Phd Definition and 1000 Threads

Hello, PF members. This is my first post here. I got my undergrad result for final semester few days ago and to my surprise it showed that I have failed in 'classical dynamics'. This is not at all possible as I clearly remember it being easy and quite simple. What bothers me more is that I had...

I need to decide if I want to continue onto a PhD in Electrical Engineering or exit with my MS. I'm not sure what to do, I think academics is kind of cool and I would like to learn more, on the otherhand I sort of want to start working on Real World projects that have some impact and making an...

Hello! Fellowships: I'm going to be applying to grad schools by the end of this year and hope to start one beginning fall 2020. I've heard from people that having a fellowship prior to entering grad school not only is looked upon positively in your application, but also broadens the area in...

Hello everyone I've recently started a PhD program at a pretty respected university even though I wouldn't want to disclose the exact field. My background is in physics and electrical/electronic engineering (BSc in both, MSc in Electronic Engineering). After I graduated with my MSc I got hired...

Hi PF community! Let me briefly expose you all my situation. I have a degree in Biotech but I've always been interested in Physics. Once I finished it I decided to start studying Physics and it has been the best decision I've ever taken in my life. I am currently in a 3 year programme which...

Is it common for physics grads to change the topic of their research focus (staying within physics) while at graduate school?

I have my PhD viva in about a months time, part of it is to give an introductory presentation. Since I'm sure some members here examine PhD students in their viva, I would like to ask what they would consider a good lenth of time for the presentation? I don't want to annoy the examiner by having...

Hi, I've got little over a year left until I get my masters degree in physics, my bachelor degree was pretty much all theory and very little lab-work so I decided to change it up for my master and go more or less full experimental physics. I'll be spending the final year on an exchange in Mexico...

In the USA, a bachelor is required to be accepted into a PhD program. A bachelor takes 4 years, and a PhD takes about 5-6 years (https://www.postgrad.com/study-in-usa/phd-in-usa/). If you have a Masters degree it may take 1 year less (which is weighted out with the duration of the master). So it...

My background is BS Math with Physics minor (3.5) and MA Math (3.7) from the University of Houston. My current plan is to explore the necessary background for doing research in finite element analysis. Over the next few semesters, I plan to take Numerical Methods for PDEs, Statistical Computing...

I have a major in Mathematics and Mathematical Physics and I'm finishing a masters in Physics (just finishing to write down the dissertation really). I have also already enrolled the PhD course so that I need now to pick an advisor and a theme before june. My main interest since the early days...

Greetings, so I just got a position at a pretty good CDT in the UK, focussed on "mathematical modelling and computation". Participating students and supervisors come from pure and applied mathematics, but also theoretical physics, chemistry and so on. The focus of the first year of courses and...

Are there any universities that offers a online PhD degree program in Physics? -thanks!

Hello, I've recently been admitted to the MSc QFFF program at Imperial College London for the 2019-2020 year and am seeking advice regarding possible career paths/was wondering if anyone is in a similar situation. My end goal is to do a PhD in the United States since (for non-academic reasons)...

Is it advisable or possible to get a Master's in physics or astrophysics while doing a PhD in medical physics? I chose to pursue a medical physics PhD over physics. I love the rigorous coursework of physics, however, and my medical physics program is separate from the physics program and is...

First of all we are talking about theoretical physics (particle physics, general relativity and cosmology) These textbooks start from high school level physics and math and cover everything from there (both math and physics wise).

Hi. I’m currently self-learning physics and hopefully will apply for a PhD in physics, but there are some problems troubling me. I received my BS. and MS. degrees in EE in China. I’ve been working for five years since then. From high school, my two major interests are physics and computer...

Program? I am an Australian student, may think about studying in America (saw video of Andrew Dottson mentioning it), in the future. Is it possible to take grad maths courses, e.g. algebraic topology/geometry, complex analysis, representation-theory/lie-groups, PDEs, Measure Theory, Functional...

First post, so I'm not entirely sure if this is the right place to post this. I have been accepted as a PhD student at the Stevens Institute of Technology. It's my ideal institute as my area of interest is in nanofabrication/nanophotonics and their lab is top tier in this regard. I was not...

I have a quick question about what is generally expected during an interview for a position in industry when you have a PhD. When applying for my first industry job out of grad school I gave a presentation about my work as a PhD candidate during the interview. Is this sort of presentation...

Hi Folks, I am currently an student studying MSc Theoretical Particle physics in the UK. For my undergraduate degree I studied Astrophysics. I have always been aiming for a PhD, but have struggled a great deal to tie myself down to a particular field within physics. I have been...

Hey folks. I could really use some advice as I'm in a bit of a situation... I graduated in 2018 with a 1st in Theoretical Physics from a well respected UK uni, and at the time I was fairly sure that I wanted to pursue a PhD in HEP. I had tailored my final year MSci modules to reflect this, and...

Is doing a PhD at the same uni that you completed your undergrad degree fine? Is it bad, should you avoid it? I'm currently in the 4th year of my physics degree, doing my honours year, and my supervisor has mentioned that I am in a good position to continue to do a PhD with him. While I'm happy...

If you were to establish a curriculum for a Probability PhD program, what courses would you include as a prerequisite to doing research? So far, I have: analysis, complex analysis, functional analysis, stochastic analysis, measure theory, and partial differential equations. This presupposes...

I know this topic has been discussed a lot on this forum, but I had trouble finding an answer to my precise question. Current Understanding: I have read up on the differences between the US and European graduate systems. I understand US merges MS and PhD programs resulting in an average...

Hi all, I recently got accepted to do a PhD into High Energy Physics groups at Oxford, Imperial, UCL, Cambridge and Manchester. My main interest is neutrino physics, which all of these places are offering. However, I am struggling to pick between Oxford and Imperial. I have met and discussed...

I Know this is prob the wrong site to post this but... Hello, I am a student at a low-ranked college in New York State actively pursuing a bachelors (BA) in Math in my junior year. I have a 3.7 GPA overall and a 3.73 in Math. I am looking to apply to PHD programs next year in Statistics or in...

Currently, I am doing a master in mathematical physics. I am interested in particles& field theory and want to apply a PhD in this field. But I am not sure whether I can... I just learned a little high energy physics from Griffth and Peskin' book on elementary particles and QFT. Recently, I...

Hi I am now about to pursue my PhD in cosmology and my guide has told me to find a problem which can be solved (which will be my research topic) regarding dark energy or general relativity. I find it very difficult to choose a topic . Now it would be very beneficial if this community people...

Hello everyone, I am currently finishing my Masters in Theoretical Physics and looking forward to continue in a PhD. I always thought I would love String Theory, and now that i am actually doing it I see that my feeling was correct. I do not know why but trying to understand its concepts...

Hi I have to combine studies with work. However, due to illness, it seems like I may not be able to finish a normal masters degree (my body reacts really badly to the two-three weeks of exam season while working). While my health is improving, I am also becoming impatient. How hard is it to...

Hello everyone,Upon my comment on the insight "Applying for Physics Graduate School - Comments", Mr. Bill (bhobba) suggested that I need to write an individual post regarding my inquiry. I am looking for physics graduate programs (PhD). My senior project/thesis was on classical field theory and...

I had a presumption that PhD admissions happen all year. Apparently I was wrong, and this could cost me. I am going to take the physics GRE on march and the general GRE probably after that. This means if I want to get admitted for a university on fall semester, I will have to wait about two...

Hello, first post here, didn't know this existed until very recently. I was going to ask if anyone could give me some advice regarding living and working in Switzerland. I will be done with my Bachelor's in Physics (With a specialty in Research, this is a Swedish invention, but it amounts to...

Hello. I'm currently beginning my 2nd semester of a dual Msc/PhD in Physics in the top university of my home country, but lately I've been struggling with self-doubt and uncertainty about the job prospects and whether research is actually for me. To give you some background. Since I was in high...

Hey there Finished my PhD and returned to my home country. This topic might alienate most users of this forum because it's specialized for Brazil. From my experience (as a student) all I know a physicist with a path similar to mine does here is work in universities as a professor, teaching...

I am currently a double major pursuing a double major in BS mechanical engineering and a BS in applied physics, also two certificates in coding and lab instrumentation. I work as an engineering intern while going to school full time and have had research experience with a professor working on a...

I'm currently in the process of applying for research positions in my field, unfortunately it's somewhat niche and research positions rarely become available. When they do they tend to go to those who they know already. So, I'm having to look at different research fields, which is kind of...

I have read that postdocs are extremely hard to come by in Astrophysics, and is likely a dead end at the end of the PHD and that Condensed Matter is less competitive in academia. Would a Condensed Matter PhD also provide more opportunities in UK science industry - in particular the life sciences...

Hi! I'm currently applying for a masters program in theoretical physics, more specifically in String and Quantum Field theory. I will apply for Oxford, Kings college, Imperial college and Perimeter Institute among other universities and institutions. However, I also want to go to Uppsala...

Greetings, I recently started a PhD in Belgium after resigning from my current job (IT branch) in my home country, Turkey. It was a global company and I had been working there for around 8 months when I resigned. I realized that what I want is a solid job as soon as possible and now I am in the...

Hi everybody, I have been thinking about this topic for weeks, without getting a definitive answer... I am a physics student in Heidelberg, Germany, just graduated with my Bachelor. I have worked on a research project in Hong Kong (from which I'll likely have my first publication) and have a...

Hello, In general, if you want to do a phD. you require a MASc., at least here in Canada. However, because I am eager and really wanting to start my career in structural engineering, I want to pursue M.Eng (a 1 year professional degree, no thesis). My question is, in your experience, has...

(1) Can someone please give the information regarding admission to PhD(physics) specially cosmology in the European universities and admission only through interviews and research proposal is possible?? Listing some of them would be more beneficial. (2) And the rough estimate for the course fee...

I have completed my Msc(physics) and Currently enrolled in PhD( cosmology) in India. For the sake of scope and knowledge if I want to pursue my PhD in physical cosmology abroad (e.g.other than India). Which are the institutes which will be better( may be not the best )for appyling without the...

Say by the time I complete my undergraduate studies, I also complete topics taught in M.Sc. by myself. So, without formally doing an M.Sc., can I join PhD after B.Sc., given that I am sure that I am as able as a student who has formally completed masters? My field of interest here is physics...

Is there really much of a difference between an astronomy PhD and an astrophysics PhD? There seems to be a lot of overlap in the fields, and it seems that both can qualify you for many of the same careers, it just depends on the PhD focus. For an example, I'm very interested in almost all areas...

I am currently applying for Phd's for next year as I am a final year Mphys Physics student. I am only interested in theoretical physics (i know the risks). The problem is that I can't find any theoretical PhDs in particle physics where I would do research in Dark Matter. My question is whether...

Hi all! I'm currently a 4th year student in Combined Physics and CPCS in a top 3 university in Canada and trying to apply for grad school in top schools in US. I did very well in my undergrad, got a fellowship to work at a National Lab from which I got 2 publications in PRC (but is n-th author...

Dear Forum member, I want to pursue research in Liquid Crystal Physics / Engineering, are you aware of any laboratories or university departments actively researching in this field in Canada or Germany? I will be very if you are aware of active groups and share their names. Thanks