Is it possible to get a PhD in Physics in 2 years in the US?

[1v1Dota2RightMeow]

A PhD is not a test of how many books you can read, or what you can memorize. It's going to ask you to make an original contribution to your field. Have you done any research up to this point? Have you worked on an original project with anyone? Do you even know if you're going to enjoy it?

I'm all for the original contribution part. I never once considered that learning is just memorizing. In fact, I've been against that since I found out in high school how utterly useless it is when you have to creatively approach a new problem.

Research, I have not done yet. I hope to get some experience next fall (right now my classes/job are taking up a lot of my time) when my class schedule winds down.

Working on an original idea? I have boatloads of experience in that department. I've been an inventor all my life, whether it was physically making something or designing something on paper. I like to think about ideas and plan them out.

So yes, developing an original idea in physics sounds like fun.

I don't have much of an interest in teaching.

 

[Dr. Courtney]

7.5 years in graduate school (masters and PhD) seems to me a little on the long side -- I'm surprised that funding is not capped at about 6 years. At my alma mater (University of Toronto, but this should apply to most if not all Canadian universities), one generally start a PhD program after first completing a masters degree (which is generally 1-2 years in length).

My understanding is that once a student is enrolled in a PhD program, it is generally expected that he/she finish his/her PhD in 4 years, and the funding is usually capped at 4 years (for a total of 5-6 years in graduate school). Students who need to extend their PhD program past the 4 years will need to apply an extension for extra funding from the department or from government agency funding like NSERC, or otherwise will obtain private funding.

Do PhD students in physics in the US generally are funded past the 5 year mark?

It's up to the PI. Generally speaking, PhD students' value to the PI on research assistantships (RAs) increase over time. I wasn't contributing much in the first few years, because I was taking a lot of classes, passing general exams, and learning the ropes. Years 4 - 5.5 were my really productive years. I'm sure my research adviser (PI on the grants) would have loved to keep me another year or two. In AMO physics, it is common to keep paying grad students for as long as 8-9 years as long as they are productive.

I've never known my PhD adviser (Dan Kleppner) to pressure anyone to graduate. The student has to go to him and say, "I'm ready to write my thesis now." The return on investment is much greater on grad students after 3 years, and after 5, the PIs are getting post-doc quality for a much smaller investment.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Where and when I was a student, grad students cost to the grant varied. Before one of the hurdles (taken in year 3 or 4) students were more expensive, then they got cheaper, and after 6 or 7 years they started getting expensive again - eventually approaching the price of a postdoc. This motivated the advisor to move the student along.

 

[eri]

The students I knew who took more than 8 years to graduate were still being funded (although the 12 year one was on TAs, so making about an adjunct salary at best).

 

[1v1Dota2RightMeow]

Why can you only start at 27? is it financial issues? Also where would you be willing to live? Are you willing to relocate? If not can be done about getting a PhD earlier, what would you do in those two years?

Interesting that you'd find university research suffocating. By the way, if you are thinking of going to interdisciplinary research (as it seems to be the case) look at institutes that offer this.

I agree with the advice of getting a PhD. I can't speak from myself, since I will be applying (younger than you) for next year, but that is what I hear: both academia and industry values a PhD.

Now this is my opinion, but I think you should focus on one thing, at least for now, even though you like going off in many different directions. A PhD would be great for that too.

Financial constraints, yes. I have a deal with my brother that after I get my bachelor's I'm going to help him pay for his degree.

 

[Lucas SV]

Good luck! I hope you also learn some good skills in your job to pay him up.

 

[mpresic]

Your thesis adviser might want to get more than two years work out of you. It would be very rare for someone to receive a doctorate with only two years of graduate study. Most programs provide a timetable which is more in the 5-7 year range.