Last modified on January 5, 2023.

All degree-pursing graduate students in the Physics program at Montana State University must pass a qualifying exam.  The exam is held semi-annually, once at the beginning of the fall semester and once at the beginning of the spring semester.

This web page provides current information on the upcoming qualifying exam.

Current Qualifying Exam Committee

The exam is organized, written, and graded by the Qualifying Exam Committee.

For the 2022/2023 academic year, the committee is composed of:

  • Jiong Qiu (Chair)
  • Charles Kankelborg
  • Nick Borys
  • Anne Lohfink
  • John Neumeier
  • Anton Vortonsov

Guidelines and committee policy

This year's Qualifying Exam Committee has authored a publicly available set of general guidelines for the writing, organizing, and grading the exam. 

Winter 2023 Qualifying Exam

Topic list

A summary topic list for the Winter 2023 exam has been provided.

Schedule

Dates: The Winter 2023 qualifying exam will be held on January 9, 10, 11, 12.

Location: Gaines 101

Detailed Schedule

Day Time Topic Tentative Proctor
Monday, January 9 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM Classical Mechanics Anne Lohfink
Tuesday, January 10 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM Quantum Mechanics Anton Vorontsov
Wednesday, January 11 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM Electricity and Magnetism Jiong Qiu
Thursday, January 12 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM Statistical and Thermal Physics John Neumeier

 

*Any student eligible to take any or all sections of the exam are expected to be present for that session. If you are unable to attend for any reason, please contact Elicia Palmer at elicia.palmer@montana.edu and/or the exam chair, Jiong Qiu at qiu@montana.edu. 

Permitted note sheets

You are allowed to have one (1) 8.5" x 11" sheet of hand-written notes (front and back) per subject. You will be required to submit your notes with your exam.

Special accommodations

Accommodations will be made for students on a case-by-case basis in accordance to needs determined by the Office of Disability Services.

Requirements on the day of the exam

  1. Follow current MSU policy with regard to masks.
  2. Devices for music, noise cancelling headphones, or earplugs are allowed.
  3. If you choose to listen to music through headphones, please use a moderate volume that does not disturb others.
  4. Calculators are not allowed.

Previous Qualifying Exams

Prior qualifying exams are archived for reference:  archive of past qualifying exams.