caltech chemistry phd requirements

Graduate Degree in Materials Science

Aims and scope of the graduate program.

The graduate program is designed to give students an understanding of general phenomena in synthesis–structure–property relationships in all materials, plus a detailed understanding of phenomena for at least one particular class of materials. After completing the Special Regulations/Ph.D. program, students have pursued careers in teaching and research at colleges and universities, in research for government and industry, in the operation and control of manufacturing processes, and in management and development positions in the materials industry. Students may enter the graduate program in materials science with undergraduate preparation in physics, chemistry, engineering, or materials science.

Students interested in terminating their graduate study at the master's level are not normally admitted. Students in the Ph.D. program are required to complete a set of core courses, pass an oral candidacy examination, complete a thesis describing original research in materials science or a related field, and publicly defend their thesis work.

Preparation for the Graduate Program

Students who have not specialized in materials science as undergraduates, as well as those who have, may be admitted for graduate study. As preparation for advanced study and research, entering graduate students are expected to have a thorough background in undergraduate mathematics, physics, and engineering. An outstanding four-year undergraduate program in mathematics and sciences may also provide a suitable background. The qualifications of each applicant will be considered individually, and, after being enrolled, the student will arrange his or her course of study and research in consultation with members of the faculty and the Materials Science option representative.

Master's Degree Description and Requirements

The degree of Master of Science in Materials Science is only awarded to students who do not already have an M.S. degree in Materials Science. The degree will be awarded upon request by students who have fulfilled the requirements. Only in exceptional cases is there admission to the M.S. program as the final degree objective.

Each student is assigned to a member of the faculty who will serve as the student's adviser. The adviser and option representative for materials science will approve the student's course of study. Study for the degree of Master of Science in materials science will ordinarily require at least three terms of courses. The courses shall be chosen from the list of core courses below, although 27 units of research (MS 200 or equivalent) may be substituted for 27 units of lecture or laboratory courses. Completion of 111 units of these courses within two years with no grade less than a C constitutes the academic requirements for the M.S. degree.

Graduate Coursework

• MS 131, MS 132, MS 133
• APh/MS 105abc or (ChE/Ch 164, ChE/Ch 165 + APh/MS 105c) or (Ae/ME 118 + APh/MS 105bc)
• Choose from: APh 114abc, Ch 120, Ch 121ab, Ch/ChE 147, ChE/Ch 148, Ge 114ab, ME/MS/Ae/AM 224, MS/APh 162
• B. Fundamentals of Materials Behavior
• Choose from: Ae/Ge/ME 160ab, Ae/AM/MS/ME 213, Ch 117, Ch 125ab, GE 214, ME/MS/AM 221, MS/ME/MedE 116, MS 121, MS/APh 122, MS 125, MS/APh 141, MS 142, MS/ME 161, MS/ME 166, MS/APh 171, MS/APh 256, Ph 125ab
• Choose from: ACM/IDS 104, ACM 100ab, ACM/IDS 101ab, ACM/EE 106ab, CMS/ACM/IDS 107, MS/APh 141, Ph 129ab

Suggested Course Schedule by Track

Core Classes for all tracks:

Thermodynamics 105a and 105b may be satisfied by equivalent courses in Physics or Chemical Engineering Mathematics may be satisfied by other courses pertinent to research interests.

Additional Coursework by Track

Track 1 – physical materials science.

Track 2 - Mechanical Materials Science

Track 3 – Soft Materials Science

Track 4 – Oxide Materials Science

Description of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

As described in more detail below, the doctoral program in Materials Science consists of taking a series of preparatory classes, followed by an oral candidacy exam, a written thesis, and a final oral thesis defense. The goals of this program are to develop competence in a chosen field of specialization; to develop tools with which to assess problems outside the student's field of specialization; to develop sufficient strength in the physical sciences for self-education beyond formal training; and to cultivate the motivation and foresight to become a productive and influential leader. As such, the graduate program in Materials Science is designed to be a doctoral program and students are only admitted into the doctoral program. There is no separate master's program in Materials Science, however, a degree of Master of Science in Materials Science can be awarded upon request by students after the fulfillment of course requirements.

The Ph.D. degree in Materials Science is focused on research. Study and research programs for the Ph.D. degree are individually planned to fit the interests and background of the student. A comprehensive research project resulting in an original contribution to the field documented by a dissertation is required.

Residency. A minimum of three academic years in residence as a graduate student are required by the Institute, and two or more additional years are usually needed for preparation of the thesis.

Language Requirement. There is no language requirement for the Ph.D. degree.

Minor. No minor is required for the Ph.D. degree. Students are, however, encouraged to take advanced courses appropriate to their particular interests.

Advising and Thesis Supervision

An interim adviser is appointed for each student upon admission to a graduate degree in Materials Science (typically the Materials Science option representative). The interim adviser will serve as the primary mentor until the student finds a research adviser. In the first year (no later than the third term), each student must choose a research adviser who will have primary responsibility for supervising the student's course program and research. The important adviser–advisee relationship requires effort from both parties, and some general expectations are outlined earlier in this section of the catalog. In consultation with their research adviser, the student should then form a Ph.D. thesis advisory committee. This four member committee should include: (i) the student's advisor, and (ii) at least three members of the Caltech professorial faculty. The research adviser and the thesis advisory committee provide the majority of mentoring to the student, providing advice on research, progress toward the Ph.D., future careers, and other aspects of life in graduate school and as a professional scientist.

Requirements for Candidacy to the Ph.D. Degree

To be recommended for candidacy for the Ph.D. degree in Materials Science, the student must, in addition to meeting the general Institute requirements, do the following:

• All units must be taken for grades and passed with a grade of at least a C, except for courses offered only on a pass/fail basis.
• Only courses in which a student has obtained a grade of C or higher will be counted toward the 135 unit minimum.
• No more than 27 units of research through MS 200 can be counted toward the 135 unit requirement of candidacy.
• Students must complete the degree progress report online.
• Students entering the program with advanced preparation may choose either to substitute more advanced courses in the topical areas shown or to demonstrate competency by successfully passing both the midterm and final examinations.
• Students may petition the option representative to accept alternate subjects or areas.
• These changes should retain core materials science knowledge, and should represent sufficient breadth.
• The approval is not automatic; such petitions must be submitted to the option representative and approved before the student registers for the course.

Students who fulfill the requirements above will be recommended for candidacy to the doctoral program and a master's degree (if applicable) in Materials Science.

Ph.D. Thesis Requirements

The candidate is to provide a draft copy of his or her completed thesis to the members of the examining committee (typically the same as the thesis advisory committee) at least two weeks before the final oral examination. The date of the examination and the composition of the examining committee will not be approved by the dean of graduate studies until the thesis is submitted in completed form, i.e., ready for review by the dean, the members of the thesis committee, and the Graduate Office proofreader. Registration is required for the term in which the thesis defense is undertaken, but is not normally allowed beyond the last date of the term. For more information, please see the section entitled "Information for Graduate Students" in the Caltech catalog.

Ph.D. Final Examination

The candidate is required to take a final oral examination covering the doctoral thesis and its significance in and relation to his or her major field. It will consist of a public thesis seminar and an associated oral examination on the thesis and related fields. This examination will be held at least two weeks after the doctoral thesis has been presented in its final form, and prior to its approval.

Registration Beyond the Sixth Year of Graduate Residence

A graduate student majoring in another option at the Institute may elect a subject minor in materials science. He or she must obtain approval from the materials science faculty of a course of study containing at least 45 units of advanced courses with a grade of C or higher. Normally a member of the materials science faculty will participate in the candidacy examination in the student's major department.

• Students cannot use courses required by their major option in fulfillment of this requirement.
• Students interested in a minor must receive prior approval from the option representative in materials science, who will review and approve the proposed course of study.
• It is recommended that this course of study include advanced courses spanning different subfields of materials science.

Subject Minor

Graduate Requirements: Geochemistry Option

In addition to general Institute and basic division requirements, candidates for the Ph.D. degree in geochemistry are required to take one term of Ge 109 in the geochemistry option and are required to demonstrate an understanding of the field through a total of 90 units of course work at the 100 level or higher spread over four of the subdisciplines offered in the option: petrology/mineralogy, isotope geochemistry, cosmochemistry, water chemistry/oceans, atmospheres, biogeochemistry, or advanced chemistry. A student with substantial prior experience in some of the subdisciplines may use prior course work to substitute up to 45 of these units with the approval of the geochemistry option representative. In the oral candidacy exam, the student will be subject to examination in all four of the chosen subdisciplines. All students must have a basic knowledge of chemistry at the level of Ch 21 and mathematics at the level of Ge 108.

Students completing the geochemistry academic program are required to submit a tentative proposal for their research no later than May 1 of the third year in residence. This proposal should document the scientific importance of the project relative to previous work, feasibility of completion within an allowable graduate student tenure, and, if any, preliminary results. The proposals will be reviewed by the geochemistry faculty.

Units at Caltech nominally reflect the total hours a typical student will spend per week in the classroom, the lab and with homework. Thus, a nine unit course may involve three hours in the classroom, two hours in a laboratory and four hours doing homework each week.

Option Representative

Geochemistry option representative John Eiler

Current Geochemistry Grads

Click here to see current Geochemistry grad students

Geochemistry Program website

Grad Program FAQs

Division of GPS graduate program FAQ

Offers of Admission and Acceptance

Admission decisions are made by the faculty within the individual academic options. Each option has a different schedule for considering applications and admission will be offered as the faculty make decisions on individual applications. Applicants may be notified at any time between the deadline for submission and April 1. Offers are made as soon as possible so that students will have a chance to consider graduate study at Caltech together with opportunities from other institutions. Many options offer admitted students the chance to visit in order to learn more about the program, the campus, and community prior to making their decision. The arrangements and schedule for visiting days are set by the individual options, and each option will work with admitted students and faculty to coordinate visits.

Once offers of admission are approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies, students will be officially notified of admission by through the online admissions portal. A letter from the Dean is the official Institute notification and discussions and/or written communications with the individual options do not constitute an offer of admission to Caltech and are not binding. Applicants must accept or decline Caltech's offer by April 15, in accordance with the Council of Graduate Schools in order for the decision of admission to be valid.

Acceptance of Admission

Caltech supports the resolution on admission acceptance from the Council of Graduate Schools and expects students to also honor these conditions for accepting an admission offer:

Council of Graduate Schools Resolution

Graduation Requirements, All Options

To qualify for a Bachelor of Science degree at the Institute, students must obtain passing grades in each of the required courses listed below; must satisfy the additional requirements listed under the undergraduate options; must complete a minimum of 486 units; and must achieve a grade-point average of not less than 1.9. Students must also register for the appropriate number of units that results in normal progress toward a B.S. degree.

The baccalaureate degree requires four years (12 terms) of academic enrollment regardless of unit load each term or the total units earned. The four-year academic enrollment requirement is separate from and in addition to any other degree requirements. Students who are admitted as transfer students or 3/2 students may be granted advanced standing and tuition credit for academic work accepted in transfer to Caltech. However, transfer and 3/2 students must enroll for a minimum of six terms at Caltech. Any exceptions must be approved by the dean of undergraduate students and the vice president for student affairs.

Under normal circumstances the core and option requirements for the B.S. degree are those stated in the catalog published in the first year of a student’s enrollment at Caltech. Faculty actions or decisions taken through the Faculty Board and the relevant faculty committees may occasionally result in changes to these requirements. In the event of exceptional circumstances, changes in an individual student’s graduation requirements may be sought by petition to the relevant Faculty Representative(s) through procedures administered by the registrar. Questions should be addressed to the registrar.

Students must register for the Institute requirements in the year specified, unless they have previous credit. If for some reason they are not able to complete the requirements during the proper year, they must register at the earliest possible opportunity. (The Curriculum Committee may in unusual cases excuse undergraduate students from any of the following Institute or option requirements upon presentation of petitions.)

The Institute unit system is described in the opening paragraphs of section five of this catalog.

Graduate Programs

Aims and scope of the graduate program.

The ESE graduate program trains doctoral students to solve fundamental problems in environmental science and engineering. The problems cut across traditional disciplinary boundaries and span space scales ranging from global to local. Students are trained to acquire a broad base of knowledge of environmental systems, including the Earth's atmosphere, oceans, and biosphere. They deepen their knowledge in one or more focus areas, culminating in research leading to a Ph.D. thesis. Reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of research in the ESE program, the program unites faculty from the Divisions of Geological and Planetary Sciences, Engineering and Applied Science, and Chemistry and Chemical Engineering.

Graduate Option Rep

Jörn Callies [email protected]

Options Manager

Julie Lee [email protected]

Graduate Admission

Applicants for admission to the ESE program should have undergraduate preparation in science, engineering, or mathematics. Admission is limited to students intending to pursue the Ph.D. degree.

Information on how to apply is available from the Office of Graduate Studies . The deadline for applications is December 15 of each year.

An academic adviser is appointed for each incoming student to assist in designing his or her academic program. The research adviser is chosen by mutual agreement of the student and adviser during the second year of graduate study, after passing the Ph.D. qualifying examination. The thesis advisory committee (TAC), consisting of four Caltech faculty members including the research adviser, should be constituted and meet with the student soon after the student passes the qualifying examination; thereafter, it should meet with the student annually to review progress and provide guidance and support. Committee membership may be changed if the student's research interests change. The TAC generally serves to approve the student's advancement to candidacy; it may also serve as the examining committee for the final thesis defense.

Master's Degree

Students enrolled in the Ph.D. program may be awarded a master's degree if they have satisfied the Institute requirement of 135 units of work in courses numbered 100 or higher. These courses must satisfy the course requirements of the ESE Ph.D. program.

Degree of Doctor of Philosophy

For the Ph.D. degree, a student must (1) satisfy the course requirements, (2) pass the qualifying examination, (3) advance to candidacy, and (4) complete a thesis and successfully defend it in a final oral examination.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

During their first year, students, in consultation with their academic advisers, must design a program of graduate study that includes a minimum of 135 units of graduate work to be completed before the end of the third year. The course program should take into account the students' individual backgrounds and focus areas, educate them broadly in fundamental questions and methods of contemporary environmental science and engineering, and prepare them for their research.

The course program must include the core courses ESE 101, 102 and 103. Attendance at the weekly research seminars (ESE 104 and ESE 110abc) is required for first-year students and is expected of all graduate students. All students are expected to have knowledge of methods of applied mathematics and statistics on the level of courses such as Ge 108 and ACM/ESE 118. In cases of unusual preparation, students may petition to substitute a similar but more advanced course for one of the required courses.

Additionally, students are required to take 36 units of elective courses from two of the three groups below:

• Environmental biology: ESE/Bi 166, ESE/Bi 168, Ge/ESE 170
• Environmental chemistry: ESE/Ge/Ch 171, ESE 175, ESE 176
• Environmental physics: ESE 130–138, ESE/Ge 139, Ge/ESE 150, ESE/ChE 158

The remaining units of graduate work can be fulfilled by a combination of elective courses in ESE or related disciplines, reading or laboratory courses (ESE 100), and research (ESE 105, 300).  Of the total required 135 units, no more than 45 units may be in research. No more than 27 research units may be taken during the first year of graduate study. Exceptions may be granted by petition.

PH.D. QUALIFYING EXAMINATION

The Ph.D. qualifying examination must be taken during the first term of the student's second year of residency. The examination consists principally of an oral defense of two research propositions, each advised by a different faculty member. Written abstracts must be submitted for both propositions, and one of them must be described in the form of a research report or proposal. The qualifying exam also covers the material of the ESE core courses and of the elective courses the student has taken. In preparation for the qualifying examination, students are encouraged to register for nine units of research (ESE 105) in their second and third terms of residence.

ADVANCEMENT TO CANDIDACY

Students are recommended to advance to candidacy following the successful completion of a candidacy exam with their Thesis Advisory Committee (TAC). The exam, consisting of both a written Ph.D. thesis proposal and an oral presentation of this plan is required, and must be approved by all TAC members. Advancement to candidacy, including all required course work, should be completed before the end of spring term in the student's third year of residency.

THESIS AND FINAL EXAMINATION

Copies of the completed thesis must be provided to the examining committee two weeks before the final oral examination. The final oral examination focuses on the work of the thesis and, according to Institute regulations, must be held at least two weeks before the degree is conferred.

Subject Minor

Students majoring in another option at the Institute may elect a subject minor in environmental science and engineering. They must obtain approval from the ESE Academic Officer for a course of study containing at least 45 units of advanced ESE courses.

Caltech Suspends GRE Requirement for One Year

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Caltech graduate admissions in each division will not require applicants to submit Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores. The GRE has historically been used as a component of evaluation for admission to graduate programs at many universities.

Each division at Caltech, and in some instances the options within those divisions, determines its admission requirements at the graduate level. As such, the faculty in each of those divisions and options had to determine how best to proceed in the coming year.

"Due to COVID-19, it is difficult for a lot of students to take the GREs," says Fiona Harrison, Harold A. Rosen Professor of Physics, and Kent and Joyce Kresa Leadership Chair of the Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy. "While they can in principle be taken at home, the computer platform and camera requirements limit this option to students with enough money to purchase the specialized equipment, which we consider to be overtly discriminatory based on socioeconomic status."

To level that playing field, Caltech's faculty have decided that:

• None of Caltech's 31 graduate options will require GREs for the 2021–22 academic year.
• Twenty-nine options will not accept any GRE scores; two options have made the GREs optional, but with the understanding that not providing scores will have no impact upon an applicant's admission portfolio.
• The GRE requirement has been eliminated entirely by some options, whereas others have suspended the requirement for 1–2 years.

"Barriers to taking the GREs during the pandemic have magnified concerns about systematic biases in standardized tests, the associated financial burden to applicants, and how well the scores are correlated with performance in graduate school," says Dean of Graduate Students Doug Rees, Roscoe Gilkey Dickinson Professor of Chemistry and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator. "A silver lining to the pandemic is that it has catalyzed this movement toward evaluating applications without standardized exams."

"The faculty of the Division of Biology and Biological Engineering (BBE) are in agreement that the GRE requirement be suspended for the upcoming application season due to challenges with test availability during the COVID crisis. Discussions on the GRE requirement as it relates to issues of equity/inclusion are ongoing with the graduate options under BBE," says Steve Mayo (PhD '81), Bren Professor of Biology and Chemistry and formerly the William K. Bowes Jr. Leadership Chair of BBE.

"The COVID situation has created the basis for an easy consensus to do an experiment and see how this goes, in terms of how we will alternatively evaluate graduate admissions in the Division of Geological and Planetary Science (GPS)," says John Grotzinger, Fletcher Jones Professor of Geology, and Ted and Ginger Jenkins Leadership Chair of GPS. "We will reassess at this time next year."

A careful evaluation of the role of standardized tests in admission to Caltech going forward is part of the charge to the advisory committee of faculty, students, and staff that is being constituted to ensure the Institute is identifying and attracting the best and brightest candidates from every background.

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Option Requirements in Chemical Engineering

You can find the option requirements below or in this easy-to-read graphic .

• Ma 2, Ph 2 a, Ch/ChE 9, ChE 15, Ch 21 ab † , Ch 41 ab †, ChE 62, ChE 63 ab, Ch/ChE 91 (or En/Wr 84), ACM 95 ab, ChE 101, ChE 103 abc, ChE 105, ChE 126, and one of [Ec 111, BEM 102, BEM 103] 1.
• Completion of a track (biomolecular, sustainability, process systems, materials, or computational), each consisting of at least 72 units of science or engineering courses. Students should inform the executive officer of their track choice by the beginning of the spring quarter of the sophomore year by providing a planned schedule for completion of all degree requirements. Requirements for the tracks are as follows.

3. Passing grades must be earned in all courses required by the Institute and the option. None of the courses satisfying option requirements may be taken pass/fail (except when courses are only available P/F).

4. Passing grades must be earned in a total of 486 units, including courses listed above.

† As of March 2021, Ch 21c and Ch 41c are no longer option requirements, and these changes will first appear in the 2021-22 catalog, pending approval. Students who matriculated in 2020 or earlier may petition to substitute any courses for Ch 21c and Ch 41c, if desired.

1 The 9 units of Ec 11 or BEM 103 partially satisfy the Institute requirements in humanities and social sciences, but the 9 units of BEM 102 do not.

2 Course is not typically offered every academic year.

3 No more than 18 units of [ChE 90ab or ChE 80] may count as track electives.

4 ChE 118 and/or ChE 120 may be elected provided the design project undertaken contains a significant component relevant to the track.

5 Students in the sustainability track are encouraged to take one policy-related course [BEM/Ec/ESE 1192 or ME/EE/EST 1172] as a track elective

Requirements for a Doctorate in Physics

An advanced degree in physics at Caltech is contingent upon an extensive research achievement. Students in the program are expected to join a research group, carry out independent research, and write publications for peer-reviewed journals as well as a thesis. The thesis work proposed to a Caltech candidacy committee then presented and evaluated by a Caltech thesis committee in a public defense. Initially, students are required to consolidate their knowledge by taking advanced courses in at least three subfields of physics. Students must also pass a written candidacy exam in both classical physics and quantum mechanics in order to progress into the research phase of the degree.

Graduates of our program are expected to have extensive experience with modern research methods, a broad knowledge of contemporary physics, and the ability to perform as independent researchers at the highest intellectual and technical levels.

The PhD requirements are below and are also available in the Caltech Catalog, Section 4: Information for Graduate Students .

Plan of Study

The plan of study is the set of courses that a student will take to complete the Advance Physics Requirement and any courses needed as preparation to pass the Written Candidacy Exams (see below). Any additional courses the student plans to take as part of their graduate curriculum may be included in the plan of study but are not required. Students should consult with their Academic Advisor on their Plan of Study and discuss any exception or special considerations with the Option Representative. 

Log in to REGIS and navigate to the Ph. D. Candidacy Tab of your Graduate Degree Progress page. Add you courses into the Plan of Study section. When complete, click the "Submit Plan of Study to Option Rep" button. This will generate a notice to the Option Rep to approve your plan of study. Once you complete the courses in the Plan of Study, the Advanced Physics Requirement is completed.

Written Candidacy Exams

Physics students must demonstrate proficiency in all areas of basic physics, including classical mechanics (including continuum mechanics), electricity and magnetism, quantum mechanics, statistical physics, optics, basic mathematical methods of physics, and the physical origin of everyday phenomena. A solid understanding of these fundamental areas of physics is considered essential, so proficiency will be tested by written candidacy examinations.

No specific course work is required for the basic physics requirement, but some students may benefit from taking several of the basic graduate courses, such as Ph 106 and Ph 125. In addition, the class Ph 201 will provide additional problem solving training that matches the basic physics requirement.

Exam I: Classical Mechanics and Electromagnetism       Topics include: TBA

Exam 2: Quantum Mechanics, Statistical Mechanics and Thermodynamics      Topics include: TBA

Both exams are offered twice each year (July and October) Email  [email protected]  to sign up

Nothing additional. Sign up for the exam by emailing Mika Walton. The Student Programs Office will update your REGIS record once you pass the exams.

Advanced Physics Requirement

Students must establish a broad understanding of modern physics through study in six graduate courses. The courses must be spread over at least three of the following four areas of advanced physics. Many courses in physics and related areas may be allowed to count toward the Advanced Physics requirements.  Below are some popular examples.  Contact the Physics Option Representative to find out if any particular course not listed here can be used for this requirement. 

Physics of elementary particles and fields (Nuclear Physics, High Energy Physics, String Theory)

                 Ph 139 Intro to Particle Physics                 Ph 205abc Relativistic Quantum Field Theory                 Ph 217 Intro to the Standard Model                 Ph 230 Elementary Particle Theory (offered every two years)                 Ph 250 Intro to String Theory (offered every two years)

Quantum Information and Matter (Atomic/Molecular/Optical Physics, Condensed-Matter Physics, Quantum Information)   

                Ph 127ab Statistical Physics                 Ph 135a Intro to Condensed Matter Physics                 Ph 136a Applications of Classical Physics (Stat Mech, Optics) (offered every two years)                 Ph 137abc Atoms and Photons                 Ph 219abc Quantum Computation                 Ph 223ab Advanced Condensed Matter Physics

Physics of the Universe (Gravitational Physics, Astrophysics, Cosmology)             

                Ph 136b Applications of Classical Physics (Elasticity, Fluid Dynamics) (offered every two years)                 Ph 136c Applications of Classical Physics (Plasma, GR) (offered every two years)                 Ph 236ab Relativity                 Ph 237 Gravitational Waves (offered every two years)                 Ay 121 Radiative Processes

Interdisciplinary Physics (e.g. Biophysics, Applied Physics, Chemical Physics, Mathematical Physics, Experimental Physics)

                Ph 77 Advanced Physics Lab                   Ph 101 Order of magnitude (offered every two years)                 Ph 118 Physics of measurement                 Ph 129 Mathematical Methods of Physics                 Ph 136a Applications of Classical Physics (Stat Mech, Optics) (offered every two years)                 Ph 136b Applications of Classical Physics (Elasticity, Fluid Dynamics) (offered every two years)                 Ph 229 Advanced Mathematical Methods of Physics

Nothing additional. Once you complete the courses in your approved Plan of Study, the Advanced Physics Requirement is complete.

Oral Candidacy Exam

The Oral Candidacy Exam is primarily a test of the candidate's suitability for research in his or her chosen field. Students should consult with the executive officer to assemble their oral candidacy committee. The chair of the committee should be someone other than the research adviser.

The candidacy committee will examine the student's knowledge of his or her chosen field and will consider the appropriateness and scope of the proposed thesis research during the oral candidacy exam. This exam represents the formal commitment of both student and adviser to a research program.

See also the Physics Candidacy FAQs

After the exam, your committee members will enter their result and any comments they may have. Non-Caltech committee members are instructed to send their results and comments to the physics graduate office who will enter the information on their behalf. Once all "pass" results have been entered, the Option Rep will be prompted to recommend you for admission to candidacy. The recommendation goes to the Dean of Graduate Studies who has the final approval to formally admit you to candidacy.

Teaching Requirement

Thesis advisory committee (tac).

After the oral candidacy exam, students will hold annual meetings with their Thesis Advisory Committee (TAC). The TAC will review the research progress and provide feedback and guidance towards completion of the degree. Students should consult with the executive officer to assemble their oral candidacy committee and TAC by the end of their third year. The TAC is normally constituted from the candidacy examiners, but students may propose variations or changes at any time to the option representative. The TAC chair should be someone other than the research Adviser. The TAC chair will typically also serve as the thesis defense chair, but changes may be made in consultation with the Executive Officer and the Option Rep.

What to do in REGIS?

Login to Regis, navigate to the Ph. D. Examination Tab of your Graduate Degree Progress page, and scroll down to the Examination Committee section. Enter the names of your Thesis Advisory Committee members. Click the "Submit Examination Committee for Approval" button and this will automatically generate notifications for the Option Rep and the Dean of Graduate Studies to approve your committee. Enter the date, time and location of your TAC meeting and click "Submit Details." Your committee members will automatically be sent email reminders with the meeting details.

PhD Defense

The final thesis examination will cover the thesis topic and its relation to the general body of knowledge of physics. The candidate should send the thesis document to the defense committee and graduate office at least two weeks prior to the defense date. The defense must take place at least three weeks before the degree is to be conferred. Please refer to the  Graduate Office  and  Library  webpages for thesis guidelines, procedures, and deadlines.

• Date, time, and location of your exam and click the "Submit Examination Details" button. You committee members will automatically be sent email reminders with the exam details. 
• Commencement Information and click the "Submit Commencement Information" button (at least 2 weeks prior to defense)
• Marching Information and click the "Submit your Marching Information" button (at least 2 weeks prior to commencement)