William Oliver
Department Chair
226 Physics Building
479-575-2506
Email: woliver@uark.edu

Hugh Churchill
Chair, Graduate Affairs Committee
226 Physics Building
479-575-2506
Email:  hchurch@uark.edu

Department of Physics Website

Degrees Conferred:
M.S., Ph.D. (PHYS)

Primary Areas of Faculty Research: Astronomy/astrophysics, biophysics/neuro-physics, computational/theoretical physics, condensed matter/nano-physics, non-linear and quantum optics.

Prerequisites to M.S. and Ph.D. Degree Programs: Prospective students must satisfy the requirements of the Graduate School as described in this catalog and have the approval of the Graduate Admissions Committee of the Department of Physics. In addition, to be admitted to graduate study in physics without deficiency, candidates should have an undergraduate degree with the equivalent of a 30-hour major in physics including intermediate-level courses in mechanics, electricity and magnetism, quantum physics and thermal physics, and mathematics through differential equations. Students who present less than the above may be admitted with deficiency dependent on degree track subject to the approval of the department’s Graduate Admissions Committee. Students may eliminate deficiencies while concurrently enrolling in graduate courses, provided prerequisites are met. While submission of Graduate Record Examination scores is not required for admission, students who have taken the GRE advanced physics test are urged to submit their test scores to the physics department to facilitate advising and placement.

M.S. in Physics

Requirements for the Master of Science Degree: Students may choose between two Master of Science degrees in the physics department. These are the M.S. Physics (30-hour thesis path); and the M.S. Physics (36-hour non-thesis path). Both M.S. degree curricula prepare a student for the Physics Ph.D. degree.

Incoming graduate students will be advised by a departmental graduate adviser for the first two years. Students must form their thesis or advisory committees by the end of their third academic semester and file the appropriate forms with the Graduate School. The thesis committee (thesis-path students) consists of the research adviser as chair, two members of the physics faculty, and one member of the graduate faculty not from the Physics Department. The advisory committee (for non-thesis-path students) consists of the individual study project adviser as chair and two members of the physics faculty. Students in this degree program can choose either a 30-semester-hour thesis path or a 36-semester-hour non-thesis path.

Both the thesis and non-thesis M.S. degrees share the following academic requirements: Completion of:

Students who have had similar courses at another institution may substitute up to 12 credit hours of other courses in lieu of those listed above, on a course-by-course basis, upon petitioning the Graduate Affairs Committee.

Elective courses will be used for the remaining required degree hour. The minimum number of physics elective hours, the maximum number of non-physics technical elective hours, and the minimum number of total elective hours are shown in the table.

Students will select electives from courses listed in the graduate catalog as appropriate to their field of specialization, with course selection approved by their thesis committee. For the purposes of this degree requirement, any Astronomy (ASTR) graduate course listed in the Graduate Catalog and taught through the physics department will be considered a Physics elective.

No more than one 4000-level course may be counted toward the 30-hour requirement for the thesis option, and no more than two 4000-level courses may be counted toward the 36-hour requirement for the non-thesis option.

Requirements for Thesis-Path M.S. Degrees: Completion of six master’s thesis hours under PHYS 600V and a written thesis successfully defended in a comprehensive oral exam given by the student’s thesis committee.

Requirements for Non-thesis Path M.S. Degrees: Completion of three hours under PHYS 502V Individual Study in Advanced Physics and a written project report successfully defended in a comprehensive oral exam given by the student’s advisory committee. Students who pass the Physics Ph.D. candidacy examination will be considered to have satisfied the PHYS 502V requirement of the non-thesis path M.S. degrees.

Students should also be aware of Graduate School requirements with regard to master's degrees.

Requirements for Ph.D. in Physics

Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree: To be admitted to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree the student must:

1. Form a dissertation committee
2. Pass the research-based candidacy exam
3. Obtain a minimum of B-grade in core physics courses and
4. File a Declaration of Intent with the Graduate School.

Incoming graduate students will be advised by a departmental adviser for the first year. Students must form their dissertation committees by the end of their second academic semester and file the appropriate forms with the Graduate School. The dissertation committee consists of the research adviser as chair and two other members of the graduate faculty.

The research-based candidacy examination, also known as the Ph.D. qualifier, consists of a written proposal and oral presentation. All students entering the Ph.D. graduate program in the fall semester must take their qualifier no later than the end of their fifth semester of graduate studies. Students entering the Ph.D. graduate program in the spring semester must take their qualifier no later than the end of their sixth semester of graduate studies. Especially well-prepared students are encouraged to take their qualifier earlier. A candidate failing the research-based qualifier in a first attempt, will have one additional semester (two if they change adviser) for a second and final attempt.

Ph.D. students must complete a minimum of 33 semester-hours in 5000- and/or 6000-level courses beyond their Bachelor of Science degrees. Courses taken to fulfill the requirements for the University of Arkansas M.S. physics degrees can be included in this 33 semester-hour requirement. Students who have had similar courses as part of an M.S. physics program at another institution may obtain a waiver, on a course-by-course basis, upon petitioning to the Physics Graduate Affairs Committee.

Ph.D. students must take:

A minimum grade of B is required in the following core courses:

If a minimum grade of B is not obtained, the course may be repeated once. If the student cannot obtain a minimum of B on two attempts, the student will not be allowed to continue in the Ph.D. program.

Fifteen additional semester hours in elective physics graduate courses will be required, and they must be selected from the 5000- or 6000-level courses listed in the graduate catalog appropriate to the student’s field of specialization and approved by the student’s dissertation advisory committee. For the purposes of this degree requirement, any Astronomy (ASTR) graduate course listed in the Graduate Catalog and taught through the physics department will be considered a physics elective. Additional elective courses outside of the physics department may be taken with dissertation committee approval.

Physics Ph.D. students may also choose one of the following concentrations by meeting its requirements: Astrophysics, Biophysics, or Neuroscience.  Students who do not choose one of the three concentrations will pursue the general Physics Ph.D. requirements by default.

Requirements for Ph.D. in Physics with Astrophysics Concentration

Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree: To be admitted to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree the student must:

1. Form a dissertation committee
2. Pass the research-based candidacy exam
3. Obtain a minimum of B-grade in core physics courses and
4. File a Declaration of Intent with the Graduate School.

Incoming graduate students will be advised by a departmental adviser for the first year. Students must form their dissertation committees by the end of their second academic semester and file the appropriate forms with the Graduate School. The dissertation committee consists of the research adviser as chair and two other members of the graduate faculty.

The research-based candidacy examination, also known as the Ph.D. qualifier, consists of a written proposal and oral presentation. All students entering the Ph.D. graduate program in the fall semester must take their qualifier no later than the end of their fifth semester of graduate studies. Students entering the Ph.D. graduate program in the spring semester must take their qualifier no later than the end of their sixth semester of graduate studies. Especially well-prepared students are encouraged to take their qualifier earlier. A candidate failing the research-based qualifier in a first attempt, will have one additional semester (two if they change adviser) for a second and final attempt.

Ph.D. students must complete a minimum of 33 semester-hours in 5000- and/or 6000-level courses beyond their Bachelor of Science degrees. Courses taken to fulfill the requirements for the University of Arkansas M.S. physics degrees can be included in this 33 semester-hour requirement. Students who have had similar courses as part of an M.S. physics program at another institution may obtain a waiver, on a course-by-course basis, upon petitioning to the Physics Graduate Affairs Committee.

Ph.D. students must take:

A minimum grade of B is required in the following core courses:

If a minimum grade of B is not obtained, the course may be repeated once. If the student cannot obtain a minimum of B on two attempts, the student will not be allowed to continue in the Ph.D. program.

Fifteen additional semester hours in elective physics graduate courses will be required, and they must be selected from the 5000- or 6000-level courses listed in the graduate catalog appropriate to the student’s field of specialization and approved by the student’s dissertation advisory committee. For the purposes of this degree requirement, any Astronomy (ASTR) graduate course listed in the Graduate Catalog and taught through the physics department will be considered a physics elective. Additional elective courses outside of the physics department may be taken with dissertation committee approval.

Physics Ph.D. students may also choose one of the following concentrations by meeting its requirements: Astrophysics, Biophysics, or Neuroscience.  Students who do not choose one of the three concentrations will pursue the general Physics Ph.D. requirements by default.

Requirements for Astrophysics Concentration: Students must also take:

Ph.D. students must also earn 18 hours of credit in Doctoral Dissertation, submit a dissertation, and defend it successfully in a comprehensive oral examination given by the dissertation committee. The doctoral degree will be awarded to students who complete a minimum of 72-graduate semester credit hours beyond the bachelor's degree.

Students should also be aware of Graduate School requirements with regard to doctoral degrees.

Requirements for Ph.D. in Physics with Biophysics Concentration

Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree: To be admitted to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree the student must:

1. Form a dissertation committee
2. Pass the research-based candidacy exam
3. Obtain a minimum of B-grade in core physics courses and
4. File a Declaration of Intent with the Graduate School.

Incoming graduate students will be advised by a departmental adviser for the first year. Students must form their dissertation committees by the end of their second academic semester and file the appropriate forms with the Graduate School. The dissertation committee consists of the research adviser as chair and two other members of the graduate faculty.

The research-based candidacy examination, also known as the Ph.D. qualifier, consists of a written proposal and oral presentation. All students entering the Ph.D. graduate program in the fall semester must take their qualifier no later than the end of their fifth semester of graduate studies. Students entering the Ph.D. graduate program in the spring semester must take their qualifier no later than the end of their sixth semester of graduate studies. Especially well-prepared students are encouraged to take their qualifier earlier. A candidate failing the research-based qualifier in a first attempt, will have one additional semester (two if they change adviser) for a second and final attempt.

Ph.D. students must complete a minimum of 33 semester-hours in 5000- and/or 6000-level courses beyond their Bachelor of Science degrees. Courses taken to fulfill the requirements for the University of Arkansas M.S. physics degrees can be included in this 33 semester-hour requirement. Students who have had similar courses as part of an M.S. physics program at another institution may obtain a waiver, on a course-by-course basis, upon petitioning to the Physics Graduate Affairs Committee.

Ph.D. students must take:

A minimum grade of B is required in the following core courses:

If a minimum grade of B is not obtained, the course may be repeated once. If the student cannot obtain a minimum of B on two attempts, the student will not be allowed to continue in the Ph.D. program.

Fifteen additional semester hours in elective physics graduate courses will be required, and they must be selected from the 5000- or 6000-level courses listed in the graduate catalog appropriate to the student’s field of specialization and approved by the student’s dissertation advisory committee. For the purposes of this degree requirement, any Astronomy (ASTR) graduate course listed in the Graduate Catalog and taught through the physics department will be considered a physics elective. Additional elective courses outside of the physics department may be taken with dissertation committee approval.

Physics Ph.D. students may also choose one of the following concentrations by meeting its requirements: Astrophysics, Biophysics, or Neuroscience.  Students who do not choose one of the three concentrations will pursue the general Physics Ph.D. requirements by default.

Requirements for Biophysics Concentration: Students must also take:

Ph.D. students must also earn 18 hours of credit in Doctoral Dissertation, submit a dissertation, and defend it successfully in a comprehensive oral examination given by the dissertation committee. The doctoral degree will be awarded to students who complete a minimum of 72-graduate semester credit hours beyond the bachelor's degree.

Students should also be aware of Graduate School requirements with regard to doctoral degrees. 

Requirements for Ph.D. in Physics with Neuroscience Concentration

Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree: To be admitted to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree the student must:

1. Form a dissertation committee
2. Pass the research-based candidacy exam
3. Obtain a minimum of B-grade in core physics courses and
4. File a Declaration of Intent with the Graduate School.

Incoming graduate students will be advised by a departmental adviser for the first year. Students must form their dissertation committees by the end of their second academic semester and file the appropriate forms with the Graduate School. The dissertation committee consists of the research adviser as chair and two other members of the graduate faculty.

The research-based candidacy examination, also known as the Ph.D. qualifier, consists of a written proposal and oral presentation. All students entering the Ph.D. graduate program in the fall semester must take their qualifier no later than the end of their fifth semester of graduate studies. Students entering the Ph.D. graduate program in the spring semester must take their qualifier no later than the end of their sixth semester of graduate studies. Especially well-prepared students are encouraged to take their qualifier earlier. A candidate failing the research-based qualifier in a first attempt, will have one additional semester (two if they change adviser) for a second and final attempt.

Ph.D. students must complete a minimum of 33 semester-hours in 5000- and/or 6000-level courses beyond their Bachelor of Science degrees. Courses taken to fulfill the requirements for the University of Arkansas M.S. physics degrees can be included in this 33 semester-hour requirement. Students who have had similar courses as part of an M.S. physics program at another institution may obtain a waiver, on a course-by-course basis, upon petitioning to the Physics Graduate Affairs Committee.

Ph.D. students must take:

A minimum grade of B is required in the following core courses:

If a minimum grade of B is not obtained, the course may be repeated once. If the student cannot obtain a minimum of B on two attempts, the student will not be allowed to continue in the Ph.D. program.

Fifteen additional semester hours in elective physics graduate courses will be required, and they must be selected from the 5000- or 6000-level courses listed in the graduate catalog appropriate to the student’s field of specialization and approved by the student’s dissertation advisory committee. For the purposes of this degree requirement, any Astronomy (ASTR) graduate course listed in the Graduate Catalog and taught through the physics department will be considered a physics elective. Additional elective courses outside of the physics department may be taken with dissertation committee approval.

Physics Ph.D. students may also choose one of the following concentrations by meeting its requirements: Astrophysics, Biophysics, or Neuroscience.  Students who do not choose one of the three concentrations will pursue the general Physics Ph.D. requirements by default.

Requirements for Neuroscience Concentration: Students must also take:

Ph.D. students must also earn 18 hours of credit in Doctoral Dissertation, submit a dissertation, and defend it successfully in a comprehensive oral examination given by the dissertation committee. The doctoral degree will be awarded to students who complete a minimum of 72-graduate semester credit hours beyond the bachelor's degree.

Students should also be aware of Graduate School requirements with regard to doctoral degrees. 

Graduate Faculty

Barraza-Lopez, Salvador, Ph.D. (University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign), B.S. (Instituto Politecnico Nacional de Mexico), Associate Professor, 2011, 2016.
Bellaiche, Laurent, Ph.D., M.S., B.S. (University of Paris VI, France), Distinguished Professor, 1999, 2016.
Churchill, Hugh O.H., Ph.D., A.M. (Harvard University), B.A. (Oberlin College), B.M. (Oberlin Conservatory of Music), Associate Professor, 2015, 2021.
Fu, Huaxiang, Ph.D., M.S. (Fudan University), B.S. (University of Science and Technology of China), Professor, 2002, 2017.
Gea-Banacloche, Julio R., Ph.D. (University of New Mexico), Licenciado en Ciencias Fisicas (Universidad Autonoma de Madrid), Professor, 1989, 2000.
Harter, William G., Ph.D. (University of California-Irvine), B.S. (Hiram College), Professor, 1986.
Hu, Jin, Ph.D. (Tulane University), B.S. (University of Science and Technology of China), Assistant Professor, 2017.
Joffe Minor, Tacy Marie, Ph.D. (Northwestern University), M.A., B.S. (University of Arkansas), Teaching Assistant Professor, 2011, 2018.
Kennefick, Daniel John, Ph.D., M.A. (California Institute of Technology), B.S. (University College Cork, Ireland), Professor, 2003, 2021.
Kennefick, Julia Dusk, Ph.D. (California Institute of Technology), B.S. (University of Arkansas), Associate Professor, 2003, 2014.
Kumar, Pradeep, Ph.D. (Boston University), M.Sc. (Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai, India), Associate Professor, 2013, 2019.
Leftwich, Matthew, Ph.D., M.S. and B.S. (University of Arkansas), M.B.A. (Webster University), Research Professor, 2021.
Lehmer, Bret Darby, Ph.D. (Pennsylvania State University), B.S. (University of Iowa), Associate Professor, 2015, 2021.
Li, Jiali, Ph.D., M.S. (The City College of the City University of New York), M.S. (University of Science and Technology of China), B.S. (Hei Long Jiang University), Professor, 2002, 2016.
Manasreh, Bothina H., Ph.D., M.Sc. (University of Jordan), Research Assistant Professor, 2017.
Nakamura, Hiroyuki, Ph.D., M.S., B.S. (University of Tokyo), Assistant Professor, 2019.
Oliver, William, Ph.D., M.S. (University of Colorado-Boulder), B.S. (University of Arizona), Associate Professor, 1992, 1998.
Prosandeev, Sergey, Ph.D., M.S. (Rostov State University), Research Professor, 2005, 2016.
Salamo, Gregory J., Ph.D. (City University of New York), M.S. (Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis), B.S. (City University of New York, Brooklyn College), Distinguished Professor, 1975, 2005.
Shew, Woodrow L., Ph.D. (University of Maryland-College Park), B.A. (College of Wooster), Associate Professor, 2012, 2017.
Singh, Surendra P., Ph.D., M.A. (University of Rochester), M.Sc., B.Sc. (Banaras Hindu University, India), University Professor, 1982, 2016.
Thibado, Paul M., Ph.D. (University of Pennsylvania), B.S. (San Diego State University), Professor, 1996, 2005.
Vyas, Reeta, Ph.D. (State University of New York at Buffalo), M.S., B.S. (Banaras Hindu University), Professor, 1984, 2002.
Wang, Yong, Ph.D., M.S. (University of California, Los Angeles), B.S. (University of Science and Technology of China), Assistant Professor, 2016.
Xiao, Min, Ph.D. (University of Texas at Austin), B.S. (Nanjing University), Distinguished Professor, 1990, 2004.