Overview

Overview

General and Subject (Physics or Chemistry) GRE scores are not required for applicants seeking admission for Fall 2025; however, they are strongly recommended. Other aspects of the application (i.e., transcripts, CV, statements, recommendations) will carry more weight if GRE scores are not supplied.

Requirements: Admission to the program is limited to Ph.D. students. Students can earn a thesis or a non-thesis M.S. degree while working towards the Ph.D. degree.

Chemical Physics (CHPH) M.S. Non-Thesis

Requirements:

  • Two laboratory rotations CHPH718I
  • Written Qualifying Examination passed at the M.S. level
  • GPA Requirement: B average
  • Scholarly Paper and Presentation
  • 30 graduate credits of which 24 must be course credits including: 
    • Advanced laboratory course
    • Two credits of seminar
    • Advanced course at the 600 level or above

Chemical Physics (CHPH) M.S. Thesis

Requirements:

  • Two laboratory rotations CHPH718I
  • Written Qualifying Examination passed at the M.S. level
  • Written Masters Thesis (Paper and Presentation) 
  • GPA Requirement: B average
  • 30 graduate credits of which 24 must be course credits including:
    • Six credits of CHPH799 - (M.S. thesis research)
    • Two credits of seminar
    • Advanced laboratory course
    • Advanced course at the 600 level or above

Chemical Physics (CHPH) Ph.D. Requirements

Requirements: Prerequisites for Advancement to Candidacy (https://academiccatalog.umd.edu/graduate/policies/doctoral-degrees-policies/#text)

  • Two laboratory rotations (CHPH718I)
  • Quantum and Statistical Physics I (PHYS612)
  • Quantum and Statistical Physics II (PHYS613) 
  • Two credits of seminar
  • Written Qualifying Examination passed at the Ph.D. level and normally taken at the beginning of the second year
  • Advanced laboratory course
  • Advanced course outside of the student's main field of study at the 600 level or above
  • GPA Requirement: B average
  • Admission to Candidacy: Scholarly Paper and Presentation

Prerequisites for Graduation:

  • 12 credits of CHPH899
  • Preparation of written doctoral thesis and oral defense

Common Procedures and Requirements for all Options

* Rotations are seven weeks each, with student presentations about two weeks after the end of each rotation period. Students will be evaluated in part based on their presentations. The second rotation is scheduled to start early enough so by the time students are able to choose their summer research and possible thesis advisers.

The aims of the two rotations are to get to know research topic and tools used in various labs, to develop laboratory skills, and to find a thesis mentor. Rotations require a minimum 8 hour per week presence in lab/office. One of the rotations can be with a faculty/adjunct faculty outside the program. Incoming students will have the month of September to research and choose their first rotation.

The length of the presentation should be 10 - 15 minutes.

Rotation 1: Suggested time: September 12 - November 18 -- Fall semester grade.
Rotation 2: Suggested time: January 30 - April 7 -- Spring semester grade.

* The Scholarly Paper Examining Committee consists of at least three faculty members, who will read the scholarly paper and attend the oral presentation.

The Scholarly Paper is a requirement for Ph.D. candidacy and the non-thesis M.S. Degree. 

The paper should provide an informative review of the research topic selected by the candidate in consultation with his/her academic and research advisors. The bibliography is a particularly important part of the paper and should include the most significant references to the topic.

The length of the paper is expected to be approximately 20 double space pages (12-point font) with 1-inch margins.

The paper is not to be a collaborative effort. It is to be the work of the student alone. 

The presentation is to last approximately one hour and can be part of regularly scheduled seminar series such as the Informal Statistical Mechanics Seminar or the Nonlinear Dynamics Seminar. Two faculty must be present and there should be sufficient time for questions and discussion.

For M.S. with Thesis Option

The Thesis Examining Committee is to consist of at least three faculty members including the research advisor.

The Examination Committee will review the M.S. thesis, attend the oral presentation and participate in the defense of the thesis.

The thesis is to consist of an introduction to the field of research with which the student is engaged, a clear statement of the problem under study, the objectives of the research, the approach taken, original results, interpretation, discussion, and conclusions. A concise review of the literature, and a bibliography of the most important literature should also be included.

The M.S. thesis has no set length, but is typically 30 to 40 pages. The format of the thesis (font, margins, etc.) must follow the University of Maryland Thesis and Dissertation Style Guide.

For Ph.D. Candidates

Advancements to Candidacy

Preliminary examinations, or such other substantial tests as the graduate programs may elect, are prerequisites for Advancement to Candidacy. A student must be admitted to candidacy for the doctorate within five years after admission to the doctoral program and at least six months before the date on which the degree will be conferred. It is the responsibility of the student to submit an application for admission to candidacy when all the requirements for candidacy have been fulfilled. Applications for admission to candidacy are made in duplicate by the student and submitted to the graduate program for further action and transmission to the Graduate School.

The Application for Admission to Candidacy must be received by the Office of the Registrar prior to the 25th of the month in order for the  advancement to be effective the first day of the following month. 

Doctoral candidates are automatically registered for six (6) credits of Doctoral Dissertation Research (899), for which they pay the flat candidacy tuition.

In order to advance to Ph.D. candidacy, the student must submit a Scholarly Paper and make an oral presentation.

The paper and presentation are evaluated by a candidacy committee consisting of at least three faculty members (including the advisor).

Students with a well-developed thesis topic and research results are expected to include these results together with further research plans in their paper and presentation.

Students less far along with research will present background material and summaries of the research areas in which they will be working. A concise review of the literature is expected, along with a bibliography of the most important literature.

The length of the paper is expected to be between approximately 20 double space pages (12-point font) with 1-inch margins.

The paper is to be submitted to the candidacy committee at least two weeks before the date of the oral presentation.

The presentation is to last approximately one hour and might be part of regularly scheduled seminar series such as the Informal Statistical Mechanics Seminar or the Nonlinear Dynamics Seminar. Three members of the candidacy committee must be present and there should be sufficient time for questions and discussion.

Students must be admitted to candidacy a minimum of six months prior to the Ph.D. oral thesis examination.

Dissertation Defense

Within 12 to 18 months after beginning Ph.D. research, the candidate is to select a Ph.D. Thesis Examination Committee. To complete the PhD, candidates must earn 12 credits of CHPH899 (Ph.D. dissertation research, only available after advancement to Ph.D. candidacy) and prepare a written Ph.D. dissertation, the format of which (font, margins, etc.) must follow the  University of Maryland Thesis and Dissertation Style Guide (https://www.gradschool.umd.edu/students/academic-progress/thesis-and-dissertation-filing).