Physics Department Graduate courses

Forms for Physics Graduate Students

This is only a list of quick links to common forms for Physics graduate students. Please see the various university pagees that are referenced for more forms and full context including due dates and where to submit the forms.

Physics Program

• TA application form

Culminating Experience Forms

• Supervised course form to sign up for 297 (directed research), 298 (reserach report writing) or 299 (thesis writing)
• Research report/Thesis Presentation Completion Form
  
  
• Thesis forms are available from grad studies and linked below:

• Thesis Guidelines
• Thesis information packet

Graduate Admission Forms

GAPE maintains a comprehensive list of forms for graduate students, the most common of which are linked below:

• Change of Classification from conditional to classified standing
• Petition for Advancement to Graduate Candidacy
• Petition for Graduate Course Withdrawal
• Request for Course Substitution in Master's Degree Program
• Request for validation of transfer credit

University Forms

• Leave of absense form

Graduate and Postbaccalaureate Information

The following are rought guidelines for when things are due. For exact dates see the official deadline for current students and for prospective students

• Spring applicants
• October accepting applications for Spring enrollment
• Fall applicants
• November-March accepting applications for Fall enrollment
• Spring graduates
• Beginning of October candidacy form is due
• 2nd week of February Graduation application is due
• Beginning of April Thesis is due for review
• 2nd week of June
Thesis is due for publication
• Summer graduates
• Beginning of February candidacy form is due
• 3rd week of March Graduation application is due
• End of June Thesis is due for review
• Mid September
Thesis is due for publication
• Fall graduates
• Beginning of April candidacy form is due
• 2nd week of September Graduation application is due
• Beginning of November Thesis is due for review
• 2nd week of January
Thesis is due for publication

Physics Department Graduate Student FAQs

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Prospective Student Info

Information for prospective students that applies to all graduate students is available from Graduate Admissions and Program Evaluations. A few hilights are listed below, followed by information specific to the department of Physics and Astronomy.

General Info for Applicants

• Financial Aid
• Admission Deadlines
• How to Apply
  
• Admission requirements

Department Info

Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 2.5 to be considered. Letters of recommendation are not required, and the GRE is not required.  For applicants without an undergraduate degree in physics we will typically require that you complete upper division classes in classical mechanics, electricity & magnetism, and quantum mechanics (at SJSU these classes are Phy 105, Phys 110 and Phys 163).  These can be taken before applying, or can be taken after joining the program as a condition of advancement to candidacy.   

 

The department offers the following:

• We offer an MS degree in Physics (degree requirements) and a concentration in computational physics as well as a concnetration in optics. Beyond these concentrations, we have groups of faculty with expertise in condensed matter, astronomy and astrophysics, as well as physics education research.
• All of our graduate classes are offered in the afternoon or evening to accomodate students with daytime jobs.
• We have opportunities for students as teaching assistants of lower division lab courses, research assistants, and tutors.
• It typically takes 2-3 year to obtain a masters degree (see an example plan of study), however it is possible to take up to 7 years if you have other life activities that you need to schedule around.

Info for foreign applicants

• Students whose undergraduate education was not principally in English must demonstrate English proficiency. As of Spring 2020 this required

  English language proficiency examination	Minimum score
  TOEFL Internet-based	80
  TOEFL computer-based	213
  TOEFL paper-based	550
  International English Language Testing System (IELTS)	6.5
  Pearson Test of English (PTE)	53

  See the section of the university catalog titled English Language Proficiency Requirement- Graduate Applicants for the official current requirements.