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Fall 2025 Graduate Catalog

Physics, PhD

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Degree Awarded: Doctor of Philosophy in Physics

Chairperson: Chang Kee Jung, Physics Building P-101 (631) 632-8108
Graduate Program Director: Derek Teaney, Physics Building P-107 (631) 632-4978
Assistant Graduate Program Director: Donald J. Sheehan III, Physics Building P-110 (631) 632-8759

Department Website

The Department of Physics and Astronomy in the College of Arts and Sciences offers courses of study and research that normally lead to the Ph.D. degree. The M.A degree is awarded either as a terminal degree, or to students on the way to the Ph.D. degree. The Master of Science in Scientific Instrumentation (MSI) program is provided for those interested in instrumentation for physical research. The Master of Science in Quantum Information Science and Technology (MSQIST) prepares students to work in this rapidly growing area. A Master of Arts in Teaching program, from the School of Professional Development, is available for students seeking to teach physics in high schools. An Advanced Graduate Certificate in Accelerator Science is offered, which can be taken concurrently with a PhD or Masters degree.

Students may find opportunities in various areas of physics not found in the department or in related disciplines at Stony Brook in such programs as Medical Physics, Chemical Physics, Atmospheric and Climate Modeling, Materials Science and at Brookhaven National Laboratory or Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.

The entire faculty participates in teaching a rich curriculum of undergraduate, graduate, and professional development courses, including many courses on special topics of current interest. PhD and MSI students must fulfill one year of teaching. PhD students are encouraged to participate in research as early as possible and to begin their thesis research no later than the beginning of their third year. The typical length of time to the Ph.D. is four to six years. The Master’s in Scientific Instrumentation is a two-year program that involves a thesis project in instrumentation design or development. The minimum time to earn the M.A. or MSQIST degrees is two semesters and one Summer, but will more usually take two years.

The Stony Brook Physics graduate program has been highly ranked in national surveys for the quality of its graduate program, its faculty, and the impact of its published research. It strives to make a graduate education in physics intellectually stimulating and educationally rewarding.

Doctoral Program in Physics

This is the generic Ph.D. degree which may specialize in any area of Physics research. This course of study is pursued by most students in the Ph.D. program. See below for a description of the degree requirements.

Doctoral Program with Concentration in Astronomy

The Department of Physics and Astronomy offers a Ph.D. degree with concentration in astronomy when the thesis work is carried out in the area of astronomy or astrophysics. Some of the requirement for the Ph.D. degree are substituted by astronomy courses.

Doctoral Program with Concentration in Physical Biology

This is an interdisciplinary concentration connected with the Laufer Center for Quantitative Biology. Students usually declare their interest in this concentration not later than the end of the first semester. Postponing this decision will result in a loss of time. There are several differences with the default physics concentration. The number of core courses is reduced by one course while several physical biology courses are required.Instead of the graduate lab students do rotations with faculty associated with the Laufer Center. Also the Graduate Seminar is substituted by the Laufer Center Journal Club.

Doctoral Programs with Concentration in Chemical Physics

The basic degree requirements for a student enrolled in this program are the same as those for other students in physics. Students will usually be advised to take one or more courses in chemical physics. The written part of the preliminary (comprehensive) examination is the same as for other physics students; the oral part will ordinarily be on topics in chemical physics. The student’s research advisor may be chosen from faculty working in chemical physics.

Admission Requirements

Application Website

For admission to graduate study in Physics and Astronomy the following, in addition to the minimum Graduate School requirements, are required:

  1. A bachelor’s degree in physics or a closely related field from an accredited institution. In the case of the M.Sc. in Quantum Information Science and Technology the degree must be in science and engineering, but need not be in physics or a closely related field.
  2. A minimum grade average of B in all undergraduate coursework, and B or better in the sciences and mathematics.
  3. Acceptance by the Department of Physics and Astronomy and the Graduate School.

In special cases, a student not meeting requirement A (or, in unusual cases, requirement B) may be admitted on a provisional basis, without financial support. Upon admission, the student will be informed of the requirements that must be satisfied for termination of provisional status.

Retention of students in subsequent years will depend on satisfactory academic progress.

Degree Requirements

Completion of the following core courses with a grade of B or better:

A student can skip one or more of these coursesby sufficiently good performance in the corresponding parts of the placement exam or by obtaining a waiver based on having taken similarcourses elsewhere from the Graduate Program Director.

Completion of required courses: Each of the courses listed below must be passed with a minimum grade of B:

Note:

  1. PHY 598  and PHY 599  Graduate Seminars. These courses are normally taken during the first year of graduate study, one per semester, ineither order.
  2. PHY 515 - Methods of Experimental Research I . This course must be taken not later than the fourth semester of residence. This requirement can also be satisfied by PHY 517 - Laboratory Course in Astronomical Techniques .

Additional Requirements:

  • Passing of the written comprehensive examination. This is offered at the beginning of each semester. It is in four parts with exams on ClassicalMechanics, Electrodynamics, Quantum Mechanics, and Statistical Mechanics. It must be passed in the student’s fourth semester of study at StonyBrook or earlier. If taken as a placement exam for the core courses, it has to be passed at a higher level.
  • Passing an oral examination on a broad range of topics relevant to the student’s intended area of thesis research. The oral examination shouldbe passed before the beginning of the fifth semester of residency.
  • Acceptance of graduate student by an advisor for thesis work;
  • Teaching experience at least equivalent to that obtained in a one-year appointment as a teaching assistant, usually carried out in the first year;
  • Advancement to candidacy for the Ph.D. The department’s recommendation to the Graduate School for advancement to candidacy is based onthe satisfactory completion of all requirements listed above;
  • Research, dissertation, and passing the dissertation examination.
  • At least one year of residence.

Requirements for the Ph.D. Degree in Physics with Concentration in Astronomy

The requirements are the same except for B3.

Astronomy core courses

Instead the student shall take three astronomy core courses:

Note:

and present a thesis proposal as an oral exam. In addition, the thesis work should be in the area of Astronomy or Astrophysics. The thesisproposal will be prepared in a Special Studies Course (PHY 585 ) with the advisor.

Requirements for the Ph.D. Degree in Physics with Concentration in Physical Biology

Four Physics core course:

A student can skip one or more of these courses by sufficiently goodperformance in the corresponding parts of the placement exam or by obtaining a waiver based on having taken similar courses elsewhere from theGraduate Program Director.

Two Life Science courses form an approved list.

Additional Requirements:

  • Passing of the Comprehensive Exam.
  • An oral exam on a topic in Physical Biology. The oral examination should be passed before the beginning of the fifth semester of residence.
  • Acceptance of the graduate student by an advisor working on the topic of Physical Biology.
  • Advancement to candidacy for the Ph.D. The department’s recommendation to the Graduate School for advancement to candidacy is based on the satisfactory completion of all requirements listed above.
  • Research, dissertation, and passing the dissertation examination.
  • At least one year of residence.

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