadth requirement. The Department and/or the Vice Chancellor of MIT may issue academic
warnings to graduate students who maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or lower or whose unit load for any given
term is below 36 units.

In addition, a student must join the research group of a supervisor who will oversee the student’s doctoral thesis research. It is
expected that a student will join a group by the end of the first year in the program. Any student who anticipates a possible
delay in this schedule should confer with his or her academic advisor; Associate Head Deepto Chakrabarty; or Academic
Administrator Catherine Modica before the end of the first spring term.

Many of our graduate students continue through to a Ph.D. in the group they first enter. Others change to another group that is
a better match to their interests and abilities and complete their thesis in the new group. Only a very few students have
difficulty finding the correct match. Several policies have been established to protect the interests of these students, and to help
them make appropriate career decisions.

A student’s first period of work with any given faculty member is considered to be a “trial period” with no obligation by either
party to continue the arrangement for a subsequent term. Of course the student may decide to change groups, or request a
transitional TA, at the end of any term. If so, he or she must give four weeks notice to the group leader and the Division Head.
Before deciding to discontinue funding after a trial period the faculty member must discuss any issues of concern with the
student. The faculty member must notify the student of his or her intention to discontinue funding at least six weeks before the
term ends. In special cases where a research area has made a prior written commitment to provide a full academic year of
research support for an incoming student, the area will offer an alternative second semester RA to a student whose first
semester RA has been terminated.

If, in any term beyond the first with a given group, a faculty member believes a student’s performance as an RA is
unsatisfactory, he or she must write a warning letter to the student explaining clearly why the performance has been
unsatisfactory and stating the conditions that must be met to avoid termination of support at the end of the term. The letter
should be approved in advance by the Division Head and sent to both the student and the academic advisor. In order to give
the student time to make the changes justifying continued support the following dates will apply.

Warning delivered by Decision made by

Fall term October 1 Last day of Fall classes
Spring term February 15 Last day of Spring classes
Summer term June 1 August 15

In the event that a student whose funding has been terminated is not able to secure another research position prior to the start
of the next semester, the Department will guarantee one term of support in the form of a transitional TA. If the termination of
an RA occurs at the end of the spring semester and the student is unable to find other support for the summer, the Department
will make an effort to find summer support for the student. The one semester transitional TA would then be available in the fall,
if needed. Students have a responsibility to continue working in their research group as instructed by their research advisor as
long as they are being supported. Questions about this process should be directed to the Academic Administrator.

If differences arise between the research supervisor and the student concerning the interpretation of “unsatisfactory
performance,” the problem should be brought to the attention of the student's academic advisor, the Division Head, or the
Graduate Committee. Committee members are available to discuss, in private, problems encountered by either the student or
the research supervisor before formal action takes place. Additional resources are listed on the front page of the Guidelines.

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Academic Issues [top]

Degree Programs
The normal degree program in the Department leads to a Ph.D. in Physics. Direct admission to a Master’s degree program in
Physics is available only in special cases (e.g., US military officers). On occasion, a student admitted for a Ph.D. may wish to
earn a non-terminal Master’s degree en route to the Ph.D., or may decide not to follow the Ph.D. program through to
completion, or may fail the General Exam. In these cases the student may be able to satisfy the requirements for the Masters
degree.

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Advising and Registration
Each fall and spring term students must meet with their academic advisor to complete their registration. Meetings are not
required for summer registration, but each student must still take responsibility for registering on line for an appropriate number
of units, either in 8.392 (Pre-Thesis Research) or 8.THG (Thesis).

To make a subject change after registration day, students should use the Institute’s electronic add/drop process, available
through WebSIS. After a student has electronically requested a change, the advisor must approve it and the student must then
submit the approved change. To avoid late charges and the need to petition a change through the Dean for Graduate
Education, students should be sure to register before the Registrar’s deadlines. The Add date is about five weeks into the term
and the Drop date is about three weeks before the last day of classes. Pre-registration for all terms is done on-line via
WebSIS.

Each fall, all graduate students are required to turn in a “Graduate Progress Evaluation Form” designed to facilitate a
beginning-of-year conversations with their Academic Advisor. The form consists of a few basic questions on the progress the
student made in the preceding year as well as goals for the coming year, and should be turned in to the Academic
Administrator some time shortly after Registration Day by the student after the advisor has signed it.

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Requirements for the Ph.D.
The specific requirements for the Ph.D. are:

Joining the group of a research advisor who will supervise the doctoral thesis
Passing the General Doctoral Examination
Specialty Requirements: two subjects (three for NUPAT students)
Breadth Requirements: two subjects
Written Thesis and Oral Defense

TIMETABLE OF PROGRESS TOWARD A PhD

YEAR TERM DEADLINE

1st Fall* Written General Exam: recommended first attempt
Spring* Written General Exam: required attempt of all sections not already passed
2nd Fall Written General Exam: required attempt of all sections not already passed
Spring Written General Exam: final attempt
3rd Fall Oral General Exam: deadline for first attempt
Spring Oral General Exam: final attempt
Students who passed Oral Exam in fall term: Thesis Proposal due; student registers for
8.THG
4th Fall For students who passed Oral Exam in spring term: Thesis Proposal Due, and student
registers for 8.THG
Spring Research
5th Research
6th Mean time to Ph.D. is 5.8 years.
* Students who enter in February begin their timetable as if they entered in the following fall term (i.e., first attempt at Written
Exam is in the second (fall) term.
If delays or postponements are needed, contact the Graduate Student Coordinator for the Thesis Proposal or the General
Exams Coordinator for the General Exams. See applicable sections in these Guidelines for detailed procedures.

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Choosing First Year Subjects
The Department does not require PhD students to take any subjects other than those needed to satisfy the specialty and
breadth requirements described below. However, many students begin by taking some combination of graduate Quantum
Mechanics (8.321 and 8.322), graduate Electricity and Magnetism (8.311), and graduate Statistical Mechanics (8.333). Not only
have these subjects been proven to give students a broad view of basic physics, but each of them (with the exception of 8.322)
may be used to satisfy the related part of the Written General Exam. As of fall 2016, a new subject, 8.309, will be offered and
can be used to satisfy the Classical Mechanics portion of the Written Exam.

First-year students concerned with the level of their undergraduate preparation are encouraged to consider taking senior-level
undergraduate subjects such as Electricity and Magnetism (8.07), Statistical Mechanics (8.08) and Classical
Mechanics (8.09). Some first-year students may wish to sample basic graduate subjects in specialty areas: Atomic and Optical
Physics (8.421 or 8.422), Solid State Physics (8.511), Systems Biology (8.591J), Plasma Physics (8.613J), Introduction to
Nuclear and Particle Physics (8.701), and Astrophysics (8.901 or 8.902). These subjects may later be counted towards one’s
specialty or breadth requirements. While planning their first year program, students should keep in mind that the normal subject
load for those with full time RAs is two academic subjects, or about 24 units. A student with an RA will also register for Pre-
Thesis Research (8.391 in the fall; 8.392 in the spring and summer terms), for 12 or more units, depending on the rest of the
course load.

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Requirements for the Masters Degree
Masters candidates must complete 66 units, 42 of which must be graduate-level subjects. A thesis is required; however, an
oral thesis defense is not required. The thesis will be assigned a grade by the research supervisor in consultation with the
thesis committee.

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General Doctoral Examination
During the first three years of graduate study students must demonstrate a mature grasp of the whole field of physics and
detailed knowledge of their chosen area of physics. Students should discuss their plans for preparing for the examination with
their research supervisor and academic advisor.

The purpose of the general examination is to assure the Department that its graduates have a broad background in physics
and a firm understanding of a particular branch of physics. The format is based on the premise that it is valuable for each
student to review his or her general knowledge of physics in a systematic fashion and to measure it against a set of
“community” standards. The examination is given in the fall and spring terms and consists of one written part and one oral
part.

Structure and Scheduling of the Examination

The general examination consists of two parts. a Written Examination that consists of four areas – quantum mechanics (QM),
statistical mechanics (SM), electricity and magnetism (EM), and classical mechanics (CM), and the Oral Exam.

The Written Exam is given prior to the first week of each term. Applications must be submitted to Academic Programs at least
two weeks prior to taking the exam. The questions for each part of the exam are prepared by committees of physics faculty
members. The questions are subsequently screened by faculty who are assigned to grade each part of the exam.

A committee of three faculty members administers the oral portion of the general examination during the second half of each
term. The oral is in the student’s general field of research, and only a minor portion of the exam concerns the student’s
specific research topic. By the middle of the term, the General Examination and Requirements Coordinator identifies oral exam
committees in each research area. The Academic Programs office subsequently notifies the student of his/her committee
members. The student is responsible for scheduling the exam with the committee and notifying Academic Programs of the
exam day, time, and place.

The Written Exam

The Written Exam consists of two problems in each of four areas – quantum mechanics, statistical mechanics, electricity and
magnetism and classical mechanics. Demonstration of core competence in all areas may be achieved in one of two ways. A
student may pass each area either by passing one of the two problems on the Written Exam, or by completing the
corresponding graduate-level course (for classical mechanics, 8.309; for quantum mechanics, 8.321; for statistical mechanics,
8.333; for electricity and magnetism, 8.311) with a grade of B+ or higher.

Overall, in each term after the first fall, any student with parts of the exam still to satisfy must take the next opportunity
available to satisfy any remaining sections, whether the next opportunity is an exam or classes.

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The one exception to this rule concerns the EM portion of the exam: a student who takes the Written Exam for the first time in
the first January and does not pass EM is not required to immediately enroll in 8.311 in the spring term (although doing so is
highly recommended). Such a student who declines to take 8.311 in the first spring after failing the EM portion of the exam in
January must then take EM again in the second August. However, a student who takes the Written Exam in the first August,
fails EM, and then fails EM again in January, must enroll in 8.311 in the first spring.

Following are guidelines for the first three semesters:

Incoming students may choose not to take the Written Exam in the August of their first year. If they do not take the
exam, or take it but do not pass CM, QM, or SM, they may choose to take the corresponding subjects (8.309, 8.321, or
8.333) in the fall term.
First-year students must take the exam in January if they still have any parts of the exam to complete, including
attempting EM even if they opted out entirely of the first August exam.
Students entering the second year who have sections not yet satisfied must take each of these sections in the August
exam just before the start of the student's second year. If either CM, QM, or SM still remain to be completed at the
beginning of the student's second fall term, the student must enroll in each corresponding course that fall.

All students must satisfy all four components of the Written Exam requirement by the end of the January of their second year.

In the event a student has not passed all parts of the Written Exam by the end of the January of their second year, an ad hoc
committee consisting of the student’s academic and research advisors, the Associate Department Head, the General Exam
Coordinator, and the Chair of the Written Exam Committee will review the student’s progress and decide how to proceed. This
committee will not give a special oral exam. In most cases, it will confirm that the student must switch to a Masters degree
status. In unusual cases, this committee could instead recommend to the Associate Department Head that the student be
allowed to continue in the Ph.D. program until the following August, do prescribed further study, and attempt 8.311 in the Spring
or attempt the needed component(s) of the Written Exam in August. This decision would be made by the Associate
Department Head.

Oral Examination
The purpose of the oral portion of the general exam is to test students’ broad general knowledge within their field. The
student’s field is determined by that of his or her research supervisor. (Students with supervisors outside of the department will
be examined in the research field of the co-supervisor. For the purpose of the Oral Exam, the co-Supervisor will be
considered the “research supervisor” in the committee structure outlined below.)

The designated Committee Chair for each field will host a meeting of examinees at the start of each term to review exam
expectations. The first question will be in the student’s specific area. The student’s committee chair will provide this question
at least one week prior to the examination. Under normal circumstances, the chair will ask the research supervisor to suggest
a question to be used for this purpose. The oral examination will continue in the student’s general field. Discussion of a
student’s research, when applicable, will comprise no more than the final quarter of the examination.

The oral exam committee consists of the chairperson and two other faculty members. Each research field will appoint one
committee each year to examine all students within that field. If a student’s research supervisor is a member of the standing
committee, he or she will be replaced by an alternate faculty member for that exam only. The research supervisor may
observe the exam and provide input if solicited by committee members. The supervisor and student will be asked to leave the
examination room when the final decision is discussed. The first attempt at the oral exam must be made by the first term of
the third year. Two attempts are permitted with the second attempt, if necessary, scheduled in the subsequent term. (If the
subsequent term precedes the third year, a student may postpone the second attempt until the beginning of the third year.)

Currently, oral exam committees are formed in each of the following fields:

Astrophysics Nuclear and Particle Experiment

Atomic and Optical Physics Nuclear and Particle Theory
Biophysics Quantum Information
Condensed Matter Experiment Plasma Physics
Condensed Matter Theory

Postponements
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Postponements for taking any part of the general examination are granted only under unusual circumstances. Requests for
postponement of the Written Exam must be submitted one month prior to the exam. Requests for postponement of the Oral
portion must be submitted by September 30th for the fall term and by February 28th for the spring term. A request to postpone
any portion of the general examination must be made in writing (e-mail is acceptable) to the research supervisor. The request
must include a clear justification. The research supervisor will add comments and forward the request to the General
Examination and Requirements Coordinator. A student with no research supervisor should submit the request through his or
her academic advisor. Appeals should be addressed to the Associate Department Head for Education, who will consult with
appropriate faculty members when reviewing the case.

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Evaluation Procedure
The Written General Exam is graded by physics faculty. A General Exam Committee meets to review the results and determine
who passes and who fails. There is no fixed percentage of students who pass, nor is there a fixed passing score. The
difficulty of the examinations varies somewhat from year to year, and this is taken into account. For a given exam there is a
range of grades that clearly indicates a passing performance. Similarly, there is a range of grades that clearly indicates
failure. The exams of students with grades between these limits are reviewed in detail by members of the Committee. If a
student is repeating an exam, the earlier performance is taken into account.

A student who ultimately fails any part of the general examination will be asked to withdraw from the Ph.D. program, with the
option to pursue a Master’s thesis. Appeals should be addressed to the Associate Department Head for Education, who will
consult with appropriate faculty members when reviewing the case. To reenter the Ph.D. program the student must submit a
Master’s thesis, then apply for readmission.

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Subject Requirements

Specialty Subjects
Students are required to take two basic one-semester subjects in their research specialty (three in Nuclear and Particle
Theory). These subjects are central to the research area and it is advantageous to complete them as early as possible. The
specialty subjects in the various fields are listed below and each must be passed with a “B-” or better. Substituting for any of
the following subjects requires a request in writing (or e-mail) to the appropriate Division Head. After commenting, the Division
Head will forward the request to the General Examination and Requirements Coordinator who will send notification of the
decision.

Astrophysics Nuclear and Particle Theory

8.901, 8.902 Astrophysics I, II 8.325 Relativistic Quantum Field Theory III
and, as appropriate, two of the following
8.334 Statistical Mechanics II
Atomic and Optical Physics 8.962 General Relativity
8.421, 8.422 Atomic and Optical Physics I, II 8.952 Particle Physics of the Early Universe
8.821 String Theory
8.831J Supersymmetric Quantum Field Theories
8.841 Electroweak Interactions
Biophysics 8.851 Effective Field Theory
8.591 Systems Biology 8.701 Intro to Nuclear and Particle Physics
and one of the following:
8.592 Statistical Physics in Biology
8.593 Biological Physics

Condensed Matter Physics Plasma Physics

8.511, 8.512 Theory of Solids I, II 8.613J, 8.614J Introduction to Plasma Physics I, II

Experimental Nuclear and Particle Physics Quantum Information

8.711 Nuclear Physics 8.371 Quantum Information Science
8.811 Particle Physics and one of the following:
8.322 Quantum Theory II
8.323 Relativistic Quantum Field Theory I
8.421 Atomic and Optical Physics I
8.422 Atomic and Optical Physics II
8.511 Theory of Solids I
8.512 Theory of Solids II

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Breadth Subject Requirements
To enrich knowledge about physics outside of one’s own research field, students must complete two breadth requirement
subjects. At least one of these must be from the list below. Both must be passed with a grade of B- or better.

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X indicates the subject is not allowed as a breadth requirement for students in this area
2 indicates the subject may be used as the second breadth requirement for students in this area as long as they also take one of the
unmarked subjects

If only one breadth requirement is taken from this list, students may request approval of a second course that is not on the list
if it genuinely satisfies the two stated objectives of the breadth requirement: 1) learning about physics and 2) being outside the
student's research field.

To request approval for a course, a student should write a short but clear email or letter explaining why the course satisfies
these two objectives. If the course is in another department, the message should tersely explain on the basis of the course
description or curriculum, why it should be considered learning about physics. The student should also succinctly state his or
her research specialty and thesis topic, and explain why the course should be considered as being outside this research area.
A short paragraph is sufficient to convey the necessary information.

The student should send the request to his or her academic advisor and, if necessary, discuss and modify the content to obtain
the advisor's approval. The advisor should then forward the request, with his or her approval, to the General Examination and
Requirements Coordinator who will send notification of the decision.

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Research
Most graduate students are supported by Research Assistantships. RAs become involved in a research project as soon as
they begin their assistantship, and this often leads to a thesis topic. TAs and Fellows should look for a research group during
the first year. Prior to thesis research, students get academic credit for their research by registering for Pre-Thesis Research
(8.391 or 8.392), which is generally taken every semester that research is conducted until thesis research formally
commences. Starting with the semester after a student passes the oral exam, registration changes from Pre-Thesis
Research to Thesis (8.THG). While many students stay with their first research group, some register for Pre-Thesis Research in
two or more research areas before finding a research topic suitable for a thesis. Pre-Thesis Research is graded on a Pass/Fail
basis.

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All graduate students conduct research that eventually leads to a thesis, but there are many different paths to gaining a
research project. Students are expected to register for thesis and be assigned a thesis committee by the first term of their
fourth year of graduate school (see Thesis section).

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Research Supervision
Any person who holds a Faculty or Senior Research Scientist appointment in the Physics Department may serve as a research
supervisor. Under special circumstances, a faculty member outside the Department may supervise a student (this includes
other MIT departments or Physics Departments at other institutions). Prior to embarking on a research project with an outside
supervisor, the student must obtain a Departmental co-supervisor. In consultation with the research supervisor, the student
should find a Faculty member in the Physics Department who agrees to be the co-supervisor. The co-supervisor will maintain
close contact with the research as it progresses and must ultimately co-sign the thesis. The student should submit a Research
Co-Supervision Form, which requires the signatures of the research supervisor and co-supervisor. This form must be submitted
to Academic Programs. No funding will be administered by the Department of Physics until this form is submitted.

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Research Externships
To broaden the graduate experience, the Graduate Committee encourages physics graduate students to arrange an externship
in an industrial or national laboratory at some time during their graduate career. Externships may be scheduled during either
summer or academic terms and can be used, with approval of the student’s academic advisor, to satisfy one of the
Departmental breadth requirements, even if the externship is in the student’s research field; externships may not be used to
satisfy the specialty requirement. The Department recognizes that the demands of MIT research may make it difficult for
students to consider this opportunity, but it also believes that the benefits can outweigh the possible conflicts. Students seeking
externships should discuss the issue with their research supervisor and schedule the externship to minimize disruption of
research. Interested students should contact the Academic Administrator and provide her with a curriculum vitae.

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Thesis

Ph.D. Thesis
Students must register for thesis and be assigned a thesis committee no later than the first term of their fourth year of graduate
school. It is strongly recommended that students register for thesis in a term earlier than this final deadline. The first step is
for the student and research supervisor to agree on a thesis topic. An initial Graduate Thesis Proposal Form must be submitted
to Academic Programs by the second week of the term. The form requires an initial thesis title, the name and signature of the
research supervisor and the name of one reader for the thesis committee agreed upon by the student and supervisor. The
student should register for 8.THG (reminder: the minimum number of combined units for all subjects in any particular semester
should equal 36) beginning with the term the Proposal Form is submitted. A third reader from the Physics faculty, who is not in
the same research area, but whose interests, background, or special knowledge make him or her an appropriate member of the
committee, will be assigned by the Graduate Student Coordinator. Thus, in general, a thesis committee has three members
(supervisor, selected reader, assigned reader). If there is also a co-supervisor (see above), the thesis committee will consist of
four people. When the departmentally-assigned reader has been selected, it is the student’s responsibility to convene an initial
thesis committee meeting no later than four weeks before the last day of classes.

At that meeting the student makes an oral presentation to the thesis committee of a detailed proposal for a research program
that would subsequently become the Ph.D. thesis. The student should demonstrate a thorough knowledge of relevant literature,
explain the significance of the research to progress in the field, and present a well-thought-out program of research, including
contingency plans. After that meeting, and based on the discussion, the student will develop a written proposal consisting of a
one- or two-page description of the body of work that is to comprise the thesis. This proposal is submitted to Academic
Programs, approximately two weeks before the end of the term (a specific date will be determined each semester).

Subsequent changes in title, scope, supervisor(s), or readers may be made with the written approval of the Graduate Student
Coordinator.

In some cases, the thesis research may be in a borderline field between physics and some other field of science or
engineering. In these cases, a joint committee, including members of another department may be formed. This requires
approval by the Dean for Graduate Education.

Students who have not registered for thesis research or submitted a thesis proposal by the first term of their fourth year must
provide the Graduate Student Coordinator a written explanation of the circumstances leading to the delay. This procedure must
be followed in any subsequent term the student is still not registered for thesis. Graduate appointments will be renewed only
for students who meet the thesis registration and proposal requirements unless the Graduate Student Coordinator approves an
extension based on the circumstances described in the student’s communications.

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After the initial oral presentation to the thesis committee, each student must make at least one substantial oral presentation of
progress to the thesis committee every 12 months. The scheduling of this presentation is arranged by the student.

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Master's Thesis
Students pursuing a Master’s degree are required to submit a written thesis. No oral defense is necessary. When work on the
thesis commences, each student must submit a Master’s Thesis Proposal Form with the proposed title of the thesis and the
signature of the research supervisor to Academic Programs, 4-315. The student should begin registering for 8.THG
immediately. A second reader will be assigned by the Graduate Student Coordinator and the student will be subsequently
notified. Upon completion of the thesis, the research supervisor will submit a letter grade for the work to Academic Programs.

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MIT Degree List
A student may be recommended for his or her degree in any term. A student must submit an Application for Advanced Degree
at the beginning of the term in which he or she plans to graduate, and must be registered in residence during that term.
Only the names on the degree list will be considered for degrees for that term. Those on the September and February degree
lists may participate in commencement the following June. Reminder: as an advanced degree candidate, a student should
register for thesis as long as he or she is doing thesis research, including the summer terms. No specified number of research
units is required, although the combined number of registered units each term should not be fewer than 36.

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Thesis Oral Defense
The thesis defense is primarily an oral presentation of the thesis research. In order that suggestions for revision from the
thesis committee can be incorporated into the final version of your thesis, the defense should take place at least three weeks
before the date posted by the Institute for approval of degrees by academic departments. This oral presentation is based on an
acceptable written draft of the thesis, which is provided to the thesis committee at least two weeks prior to the defense. What
constitutes an acceptable draft should be discussed carefully with the thesis committee. The student is responsible for
scheduling the thesis defense and arranging for the room in which it is to be held. The student should then notify the Graduate
Assistant in Academic Programs of the day, time, and place of the defense; the Graduate Assistant will send notice to the
Physics community, including to all faculty members. The defense is public and all members of the MIT community may
attend. Immediately following the public presentation there will be a mandatory private session involving only the student and
the thesis committee.

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Thesis Copies
After passing the thesis defense and incorporating the suggested changes, students must submit to Academic Programs:

1. two original copies on thesis archival paper with original signatures and
2. the completed form from the Specifications for Thesis Preparation, with an abstract and title page attached.

Details of the required thesis, abstract, and title page formats are provided in Specifications for Thesis
Preparationhttp://libraries.mit.edu/archives/thesis-specs/. Care should be taken to follow the presented format. The student
should determine whether or not the supervisor, fellowship sponsor, etc. require additional copies. For advanced degrees
submitted to the Physics Department, copyright is usually granted to MIT instead of retained by the student. The “Chairman”
signature line on the thesis cover page should be that of Professor Deepto Chakrabarty, Associate Department Head. This
signature is obtained by the Academic Programs Office after the student submits the thesis.

Students should also be aware that a thesis archival fee will be charged to their student account. The Institute requires that
this, and all outstanding charges, be paid before the final degree is approved.

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Career Counseling
Although the MIT Physics graduate program is primarily focused on training students for careers in physics research, the
pursuit of an advanced degree in physics is an excellent preparation for a variety of careers, both in physics and in other fields.
If you have questions, or if you need someone to talk to about your career, there are many people available and willing to
help. Every incoming student is assigned an academic advisor with whom they can discuss their course schedule and
professional plans. Students in research groups have excellent resources in their research supervisor and other graduate
students, and teaching assistants can talk to the professors for whom they are teaching. Students can also get advice from
their course instructors. The MIT Global Education and Career Development Center (GECD, E39-305) has a variety of
resources for graduate students. Finally, the Physics Department sponsors occasional lectures and presentations by alumni in

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non-academic fields, and also maintains a mail list, [email protected], to which employment opportunities of interest to physics
graduate students are posted on a regular basis. To subscribe to the list, visit http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/8careers/.

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Last updated on January 21, 2021 12:07 PM

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