PhD in Physics
Rapid City, USA
DURATION
4 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
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EARLIEST START DATE
Jan 2025
TUITION FEES
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STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
Introduction
Bolstered by its proximity to the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF), the nation’s leading site for underground nuclear and particle physics, the Ph.D. program at South Dakota Mines provides unique opportunities for research into the underlying principles of the natural world. Our internationally recognized faculty lead students in searches for the dark matter of the universe, studies of the nature of the neutrino and the origin of the chemical elements, as well as research into condensed matter, e.g. phase transitions in ferroelectric and magnetic materials or quantum materials. Graduate students can also investigate topics in atmospheric physics. For more on the departmental research click here.
The mission of the physics Ph.D. program is to provide students with quality graduate instruction and research experiences that will prepare them for various career options in academia, industry, and at national labs. First-year students may be teaching assistants or research assistants; teaching load is light in order to allow an early start in research. Important milestones in the course of our program are the qualifying exam, typically taken after completing the required coursework, and the oral comprehensive exam, in which students defend their dissertation topics.
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Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
Financial assistance is dependent on the department and funding that is available in a given year.
Financial assistance is available for graduate teaching assistants (GTA) and for graduate research assistants (GRA). A GTA handles laboratory sections, grades papers, or performs other assigned instructional duties. A GRA is compensated to conduct supervised research, which generally relates to the student’s thesis or dissertation research.
A full-time GTA or GRA is equivalent to approximately twenty (20) hours per week of assigned duties during the academic year. Part-time service is compensated in accordance with expected hourly effort. Completion of coursework and other degree requirements requires additional effort beyond compensated hours. Graduate assistants must be degree-seeking students and registered full-time (9 or 10 credits each fall and spring semester, and 2 credits each summer session) during the period of appointment.
Approximately 50% of all graduate students receive assistantships. Graduate assistants who hold a teaching or research assistantship are eligible for a tuition reduction that covers 100% of tuition and program fees for campus courses. The general activity fee and other miscellaneous fees as applicable are assessed at the regular rate. Specialty courses such as field camp and remedial courses are not eligible fore reduced tuition. For an out of state Master's student, the value of a 20-hour per week assistantship with tuition reduction is at least $25,000 for the academic year. Ph.D. stipends are typically higher. Additional summer support may also be available.
Admitted students will be automatically considered for research assistantship support based on the information provided in the admissions application. No further application materials are required. Financial awards are primarily granted to research students who begin enrollment in the fall. Graduate students wishing to be considered for financial assistance should submit their application and all required admission documents by February 15.
Program Tuition Fee
English Language Requirements
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