CHEMICAL PHYSICS
The First Two Years
PhD Course Requirements and Research
The Committee on the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical Physics is composed of members of the departments of Chemistry and Chemical Biology (CCB), Physics, Astronomy, and of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, with special interests in the field commonly known as chemical physics. The program of study includes courses in these subjects and research on an appropriate problem under the direction of a member of one of these departments.
Students in the program are required to pass five half-courses. Courses must be passed with average grades of B or higher. Grades of B- will count as a pass if balanced by a B+ or better on a one-for-one basis.
There are two tracks: either one course from A), one course from B), and three courses from C); or two courses from A), one course from B and two courses from C).
A) Chemistry 242; or Physics 251a, 251b.
B) Chemistry 161 or Chemistry 240 or Physics 262 or Applied Physics 284.
C) Applied Mathematics 201, 202; Chemistry 158; Applied Physics 195, 282, 292, 295a, 295b, 296r, and 298r; Physics 151, 153, 181 (or Eng. Sci. 181), 218, 232a, 232b, 253b, 268r. Equivalent courses may be substituted with the approval of the committee.
All entering graduate students (G1s) are required to take “Chemistry 301hf. Scientific Teaching and Communication: Practicum” in their first year. This course will teach graduate students how to communicate scientific concepts in the classroom.
During CCB Orientation Week, each entering student meets with an assigned member of the Curriculum Advising Committee (CAC) to formulate a Plan of Study (course selections). The CAC advises students on their academic plans, approves required courses, and assists in decisions related to the PhD program. Any changes to the original Plan of Study must be discussed with and approved by a member of the CAC.
Students normally satisfy the letter-graded course requirements in the first two years of graduate studies.
Admission to a research group is strongly encouraged at the start of or during the student’s second term. All students should enter a research group by June 30th of their first year.
Rotations
Entering graduate students are required to participate in three 4-week rotations in different laboratories, OR they may conduct one 8-week and one 4-week rotation in two different laboratories. The goal of the rotations is to broaden a student’s scientific perspective by exposure to the science and environment of different laboratories.
Advising
During CCB Orientation Week, each entering student meets with an assigned member of the Curriculum Advising Committee (CAC) to formulate a Plan of Study (course selections). The CAC advises students on their academic plans, approves required courses, and assists in decisions related to the PhD program. Any changes to the original Plan of Study must be discussed with and approved by a member of the CAC.
All students should enter a research group by June 30th of their first year. Once a student joins a research group, the faculty member of that group becomes the student’s advisor. If a student subsequently finds that another area of research more closely matches his or her interests, the student should consult with the director of graduate studies.
At the end of their first year, students are expected to constitute, in consultation with the director of graduate studies, their Graduate Advising Committee (GAC). The GAC consists of the student’s advisor and two other faculty members, one of whom must be a CCB faculty member. The committee meets yearly beginning in the student’s second year to assess research progress. Students are expected to present and defend an independent proposal anytime between the second term of their second year up to the end of their fourth year in the presence of the GAC. In addition, they will have meetings with the GAC in the second term of their second year, and by June 30th of their third and fourth years. The independent proposal defense will serve as one of these three required meetings. Students may have a voluntary GAC meeting in their fifth year and, if necessary, a mandatory meeting in their sixth year. The objective of these meetings is to bring focus to the timely completion of the degree requirements, to foster (non-advisor) faculty-student interactions, and to provide career counseling.
Students are encouraged to consult with the director of graduate studies on any issues that affect graduate student life.
Oral Examinations
Students in Chemical Physics are expected to present and defend a research proposal anytime between the second term of the second year and the end of the fourth year. The presentation will be before a faculty committee in accordance with the Graduate Advising Committee guidelines. More information about the examination can be found on the Independent Research Proposal webpage.
Language
A thorough command of oral and written English is required. Incoming PhD students who are non-native speakers of English and who have not received their undergraduate degree from an English-speaking institution must meet GSAS standards for English proficiency. Students who are not deemed proficient will be required to take courses approved by GSAS to develop their English language skills as part of their preparation for teaching and professional development. Students will not be allowed to teach until they are deemed proficient.
Teaching
It is expected that all students will participate in teaching sections or laboratory for two terms. Most students teach in the spring term of their first year and the fall term of their second year. With his or her advisor’s concurrence, a student may teach in subsequent years.
Satisfactory Progress
Continuation in the degree program is contingent on the following: (1) satisfactory completion of required coursework, (2) successful presentation and defense of a research proposal in accordance with policy set by the Graduate Advising Committee (GAC), (3) admission to a research group by June 30th of the first year, and (4) satisfactory progress in 300-level research courses.
Dissertation
The preparation of a satisfactory dissertation normally requires at least four years of full-time research. The final manuscript must conform to the requirements described in the booklet The Form of the PhD Dissertation, available online and included in the dissertation preparation packet of procedural and deadline information that may be obtained from the CCB department office.
All students are expected to provide a public presentation of their PhD research. The dissertation defense will be comprised of two parts: 1) a public presentation of the student’s PhD research to which members of the CCB community will be invited, followed by 2) the private PhD dissertation defense before the dissertation defense committee (generally the GAC). One of the readers must be a faculty member of the department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology (generally the advisor). Two members of the committee must be members of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Faculty members from other schools at Harvard who hold appointments on GSAS degree committees as well as FAS emeriti and research professors may serve as a member of the dissertation committee. Faculty of institutions outside of Harvard may serve as a member of the dissertation committee providing the requirement of two readers from FAS (one being CCB faculty member; generally the advisor) is met.
Master of Arts (AM)
No master’s degree is offered in chemical physics. However, a prospective candidate for the PhD in this subject may apply to the departments of either chemistry and chemical biology or physics for the AM degree in the corresponding subject.