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Graduation Deadlines
Graduate School Forms
P&A Graduate Student Handbook
Frequently Asked Questions
The Masters Program
There are two options for getting a Master of Science Degree in Physics at Clemson.
The first is the thesis option. This program requires 30 credit hours of course work
and the defense of a thesis. For the non-thesis option, the requirements are 36 credit
hours of graduate course work, including 6 hours of directed studies (PHYS 890), a
written report on the directed studies, and a final oral examination. In both cases,
at least one-half the credit hours must be from graduate courses numbered 800 or above.
A master's student has six years to complete a degree; however, it is expected that full-time
physics students should complete their master's degree within two years of their
arrival at Clemson.
Course Timeline for Master's Students
Course Descriptions
The Ph.D. Program
There are no specific course requirements for getting a Doctor of Philosophy in Physics at Clemson.
The requirements are that the student successfully pass the following in the five-year period prior
to graduation: 1) the Ph. D. written qualifying exam, 2) Oral exam (dissertation topic defense) and 3) approval of
the dissertation by your committee and the Graduate School.
If you enter Clemson with a Bachelor's degree and intend to pursue your Ph.D., you must take the written Ph.D.
qualifying examination for the first time in or before your fifth semester at Clemson. If you enter Clemson already having
earned a Masters degree in Physics, you must take the written Ph.D. qualifying examination for the first time in or before
your third semester. In either case, you have two chances to pass the exam. If you do pass your written Ph.D. qualifying
examination, you must pass the oral examination within six months. To do this, you must establish your Ph.D. advisory committee and
schedule a time and place for the examination. Your goal in the oral exam is to explain the Ph.D. thesis research you
intend to do and to convince your committee that the problem warrants a Ph.D. and that you can indeed do that work. Prior
to the oral examination, fill out
a Form GS5 so that your committee may sign it if you pass. If you pass, give the Student Coordinator a copy of the form
and turn in the original to the Graduate School.
Course Timeline for Ph.D. Students
Course Timeline for Ph.D. Students (entering with M.S.)
Course Descriptions
Research
You should find a research advisor within nine months of your arrival at Clemson. You should begin your
research no later than the summer after your first year of classes. Once you have found an advisor,
inform Dr. Meyer and Student Coordinator.
You will need to set up an Advisory Committee. This committee will consist of your advisor and at
least two (for a Master's committee) or three (for a Ph.D. committee) other faculty members. At
this time you should fill out Form GS2. Have each member of your committee sign it, give Student
Coordinator a copy, and turn the original in to the Graduate School. This should usually be done
by the middle of your second semester. Ph.D. students who want to get a M.S. degree also ("en route" in
our école graduée language) should also fill out and file a Form GS2-14 to specify the requirements for
the M.S. degree.
Graduation
In order to graduate, you must complete a number of tasks. First, at the beginning of the semester you expect to graduate, fill out a Form GS4. Turn in the completed form to the graduate school after you have given Student Coordinator a copy. This is an application for graduation and an order form for your diploma. It is imperative that you do this at the beginning of the semester since the Graduate School will charge a $25 late fee plus $5 for each day you turn this in late.
You must defend you thesis at least three weeks before graduation (check with the Student Coordinator for the exact deadline). You need to schedule your defense with your committee, reserve the room for your defense (see Ms. Helvie, room 118), and notify the Graduate School of the time and place of the defense at least ten days in advance. You or your advisor should invite the faculty and the Dean of the Graduate School to attend the examination. (Ms. Helvie will have a memo typed for you.) You should give copies of your thesis to your committee members at least a week in advance of the defense.
When you pass your defense, you make any necessary
changes in your thesis or dissertation, and when everyone is satisfied, you get your committee to sign the
GS7 form, and submit it and your thesis to the graduate school. The committee members no longer sign the thesis
itself. You then need to get the
Graduate School to approve your thesis. This must all done at least two weeks prior to graduation.
It is advisable to make the appointment with the Graduate School to review your thesis as early as possible
since the reviewers get booked up at the end of the semester.
If you enter Clemson as an MS candidate, pass your Master's defense, and decide to pursue your Ph.D., you must reapply to the Ph.D. program. This involves filling out another application. See the Student Coordinator. It is advisable to have this prepared prior to your defense.
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