Physics and Astronomy PhD

A typical graduate student seeking a Ph.D. in Physics or in Physics and Astronomy would follow a path like this: Learn about the fundamentals of physics and astronomy in formal courses, and about current research activities in seminars and colloquia and through personal contact with faculty, Learn to teach physics and/or astronomy by serving as a teaching assistant, Demonstrate proficiency in the fundamentals of physics in the preliminary examination, Join a research group, Demonstrate proficiency in a specialty area, and a capability for performing research, by passing the qualifying examination, Conduct research, write and publish articles describing the work, and identify as soon as possible a specific thesis subject that would require independent and original work that could be included in a dissertation, Write and defend a dissertation, a substantial and original contribution to knowledge in physics or astronomy.