Ph.d Definition and 182 Threads

I am attempting to write applications for physics Ph.D. positions right now and I feel as if I am hitting a brick wall. I have "narrowed" it down to wanting to do a Ph.D. either related to inertial confinement fusion, particle or nuclear physics. I know I'm supposed to be advertising my skills...

I'm aiming to have applied for a Ph.D. or two by the end of this week, been meaning to do this for months but coursework & exam preparations have left me with no spare time until now. The first thing I wanted to ask is, is it realistically possible to make a good, complete application for a...

Credits to Matt Might, whomever he is: http://matt.might.net/articles/phd-school-in-pictures/

So here is my situation. I am currently going into my last semester of a masters program in physics with a focus on theoretical condensed matter at lesser known university. My original plan was to finish with my masters and try to find a job. However, the semester after I graduate, my school...

I'm interested in the idea of getting a Ph.D. in math. I'm currently pursuing a BS at a mediocre school in Math and Computer Science. My tentative mathematics plan is Calculus I-III, Linear Algebra, Number Theory, Elementary Topology I-II, Elementary Modern Algebra I-II and "Advanced Calculus"...

Hi everybody, I'm not entirely sure if this should be posted here or in the Quantum Physics section, if a moderator feels it would be more suitable there, please feel free to move it. As the title indicates, I'm a mathematics Ph.D student (studying Vertex Operator Algebras) and I'm interested...

I am currently working on my BSEE, a degree I settled on due primarily to financial stability compared to taking a BS in physics or Astronomy. However, I am hoping perhaps to graduate and go into an Astronomy Ph.d. program as that is my true passion. I am hoping that my EE background would...

Hi I am currently an undergrad. studying electronics and communication engineering in India. I had no intention of studying that particular subject, but I chose it since I couldn't make it into a physics undergrad. programme (not because I'm bad enough academically, but due to some technical...

Hi, I asked a question about a week ago -- and didn't receive a response, so I'm trying a perhaps easier question. :) About hour many hours per week should one expect to spend earning a Ph.D. in Mathematics? Thanks, David

I was wondering if its possible to start on you dissertation in your sophomore or undergraduate years. I want to start on this to plan ahead.

Hi, I am applying to graduate schools this fall, and I could really use some guidance in finding a program that would be a good fit. The way I see it, there are two things I must consider: Applying to programs that may accept me, and applying to programs I would want to attend. :) I attended...

Hello, I'm a Mechanical Engineering grad with a M.S. in Controls and Dynamics and have been working for a year. I was originally set to get a Ph.D in Controls but I kind of got burnt out on being a student and settled for a M.S. (would have just left but it took so long to find a job I ended...

I've read that Stephen Hawking teaches Math in Cambridge also, but he only has a Ph.D in Physics. Now I love both subjects equally, but I know that in order to really study Physics I am going to need Ph.D in Physics so they allow me to play with those toys. When you become an instructor...

Keeping it simple: on average for a university Ph.D. program in physics, what are the rough weightings of the different credentials for entrance? Example: GPA (~25%) -also, does undergraduate school or class rank matter? Research (~30%) -for this: is quantity or the quality more important...

Aiming for Ph.D. in math -- am I screwed? I just finished my first year of college this May, declared a double major in mathematics and philosophy, and after a lot of thought, I'm pretty sure that I want to go to a Ph.D. program in pure mathematics. Not aiming for the ridiculously top schools...

There have been threads here suggesting that having a Ph.D. can be a handicap in getting a job. This has been completely counter to my own personal experience, but I am fully aware that I don't know everything... :-) So, I would like to ask: 1) Are you a Ph.D. who didn't get a job...

Background info about myself: I am 30 years old. I got BA with double major in physics and math at UC Berkeley in 2001. I got Masters in Physics at University of Minnesota in 2004, and I got ph.d. in Physics, at University of Michigan in 2009. I am now pursuing my post doc in Raman Research...

See another note on Medical Physics. The Ph.D. degree is a handicap in the job market for clinical medical physicists Med. Phys. Volume 27, Issue 12, pp. 2641-2643 (December 2000)

I am a 28 year-old postdoctoral scholar at a major research university on the West Coast. Two years ago I finished my Ph.D. in physics at another major research university on the East Coast and now I am considering getting a second Ph.D. in history. I have regretfully concluded after much...

Hi I would like to pursue Ph.D. in Computer Science in Germany. I have completed my Master of Science in Computing from UK. I am finding it difficult to find the universities or the correct way. Will you please help me? Thanks.

So apparently MIT has no M.S. program in math. I got this directly off their site: http://math.mit.edu/academics/grad/admission/. My question, then, is would it be appropriate (or reasonable) to apply for the Ph.D. program without going for an M.S. first? By the time I get my B.S., I will...

So I will graduate in a few weeks with a B.Sc. in physics and I will begin my phD studies in the fall in mechanical engineering. Paticularly, my research will be in materials. Can anyone shed some light on this transition? I understand that there will be loads of work and some makeup classes...

Are there sources that show the Ph.D graduation rates for physics or astronomy? Someone told me the drop out rate was around 50% on average.

So a lot of people have been telling me that it's impossible or pointless to get two Ph.Ds in both fields. Which is better? I like both, if I do Theoretical Physics, would I get both?

Hello, World! I'm taking computer science courses at undergrad level and want to get into computer science Ph.D. program. I have M.A. in biology, so I'm curious if anybody has good ideas on how to bridge the fields. How much do admission committees care about GRE? What courses in comp sci I...

( a B.Sc. in mathematics and physics and an M.A. and Ph.D. in engineering, that is ) ? When people have multiple degrees do they work on each simultaneously, or do they usually work on one at a time, and do the classes that they took previously ever count towards another degree?

Hi, I am half way of a Ph.D. in theoretical particle physics in an European university. I have started to worry about my future after learning how really difficult it is to get a position, how much do postdocs earn and how difficult it is for some to find a good job outside academy. The truth...

Hi, I'm an Engineer and a Ph.D. student in Applied Maths, working in the field of Nonlinear Finite Elements for Elasticity. I often think about my future career since, by now, I have a strong experience with coding FE in C++/Matlab/Mathematica, but no clue whatsoever about commercial black-box...

They seem so similar, at least in the research, Ph.D area. I am in grade 12 right now, the last year of high school. I am 100% willing to pursue a Ph.D down the road, as I know that is required for research jobs. Thank you.

This is my first post on PF, but I've been lurking for a while, and I hope the collective wisdom of the community can help me out in a moment of quarter-life crisis. I'm in the terminal stages of finishing up my Ph.D. at a respectable but not superlative institution. I've been working in...

I am still a senior in high school and I am goin go to graduate next year and go to university next year. I was in the career center today and the teacher asked how many students here are pursuing a career in Physics? And a few of us put our hands up. The teacher said that it is a wise...

Does Harvard expect people with straight A's in every subject in academic (including history, English, etc.) and perfect 2400 on SAT for getting into Ph.D program in mathematics in Harvard, or they expect just average scores on other academic subjects and SAT, but perfect 800 on mathematics on...

Hi guys, i currently graduated from Northumbria University, which i know is not an excellent university, but somehow i got reasonably good grade, i have applied directly into Ph.D, will there be any problem for my future carrier if i pursue my Ph.D without completing masters? And i think i...

To those of you in physics, what age did you obtain ph.d. ? And to those of you who didn't get ph.d. yet, what age do you anticipate in getting it?

Is this true? I want a Ph.D in Physics, Mathematics, and perhaps Chemistry. Biology (if that exists) and Psychology if I have the time

I'm curious, is there a "Ph.D. bubble" in math that is similar to the one in physics? Specifically, what percentage of graduating math Ph.D.s end up getting tenure?

If someone wants to go for a Ph.D program for physics at MIT, then what are the general requirements? And, how long does it take, and how much does it cost?

Hi, I'm from India and have completed my msters in physics. I've scored 78% in my U.G. and 66% in P.G. My english language skill is fairly good. Could you Plz. suggest any abroad universities where i can apply for my further studies (preferably Europe but other places are equally welcome). And...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrcWntw9juM&feature=related This is a neat video, id be interested to hear what others think.

How easy or hard is it to get a physics job with a Ph.D in physics? I hear horror stories of having to work as a postdoc for 10 years after getting the Ph.D making 30k...are these true? Is it possible for a reasonably talented (on the Ph.D scale) physicist to make at least 70k 1-2 years after...

I graduated with a BS in Engineering Physics 7 years ago, and at that time I wasn't able to go to grad school. Since then I've been doing computer software and frankly hate it, and really wish I could have finished my education then. Anyhow, I would like to go pursue the advanced degree in...

Okay, I really wanted to get a Ph.D on either mathematics or physics. I have current knowledge all the way up to differential equations for mathematics, and just classical mechanics and Principia for physics. I will go for the doctoral degree after six years (after the Navy). If I want to get a...

This is really disappointing! Germany: 100 professors suspected of Ph.D. bribes http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090822/ap_on_re_eu/eu_germany_university_investigation Well - academicians are only human. So much for the Ivory Towers. :frown:

So I've decided I wanted to attend UF straight through to my PhD I realize this might be looked down upon but It's a thing I'm willing to take. UF has a Bs/Ms program for physics where a student Can get a Masters degree in Physics in 5 years. A master degree takes off 30 credits required for a...

Introduction Hi folks, After spending a few years in the army, I decided to go back to college and finish up my BS in Physics. As of the time of this writing, I've got about a year left before I graduate. I'm looking at different post-graduate options, including grad school (I'd like to...

I had an interesting conversation today with one of the senior professors in my department. It was in the context of students who have some difficulty in defining a project. What came into question was the level of independence of Ph.D. students should display with respect to their research...

I was reading Zapper Z's "So you want to be a physicist" article. I'd like to ask how much does a Ph.D Student earn on average if they are a research assistant? Thanks!

B.A. in Biochemistry ---> Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering? Hi everyone, I've been freaking out a bit about grad school and wondering whether I have a chance. The guidance at my small liberal arts college is good, but I doubt that even one person per year goes on to grad school in BME, so the...

Hi, (This is a long post, so hopefully someone has time to read it) I am trying to make my SOPs as good as possible for the last applications I have left. I already sent in them for 5 universities, but there's still a few to go... My background is that I am studying in Europe, and I really...

I am trying to get some feedback on my possibilities of attending Graduate School for a Ph.D in Pure Mathematics. Specifically, if it is possible... which universities can I expect to receive acceptance from. Which types? In specific, my highest goal is UVA, (University of Virginia). I have...