MSc Programs

     The MSc programs provide for emphasis on condensed matter and material physics; Industrial and applied physics; biophysics, chemical physics; atomic, molecular and optical physics; astrophysics and gravitation; and subatomic physics.
    Three options are available for the MSc degree:

• A research-based option in which the student is required to complete four one-semester courses (at least 2.0 course credits) and a thesis.
  
• A coursework option in which the student is required to complete eight one-semester courses (at least 4.0 course credits), one of which must be a research project course that includes a report.
  
• A co-operative option in which the student spends two semesters working in a government or industrial laboratory. The student is required to complete four one-semester courses (at least 2.0 course credits) and a thesis.

Admission Requirements
     Application for admission should be made as early as possible on forms obtained from the director of the Guelph-Waterloo Physics Institute. Successful applicants are encouraged to start their graduate studies in May or September, but a January starting date is possible. Academic transcripts and other supporting documents should be forwarded as soon as they become available. Admission to the program cannot be granted until all requirements have been met and all documents submitted.
     Applications are considered by the Admissions Committee. Only students who are graduates of approved universities and colleges are eligible for admission. An honours degree in physics, or the equivalent, with first or upper second-class standing, is normally required for entry into an MSc program. It should be noted that students will normally be admitted only if an adviser can be found to oversee their research. Since there are a limited number of openings each year, applicants are advised to state alternative areas of research on the preference form supplied.

MSc Co-operative Option
     Admission to the co-op option is restricted to Canadian citizens and permanent residents. Applicants for admission to the MSc program must have a first-class or high upper second-class honours degree in physics from a recognized university.

Degree Requirements
Research-Based MSc Option
     Four one-term courses (at least 2.0 course credits) acceptable for graduate credit and a thesis based on original research are required. The subject of research must be approved by the candidate's adviser and the thesis must be read and approved by the adviser and two other faculty members. One of the four courses may be an undergraduate course approved by the student's supervisory committee and the graduate co-ordinator. If it is a physics course, it must be at the fourth-year level.
     For all students (except those in biophysics**) the four courses must include at least one of Quantum Mechanics 1 (PHYS*7010), Statistical Physics 1 (PHYS*7040) and Electromagnetic Theory (PHYS*7060). An MSc student in this program who shows a particular aptitude for research and has a superior record in fourth-year undergraduate and three one-term graduate courses may be permitted, upon recommendation of the adviser and with the approval of the co-ordinating committee, to transfer into the PhD program without completing an MSc thesis.

MSc Co-operative Option
     Students enter the co-op MSc program in September. The first term of the program is spent taking two courses (for all students except those in biophysics** one of these courses must be chosen from PHYS*7010, PHYS*7040 and PHYS*7060), and performing the duties of a regular teaching assistant. During this term, the student will discuss work-term prospects with the Guelph and Waterloo personnel responsible for co-op activities and conduct interviews with potential employers. Satisfactory performance in this phase of the program allows the student to spend the next two terms working in an industrial or government laboratory. Upon completion of the work terms, the student must submit a work report as discussed below.
     The student must complete a minimum of two additional graduate courses and complete a research project under the supervision of a faculty member in accordance with the regular thesis requirements of the MSc degree program, as outlined by the Faculty of Graduate Studies.
**Exception: In place of the core physics course biophysics students may choose any course approved by the student's supervisory committee and the graduate co-ordinator.

Part-time Course-Based MSc Option
     Eight one-term courses acceptable for graduate credit, including a project course summarized in a report, are required. The project must be approved by the candidate's adviser and the report read and approved by the adviser and one other faculty member. These courses must include Quantum Mechanics 1 (PHYS*7010), Statistical Physics 1 (PHYS*7040), and Electromagnetic Theory (PHYS*7060). Two of the courses may be approved undergraduate courses; the approval must be by the advisory committee and the graduate co-ordinator. If they are physics courses they must be at the fourth-year level. This program is recommended for those planning careers requiring a broad non-specialized knowledge of physics (for example, high school teaching).

PhD Programs

     Two options are available for the PhD degree:

• A research-based option in which the student is required to complete four one-semester courses (2.0 credits) and a thesis.
  
• A co-operative option in which the student spends two semesters working in a government or industrial laboratory. The student is required to complete four one-semester courses (2.0 credits) and a thesis.

Admission Requirements
     An MSc degree from an approved university or college is normally required for entrance into the PhD program.

PhD Co-operative Option
     Applicants must have or expect to obtain an MSc degree in physics from a recognized university. Admission to the co-op option is restricted to Canadian citizens or permanent residents.

Degree Requirements
     Four one-term courses not including any already taken for MSc credit are required; courses taken during the MSc program and in excess of those required will, however, be allowed for PhD credit. By the end of the first year of the program, all three of Quantum Mechanics 1 (PHYS*7010), Statistical Physics 1 (PHYS*7040) and Electromagnetic Theory (PHYS*7060) should be completed. (Exception: Biophysics students must have taken at least one of Quantum Mechanics 1 (PHYS*7010), Statistical Physics 1 (PHYS*7040), and Electromagnetic Theory (PHYS*7060) by the completion of the first year of the PhD program.) One of the required courses may be an undergraduate course outside the student's main field of study and must be approved by the student's supervisory committee and the graduate co-ordinator. No undergraduate course in physics may be taken for credit.
     After two or three terms in the program, PhD candidates are required to pass a qualifying examination. This is an oral examination of approximately two hours' duration before a committee that includes representation from the student's advisory committee. It is designed to test the student's knowledge of the fundamentals and applications of physics related to the thesis topic. PhD students must meet their advisory committee members at least once a year to present a written and oral report on their progress. Candidates must present a thesis embodying the results of original research conducted by them on an advanced topic. The thesis is defended before a committee which may also examine the student's knowledge of related material.

PhD Co-operative Option
     Students normally enter the co-op PhD program in September, following completion of their MSc degree. The student first spends one or two academic terms on campus, taking a minimum of two courses per term and performing the regular duties of a teaching assistant. During this time, the student will discuss work term prospects with the Guelph and Waterloo personnel responsible for co-op activities and conduct interviews with potential employers. After satisfactory performance in the academic term(s), the student spends a full year in an industrial or government laboratory.
     Students must complete all three of the core courses PHYS*7010, PHYS*7040 and PHYS*7060 by the end of their first two academic terms in the program. (Exception: Biophysics students must at least one of the three core courses.) A total of four graduate courses (2.0 credits) are required (excluding those already taken for MSc credit).
     The student is required to pass a qualifying examination and complete, under the supervision of a faculty member, a research project on an advanced topic. A thesis embodying the results of original research conducted by the student must be presented and defended before a committee.

Interdepartmental Programs

Biophysics Interdepartmental Group
     The Department of Physics participates in the MSc/PhD programs in biophysics. Professors Davis, Hallett, Jeffrey, Millman and Renninger are members of the Biophysics Interdepartmental Group (BIG). These faculty members' research and teaching expertise includes aspects of biophysics; they may serve as advisers for MSc and PhD students in biophysics. Please consult the Biophysics listing for a detailed description of the graduate programs offered by the Biophysics Interdepartmental Group.