Exploring the UCLA Physics PhD Program: A Comprehensive Overview
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) offers a robust and multifaceted Physics PhD program designed to cultivate innovative researchers and leaders in the field. This overview delves into the program's structure, specializations, requirements, and opportunities, providing prospective students with a detailed understanding of what to expect.
Interdisciplinary Programs
Physics & Biology in Medicine
The Physics & Biology in Medicine Home Area is an interdisciplinary program. It seeks to develop research scientists with a broad skillset in biology, physics, chemistry, mathematics, engineering, and computer science. These disciplines relate to the treatment of diseases and the instruments and techniques involved. The research in this program is exceptionally diverse, ranging from basic to translational. Faculty and students in the program are typically engaged in topics that intersect traditional disciplines and are actively involved in defining new, cutting-edge research endeavors.
Biomedical Physics Interdepartmental Graduate Program
The goal of the Biomedical Physics Interdepartmental Graduate Program is to develop research scientists. These scientists are well-versed in physics, mathematics, engineering, and computer science. They understand the application of these disciplines to the instruments and techniques used in the practice of radiology, nuclear medicine, and radiation oncology.
Biomedical Physics includes the areas of study usually considered to be Medical Physics, but it is broader in scope. Thesis topics include mathematical modeling of physiological processes, systems for production of radiopharmaceuticals, development of database and picture archiving systems in radiology, and medical informatics, as well as the conventional studies in diagnostic radiology, radiation therapy, and medical imaging. In addition, the program has a Radiation biology Track that studies the biological effect of the radiation used.
The program has approximately 45 students and 30 core faculty, and an equal number of associated faculty both on-site and in associated hospitals. Associated faculty members contribute by giving key lectures in their specialties, supervising students in clinical rotations, or by giving the use of special facilities or expertise to assist students in their research. All students are fully funded in their first year.
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Degrees Offered
The UCLA Physics Department offers several graduate degrees, each tailored to different career goals:
- Master of Science (M.S.): This degree provides a strong foundation in physics principles and research techniques.
- Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.): This program is designed for students seeking careers in secondary school or junior college-level physics education.
- Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.): The Ph.D. program is for students aspiring to conduct original research and make significant contributions to the field of physics.
Curriculum and Requirements
Master of Science (M.S.) Degree
For the M.S. degree, 36 units are required, typically 9-10 courses. The following six core courses must be taken for a letter grade to satisfy this requirement: Physics 210A, 210B, 220, 221A, 221B, and 215A. All first-year students shall also enroll in the following courses (S/U) for at least one quarter: Physics 293, the weekly colloquium meeting, and Physics 201Q, a survey of modern physics research areas. These are counted toward the number of required courses and must be passed for the M.S. degree. The remaining units may be acquired by taking upper division or graduate courses in physics or a related field, which are acceptable to the department for credit toward the M.S. degree. However, no more than eight units in total may be garnered from Physics 296, 596, and/or seminar courses. Physics 597, 598, and 599 may not be applied toward course requirements for the M.S. Students are required to pass the written comprehensive examination at the master’s level. This level is determined by the Comprehensive Examination Committee for each examination session. If students fail to pass the examination at the master’s level, they may take it a second, and final, time the next session it is given. Although the department operates under the capstone plan rather than the thesis plan, arrangements may be made for a student to write a master’s thesis, provided he or she has a particularly interesting subject and provided a committee of three faculty is willing to undertake the guidance of the project. In this case, the student must petition the Faculty Graduate Adviser for permission to pursue the thesis plan. If the petition is approved, the requirement to pass the comprehensive examination for the M.S.
Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) Degree
The M.A.T. adviser oversees all stages of progress toward the M.A.T. degree. Students are not required to designate an area of specialization for the M.A.T. The M.A.T. degree leads to qualification for instructional credentials at the secondary school or junior college level. A total of 36 units is required for the M.A.T. degree. The program consists of at least five graduate physics courses (L/G), four of which are chosen from Physics 210A, 210B, 215A, 220, 221A, 221B, and five professional (300-series) courses. Courses required are: (1) the graduate physics courses; and (2) the courses necessary for completion of the preliminary State of California Single Subject Instructional Credential, K-12 (Education 312, 315, 330B, 330C, 406, 407, and Physics M370A, which is a special physics teaching laboratory). Courses in the 500 series are not applicable toward the M.A.T. degree. A passing grade at the master’s level on the written comprehensive examination is required.
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Degree
Entering students are assigned a faculty adviser to assist them in planning their academic schedule. Students must complete the same courses that are required for the M.S. By the end of the student’s third year, the student is expected to have made arrangements with a faculty member who agrees to be the doctoral committee chair, have completed the University Oral Qualifying Examination, and advanced to candidacy. If by the end of the third year of residence the student has not obtained a doctoral committee chair, the Faculty Graduate Adviser shall review the situation and determine whether the student is maintaining satisfactory progress toward his or her degree based on discussions with the student and other appropriate parties. Academic Senate regulations require all doctoral students to complete and pass university written and oral qualifying examinations prior to doctoral advancement to candidacy. Also, under Senate regulations, the University Oral Qualifying Examination is open only to the student and appointed members of the doctoral committee. In addition to university requirements, some graduate programs have other pre-candidacy examination requirements. The written examination is administered by a departmental Comprehensive Examination Committee and is graded as follows: (1) pass at the Ph.D. level of achievement; (2) pass at the master’s level of achievement; (3) fail. This written comprehensive examination is normally offered once a year, in the week before the beginning of classes in fall quarter. Students entering the graduate program in fall quarter are expected to take the written comprehensive examination before their fourth quarter of residence. Students who fail this examination at the desired level and want to repeat it, must take and pass it the next time it is offered. These students shall meet with the faculty graduate adviser to formulate an academic plan. Students are expected to take and pass the University Oral Qualifying Examination no later than their ninth quarter. In consultation with the student’s research adviser, a doctoral committee is nominated, approved by the department Chair or Faculty Graduate Adviser, and formally appointed by the Graduate Division. The main purpose of this examination is to discuss and evaluate the student’s proposed dissertation problem. However, at the discretion of the committee, questions may be asked in regard to other material in the student’s field of specialization and related matters. The detailed scope for most of this examination ]shall be determined by the committee chair beforehand. If the oral exam is not passed, it may be retaken at the discretion of the committee.
Academic Standing and Progress
To maintain good academic standing, a minimum GPA (cumulative and quarter-by-quarter) of 3.0 must be maintained. In addition, a minimum GPA (cumulative and quarter-by-quarter) of 3.0 in physics courses must be maintained. In addition, a minimum GPA of 3.0 quarter-by-quarter for the core courses must be maintained. To maintain good academic standing, a student must make satisfactory progress in finding a doctoral committee chair and subsequently toward dissertation completion. If a student fails to maintain good academic standing for his or her degree program, the Faculty Graduate Adviser and Dept. Normal progress toward the Ph.D. A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for academic disqualification from graduate study. A graduate student may be disqualified from continuing in the graduate program for a variety of reasons. The most common is failure to maintain the minimum cumulative grade point average (3.00) required by the Academic Senate to remain in good standing (some programs require a higher grade point average). Other examples include failure of examinations, lack of timely progress toward the degree and poor performance in core courses. Probationary students (those with cumulative grade point averages below 3.00) are subject to immediate dismissal upon the recommendation of their department.
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Exception to Continue Towards the Ph.D. Degree
On rare occasions, after two failures to achieve the Ph.D. level on the written comprehensive exam, but with at least one M.S.-level pass, a student may request an exception to continue towards the Ph.D. degree. A committee consisting of the Faculty Graduate Adviser, the Comprehensive Exam Committee Chair, the Chair of the Academic Affairs Committee, the Chair of the Department, and the Graduate Affairs Officer will consider granting the exception. The student may ask a faculty member to submit a letter of support to this committee. An exception will be based on a complete review of the student’s record in the applicable categories of coursework, teaching, and research. Evidence of excellence in research or coursework, combined with evidence of diligence in teaching when applicable, will normally be the considerations for the rare granting of an exception. Using these data, the committee will judge if the eventual granting of a Ph.D.
Faculty Advising and Research Opportunities
Entering students are assigned a faculty adviser to assist them in planning their academic schedule. This faculty adviser and the Faculty Graduate Adviser may also give advice about interacting with the department and finding research opportunities. Beginning in the fourth quarter and continuing until advancement to candidacy, students are strongly encouraged to meet their faculty adviser regularly.
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