UHM Graduate Studies

Contact Information

University of Hawai'i at Mānoa
Department of Physics
2505 Correa Road
Watanabe 416
Honolulu, HI 96822
Tel: (808) 956-7087
Fax: (808) 956-7107
Website

Pui Lam, PhD
Graduate Chair
E-mail: plam@hawaii.edu

Degrees Offered

MS in physics

PhD in physics

Graduate Faculty

List of Faculty

University of Hawai'i Directory

PHYSICS

Application Deadlines

Fall	Spring
I — January 15 D — January 15	I — August 1 D — August 1

Individual graduate programs may have priority consideration deadlines. Applicants are advised to contact the graduate programs for such dates. Any available funding support is limited and often awarded well in advance of the application deadlines.

Applicants who apply after the application deadlines MUST consult with the graduate programs before submitting an application. Application fees are non-refundable and may not be used for an application submitted at a later date.

I = international applicants
D = U.S. citizens and U.S. permanent residents

Admissions Requirements

Ways to Apply
Apply online or download PDF application forms.

Applicants need to meet:
1) Graduate Division admissions standard and documentation requirements, and 2) program specific admissions criteria and documentation requirements. Send all program specific documentation requirements directly to the graduate program.

GRE Scores
Refer to program specific requirements (see link above) to determine if the GRE is required by the graduate program. Click here for information on the GRE and when it is required by the Graduate Division. Official GRE scores must be sent directly to the Graduate Admissions Office.

TOEFL Scores - 560/83 or above
TOEFL is required of most applicants who are non-native speakers of English. Click here for information on exemptions. Official TOEFL scores must be sent directly to the Graduate Admissions Office.

Program Overview

Physics is the study of matter and energy and how they interact at the most basic levels. Areas of specializations include mechanics, optics and lasers, thermodynamics, electricity, magnetism, nuclear phenomena, condensed matter, and elementary particles. Physics is widely regarded as the most basic of all sciences.

The Department of Physics at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa (UHM) offers opportunities for study and research leading to the MS and the PhD. Students wishing to terminate their formal education with the MS degree generally select Plan A (thesis) so as to gain some research experience, as well as formal class work. These students are prepared to enter teaching positions at the community college level or industrial and civil service positions at the junior scientist and engineer level. Students planning advanced graduate work generally complete the Plan B (non-thesis) or Plan C (exam) requirements for the MS degree. At this point most of their formal class work has been completed and further work consists mainly of seminars, directed research, and the dissertation. Admission to Plan C requires the approval of the physics graduate program advisory committee.

The PhD is essentially a research degree. Students complete an original and significant piece of research and are at the forefront of one area of physics. Students are expected to enter the academic world in a teaching and research capacity or industrial and government research laboratories as senior scientists.

The departmental staff and facilities are especially aimed toward experimental and theoretical work in elementary particles, electronic structure of solids, liquid crystals, composite materials, low-temperature physics, scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy, and surface science.

Degree Requirements

All graduate students at UHM need to meet degree requirements set by the Graduate Division and their graduate programs. For general Graduate Division requirements, see Degree Requirements. Below is an overview of the degree requirements for this graduate program.

General Requirements
The following are required of all graduate students:

teaching experience as graduate assistant (one year or more)
attendance at the weekly departmental seminar

MS Degree Requirements
Students may select Plan A (thesis), Plan B (non-thesis) or Plan C (exam).

Plan A requires 24 credits of course work, six credits of thesis research, a written thesis and defense of the thesis.
Plan B requires 30 credits of course work and a written qualifying exam.
Plan C requires only the minimum residency requirement, a qualifying exam and a final oral exam.

PhD Degree Requirements
The PhD program requires the following:

completion of MS course requirements,
completion of PHYS 651 Electrodynamics II and PHYS 671 Quantum Mechanics
comprehensive exam (written and oral)
dissertation
final oral exam / defense of dissertation

Courses
To view a listing of courses offered, visit www.catalog.hawaii.edu/courses/departments/phys.htm.

Related Program(s)

astronomy, electrical engineering, finacial engineering, geology and geophysics, mathematics, mechanical engineering, meteorology, ocean and resources engineering

Graduate Admissions Office
2540 Maile Way Spalding 354 Honolulu, HI 96822
Tel: (808) 956-8544 Fax: (808) 956-4261
Email: admissions@grad.hawaii.edu

2009-11-16

This Web site is intended solely to provide general information. The UHM Graduate Division makes no representation and accepts no liability for the accuracy, correctness or completeness of information found in this site. Viewers of this site are advised to contact the appropriate offices for the most up-to-date information.