Master's Degree Specific | Ph.D Specific | Graduate Examinations | Financial Aid Guidelines | Housing Information

Program Requirements

Master's Degree

The Department of Physics grants the Master of Science Degree under two options: thesis option (plan A) or course work option (plan B). The thesis option requires course work in addition to a thesis defense. The requirement for a course work option is only course work. The course work Master’s is the Master’s degree that you receive en route to your Ph.D. You can find more information about the Master's program on our Master's program page.

In addition to the MS degree in physics, the Physics Department, in coordination with Electrical Engineering and Chemistry, offer an Master in Optics. You can find more information about the Optics Master's program on the MS in Optics and Photonics page or contact the Physics Department.

Ph.D. Degree

The requirements for a Ph.D. degree include course work, thesis credits and a thesis defense. You can find more information about the Ph.D. program on our Ph.D program page.

Graduate Examinations

General Requirements

Two written examinations are given every year in the last half of August and the first half of January. These serve both as the M.S. Qualifying Examination and the Ph.D. Qualifying Examination. All students must take the written examination the August they enter the program.  The results of the written examination may be applied to both the M.S. and Ph.D. programs. The written examination may be repeated three times, the next three times it is offered. Postponement of the written examination is granted only in exceptional cases. Students must select an M.S. or Ph.D. committee and file the appropriate program form during the Spring Semester of their entry year. The Ph.D. Comprehensive Examination includes a written and oral examination that requires the student to present and defend a thesis research plan to thier Ph.D. committee.  A Final Examination on the thesis and related topics is required for the Plan A M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. For both the Ph.D. and Plan A M.S. degrees, a final oral examination is conducted by the student’s Graduate Committee. This examination takes place after the thesis has been submitted and covers the thesis and related topics.

Qualifying Examination

The Qualifying Exam for all degree-seeking students is a written test on the general principles of physics at the upper-undergraduate level.  The Qualifying Exam tests knowledge and comprehension of the general principles of physics through their appication in solving a carefully chosen set of problems.  Passing the Qualifying Exam in the allotted timeframe is part of making satisfactory progress toward a degree.

M.S. Comprehensive Examination

  • A student attempting to obtain the M.S. degree is allowed four attempts to pass the Qualifying Exam at the Masters level before before being considered for the Ph.D. written Comprehensive Exam.
  • A student who has achieved a B average or higher in the standard first-year graduate courses, and no lower than a B- in any individual course, will be deemed to have passed the M.S. Comprehensive Examination.

Ph.D. Comprehensive Examination

Students must pass the Qualifying Exam before taking the Comprehensive Exam.

The Comprehensive Exam for Ph.D. degree-seeking graduate students is a written and oral exam that
requires the student to present and defend a thesis research plan to their Ph.D. committee. The passing of 
this Comprehensive Exam fulfills the Comprehensive Examination requirement of the Graduate School for a
doctoral degree and is subject to all conditions and requirements set forth by the official policies of the
Graduate School.

The Comprehensive Exam consists of a written research proposal and an oral defense. The 
research proposal describes, in five pages or less, the student’s research progress and proposes future work
towards the completion of the written thesis requirement. It is appropriate and expected that the research
proposal will be developed collaboratively by the student and the student’s advisor. The research proposal
must be submitted at least one week prior to the oral defense. In the oral part of the exam, the graduate
student must present a defense of the research proposal before the student’s Ph.D. committee. The
committee will probe the student’s understanding of the fundamental physics and intellectual context of
the research topic.

The Comprehensive Exam can be scheduled any time after passing the Qualifying Exam, with
the first attempt occurring no later than the Spring semester of the second academic year. Postponement 
of the Comprehensive Examination beyond this time is granted only in exceptional cases. Requests for 
postponement must be submitted to the student’s Ph.D. committee by the student's advisor at least two
months before the deadline. The Comprehensive Examination may be repeated once, six to nine months
after the first attempt

*The Physics Department has an exception to this policy which allows validation for six (6) years from the term of successful completion (per Dr. Karlene Hoo, Graduate School, 2/13/15).

Final Oral Examination

For both the Ph.D. and Plan A M.S. degrees, a Final Oral Examination is conducted by the student’s Graduate Committee. This examination takes place after the thesis has been submitted and covers the thesis and related topics.

Financial Aid Guidelines

All first year graduate students admitted to advanced degree programs in the Physics Department are awarded financial aid. Financial aid is awarded through both tuition waivers and a monthly stipend. The tuition waivers cover all tuition costs but do not include fees paid to the university. To receive financial aid, a student must satisfy the requirements of the Graduate School as listed on their webpage, as well as requirements of the Physics Department. First year graduate students are supported through their first summer. 

Housing Information

A variety of housing is available. The University has residence hall rooms for single students, and apartments and houses are available for married students. Ample off-campus housing of all types is available. However, housing should be arranged as soon as you receive an offer of admission and/or accept the offer. Family and graduate housing information is available at their web site, http://www.montana.edu/fgh