Doctor of Philosophy  in Optical Sciences

The number of units of graduate credit required for the PhD is not specified explicitly; the requirement is for the equivalent of six semesters of full-time study. A minimum of 18 units of dissertation and 54 units of coursework is required. However with the approval of the student's dissertation director, this number may be reduced to 45 units of coursework.  With the approval of the dissertation director a student may list a C graded course on their Plan of Study toward degree completion. Additionally, the student and his or her dissertation director should carefully consider the value of retaking a course in the event of a C grade.  Grades of C in certain courses may be included in the Plan of Study with the approval of the student’s dissertation director on a very limited basis. Opti 597B does not count toward fulfilling the PhD program course requirements.

There are no exceptions to this requirement of a minimum of 45 units.  Independent Study 599 units must meet the Graduate College Policy and be approved by the Associate Dean of Academic Programs. Generally, 6 units of 599 are approved. Note: Only two non-technical courses may count toward the PhD degree requirements.

Note: The 45 units of coursework exception may be appropriate for a minority of students whose field of research requires less advanced courses and greater time for research.  45 course units is NOT the default requirement.

A 54 Unit and C Grade Waiver Form must be signed and submitted along with the student's Doctoral Plan of Study.  Generally, the Doctoral Plan of Study is submitted prior to the Comprehensive Exam.  Submit to Academic Programs Office for approval and processing.

All PhD students must take at least one graduate course in each of eight topic areas as defined by the College of Optical Sciences Core Curriculum.  The Comprehensive Examination will be based on the material in six of those core courses.

Transfer Courses: There is no specified maximum number of units a student may transfer; it depends on one’s background and chosen study program. Subject to department approval, as many as 12 to 18 units may be transferred (usually from math, physics, or engineering).

Working together with their major professor, each student develops a written study plan that will specify the balance between coursework and dissertation units for their PhD degree. This plan must be filed with the department at the time the written portion of the comprehensive  examination is taken. Approved transfer courses are entered in the transfer section on the Plan of Study.

A cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher is required for funding and to be eligible to graduate.

This exam is administered in the form of an interview with a faculty member during the student's first semester in residence.

Students may both major and minor in Optical Sciences which is most common; however it is also possible to minor in another department.  Students taking courses outside Optical Sciences for credit toward a minor in that department must meet with the Graduate Advisor of the other department to ensure all requirements for their minor are met.  In particular, students interested in the quantum optics track of Optical Sciences may wish to consider a minor in Physics.  Nevertheless, students are welcome to take courses in other departments even if they wish to minor in Optical Sciences--we are flexible enough that virtually all of the courses in an outside minor field (related to Optical Sciences) may be taken without formally selecting it as a minor.  The Associate Dean of Academic Programs can advise you if there is any question about whether a specific course is suitable for your degree program.

There is no language requirement for Optical Sciences students.

The comprehensive examination consists of a written examination followed by an oral examination. The written portion is administered near the beginning of the fall and spring semesters, and consists of two 3.5 hour exams covering material in the core courses. Upon passing the written examination, an oral examination is given later in the same semester. The examining committee consists of the student's dissertation advisor plus three or four additional professors chosen from other areas of optics. The comprehensive examination may only be taken by students in the PhD program who have passed a minimum of 32 units of graduate coursework (including transfer units from other institutions, but not including dissertation units).  Most students take this exam during their fifth or sixth semester in residence, although it may be taken earlier or later, depending on the circumstances. See the appropriate Optical Sciences and Graduate College documents for more details.

The dissertation proposal examination is an oral examination administered by the student’s dissertation committee. This committee consists of the student's dissertation advisor plus two additional members nominated by the student in consultation with his or her advisor and approved by the Associate Dean of Academic Programs. Its purpose is to determine if the coursework and other studies undertaken by the student in their area of specialization has adequately prepared them for their proposed dissertation research. This examination is taken after the student has passed the written and oral comprehensive examinations and substantially completed their coursework. It typically lasts one to two hours. For most students, this will be near the end of their third year of full-time study, but it may not be later than one year prior to the completion of the dissertation and/or the student’s final oral dissertation defense. It is preferable that this examination be taken as near to the beginning of a student’s dissertation research as possible.

The Committee Appointment Form must be submitted to the Graduate Degree Certification Office before scheduling the Final Oral Defense Examination. It should be submitted as soon as the student completes the written and oral comprehensive exam or the Dissertation Proposal Exam. 

This examination is commonly referred to as a defense of the dissertation, although general questioning related to the field of optical sciences may naturally develop during the course of the exam. It is administered by the student’s dissertation committee. The dissertation committee is comprised of at least 3 tenure or tenure track faculty. If appropriate to the student’s dissertation research, one non tenure or tenure track faculty can be approved by Degree Certification. The time and place must be scheduled about two weeks in advance. It is open to the public. See the appropriate Optical Sciences and Graduate College documents for more details.

Degrees must be completed within five years of the student’s completion of his/her Oral Comprehensive Examination. The Graduate College will grant extensions to complete degrees only in exceptional circumstances and may require students to retake the Comprehensive Examination. The average time to degree for PhD program is 5.5 years.

With approval of the Associate Dean, graduate work completed at another graduate-accredited institution may be transferred, provided these courses received a grade of A or B, are comparable to a UA course, and were not used toward an undergraduate degree. Students must complete An Evaluation of Transfer Credit for approval by the Associate Dean in their first semester.

Waivers to these requirements may be granted by the Associate Dean of Academic Programs when determined to be in the best interest of the student and the College.  The student's dissertation director will often be consulted prior to granting a waiver.  All such waivers must be in accordance with the policies of the University of Arizona. 

PhD Student Reference Manual

The student reference manual conveys Optical Sciences practices and procedures in addition to degree completion requirements, deadlines and policies.