Dr. Chris Crawford
Director of Graduate Studies
Department of Physics & Astrononmy
c.crawford@uky.eduThe UK Department of Physics and Astronomy comprises 30 regular and 5 active adjunct and/or emeritus faculty members, 8 post-doctoral researchers, 16 office and technical staff members, 78 graduate and 71 undergraduate students. Among its faculty are 10 Fellows of the American Physical Society and several award winning educators. Undergraduate majors and graduate students take a complete array of courses with small class sizes spanning modern topics in physics and astronomy, and they work closely with faculty researchers in studies of nuclear and particle physics, condensed matter and atomic physics, and astronomy and astrophysics.
The M.S. program can include an emphasis on basic or applied physics or physics education, and students are encouraged to take courses in related programs that satisfy the appropriate academic objectives. Before taking the M.S. oral exam, the M.S. student must have completed (with a B average) 16 (plan A with a thesis) or 20 (plan B without a thesis) credit hours in approved graduate courses.
The Ph.D. degree is a research degree granted on the basis of broad knowledge of physics and in-depth research in a specific area leading to a dissertation (and generally publications in appropriate refereed journals). Students may perform this research at the University of Kentucky or appropriate collaborating institutions. Before taking the Ph.D. qualifying exam, the student must pass the Physics GRE at the 50th percentile or higher and satisfactorily pass core courses in graduate classical mechanics, electromagnetism, quantum mechanics, and statistical mechanics, as well as electives in topical areas of modern physics.
The GRE is not required for admission to this program.
Applicants must meet the Graduate School admission requirements.
Dr. Chris Crawford
Director of Graduate Studies
Department of Physics & Astrononmy
c.crawford@uky.eduCollege of Arts & Sciences
177 Chem-Phys Building
505 Rose Street
Lexington, KY 40506-0055
859-257-6722
