2008–2009 - Florida Institute of Technology

PHY 5031 Quantum Mechanics 2 ........................................................3
PHY 5035 Solid State Physics 1 ............................................................3
PHY 5036 Solid State Physics 2 ............................................................3
PHY 5045 Introduction to Elementary Particle Physics ........................3
PHY 5080 Thermodynamics ..................................................................3
PHY 5081 Statistical Mechanics ...........................................................3
PHY 5999 Thesis ...............................................................................3–6
Students may substitute other physics-related courses for the
courses listed above with the approval of their academic adviser
and department head. Up to six semester hours of credit may be
earned in thesis research and preparation. Students not taking
the thesis option must take three credit hours of graduate laboratory
work (PHY 5088, PHY 5089) unless excused by the department
head.
A general written examination is required in the second semester
of residence for diagnosing any deficiencies in undergraduate
preparation. Any deficiencies must be removed before a degree
will be granted, as evidenced by written examination.
Before the master’s degree is granted, the student must pass a
final oral examination administered by a committee of three or
more members of the graduate faculty selected by the student
and the departmental adviser and including at least one member
from outside the physics department. The oral examination
emphasizes, but is not necessarily restricted to, subject matter
related to the field of the thesis. For students not electing to
do a thesis, the oral examination covers the general area of the
student’s graduate studies.
Space Sciences _____________________________
The space sciences graduate program stresses many subfields of
space studies, such as stellar and galactic astrophysics, stellar
photometry and spectroscopy, space physics, solar-terrestrial
interrelation and space weather, solar energetic particles and
cosmic ray physics, physics of planetary lightning discharges,
energetic radiations from thunderstorms and lightning, and space
exploration/instrumentation. Graduate study in space sciences
at the master’s level prepares the graduates for continued and
specialized study toward the doctorate program in space related
fields as well as a wide range of scientific and technical responsibilities
in industry and government related directly or indirectly
to the space program.
Admission Requirements
An applicant for admission should have a bachelor’s degree in
physics, mathematics, space science or an engineering field.
General admission requirements and the process of applying are
presented in the Academic Overview section of this catalog. The
GRE scores from both the general and subject test in physics are
recommended but not required.
Curriculum
The graduate program is a continuation of the physics and space
sciences undergraduate curriculum at Florida Tech; students
who have had a different undergraduate curriculum may have
to take some senior-level undergraduate courses to make up
deficiencies. With the approval of the department, students may
be given credit toward the master’s degree for up to six semester
credit hours of senior/level courses taken as a graduate student.
Specialized space sciences courses commonly recommended
include astrophysics, orbital mechanics, geophysics, atmospheric
physics, comparative planetology and space plasma physics.
The master of science degree is conferred after satisfactory
completion of 33 credit hours of required and elective courses.
Twenty-seven credit hours must be taken from the following corecourse
requirements:
Mathematics/Computer Science (2 courses from the
following)
CSE 5xxx Adviser approval
MTH 5201 Mathematical Methods in Science and Engineering 1
MTH 5202 Mathematical Methods in Science and Engineering 2
MTH 5301 Numerical Analysis 1
MTH 5401 Applied Statistical Analysis
Physics (3 courses from the following)
ECE 5410 Electrodynamics 1
(or PHY 5017 Electromagnetic Theory 1)
PHY 5015 Analytical Mechanics 1
PHY 5030 Quantum Mechanics 1
PHY 5080 Thermodynamics.
PHY 5081 Statistical Mechanics
Space Sciences (4 courses from the following)
SPS 5010 Astrophysics 1: Stellar Structure and Evolution
SPS 5011 Astrophysics 2: Galactic Structure and Cosmology
SPS 5020 Space Physics 1: The Low-Energy Universe
SPS 5021 Space Physics 2: The High-Energy Universe
SPS 5030 Planetary Sciences 1: Interiors
SPS 5031 Planetary Sciences 2: Atmospheres
Courses taken during undergraduate years and applied to a
bachelor’s degree or equivalent may not be used to fulfill the
core-course requirements. Substitutions may be made in special
cases with the approval of the adviser and department head.
Two electives can be selected with the adviser’s approval from
the courses listed above or from the wide variety of space science
(SPS), space systems (SPC), physics (PHY), electrical and computer
engineering (ECE), mechanical and aerospace engineering
(MAE), computer science (CSE) and mathematics (MTH) offerings.
Some recommended courses are:
ECE 5350 Optical Electronics
ECE 5353 Optical Computing
ECE 5425 Antennas 1
ECE 5426 Antennas 2
PHY 5020 Optics
PHY 5031 Quantum Mechanics 2
PHY 5035 Solid State Physics 1
PHY 5036 Solid State Physics 2
SPC 5004 Space Propulsion Systems
SPC 5005 Space Power Systems
SPC 5006 Space Communications and Data Systems
SPC 5017 Aerospace Remote Sensing Systems
SPC 5080 Space Missions
SPS 5050 Astrodynamics
A thesis is optional and up to six semester hours of credit may be
allowed for work leading to the thesis.
A general written examination is given by the department twice
each year during the spring semester. A graduate student is normally
required to take this examination in the second semester
of residence. Before the master’s degree is granted, the student
must pass a final oral examination administered by a committee
of three or more members of the graduate faculty selected by
the student and the departmental adviser, and including at least
one member from outside the department. The examination
pertains primarily to areas related to the field of the thesis. If the
nonthesis option is chosen, the student is required to pass an oral
examination, administered as above, covering the general area of
the student’s graduate studies.
Degree Programs—College of Science 141