The Department of Physics and Astronomy offers both physics and astrophysics tracks to the Ph.D., as well as a Ph.D. with M.B.A. option. All programs are characterized by close interactions between faculty members and students. A course of study and research is designed designed specifically for the background and career objectives of each student. In the National Survey of Doctoral Programs by the National Association of Graduate and Professional Students reported in October 2001, TCU’s Physics PhD program was ranked 4th out of 48 physics PhD programs surveyed in the overall satisfaction of its students and graduates.

Currently eight faculty members teach and direct the research of about fourteen full-time and six part-time Ph.D. students, and a few postdoctoral fellows. Small lecture classes averaging about five students enable frequent, direct contact between graduate students and faculty members. Dissertation research involves close collaboration between a student and a professor working on a challenging research problem. Participation in research is encouraged to begin by the second semester of graduate study. Average time to the Ph.D. degree is 4.7 years, with a maximum of 5 years.

The Department has research programs in experimental atomic, molecular, optical, and solid state physics and theoretical statistical, and atomic and molecular physics. Each research area provides excellent opportunities for students to master a variety of useful research skills and to obtain practical experience that will prepare them for careers in industry, government or academia. Our research programs have been supported by NSF, the Department of Energy, NASA, Research Corporation, the Welch Foundation, the W.M. Keck Foundation, the Petroleum Research Fund, and companies such as Chevron, Exxon, and the Sid Richardson Carbon Black Co.

Students are encouraged to further their professional development by attending frequent seminars given by visiting physicists on current advances in physics and astronomy, by presenting papers at national and international meetings, and by publishing their research results in the leading journals in their field.

Our Ph.D. graduates have enjoyed remarkable professional success in a wide variety of careers in teaching and research at universities and colleges, in industrial and government research laboratories, and in high technology businesses.

If you are interested in a Ph.D. and think that you too could benefit from an individualized program of research and study with the close personal attention of our faculty, we invite you to apply for admission and financial support. Full, 12-month Departmental Assistantships limit teaching to only two undergraduate laboratory sessions per week in order to encourage the timely completion of course requirements and early involvement in research. Applicants who already hold a Master's degree with completed coursework equivalent to our core Ph.D. requirements may be able to begin their dissertation research immediately, with few or no additional courses.

Prerequisites
The normal prerequisite for admission to the graduate program is the successful completion of a B.S. degree with a major in physics, astronomy or a closely related field with a GPA of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale). The undergraduate course work is expected to include junior/senior level physics courses in mechanics, thermal physics, electricity and magnetism, quantum mechanics; mathematics courses through differential equations; and a course or experience in computer programming. Additional courses in mathematics including advanced calculus and linear algebra, and senior level physics courses such as modern optics, atomic and nuclear physics, or solid state physics are desirable. Students who do not have the equivalents of the above may take the courses at TCU prior to entering the graduate core courses.

Advising and Orientation
The graduate advisor meets with each entering graduate student to plan the first semester courses. In order to select a research area, students are encouraged to discuss current research interests with each faculty member during the fall semester. As soon as the student has chosen a dissertation research area an advisory committee committee is appointed that is chaired by the student's major professor who directs the student’s research.

M.A. and M.S. Degrees
The M.A. degree requires 30 approved semester hours of graduate courses with a minimum of 18 semester hours in physics and a knowledge of one foreign language. A thesis and a minor are optional. An oral exam over the course work and thesis, if any, is required.

The M.S. degree requires 30 approved semester hours with a thesis or 36 semester hours without a thesis. Course requirements for the degree are: Quantum Mechanics I & II (PHYS 60303, 60313), three courses from Classical Mechanics (PHYS 60203), Electrodynamics I & II (PHYS 60403, 60413), Solid State Physics (PHYS 60503) or Statistical Physics (PHYS 60603), plus a minimum of 6 additional semester hours in Physics. There is no foreign language requirement. An oral exam over course work and thesis, if any, is required.

Doctor of Philosophy
The Ph.D. degree is available on a Physics or Astrophysics track. An MBA option in combination with the Ph.D. is also available.

PhysicsTrack
Completion of the following courses(normally during the first two years of graduate study) with an average grade of 2.75 or better:
PHYS 60303, Quantum Mechanics I
PHYS 60313, Quantum Mechanic II

Plus four from the following:
PHYS 60203 Classical Mechanics
PHYS 60403, Electrodynamics I
PHYS 60413, Electrodynamics II
PHYS 60503, Solid State Physics
PHYS 60603, Statistical Physics

Completion of a minimum of 9 hours of research with an average grade of 2.75 or better:
PHYS 60970, Research Problems in Physics

Astrophysics Track
Completion of the following courses(normally during the first two years of graduate study) with an average grade of 2.75 or better:
PHYS 60743, Astrophysics
PHYS 60303, Quantum Mechanics I
PHYS 60403, Electrodynamics I

Plus three from the following:
PHYS 60203 Classical Mechanics
PHYS 60313, Quantum Mechanic II
PHYS 60413, Electrodynamics II

PHYS 60603, Statistical Physics

Completion of a minimum of 9 hours of research with an average grade of 2.75 or better:
PHYS 60870, Research Problems in Astronomy
PHYS 70743, Advanced Topics in Astrophysics, may also be required as preparation for dissertation research.

Additional course work may be required to ensure adequate preparation for the specified core courses. The course requirements for any course other than Research Problems, PHYS 60970 or 60870 may also be met by satisfactory performance on a written examination or by transfer of credit in an equivalent course from another institution.

Each fulltime student is required to participate in graduate seminars. There is no language requirement for the Ph.D. degree.

Teaching Requirement. Each fulltime graduate student pursuing a degree in physics is required to participate in the undergraduate teaching function of the department. The faculty are committed to effective teaching and believe that experience in the teaching of physics is an integral part of graduate education. This requirement is met by assisting in undergraduate labs, giving laboratory instructions, grading papers, conducting problems sessions, or offering tutorial help. The assignment varies depending on the interest and experience of the student and the degree of involvement in thesis or dissertation research, and usually amounts to no more than 10 hours per week.

Predissertation qualifying exam. This exam, which is normally taken during the fourth semester of graduate study, consists of three parts:

If the graduate faculty of the Department attach a condition to passing the predissertation exam, (e.g. revision of the predissertation report or submission of additional material), the additional work must be completed by a specified deadline. The removal of the condition is subject to the approval of the graduate faculty.

The predissertation qualifying exam, in whole or in part, may be repeated once. Students who do not pass the exam are encouraged to complete the requirements for a Master's degree if they have not already done so.

Dissertation. Completion of a dissertation consisting of an original research project directed by a faculty member at TCU. Six hours of each of PHYS 90980 and 90990, are required. A final oral exam in defense of the dissertation is required and a paper based on the dissertation research must be submitted for publication in an appropriate scientific journal.

The Ph.D. with M.B.A. Option
The Ph.D. in Physics is also available with a Business option. Students entering the Ph.D. program with a B.S. degree are normally expected to complete the Ph.D. requirements within five years. At the end of the fourth year of graduate studies, a candidate for the Ph.D. degree in Physics who has demonstrated sufficient progress in research (dissertation) may submit a written request to the Department of Physics and Astronomy for admission to this program. Providing there is a clear indication that the student can reasonably be expected to complete all the requirements for the Ph.D. within five years, permission will be granted to apply to the Director of Admissions of the M.B.A. Program of the Neeley School of Business. During the fifth year the student is expected to continue with the dissertation on a reduced scale, and, if on Departmental Teaching Assistantship, to perform designated departmental teaching duties. Students entering the Ph.D. program with advanced standing (M.S. degree or more) can request an accelerated program.

In addition to the course work, qualifying examinations, and dissertation requirements specified for the Ph.D. degree in Physics, the student will satisfy the following conditions specified by the School of Business:

Students electing to take the Business Option will take the 18 hours of M.B.A. coursework over the course of two consecutive semesters (entering in the Fall and finishing in the Spring semesters). Students are required to attend the START Workshop conducted by the School of Business that occurs just before the start of the fall semester. Students are assessed a fee for the workshop. The School of Business will accept the results of the GRE. The Director of Admissions has sole authority to admit physics Ph.D. candidates to the M.B.A. program (whether they seek the M.B.A. degree or the Option). Under the assumption that the students come to the program with a good background in Statistics, they would take the following courses:

Fall Semester (9.0 credit hours)

ACCT 60010, Financial Reporting (1.5 credit hours)
ACCT 60020, Managerial Accounting (1.5 credit hours)
FINA 60013, Management of Financial Resources (3.0 credit hours)
MANA 60033, Managing People (3.0 credit hours)

Spring Semester (9.0 credit hours)

MARK 60013, Market-Driven Strategy (3.0 credit hours, evening course)
INSC 60040, Managing Information Technology (1.5 credit hours)
INSC 60600, Supply Chain Concepts (1.5 credit hours)
MANA 60063, Strategic Management in a Global Environment (3.0 credit hours)

The foregoing may be adjusted in the event of a realignment in the sequence of courses in the MBA program. Students who wish to continue their studies in the program after their first year of business courses and pursue the MBA degree:

a. Will, with the approval of the Director of the MBA Program, be permitted to transfer in for credit a total of six hours of 60000 or 70000 level graduate physics course work. Transfer will be approved for: 1. A graduate level course that is equivalent to DESC (Statistics) and 2. Other 60000 or 70000 level course work taken in the Physics Department.

b. Will be required to complete such additional coursework as required of other MBA students and as is provided in the applicable TCU Graduate Studies Bulletin. The student will work closely with the Academic Program Director to plan his/her schedule.Prospective candidates for the Ph.D. Degree in Physics or the Ph.D. with Business Option should be advised that the maximum term of fellowship or assistantship support through the Department of Physics is five years, and support for MBA courses from the TCU Physics Department fellowships or assistantship is limited to 18 hours. Financial support for additional hours required for completion of the MBA degree would be the student's responsibility; students would be eligible to apply for financial aid for the second year of MBA study from the Neeley School of Business.

The Department of Physics and Astronomy occupies two floors of the Sid W. Richardson Building, which, with Winton Scott Hall, and the Tucker Technology Center form the College of Science and Engineering. Other units within the college include Chemistry and Psychology, offering degrees through the Ph.D. level, and, Biology, Computer Science, Mathematics, Geology, and Environmental Science offering degrees through the Master's level, as well as the B.S. in Engineering. The Department’s research labs and classrooms and the Sid Richardson Building underwent a $5 million dollar renovation completed in 2007, to provide attractive and up-to-date facilities for teaching and research.

The Physics and Astronomy research facilities are housed in spacious, wellequipped laboratories with specialized equipment including TEM and SEM (transmission and scanning electron microscopes); FTIR (Fourier transform) spectrometers; a Nicolet FTIR spectrometer equipped with infrared microscope; x-ray powder diffractometer closedcycle cryogenic refrigerators operating at 3 and 10 K for the preparation of condensed matter samples; Nd-YAG, dye and Ar lasers, Raman spectrometers with CCD detectors; a confocal microscope, gas adsorption apparatus, and time-resolved spectroscopy; a quadrupole mass spectrometer; CAMAC system for multiparameter coincidence experiments; positron lifetime and Doppler broadening apparatus.

Students also conduct experiments off-campus at Brookhaven and Argonne, National Labs, and in Budapest and Warsaw. In addition to using data taken from space-based telescopes (such as the Hubble Space Telescope), students in astrophysics obtain observational data at national facilities such as Kitt Peak Observatory (Tucson, AZ), Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (Chile), Mauna Kea (Hawaii), and National Radio Astronomy Observatory sites (Greenbank, WVa and Socorro, NM). Observing time on major private observatories such as the McDonald Observatory, Flagstaff and Palomar have also provided supplemental data.

Technical support is provided by a research machine shop staffed by two instrument machinists, and by glass blowing and electronics shops staffed by fulltime, experienced technicians.

Students have access to a variety of workstations and PC computers, as well as network to supercomputers.

TCU is a member of Oak Ridge Associated Universities, and opportunities exist for research at Oak Ridge and affiliated national laboratories.

Departmental teaching assistantship stipends of $18,000 are for 12 months, plus full tuition. Teaching assignments in undergraduate laboratories are limited to 2 sections (about 8 hours) per week. Additionally, some part-time and full-time research assistantships are available for qualified students working on faculty grants.

TCU is a founding member of the Texas Space Grant Consortium, which has a program of Graduate Fellowships for which qualified applicants to the Ph.D. program can apply.

An Application for Admission can be completed online or by printing the application form (PDF) and mailing the completed form to:

Department of Physics and Astronomy
TCU Box 298840
Fort Worth, TX USA 76129

An Application for Financial Aid can be made by printing and mailing the completed form (PDF) to the address above. Application forms for admission and financial aid can also be obtained by mailing a request to the Department at the address above.

Applications are accepted at any time, but for fullest consideration should be targeted at October 1 for spring admission and February 1 for the following fall. Admission and financial aid to begin study in the spring semester is usually limited.

International Students. International students should also complete the International Student and Scholar Form (PDF) and mail it with their application.

TCU has a limited number of graduate student apartments; however, the University is located in a pleasant residential neighborhood, and there are many rooms, apartments, and houses available for rent near the campus.

A one-bedroom apartment within walking distance of the campus typically rents for about $600 per month.

Founded in 1873, TCU is an independent, self-governing university. Though it was founded over 100 years ago by members of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), TCU is ecumenical and welcomes members of all religious groups and of none to its student body, faculty and staff. With a student enrollment of 8,200, including 1000 graduate students, it is a leading teaching and research institution with the personalized atmosphere of a smaller college. TCU offers undergraduate programs in liberal arts and sciences, business, education, fine arts, communications, nursing, and engineering with 84 undergraduate majors, 40 graduate programs, and 6 doctoral programs. The attractive 239-acre campus is in a metropolitan area of 4.5 million in the southwestern, residential part of Fort Worth, just 10 minutes from downtown. Dallas is less than an hour's drive away. The area offers many intellectual, cultural, sports and entertainment opportunities, and is a stop for most major concert tours. Both Fort Worth and Dallas have professional symphony orchestras, opera and ballet companies, and numerous theater production groups. The area supports several outstanding art museums: the Kimbell Museum, the Amon Carter Museum of American Art, and the Modern Art Museum in Fort Worth, and the Dallas Museum of Art. The area has professional football (Dallas Cowboys), baseball (Texas Rangers), basketball (Mavericks), hockey (Stars), and soccer, NASCAR racing, two national golf tournaments, and NCAA intercollegiate sports events. The area is served by DFW International Airport, which is about a 45-minute drive from the TCU campus.

There are several other universities in the area including the University of Texas at Dallas, the University of Texas at Arlington, Southern Methodist University, the University of Dallas, and the University of North Texas in Denton. There are many opportunities for students to attend seminars and colloquia by physicists visiting the Ft. Worth-Dallas area.