uchicago physics phd reddit

Physics Recruitment

Apply for our phd program, the general and physics gre policy for the 2025-2026 application cycle, with expected enrollment in the fall of 2025, is presently being discussed. the final policy will be posted on this page in early september., applications will be open mid-late september. .

Create or continue your application here .

Please see here for fee waiver criteria and additional information.

Covering a story? Visit our page for journalists or call (773) 702-8360.

Inside the Lab

Top stories, thirty-one uchicago faculty members receive named, distinguished service professorships in 2024.

UChicago researchers invent new fabric that reduces heat
Feeling stuck? Here’s how to achieve a breakthrough, with Adam Alter (Ep. 139)

Thirty-one members of the University of Chicago faculty have received distinguished service professorships or named professorships.

Profs. Clifford Ando, Curtis A. Bradley, Cathy J. Cohen, Steven Durlauf, Christopher Faraone, Ayelet Fishbach, Anthony Kaldellis, Young-Kee Kim, Sanjog Misra, Mitchell C. Posner and Alexander Todorov have been named distinguished service professors. Profs. David Archer, Daniel Bartels, David W. Chang, Paul Cheney, Tom S. Clark, Anna Costello, Benson Farb, Dwight N. Hopkins, Yamuna Krishnan, Gabriel Richardson Lear, Kay F. Macleod, Rochona Majumdar, Nadya Mason, Michael Minnis, Marcelo Nóbrega, Sarah Nooter, Joseph L. Pagliari, Eduardo Perozo, Oleg Urminsky and Yingming Zhao have received named professorships.

The appointments are effective July 1, unless otherwise noted.

Biological Sciences Division

David W. Chang has been named the first Ruth Hanna Simms Foundation Professor in the Department of Surgery.

Chang is a pioneer in the field of reconstructive surgery for cancer patients and is an expert in treating lymphedema—chronic swelling of the limbs that can occur in cancer patients after lymph node removal or radiation therapy. He has been instrumental in developing and promoting microsurgical treatments for lymphedema, including lymphovenous bypass and vascularized lymph node transplants.

An accomplished researcher, Chang has published widely and served on the editorial board of leading medical journals such as Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery . He is a past president of the American Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery and the World Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery.

Kay F. Macleod has been named the Hospira Foundation Professor in the Ben May Department of Cancer Research and the College.

Macleod’s lab focuses on understanding the role of mitochondria in tissue homeostasis and cancer. As a basic researcher, she uses cutting-edge approaches—in cell and molecular biology, systems biology, novel mouse models and human patient samples—to investigate how mitochondria modulate normal tissue function, how mitochondrial stress responses are regulated and how mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to cancer progression and metastasis.

Since January 2024, Macleod has served as associate director for basic sciences for the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center, overseeing basic research activities and research program infrastructure.

Mitchell C. Posner has been named the Thomas D. Jones Distinguished Service Professor in the Department of Surgery.

Posner is also Professor of Radiation and Cellular Oncology, and physician-in-chief for the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center.

He is a leading authority on the treatment and management of upper gastrointestinal cancers, pairing his skills as a surgeon with a commitment to multidisciplinary care. As an award-winning researcher, Posner focuses on the molecular basis of malignancies; he has designed and guided groundbreaking clinical trials for cancers of the pancreas, esophagus, colon, stomach, rectum and liver.

Posner serves as a deputy editor of the Annals of Surgical Oncology , the section editor of the education/training section of Surgical Oncology Insight and the section editor for gastrointestinal diseases for the American Cancer Society journal Cancer . He is also a past president of the Society of Surgical Oncology. He was recently awarded the distinction of fellow of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Marcelo Nóbrega has been named the A.N. Pritzker Professor in the Department of Human Genetics and the College.

Nóbrega’s research program focuses on how genetic variation increases the risk of human diseases, particularly the impact of noncoding genetic variants that are discovered by genome-wide association studies. His lab has developed pipelines that create integrated experimental and computational strategies to uncover the mechanisms linking regulatory variants to several human diseases, including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, asthma, and preterm birth.

Nóbrega is an associate dean for faculty affairs for basic science faculty in the Biological Sciences Division, where he co-leads efforts to promote faculty development, including orientation of new faculty, career development, and skill-building workshops on such topics as preparing for promotion, scientific writing, grantsmanship, trainee mentoring, leadership training, and wellness. He has also served as the chair of the Committee on Genetics, Genomics and Systems Biology, along with several committees focused on recruitment, mentoring and training of graduate students and faculty.

Eduardo Perozo has been named the Lillian Eichelberger Cannon Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the College.

Perozo is a molecular neurobiologist whose lab seeks to define the molecular principles that drive the conversion of different forms of energy, such as electric fields and mechanical forces, into protein motion. He is particularly interested in protein dynamics, which link structure to function. His lab uses a combination of functional measurements at the single molecule and ensemble levels, biochemistry, and molecular biology, performing structural analyses through a combination of X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy of single particles. These structural techniques help them understand biological functions like mechanosensitivity in hearing and balance, and how proteins sense changes in the electric field across membranes of neurons and other excitable tissues.

He is the director of the newly formed Center for Mechanical Excitability, a senior fellow of the UChicago Institute for Integrative Physiology and is affiliated with the Institute for Biophysical Dynamics and the Neuroscience Institute. He is an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences and a Fellow of the Biophysical Society.

Yingming Zhao has been named the Louis Block Professor in the Ben May Department of Cancer Research and the College.

Zhao’s research is primarily dedicated to developing and applying mass spectrometry-based proteomics technologies, alongside various chemical and biological tools, to identify previously undescribed cellular pathways and investigate their functions. His team discovered 13 types of new, metabolite-mediated lysine acylation pathways. They also identified about 1,000 new histone marks bearing the new protein modifications, more than doubling the number of the previously known histone marks discovered during the first 50 years of chromatin biology.

His work revealed numerous enzymes that can add or remove the new lysine acylations, identified specific binding proteins (or “readers’) for the novel histone marks, and discovered a new class of enzymes that can catalyze the synthesis of short-chain lipid CoAs which serve as co-factors for lysine acylations. His laboratory's findings demonstrate the crucial roles of these newly discovered – pathways in epigenetic regulation and cellular pathophysiological changes. They have shown that these pathways contribute to various inborn metabolic diseases, affect the cellular microenvironment, including conditions like hypoxia, and play significant roles in the functions of immunological cells.

He has co-authored 190 peer-reviewed papers and has been ranked, since 2019, as one of the Highly Cited Researchers by Clarivate. He is a co-founder and serves on the Scientific Advisory Board of two biotechnology companies.

Humanities Division

Clifford Ando has been named the Robert O. Anderson Distinguished Service Professor in the Departments of Classics and History and the College, effective Sept. 1.

Ando’s research focuses on the histories of religion, law and government in the ancient world. His first book centered on the history of political culture in the provinces of the Roman empire, and he continues to write and advise on topics related to the provincial administration, the relationship between imperial power and local cultural change, and the form and structure of ancient empires. He has also written extensively on ancient religion. Significant themes were the connection of religion to empire and imperial government, especially in relation to pluralism and tolerance; and problems of representation in the use of objects in ritual. His current projects include a study of Latin as a language of the law and a study of legal theory in contexts of weak state power.

He is also general editor of Roman Statutes: Renewing Roman Law , a collaborative project that will produce a new edition, translation and commentary on all epigraphically-preserved Roman laws. The project is supported by grants from the The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation, the Neubauer Collegium, and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Christopher Faraone has been named the Robert O. Anderson Distinguished Service Professor in the Department of Classics and the College.

A member of the UChicago faculty since 1992, Faraone focuses his research on ancient Greek poetry, religion and magic. He is the author of Talismans and Trojan Horses: Guardian Statues in Ancient Greek Myth and Ritual (1992); Ancient Greek Love Magic (1999); The Stanzaic Structure of Early Greek Elegy (2008); Transformation of Greek Amulets in Roman Imperial Times (2019); and Hexametrical Genres from Homer to Theocritus (2021).

He has also coedited a dozen scholarly volumes including (with I. Polinskaya), Curses in Context 3: The Greek Curse Tablets of the Classical and Hellenistic Periods, Papers and Monographs from the Norwegian Institute at Athens 12 (2021), (with F. Naiden), Ancient Victims, Modern Observers: Reflections on Greek and Roman Animal Sacrifice (Cambridge 2012), with D. Obbink, The Getty Hexameters: Poetry, Magic and Mystery in Ancient Greek Selinous (Oxford 2013). Most recently, he has co-edited with Sofia Torallas-Tovar The Greco-Egyptian Magical Formularies vol. 1 (Berkeley 2022) and The Greco-Egyptian Magical Formularies: Libraries, Books and Individual Recipes (Ann Arbor 2022), the latter of which was awarded the 2023 Charles Beebe Goodwin Book Award.

Anthony Kaldellis has been named the Gaylord Donnelley Distinguished Service Professor in the Department of Classics and the College.

Kaldellis’ research explores the history, culture and literature of the east Roman empire from antiquity to the 15th century. An earlier phase of it focused on the reception of ancient Hellenic culture, for example on how authors conceived their projects in relation to classical models ( Procopius of Caesarea , 2004), as well as the history of identities ( Hellenism in Byzantium , 2007), monuments ( The Christian Parthenon , 2009), and genres ( Ethnography after Antiquity , 2013). A second phase brought to light the enduring Roman matrices of Byzantine life and thought, focusing on its political sphere ( The Byzantine Republic , 2015) and ethnic identities ( Romanland: Ethnicity and Empire in Byzantium , 2019).

He has translated into English the works of many medieval Greek writers, such as Prokopios, Genesios, Psellos, Attaleiates and Laonikos Chalkokondyles. His own monographs have been translated into other modern languages, including Turkish, French, Romanian, Russian and Greek. In 2019, he created the first academic podcast for his field, Byzantium & Friends . He has just published a new, comprehensive history of Byzantium, The New Roman Empire (2023), which embeds social, economic, religious and demographic developments within a lively narrative framework.

Gabriel Richardson Lear has been named as the Arthur and Joann Rasmussen Professor in Western Civilization in the Department of Philosophy, the John U. Nef Committee on Social Thought and the College.

Lear is the chair of the John U. Nef Committee on Social Thought. Her first book, Happy Lives and the Highest Good: An Essay on Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics (Princeton, 2004), is about the relationship between morally virtuous action and theoretical contemplation in the happiest life. She continues to publish on aspects of Aristotle’s ethics.

In addition, she has published a number of articles about the idea, pervasive in Ancient Greek ethics, that virtue is beautiful or splendidly good ( kalon ) and about the intersection of ethics and poetics in Plato’s philosophy. She co-edited Plato’s Philebus: A Philosophical Discussion (Oxford, 2019), which was the inaugural publication of the international Plato Dialogue Project.

Rochona Majumdar has been named the George V. Bobrinskoy Professor in the Departments of South Asian Languages and Civilizations, Cinema and Media Studies, and the College.

Majumdar is a historian of modern India with a focus on Bengal. Her writings span histories of gender and sexuality, Indian cinema and modern Indian intellectual history. Majumdar also writes on postcolonial history and theory.

Majumdar's first book, Marriage and Modernity: Family Values in Colonial Bengal challenges the assumption that arranged marriage is an antiquated practice. It was shortlisted by the International Convention of Asia Scholars (Social Science short-list) in 2011. Her second work, Writing Postcolonial History , analyzed the impact of postcolonial theory on historiography.

Her third book, Art Cinema and India's Forgotten Futures: Film and History in the Postcolony, is an analysis of global art cinema in independent India. It was awarded The Chidananda Dasgupta Memorial award for the best writing on Indian cinema in 2023, an Honorable Mention for the Modernist Studies Association Book Prize 2022, and commended for the Kraszna-Krausz Moving Image Book Award 2022.

Majumdar is currently working on two projects. The first is a collaborative project funded by the University of Chicago Center in Delhi entitled A Global history of the Hindoo/ Presidency College: Excellence and Exclusion (under contract with Cambridge University Press) with Upal Chakrabarti and Sukanya Sarbadhikary. The second is an annotated translation of Fifty Years of Politics That I Have Witnessed ( Amar Dekha Rajnitir Panchansh Bachar ) by the Bangladeshi intellectual and nationalist thinker Abul Mansur Ahmad.

Sarah Nooter has been named the Edward Olson Professor in the Department of Classics and the College.

Nooter writes about Greek drama and modern reception, and also about poetry, the voice, embodiment, queer theory, and performance. Her first book, When Heroes Sing: Sophocles and the Shifting Soundscape of Tragedy (2016), explores the lyrically powerful voices of Sophocles’ heroes. The Mortal Voice in the Tragedies of Aeschylus (2022) is on voice in Aeschylus and Greek poetry and thought more generally. Her most recent book, Greek Poetry in the Age of Ephemerality (2023), consists of a series of essays on Greek poems, understood as attempts at embodiment through performance and objecthood in the face of the ephemerality of human life. Her volume of translations called How to Be Queer: An Ancient Guide to Sexuality (2024) has just been released.

She has co-edited a book called Sound and the Ancient Senses with Shane Butler (2019) and a volume with Mario Telò entitled Radical Formalisms: Reading, Theory and the Boundaries of the Classical (2024). Finally, she is Editor-in-Chief of Classical Philology and has edited special issues on Poetry and Its Means , Athens: Stage, Page, Assembly , Tragedy: Reconstruction and Repair , and, most recently, Philology Transfigured .

Physical Sciences Division

David Archer has been named the first Allyse and Helmut Heydegger Professor in the Department of the Geophysical Sciences and the College.

Archer uses computer simulations to understand the balance between carbon dioxide levels in the oceans and in the atmosphere in the past to better predict the impact that changing levels will have on future climate. He has worked on a wide range of topics pertaining to the global carbon cycle and its relation to global climate, as well as the evolution of atmospheric carbon dioxide.

He is the author of The Long Thaw: How humans are changing the next 100,000 years of Earth's climate (2008), which earned him the 2009 Walter P. Kistler Book Award; as well as The Global Carbon Cycle (Princeton Primers in Climate) (2010), The Warming Papers: The Scientific Foundation for the Climate Change Forecast (2010) and an undergraduate textbook for non-science majors, titled Global Warming: Understanding the Forecast .

He is a fellow of the American Geophysical Union.

Benson Farb has been named the first Ann Gillian Sheldon Professor of Mathematics and the College.

Farb's work has spanned geometric group theory, low-dimensional topology, dynamical systems, differential geometry, Teichmuller theory, cohomology of groups, representation theory, algebraic geometry and 4-manifold theory, as well as the connections among these topics.

Farb was elected a fellow of the American Mathematical Society in 2012 and of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2021 and spoke at the International Congress of Mathematicians in 2014. Farb and his former student Dan Margalit were awarded the 2024 Steele Prize for their book “A Primer on Mapping Class Groups.” He has supervised 52 Ph.D. students and has been senior scientist for 15 NSF postdocs.

Young-Kee Kim has been named the Albert A. Michelson Distinguished Service Professor of Physics and the College.

Kim, special advisor to the provost, previously held the Louis Block Distinguished Service Professor of Physics and the College. She is an experimental particle physicist and devotes much of her research to understanding the origin of mass for fundamental particles.

Kim co-led the Collider Detector at Fermilab experiment, a collaboration with more than 600 particle physicists from around the world. She is currently working on the ATLAS particle physics experiment at CERN, as well as on accelerator physics research. She was deputy director of Fermilab between 2006 and 2013 and has served on numerous national and international advisory committees and boards.

She is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a foreign member of the Korean Academy of Science and Technology, and a fellow of the American Physical Society, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the Sloan Foundation, as well as the recipient of the Ho-Am Prize and the Arthur L. Kelly Faculty Prize.

Kim notes that Albert A. Michelson, the recipient of the 1907 Nobel Prize in Physics, for whom the chair is named, was the first chair of the UChicago Department of Physics in 1892; Kim served as chair of that department between 2016 and 2022. Michelson also served as president of the American Physical Society in 1901-1902, and Kim is currently president of the American Physical Society.

Yamuna Krishnan has been named the Louis Block Professor of Chemistry and the College.

Krishnan is a groundbreaking chemist who crafts tiny “machines” out of DNA that can be used to monitor and explore how cells work at the microscopic level. Such knowledge can help us better understand diseases and disorders, develop drug targets, and check whether a drug is reaching its intended target in a cell. She investigates the structure and dynamics of nucleic acids, nucleic acid nanotechnology, cellular and subcellular technologies.

She has received numerous awards, including the NIH Director’s Pioneer Award, the Infosys Prize for Physical Sciences, the Sun Pharma award for Basic Medical Sciences and the Bhatnagar Award for Chemical Sciences and the Scientific Innovations Award from the Brain Research Foundation. She has been named one of Lo Spazio Della Politica’s Top 100 Global Thinkers of 2014 and to research journal Cell Press’s “40 Under 40.”

Social Sciences Division

Paul Cheney has been named the Sorin and Imran Siddiqui Professor in the Department of History and the College, effective Aug. 1.

A historian of Europe with a specialization in old regime France and its colonial empire, Paul Cheney exemplifies the qualities recognized by this appointment: a brilliant scholar and a dedicated teacher with a demonstrated commitment to Core programs of the College. His scholarly work has significantly influenced several fields with an ambitious combination of economic, cultural, and intellectual historical approaches.

His first book, Revolutionary Commerce (Harvard, 2010), is a new history of economic and political culture in enlightenment France, resulting in a new understanding of the origins of the French Revolution. His second, prize-winning book, Cul de Sac (Chicago, 2017) delves into the practical history of colonial economic life in the form of a "global microhistory" of a sugar plantation on Saint Domingue. His work has appeared in Past & Present, The William and Mary Quarterly, Dix-huitième siècle, Les Annales historiques de la Révolution française , and Modern Intellectual History .

Cheney has advanced this bold and creative agenda in research while also making superior contributions to the University community and to the undergraduate curriculum, including service as Chair of multiple Core sequences since his appointment as Assistant Professor of European History in 2006.

Tom S. Clark has been named the David and Mary Winton Green Professor in the Department of Political Science and the College.

Clark joined the UChicago faculty on July 1 from Emory University. Recognized for his leadership in American politics as a scholar of the U.S. judiciary, his approach is distinctive for its attention to the judiciary as an institution that operates as part of the broader political processes of government.

In his research, Clark has investigated how federal judges respond to varying public support for their positions, and the ways in which Congress’s actions serve to signal public support to the courts. These issues were the focus of his first book The Limits of Judicial Independence (2011, Cambridge University Press). In his second book, The Supreme Court: An Analytic History of Constitutional Decision Making (2019, Cambridge University Press), he examines the ways in which social and political forces affect the cases that are brought to the Court, and ultimately shape judicial decisions and the evolution of constitutional law. In addition to his two monographs, Clark is the author of dozens of substantive journal articles in the field’s top outlets, a casebook, and a forthcoming book studying police shootings in U.S. cities.

He has been a visiting fellow at Stanford’s Center for the Advanced Study of Behavioral Sciences, Princeton’s Center for the Study of Democratic Politics and the Institute for Advanced Study at the Toulouse School of Economics. Clark’s work has been recognized by major scholarly awards, including the William H. Riker Award, awarded for best book on political economy from the Political Economy Section of the American Political Science Association, the Joseph Bernd Award and the Neal Tate Award from the Southern Political Science Association and the Midwest Political Science Association’s Emerging Scholar Award.

Cathy J. Cohen has been named the D. Gale Johnson Distinguished Service Professor in the Departments of Race, Diaspora, and Indigeneity and Political Science, and the College.

She was previously the David and Mary Winton Green Distinguished Service Professor of Political Science. Cohen’s research has challenged her discipline to reimagine the boundaries of the political sphere, and to reevaluate conventional assumptions about the nature of political activity. She is the founder of GenForward, a nationally representative and intensive survey of young adults that pays special attention to how race and ethnicity shape how respondents experience and think about the world.

Cohen is the author of several books, including the award-winning and highly-cited The Boundaries of Blackness: AIDS and the Breakdown of Black Politics (1999, University of Chicago Press), and Democracy Remixed: Black Youth and the Future of American Politics (2010, Oxford University Press). She is also the co-editor of Women Transforming Politics (1997, NYU Press). Her articles have been published in numerous journals and edited volumes.

In addition to her scholarly contributions, Cohen has a distinguished record of service and leadership at the University and within the academy. She is currently the inaugural chair of the Department of Race, Diaspora, and Indigeneity and has previously served as director of the Center for the Study of Race, Politics and Culture, as deputy provost for graduate education, and as chair of the Political Science Department. She is a member of the board of the Russell Sage Foundation and has served in advisory and leadership roles in the American Political Science Association, the Social Science Research Council and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Booth School of Business

Daniel Bartels has been named the Leon Carroll Marshall Professor of Marketing.

Bartels investigates the mental representations and processes underlying consumer financial decision-making, moral psychology, and intertemporal choice.

His research has been published in Journal of Consumer Research , Cognitive Psychology , Psychological Bulletin , Cognition, Journal of Marketing Research, Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology , and Psychological Science and has been featured in The New York Times , The Economist , The Atlantic, Wall Street Journal, Time, US News and World Report, Money Magazine, among other outlets. He is associate editor at Cognition .

Prior to joining Booth as a faculty member, Bartels taught behavioral economics at Columbia Business School. He also had a previous affiliation with Booth as a postdoctoral fellow for the Center for Decision Research from 2007-2010. Bartels earned a PhD in cognitive psychology from Northwestern University and a BS in psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.

Anna Costello has been named the Jeffrey Breakenridge Keller Professor of Accounting.

Before joining Booth, she previously served as an assistant professor of accounting at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business and the MIT Sloan School of Management.

Costello’s research investigates the role of information sharing between supply chain partners. Specifically, her work shows that information asymmetry between buyers and suppliers impacts the terms and restrictions in long-term supply contracts. She also studies how trade credit between supply chain partners influences firm-specific and market-wide risk. Her research has been published in the Journal of Political Economy, the Journal of Financial Economics, the Journal of Accounting Research, the Journal of Accounting and Economics, and The Accounting Review .

Costello was awarded the Best Dissertation Award from the Financial Accounting and Reporting Section of the American Accounting Association. She received the 2014-2015 MBA Teacher of the Year Award from the MIT Sloan School of Management.

Ayelet Fishbach has been named the Eric J. Gleacher Distinguished Service Professor of Behavioral Science and Marketing.

Fishbach studies social psychology, management, and consumer behavior. She is the past president of the Society for the Science of Motivation and the International Social Cognition Network, and the author of GET IT DONE: Surprising Lessons from the Science of Motivation .

Fishbach is an expert on motivation and decision-making. Her groundbreaking research on human motivation has won the Society of Experimental Social Psychology’s Best Dissertation Award and Career Trajectory Award, the Society of Consumer Psychology’s Distinguished Scientific Contribution award, and the Fulbright Educational Foundation Award. She further received the Provost’s Teaching Award from the University of Chicago.

Fishbach’s work shows how people can live up to their highest aspirations. She’s written about exercising, healthy eating, working, studying, and saving money—the hard-but-worth-it challenges that occupy our lives. She studies self-control, intrinsic motivation, feedback, patience, and promoting a healthy lifestyle.

Fishbach’s research has been published in many journals, including Nature , Psychological Review , Psychological Science, Journal of Consumer Research , Journal of Experimental Psychology: General , Journal of Marketing Research , and the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology . Her research is regularly featured in the media, including The New York Times, Financial Times , WSJ , CNN , and NPR .

Michael Minnis has been named the Fuji Bank and Heller Professor of Accounting.

He studies the role of accounting information in allocating investment efficiently by both managers and capital providers. His recent research focuses on understanding the role of privately held companies in the U.S. economy and how these firms use financial reporting to access, deploy, and manage capital.

Minnis joined the Booth faculty in 2010 and has served as the director of the Chookaszian Accounting Research Center since 2022. As launch committee co-chair, he has played an integral role in the development of the school’s new Master in Management and Master in Finance Programs.

From 2018-2023, he served two terms as a member of the Private Company Council, the primary advisory council to the Financial Accounting Standards Board on private company issues. He has also been engaged in a variety consulting projects outside of academia.

Before pursuing his PhD, Minnis worked in a variety of professional roles. He first started in corporate finance at Eli Lilly and Company, Inc. and later at Fitzgerald | Isaac, p.c. as a certified public accountant. He went on to found Controller Associates LLC. His firm provided part-time controller and Chief Financial Officer services to start-ups, small companies, and non-profit organizations, as well as a variety of financial statement analysis and consulting services.

Minnis received his PhD from the University of Michigan and his BS from the University of Illinois.

Sanjog Misra has been named the Charles H. Kellstadt Distinguished Service Professor of Marketing and Applied AI.

His research focuses on the use of AI, machine learning, deep learning, and structural econometric methods to study consumer, firm, and policy decisions. In particular, his research involves building data-driven intelligent models aimed at understanding how individuals make choices and investigating private and public policies that might influence those choices. More broadly, Misra is interested in the development of scalable algorithms, calibrated on large-scale data, and the implementation of such algorithms in real world decision environments.

Misra’s research has been published in Econometrica , The Journal of Marketing Research, The Journal of Political Economy, Marketing Science, Quantitative Marketing and Economics, the Journal of Law and Economics , among others. He has served as the co-editor of Quantitative Marketing and Economics and as area editor at Management Science , the Journal of Business and Economic Statistics , Marketing Science , Quantitative Marketing and Economics , the International Journal of Research in Marketing and the Journal of Marketing Research.

Prior to joining Booth, Misra was professor of marketing at UCLA Anderson School of Management and professor at the Simon School of Business at the University of Rochester. In addition, he has been visiting faculty at the Johnson School of Management at Cornell University and the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University.

Joseph L. Pagliari has been named the first John Mazarakis and Chicago Atlantic Clinical Professor, effective Feb. 1. He focuses his research and teaching efforts (based on over 40 years of industry experience) on issues broadly surrounding institutional real estate investment, attempting to answer important questions from a rigorous theoretical and empirical perspective. These issues include: the risk-adjusted performance of core and non-core funds; principal/agent issues in incentive fees; a comparison of REITs and private real estate; real estate’s pricing and return-generating process; real estate’s role in a mixed-asset portfolio; analysis of high-yield (or mezzanine) financing; and the strategic uses of leverage.

He has authored (or co-authored) numerous papers on a variety of these topics. He has also co-authored several chapters in the Handbook of Real Estate Portfolio Management, of which he is also the editor. He has presented these papers and thoughts on other topics at a variety of industry events (including ARES, AREUEA, NCREIF, NAREIM, PREA and ULI) as well as the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta and testimony before a subcommittee of the House of Representatives. His views on these and other topics have also been published in the popular press, including Barron’s and The Wall Street Journal.

Alexander Todorov has been named the Walter David “Bud” Fackler Distinguished Service Professor of Behavioral Science.

Todorov studies perception, judgment, and decision-making. As an alternative to standard theory-driven experiments to study perception and judgment, Todorov’s lab pioneered data-driven computational methods. These methods model and visualize the perceptual basis of judgments (e.g., what makes an object beautiful) without prior assumptions, and can be used as a discovery tool. Building on this past work, his current research uses generative AI to model individual human preferences. Another line of research is on the incompleteness of human statistical intuitions and the conditions under which these intuitions impair decision-making.

Todorov’s research has been published in many journals, including Science , PNAS , Nature Human Behavior , Trends in Cognitive Sciences , Psychological Science , Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, Journal of Vision , and Journal of Neuroscience . Media coverage of his research has spanned internationally. Among the outlets in the US that have covered his research are PBS, NBC Today Show, NPR, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. Todorov was awarded the 2008 SAGE Young Scholar Award from the Foundation for Personality and Social Psychology, a 2010 Guggenheim Fellowship from the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, and the 2019 Career Trajectory Award from the Society of Experimental Social Psychology. His most recent book is Face Value: The Irresistible Influence of First Impressions .

Prior to joining Booth, Todorov was a professor of psychology at Princeton University from 2002 to 2020.

Oleg Urminsky has been named the Theodore O. Yntema Professor of Marketing.

Urminsky studies decision-making and the implications for consumers, policymakers and firms. He studies how information, incentives, goals, temporal horizons, identity, emotions and the decision environment interact to shape individual decision-making. He teaches experimental research methods for MBA and PhD students.

Urminsky’s research has been published in Cognition , Journal of Consumer Research , Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, Journal of Marketing Research , Marketing Science , Nature Human Behavior and Psychological Science as well as other journals. His paper, “The Goal-Gradient Hypothesis Resurrected: Purchase Acceleration, Illusionary Goal Progress, and Customer Retention” was a finalist for the 2007 Paul Green award and 2011 O’Dell award. His recent research investigates how the relationships between emotions and economic decisions vary around the world, how planning and anticipated interpersonal interactions impact patience, how language impacts online engagement, and the importance of field experiments for testing policies.

Urminsky’s past experience includes political polling and advertising research, including working on the largest worldwide study of brands, the Brand Asset Valuator, as well as presidential and senate campaigns.

Divinity School

Dwight N. Hopkins has been named the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Professor.

Hopkins is a constructive social impact theologian (his first Ph.D. degree) with emphasis on wealth ownership informed by history, politics, and religion (his second Ph.D. degree). He asks: how does faith plus wealth equal freedom? — which is the content and goal of human liberation. Wealth means the ownership of earth, air, and water. Faith underscores humans having collective visions beyond the individual self. And freedom points to humans not owing anything to anyone. In this way of life, people are free fully to pursue living.

His MBA degree complements this path to relate the humanities/theology with wealth/business to expand being fully human for people whose traditions pursue faith plus wealth equals freedom. For him, educational technology and ethics in Artificial Intelligence represent a door opening to such a visionary and practical freedom, especially for younger generations.

Hopkins’ research begins with how people have always had agency and opportunity. For example, he developed three courses on Black Ownership of Wealth, from 1619 to the present.

Like John D. Rockefeller (the founder of the University of Chicago), Hopkins comes out of the Baptist tradition, but framed by Episcopalian impacts.

Harris School

Steven Durlauf has been named the Frank P. Hixon Distinguished Service Professor.

The director of the Stone Center for Research on Wealth Inequality and Mobility, Durlauf conducts research that spans topics in economics, including poverty, inequality and economic growth. He helped pioneer the application of statistical mechanics techniques to the modeling of socioeconomic behavior and has also developed identification analyses for these models. Durlauf is also known as a critic of the use of the concept of social capital by social scientists and has also challenged the ways that agent-based modeling and complexity theory have been employed by social and natural scientists to study socioeconomic phenomena.

Durlauf is currently a general editor of the Elsevier Handbooks in Economics series. He was a general editor of The New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics (2008), the most extensive compendium of economic knowledge in the world. He was also the editor of the Journal of Economic Literature from 2013 to 2022.

He is a fellow of the Econometric Society, a fellow of the Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory, a fellow of the International Association of Applied Econometrics and a research associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research. He was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2011.

Curtis A. Bradley has been named the Allen M. Singer Distinguished Service Professor of Law.

A foreign relations law expert, Bradley has research interests that include international law, constitutional law and federal court jurisdiction. His latest book, Historical Gloss and Foreign Affairs: Constitutional Authority in Practice —due out in October—examines how the constitutional law governing the conduct of foreign affairs has evolved significantly throughout history, positing that these changes were developed through the practices of presidents and Congress rather than by Supreme Court rulings or formal constitutional amendments.

He is also the author of International Law in the US Legal System (3d ed. 2020), the editor of The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Foreign Relations Law (2019), and the coauthor of two casebooks: Foreign Relations Law: Cases and Materials (8th ed. 2024) and Federal Courts and the Law of Federal-State Relations (10th ed. 2022).

From 2012-2018, Bradley served as a reporter on the Restatement (Fourth) of the Foreign Relations Law of the United States, and in 2023, began serving as a reporter on the latest phase of this Restatement. Early in his career, Bradley clerked for Judge David Ebel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit and Justice Byron White on the U.S. Supreme Court. In 2004, he served as counselor on international law in the Legal Adviser’s Office of the U.S. State Department.

Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering

Nadya Mason has been named the first Robert J. Zimmer Professor of Molecular Engineering, effective Feb. 1.

The dean of the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, Mason focuses her research on nanoscale electronic properties in systems such as nano-scale wires, atomically thin membranes, and nanostructured superconductors, with applications in nanoscale and quantum computing.

Before joining UChicago in 2023, Mason was the Rosalyn S. Yalow Professor of Physics at the University of Illinois and directed the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology.

Dedicated to advancing diversity in the physical sciences and mentoring, Mason is the former chair of the American Physical Society Committee on Minorities, where she helped initiate the “National Mentoring Community.” She regularly contributes to science outreach through local TV appearances, the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry, and a TED talk on "Scientific Curiosity."

Mason is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and is the recipient of numerous awards, including the 2009 Denise Denton Emerging Leader Award, the 2012 APS Maria Goeppert Mayer Award and the 2019 APS Bouchet Award.

Can you find good health information on TikTok? UChicago study advises caution

A group of people in jackets stand on a dock in front of a very large ship with a drilling rig in the center of it

Dispatches from Abroad

Aboard a drilling rig in the Mediterranean, scientists seek to understand Earth’s past climates

Dannerys Peralta stands holding and speaking into a microphone in front of a group of women sitting and eating at a long table outside.

A UChicago student finds connection and career path in Berlin

Go 'Inside the Lab' at UChicago

Explore labs through videos and Q and As with UChicago faculty, staff and students

Scientist reaches out to flip a switch on a board with a colleague visible further away

Upgraded synchrotron starts up at Argonne National Laboratory

Two scientists compare sheets of paper with figures, standing in front of a whiteboard with equations

Materials science

UChicago scientists pioneer technique to visualize anti-ferroelectric materials

Around uchicago.

Pride Month

How UChicago’s Center for the Study of Gender and Sexuality ‘is here for everyone’

Quantrell and PhD Teaching Awards

UChicago announces 2024 winners of Quantrell and PhD Teaching Awards

Campus News

Project to improve accessibility, sustainability of Main Quadrangles

National Academy of Sciences

Five UChicago faculty elected to National Academy of Sciences in 2024

UChicago graduate student selected as 2024 Paul and Daisy Soros Fellow

Kavli Prize

UChicago President Paul Alivisatos shares 2024 Kavli Prize in Nanoscience

“you have to be open minded, planning to reinvent yourself every five to seven years.”.

Prof. Chuan He faces camera smiling with hands on hips with a chemistry lab in the background

First student awarded scholarship in honor of historian, civil rights activist Timuel D. Black

Department of Physics

Graduate course outlines, graduate program course outlines.

The Course Outlines and syllabi on this web page represent the best descriptions of some of the graduate courses that are available at this time. The Physics Department expects that these topics will be covered, but some deviations may result. You should consult the instructor before choosing to take a course because of a specific topic.

Physics 316 - Advanced Classical Mechanics (Autumn)
Physics 322 - Advanced Electrodynamics And Optics I (Winter)
Physics 323 - Advanced Electrodynamics And Optics II (Spring)
Physics 330 - Mathematical Methods of Physics (Autumn)
Physics 341 , 342 - Quantum Mechanics I and II (Autumn-Winter)
Physics 352 - Statistical Mechanics (Spring)
Physics 353 - Advanced Statistical Mechanics (Autumn)
Physics 361 - Solid State Physics (Autumn)
Physics 363 - Introductory Particle Physics (Spring)
Physics 364 - Introduction to General Relativity (Winter)
Physics 366 - Advanced Solid State Physics/Hard Condensed Matter (Winter)
Physics 367 - Soft Condensed Matter Physics (Winter)
Physics 385 - Advanced Mathematical Methods of Physics (Winter/Spring)
Physics 386 - Advanced Methods of Data Analysis (Winter/Spring)
Physics 443 , 444 , 445 - Quantum Field Theory (Autumn-Spring)

PHYS 316: Advanced Classical Mechanics

Level: “Classical Mechanics” by Landau & Lifshitz or “Classical Mechanics” by Goldstein, Poole, and Safko.

Hamilton's principle and Lagrangians
Hamiltonians
Other variational principles
Symmetries and conservation laws
Central force problems
Rigid body motion
Small oscillations
Continuum mechanics as a limit of particle systems
Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formulations
Poisson brackets
Canonical transformations
Hamilton-Jacobi theory
Action-angle variables
Adiabatic invariants
Chaos in Hamiltonian systems

PHYS 322: Advanced Electrodynamics and Optics I

Level: "Classical Electrodynamics" by Jackson

Gauss' law, potentials
Poisson equation, boundary conditions, methods for solving boundary value problems
Eigenfunction & multipole expansions
Conformal mappings of potentials (optional)
Potentials, Gauge Transformations
Conservation laws, Poynting vector, Stress-energy tensor
Wave equation
Polarization
Dispersive materials, phase/group velocities
Propagation in plasmas, conductors, dielectrics
Waves at media interfaces, Fresnel equations
Waveguides (optional)
Special materials, negative index (optional)
Diffraction: Fraunhofer and Fresnel
Scattering of plane waves by a conducting sphere
Fourier optics, filtering (see "Intro to Fourier Optics" by Goodman)
Gaussian beams, transfer matrix (optional but recommended)

PHYS 323: Advanced Electrodynamics and Optics II

Level: "Classical Theory of Fields" by Landau and Lifschitz

Lorentz covariance of Maxwell's equations
Relativistic action, EM Lagrangian, Hamiltonian
Charged particle action, Lorentz force
Dielectrics, thermodynamic properties
Hall effect and thermoelectric phenomena (optional)
Landau-Ginzburg superconductivity (optional)
Covariant Green's function, retarded time
Retarded potentials
Multipole radiation
Point currents, scattering plane waves from point charges
Bremsstrahlung, synchrotron, Cherenkov radiation
Vortices, topological defects in fields/matter
Meta-materials
Physics of charged particle beams, optics of beams
Topological defects
Symmetries of the EM field tensor under dilatation, Noether currents
Electromagnetism and differential geometry

Physics 330: Mathematical Methods of Physics

Level: Matthews and Walker, Mathematical Methods of Physics or Arfken and Weber, Mathematical Methods for Physicists

Finite-dimensional vector spaces
Functional analysis
Analytic functions
Contour integration
Exact solutions
Series solutions
Approximation methods
Hyperbolic, elliptic and parabolic equations

Note: This outline is intended as a guide to the most essential topics for this course; there is some flexibility in the order and manner of presentation. In particular, examples of particular applications are left to the instructor.

Physics 341-342: Quantum Mechanics I-II

Level: R. Shankar, Principles of Quantum Mechanics J. Sakurai, Introduction to Quantum Mechanics

Vector spaces and Hilbert spaces
Dirac notation
Self-adjoint and Unitary operators and their spectra
Symmetries and unitary transformations
Projection operators
Structure of QM
Uncertainty Relations
Two state systems
One-dimensional problems
Coherent States
The classical limit of QM
Time evolution operator
Heisenberg equations of motion
Heisnberg vs. Schrodinger representation
Angular Momentum and commutation relations
Addition of angular momentum
Wigner-Eckart theorem
Identical particle and spin-statistics
Gauge invariance
Aharonov-Bohm effect
Magnetic monopoles
Stark effect
Landau levels
Quantum Hall effect
Stationary perturbation theory and applications
Time dependent perturbation theory
Fermi's golden rule
Emission and absorption of radiation
General formulation for scattering
Cross sections and the scattering amplitude
Definition of S-matrix and analytic properties
Scattering of identical particles
Defining sums over paths
Relation to standard formalism
Phase space path integrals
Evaulating gaussian integrals
Tunneling via instantons
Born-Oppenheimer or adiabatic approximation
Sudden approximation
Berry's phase and potential
Global interpretation, examples
Bell's inequalities
Schrodinger's cat and the problem of collapse of the wave function
Decoherence, basic idea and simple models
Supersymmetry
Supersymmetry in quantum mechanics
Solvable examples
Supersymmetry and index theory

Note : Topics 1 - 7 should be considered core material that should be covered every year. There should usually be time to cover some of the remaining four topics (or other topics chosen by the instructor).

PHYSICS 352: STATISTICAL MECHANICS

Level: " Statistical Physics of Particles" by Kardar

The first and second laws
Carnot engines
Approach to equilibrium and thermodynamic potentials
Maxwell relations and stability conditions
The third law
One random variable
Some important probability distributions
Many random variables
Sums of random variables and the central limit theorem
Rules for large numbers
Information, entropy, and estimation
Liouville's theorem
The Bogoliubov-Born-Green-Kirkwood-Yvon hierarchy
The Boltzmann equation
The H-theorem and irreversibility
Equilibrium properties
Conservation laws
Hydrodynamic limit
The microcanonical ensemble
The ideal gas
The canonical ensemble
The Gibbs canonical ensemble
The grand canonical ensemble
The cumulant expansion
The cluster expansion
The second virial coefficient and van der Waals equation
Mean-field theory of condensation
Variational methods
Corresponding states
Critical behavior
Dilute polyatomic gases
Vibrations of a solid
Black-body radiation
Quantum microstates
Quantum macrostates
Hilbert space of identical particles
Canonical formulation
Grand canonical formulation
Non-relativistic gas
The degenerate Fermi gas
The degenerate Bose gas
Superfluid He-4

PHYSICS 353: ADVANCED STATISTICAL MECHANICS

Level: "Statistical Physics of Fields" by Kardar "Scaling and Renormalization in Statistical Physics" by Cardy

Phonons and elasticity
Phase transitions in simple systems
Coarse graining and the Landau-Ginzburg Hamiltonian
Saddle point approximation, mean field theory
Continuous symmetry breaking and Goldstone modes
Discrete symmetry breaking and domain walls
Scattering and fluctuations
Correlation functions and susceptibilities
Lower critical dimension
Fluctuation corrections to the saddle point
The Ginzburg criterion
Divergence of the correlation length
Critical correlation functions and self-similarity
The renormalization group idea
Block spins
One-dimensional Ising model
Scaling behavior of the free energy
Critical exponents
Scaling for the correlation functions
Scaling operators and scaling dimensions
The Gaussian model
Diagrammatic representation of perturbation theory
Susceptibility
Perturbative renormalization group
The epsilon-expansion
The Gaussian fixed point, the Wilson-Fisher fixed point
Logarithmic corrections in d = 4
The O(n) model near four dimensions
Models and methods
Transfer matricies
Position space renormalization group in one dimension
The Migdal-Kadanoff bond moving approximation
Low-temperature expansions
High-temperature expansions
Exact solutions of the 1-dimensional Ising model
Self-duality in the 2-dimensional Ising model
Exact free energy of the square lattice Ising model
Critical behavior of the 2-dimensional Ising model
The nonlinear sigma model
Topological defects in the XY model
Renormalization group for the Coulomb gas
Two-dimensional solids
Two-dimensional melting
Brownian motion of a particle
Equilibrium dynamics of a field
Dynamics of a conserved field
Non-equilibrium dynamics of open systems
Dynamics of a growing surface
Quenched and annealed disorder
The Harris criterion
Perturbative approach to the random fixed point
Percolation
Random fields
Conformal transformations
Simple consequences of conformal symmetry
The stress tensor
The c-theorem

PHYSICS 361: SOLID STATE PHYSICS

Level: Ashcroft and Mermin, Solid State Physics

Crystal Lattice Structures
X-Ray Scattering and Reciprocal Lattice
Ground State Properties
Thermodynamics (Debye Theory) Spatial
Structure (Debye-Waller factor)
Bloch’s Theorem and Perturbation Theory
Tight Binding Systems
Density of States
Insulators and Semi-Conductors
Optical Properties of Solids
Transport in Metals (conductivity, Hall effect, etc.)

Physics 363: Particle Physics

Main Text: Griffiths, Introduction to Elementary Particles

Supplementary Texts: Halzen and Martin, Quarks and Leptons Kane, Modern Elementary Particle Physics Perkins, Introduction to High Energy Physics

Observed particles
Spacetime and 4-vectors
Relativistic kinematics
Field theory: Lagrangians, electromagnetism, gauge invariance
Time-dependent perturbation theory
Feynman rules (at tree level)
Cross-sections and decay rates
Group theory review
SU(2) isospin, product representations, SU(3)
C , P , and T
Spinors and fermions
Feynman rules
QED processes, Dirac matrix technology
Electron-Quark interactions
Inelastic scattering, partons
Structure functions
Yang-Mills theory
Quarks; Feynman rules
Running couplings
Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking
Bosonic sector: vector bosons, Higgs
Fermions, SU(2)
Generations, CKM matrix, CP violation

Physics 364: General Relativity

Main Text: Wald, General Relativity

Supplementary Texts: Schutz, A First Course in General Relativity Weinberg, Gravitation and Cosmology Misner, Thorne, and Wheeler, Gravitation D'Inverno, Introducing Einstein's Relativity

Lorentz Transformations
Spacetime Diagrams
Vectors and Tensors
Proper Time
Physics in Flat Spacetime
Coordinate Systems
Vectors as Derivatives
Tensor Transformation Law
Tensor Densities
Covariant Derivatives and Connection Coefficients
Parallel Transport
The Riemann Tensor
Geodesic Deviation
The Principle of Equivalence
Physics in Curved Spacetime
Einstein's Equations
The Newtonian Limit
The Weak-Field Limit
Linearized Einstein Equations
Gravitational Waves
Birkhoff's Theorem
Geodesics of Schwarzschild
Kruskal Extension
Penrose Diagrams
Charged and Rotating Solutions
Black-Hole Thermodynamics
The Robertson-Walker Metric
The Friedmann Equations
Cosmological Redshift

PHYSICS 366: ADVANCED SOLID STATE PHYSICS

Topics will be selected from the following list:

Phasetransitions, broken symmetry, collective modes, scaling and renormalizationgroup analysis
Magnetism:meanfield theory and beyond, itinerant and localized viewpoints, spin waves,ferromagnets and antiferromagnets, spin density waves
Superconductivity:BCS theory and implications on thermodynamics and transport, gauge invariance,Landau-Ginzburg theory, electrodynamics
Disorder: Anderson localization, metal-insulator transitions, interaction effects,Kondo effect
QuantumHall Effect and correlated electronic systems
Superfluidityand Bose-Einstein condensation
Physicsof low-dimensional systems: 1Dand 2D systems, surface physics
Fermiliquid theory
Quasi-crystals

PHYSICS 367: SOFT CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS

Granular and Colloidal Matter
Instabilities
Topological Shapes and Transitions Between Them

Physics 385: Advanced Math Methods

Main Text: Georgi, Lie Algebras in Particle Physics

Supplementary Texts: Cornwell, Group Theory in Physics: An Introduction Tung, Group Theory in Physics Sternberg, Group Theory and Physics Gilmore, Lie Groups, Lie Algebras, and Some of TheirApplications

Finite groups
Representations and reducibility
Manifold structure, integration
Lie algebras
Global properties; relationship between groups and algebras
Fundamental and adjoint representations
SU(2) and its representations
Roots and weights
Dynkin diagrams
Classical groups: SO(n), SU(n), Sp(n), Exceptional groups
Tensor methods
Clebsch-Gordan decomposition
Young tableaux
Real and complex forms
Lorentz group: global structure, discrete subgroups, representations, fermions
Other noncompact groups

Physics 386: Advanced Methods of Data Analysis

Suggested Texts: TBA

Probability Distributions
Covariance and the Propagation of Errors
Bayesian vs. Frequentist Approaches
Estimation of Errors
Curve Fitting and Parameter Estimation
Fitting in the Presence of Background
Fitting for a Variance
Maximum Likelihood Estimators
Fisher Information Matrix
Goodness of Fit
Confidence Intervals
Time Stream Analysis
Fourier Methods
Monte-Carlo Markov Chains

Physics 443: Quantum Field Theory I

Main Text: M. Peskin and D. Schroeder, Introduction to Quantum FieldTheory

Supplementary Texts: P. Ramond, Field Theory -- a Modern Primer C. Itzykson and J. Zuber, Quantum Field Theory S. Weinberg, The Quantum Theory of Fields

Representations of the Poincare group
Dirac equation
Noether's theorem
Canonical quantization
propagators and causal structure
Interaction picture
Time ordered products and Wick's theorem
LSZ formalism
Feynman rules for scalar field theory and QED
Calculation of tree level processes in Φ 4 and QED
CPT and spin-statistics
one loop effects in scalar field theory
Calculation of in QED
Unitarity and analytic structure of amplitudes

Physics 444: Quantum Field Theory II

Path integrals for boson fields
Grassman variables and fermion path integrals
path integral derivation of Feynman rules
Ward identities in QED
Superficial degree of divergence
explicit one-loop renormalization of scalar field theory
Wilson's approach to renormalization
Fixed points and RG flow
Callan-Symanzik equation
Calculation of beta functions and anaomlous dimensions in simple theories
Critical phenomena
Construction of gauge invariant actions
Feynman rules for gauge theories and Fadeev-Popov ghosts
Calculation of asymptotic freedom in QCD

Physics 445: Quantum Field Theory III

Effective potentials and symmetry breaking
Higgs bosons
Formulation of electroweak gauge theory
Coupling to quarks and leptons
Charged and neutral current processes
Properties of W and Z bosons
CKM matrix and CP violation
Deep inelastic scattering
Perturbative QCD
Structure functions and Altarelli-Parisi equation

In most years this course should cover the Standard Model as outlined above. In some years it may cover other advanced topics in QFT such as solitons and instantons, anomalies, large N techniques and lattice gauge theory.

UChicago Pritzker Molecular Engineering strengthens India ties

June 27, 2024

By Paul Dailing

Physical Sciences Division

Uchicago faculty members receive named, distinguished service professorships in 2024.

July 1, 2024

Thirty-one members of the University of Chicago faculty, including four from the PSD, have received distinguished service professorships or named professorships.

David Archer

David Archer has been named the first Allyse and Helmut Heydegger Professor in the Department of the Geophysical Sciences and the College.

He is the author of The Long Thaw: How humans are changing the next 100,000 years of Earth's climate (2008), which earned him the 2009 Walter P. Kistler Book Award; as well as The Global Carbon Cycle (Princeton Primers in Climate) (2010); The Warming Papers: The Scientific Foundation for the Climate Change Forecast (2010); and an undergraduate textbook for non-science majors, titled Global Warming: Understanding the Forecast .

He is a fellow of the American Geophysical Union.

Benson Farb

Benson Farb has been named the first Ann Gillian Sheldon Professor of Mathematics and the College.

Farb was elected a fellow of the American Mathematical Society in 2012 and of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2021 and spoke at the International Congress of Mathematicians in 2014. Farb and his former student Dan Margalit were awarded the 2024 Steele Prize for their book “A Primer on Mapping Class Groups.” He has supervised 52 PhD students and has been senior scientist for 15 NSF postdocs.

Young-Kee Kim

Young-Kee Kim has been named the Albert A. Michelson Distinguished Service Professor of Physics and the College.

Yamuna Krishnan

Yamuna Krishnan has been named the Louis Block Professor of Chemistry and the College.

Read about all of the UChicago faculty members who received named and distinguished service professorships this year.

Related News

Awards , Faculty , Faculty Awards , Newsclips

News Topics

PSD Spotlights
Student Awards
Faculty Awards
PSD in Practice

News Archive

Skip to Content
Catalog Home
Institution Home

2024-2025 Catalog

The Curriculum
Anthropology
Architectural Studies
Art History
Astrophysics
Biological Chemistry
Biological Sciences
Cinema and Media Studies
Classical Studies
Cognitive Science
Comparative Human Development
Comparative Literature
Computational and Applied Mathematics
Computational Social Science
Computer Science
Creative Writing
Critical Race and Ethnic Studies
Data Science
Democracy Studies
Digital Studies of Language, Culture, and History
East Asian Languages and Civilizations
Education and Society
English Language and Literature
Environmental Science
Environmental and Urban Studies
Environment, Geography, and Urbanization
Fundamentals: Issues and Texts
Gender and Sexuality Studies
Geographic Information Science
Geophysical Sciences
Germanic Studies
Global Studies
Health and Society
History, Philosophy, and Social Studies of Science and Medicine
Human Rights
Inequality, Social Problems, and Change
Inquiry and Research in the Humanities
Jewish Studies
Latin American and Caribbean Studies
Law, Letters, and Society
Linguistics

Mathematics

Media Arts and Design
Medieval Studies
Molecular Engineering
Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations
Neuroscience
Norwegian Studies
Political Science
Public Policy Studies
Quantitative Social Analysis
Race, Diaspora, and Indigeneity
Religious Studies
Renaissance Studies
Romance Languages and Literatures
Russian and East European Studies
Science Communication and Public Discourse
South Asian Languages and Civilizations
Theater and Performance Studies
Visual Arts
Yiddish Studies
Academic Regulations and Procedures
Examination Credit
Transfer Credit
Interdisciplinary Opportunities
Joint Degree Programs
Study Abroad
Career Preparation
Research and Fellowships
Archived Catalogs
Academic Calendar
The College Catalog 2024-2025 >
Programs of Study >

Department Website: http://physics.uchicago.edu

Program of Study

Physics is concerned with the study of space and time, matter and energy, forces and fields, and the fundamental laws that relate them to the universe. The undergraduate curriculum in the Department of Physics covers the broad fundamentals necessary for further study in theoretical or experimental physics, as well as allied fields in science and engineering. The physics major offers both BA and BS degrees.

Students who are majoring in other fields of study may also complete a minor in physics. Information follows the description of the major.

Program Requirements

The curriculum leading to the BA degree in physics is designed for maximum flexibility consistent with a thorough coverage of the essential principles of physics. Degree requirements include introductory and advanced physics and mathematics courses, as well as physics electives that allow students to pursue specific interests.

The curriculum leading to the BS degree in physics includes all the requirements of the BA degree plus additional courses in electricity and magnetism, quantum mechanics, and experimental physics. Its more extensive coverage of these topics makes it particularly well-suited for students planning for graduate study in physics.

Students who plan to major in physics are encouraged to start course work in their first year. However, the program can be completed in three years, so one could start physics in the second year without delaying graduation. Two of the physics and two of the mathematics courses can be designated as general education courses, with 15 (BA) and 18 (BS) courses remaining to fulfill the major.

In general, students should take the most advanced courses for which they have the appropriate prerequisites. Entering students will be given a placement for either PHYS 13100 Mechanics or PHYS 14100 Honors Mechanics based on their mathematics and physics background. Either course is appropriate for students planning to major (or minor) in physics.

The mathematics requirement is a Mathematical Methods sequence, MATH 18300-18400-18500-18600 Mathematical Methods in the Physical Sciences I-II-III-IV . Alternatively, students may use an Analysis sequence ( MATH 20300-20400-20500 Analysis in Rn I-II-III or higher ) and MATH 20250 Abstract Linear Algebra , though they may subsequently need to acquire certain math tools, as needed, on their own.

Summary of Requirements for the BA in Physics

GENERAL EDUCATION
One of the following sequences:		200
	Mechanics; Electricity and Magnetism
	Honors Mechanics; Honors Electricity and Magnetism
One of the following sequences:		200
	Calculus I-II
	Honors Calculus I-II
Total Units		400

MAJOR
One of the following:		100
	Waves, Optics, and Heat
	Honors Waves, Optics, and Heat
One of the following sequences:		400
	Mathematical Methods in the Physical Sciences I-II-III-IV
& & &	Analysis in Rn I and Analysis in Rn II and Analysis in Rn III and Abstract Linear Algebra
	Intermediate Mechanics	100
	Experimental Physics I-II	200
	Intermediate Electricity and Magnetism I	100
	Quantum Mechanics I-II	200
	Statistical and Thermal Physics	100
Three electives (to be selected from list of approved courses)		300
Total Units		1500

*	Credit may be granted by examination.

Summary of Requirements for the BS in Physics

MAJOR
One of the following:		100
	Waves, Optics, and Heat
	Honors Waves, Optics, and Heat
One of the following sequences:		400
	Mathematical Methods in the Physical Sciences I-II-III-IV
& & &	Analysis in Rn I and Analysis in Rn II and Analysis in Rn III and Abstract Linear Algebra
	Intermediate Mechanics	100
	Experimental Physics I-II-III	300
	Intermediate Electricity and Magnetism I-II	200
	Quantum Mechanics I-II-III	300
	Statistical and Thermal Physics	100
Three electives (to be selected from list of approved courses)		300
Total Units		1800

In addition to specified course work, the physics major requires three electives. These electives may be selected from the following courses:

All 20000-level physics courses (except -29200-29300, and )
Any of the following courses offered in other departments:
	Computational Techniques in Astrophysics
	Physics of Galaxies
	The Physics of Stars
	Cosmological Physics
	The Physics of the Dark Universe
	Radiation Processes in Astrophysics
	Astrophysics of Exoplanets
	Biological Physics
	Introduction to Medical Physics and Medical Imaging
	Chemical Kinetics and Dynamics
	Quantum Molecular and Materials Modeling
	Scientific Visualization
	Machine Learning and Large-Scale Data Analysis
	Machine Learning
	Introduction to Scientific Computing
	Introduction to Numerical Partial Differential Equations
	Introduction to Machine Learning: Concepts and Applications
	Physics of the Earth
	Climate Foundations
	Geophysical Fluid Dynamics: Foundations
	Geophysical Fluid Dynamics: Rotation and Stratification
	Geophysical Fluid Dynamics: Understanding the Motions of the Atmosphere and Oceans
	Ocean Circulation
	Markov Chains, Martingales, and Brownian Motion
	Point-Set Topology
	Basic Complex Variables
	Basic Functional Analysis
	Basic Theory of Ordinary Differential Equations
	Introduction to Differentiable Manifolds and Integration on Manifolds
	Basic Theory of Partial Differential Equations
	Dynamical Systems
	Principles of Engineering Analysis I
	Molecular Engineering Transport Phenomena
	Molecular Transport Phenomena II: Fluid Flow and Convective Transport Processes
	Engineering Electrodynamics
	Quantum Computation
	Foundations of Quantum Optics
	Statistical Models and Methods
	Statistical Theory and Methods I
	Statistical Theory and Methods Ia
	Statistical Theory and Methods II
	Statistical Theory and Methods IIa
or other courses approved by the program chair for physics

Sample Programs

An example of what the major might look like is shown below.

In the first year, a physics sequence is taken concurrently with Mathematical Methods:

First Year
Autumn Quarter	Winter Quarter	Spring Quarter
PHYS 13100 or 14100	PHYS 13200 or 14200	PHYS 13300 or 14300
MATH 18300	MATH 18400	MATH 18500

The Mathematical Methods sequence could also start in Winter Quarter, if additional exposure to calculus is needed.

The remaining required courses are typically distributed over the next three years, like so:

Second Year
Autumn Quarter	Winter Quarter	Spring Quarter
PHYS 18500	PHYS 23410	PHYS 23510
MATH 18600
Third Year
Autumn Quarter	Winter Quarter	Spring Quarter
PHYS 24310**	PHYS 22500	PHYS 22700**
PHYS 21101	PHYS 21102	PHYS 21103**
Fourth Year
Autumn Quarter
PHYS 27900

where the additional courses required for a BS are denoted by **.

In addition, three electives (selected from a list of approved courses) must be taken. In deciding when to take electives, students should be mindful of any course prerequisites.

The required laboratory sequence PHYS 21101-21102 or PHYS 21101-21102-21103 is a study of experimental physics. It is recommended, but not required, that Experimental Physics be taken in the third year.

Progress through the physics program can be accelerated by taking PHYS 22500 - 22700 in the second year, and PHYS 27900 in the third year. This provides more options in the third and fourth years for electives, as well as research or graduate course work. Note that it is possible to complete all program requirements in three years.

Finally, the sample program shown here is only meant to be illustrative. Students are encouraged to speak with the departmental counselors in planning individual programs, especially regarding selection of mathematics courses and program electives.

Introductory Course

The introductory course for students in the physical sciences is divided into two variants— PHYS 13100-13200-13300 Mechanics; Electricity and Magnetism; Waves, Optics, and Heat and PHYS 14100-14200-14300 Honors Mechanics; Honors Electricity and Magnetism; Honors Waves, Optics, and Heat —so students may learn with others who have comparable physics and mathematics backgrounds. The essential physics content of these two sequences is the same, but the 140s sequence covers material at a higher mathematical level. Both PHYS 130s and PHYS 140s prepare students for further courses in the physics major or minor.

The Mathematical Methods sequence MATH 18300-18400-18500-18600 Mathematical Methods in the Physical Sciences I-II-III-IV would be taken concurrently, with MATH 18300 starting in Autumn or Winter Quarter of first year. Alternatively, the Mathematical Methods sequence may be replaced with MATH 20300-20400-20500 Analysis in Rn I-II-III (or higher) and MATH 20250 . Depending on math background, some portion of the first-year calculus sequence MATH 15100 - 15200 or MATH 16100 - 16200 may be needed prior to taking the Mathematical Methods sequence.

First-year students are placed into either PHYS 13100 or PHYS 14100 based on Advanced Placement test scores. Subsequent adjustments in physics placement can be made by consulting the undergraduate program chair during Orientation week. Transfer students who have satisfactorily completed calculus-based introductory physics courses at another university may be granted appropriate transfer credit upon petition to, and approval by, the College.

Another introductory sequence, PHYS 12100 - 12200 -12300 , is intended for students pursuing studies in biology or medicine. The prerequisite is two quarters of calculus and completion of general chemistry. While topics are similar to the 130s and 140s sequences, PHYS 120s cannot serve as a prerequisite for further courses in physics, and thus cannot be used for the physics major or minor.

For PHYS 13100 and PHYS 13200 , a grade of at least C- is required to take the next course in the sequence. For a passing grade below C- , the student will need to obtain permission from the undergraduate program chair before enrolling.

A student who completes PHYS 14100 or PHYS 14200 with a grade below C is normally required to move to PHYS 13200 or PHYS 13300 the following quarter. Petitions for a waiver of this requirement must be presented to the undergraduate program chair before the second day of the succeeding course. A student who receives an A or A– in PHYS 13100 may petition the undergraduate program chair to move to PHYS 14200 .

Advanced Placement

Students who took one or both Physics C Advanced Placement examinations prior to matriculation in the College may receive credit for PHYS 12100 and/or PHYS 12200 . Consult the section on Advanced Placement Credit in this catalog for more information.

Accreditation

Accreditation examinations are administered for the content of PHYS 12100 - 12200 - 12300 and PHYS 14100 - 14200 - 14300 . The first examination may be taken by incoming students only at the time of matriculation in the College. Students who pass the first examination (for PHYS 12100 or PHYS 14100 ) will receive credit for the lecture part of the course only and will then be invited to try the next examination of the sequence. All students who receive advanced standing on the basis of a physics accreditation examination are interviewed by the undergraduate program chair to determine the extent of their lab experience. Additional laboratory work may be required.

All regular (non-research) physics courses must be taken for quality grades. All courses used to satisfy prerequisites must be taken for quality grades. The Department of Physics requires students to pass PHYS 13100-13200-13300 or PHYS 14100-14200-14300, and PHYS 18500-23410-23510 with an average of 2.0 or higher to continue in the program.

Opportunities for Participation in Research

The physics program offers unique opportunities for College students to become actively involved in the research being conducted by faculty of the department. Interested students are welcome to consult with the departmental counselors. The focus of much of the undergraduate research is structured around the Bachelor's Thesis ( PHYS 29100 - 29200 - 29300 ). Alternatively, third- or fourth-year students majoring in physics may register for research for academic credit ( PHYS 29700 ). In addition to these formal arrangements, students at any level may become involved in research by working in a faculty member's lab or research group on an extracurricular basis.

The BA and BS degrees can be awarded with Special Honors. Requirements for both are as follows:

1) a minimum GPA of 3.3 in the courses listed under Major in the preceding Summary of Requirements sections.

2) completion of PHYS 29100-29200-29300 with a grade of B or higher, based on a bachelor's thesis describing an approved research project completed during the year.

Minor Program in Physics

The minor in physics is designed to present a coherent program of study to students with a strong interest in physics but insufficient time to pursue the major. The courses required for the minor are:

One of the following:		100
	Waves, Optics, and Heat
	Honors Waves, Optics, and Heat
One of the following:		400
	Mathematical Methods in the Physical Sciences I-II-III-IV
& & &	Analysis in Rn I and Analysis in Rn II and Analysis in Rn III and Abstract Linear Algebra
	Intermediate Mechanics	100
	Quantum Mechanics I	100
Two electives, at least one of which is:		200
	Intermediate Electricity and Magnetism I
	Quantum Mechanics II
	Statistical and Thermal Physics

Total Units		900

The mathematics requirement for the minor is identical to the requirement for the major; please consult the description of the major for more information. Please note that any courses in the mathematics requirement being used to satisfy the requirements of a major or another minor will be waived. Consequently, the number of courses needed for the minor will vary between five and nine.

If PHYS 13300/14300 is being used to satisfy the requirements of a major, it must be replaced by another course approved by the undergraduate program chair.

Students who elect the minor program in physics must meet with the physics undergraduate program chair before the end of Spring Quarter of their third year to declare their intention to complete the minor. The approval of the program chair for the minor program should be submitted to a student's College adviser by the deadline above on a form obtained from the College adviser. Courses for the minor are chosen in consultation with the program chair.

Courses in the minor (1) may not be double counted with the student's major(s) or with other minors and (2) may not be counted toward general education requirements. Courses in the minor must be taken for quality grades, and students must have a GPA of 2.0 or higher in the minor. More than half of the requirements for the minor must be met by registering for courses bearing University of Chicago course numbers.

Physics Courses

PHYS 12100-12200-12300. General Physics I-II-III.

This is a one-year sequence in the fundamentals of physics for students in the biological sciences and pre-medical studies. Univariable calculus will be used as needed. Where appropriate, attention will be drawn to interdisciplinary applications. The first two courses meet the general education requirement in physical sciences. (L)

PHYS 12100. General Physics I. 100 Units.

This course covers Newtonian mechanics and fluid dynamics. (L)

Terms Offered: Autumn Prerequisite(s): MATH 13200 or 15200 or 16200; CHEM 11300 or 12300.

PHYS 12200. General Physics II. 100 Units.

This course covers electric and magnetic fields. (L).

Terms Offered: Winter Prerequisite(s): PHYS 12100

PHYS 12300. General Physics III. 100 Units.

This course covers waves, optics, and modern physics. (L)

Terms Offered: Spring Prerequisite(s): PHYS 12200

PHYS 13100-13200-13300. Mechanics; Electricity and Magnetism; Waves, Optics, and Heat.

This is a one-year introductory sequence in physics for students in the physical sciences. Univariable calculus will be used extensively. The first two courses meet the general education requirement in physical sciences. (L)

PHYS 13100. Mechanics. 100 Units.

Topics include particle motion, Newton's Laws, work and energy, systems of particles, rigid-body motion, gravitation, oscillations, and special relativity. (L)

Instructor(s): Staff Terms Offered: Autumn Prerequisite(s): MATH 13300 or 15100 or 16100 (may be concurrent with MATH 15100 or 16100).

PHYS 13200. Electricity and Magnetism. 100 Units.

Topics include electric fields, Gauss' law, electric potential, capacitors, DC circuits, magnetic fields, Ampere's law, induction, Faraday's law, AC circuits, Maxwell's equations, and electromagnetic waves. (L)

Terms Offered: Winter Prerequisite(s): Minimum grade of C- in PHYS 13100 or 14100, or consent of instructor. MATH 13300 or 15200 or 16200 (may be concurrent with MATH 15200 or 16200).

PHYS 13300. Waves, Optics, and Heat. 100 Units.

Topics include mechanical waves, sound, light, polarization, reflection and refraction, interference, diffraction, geometrical optics, heat, kinetic theory, and thermodynamics. (L)

Instructor(s): Staff Terms Offered: Spring Prerequisite(s): Minimum grade of C- in PHYS 13200 or 14200, or consent of instructor. MATH 13300 or 15300 or 16300 or 18300 (may be concurrent with MATH 15300 or 16300 or 18300).

PHYS 14100-14200-14300. Honors Mechanics; Honors Electricity and Magnetism; Honors Waves, Optics, and Heat.

This is a one-year introductory sequence in physics for students in the physical sciences. A strong background in univariable calculus is assumed. Multivariable and vector calculus will be introduced and used extensively. The first two courses meet the general education requirement in physical sciences. (L)

PHYS 14100. Honors Mechanics. 100 Units.

Instructor(s): Staff Terms Offered: Autumn Prerequisite(s): Placement required.

PHYS 14200. Honors Electricity and Magnetism. 100 Units.

Instructor(s): Staff Terms Offered: Winter Prerequisite(s): PHYS 14100

PHYS 14300. Honors Waves, Optics, and Heat. 100 Units.

Instructor(s): Staff Terms Offered: Spring Prerequisite(s): PHYS 14200

PHYS 18500. Intermediate Mechanics. 100 Units.

Topics include a review of Newtonian mechanics, the calculus of variations, Lagrangian and Hamiltonian mechanics, generalized coordinates, canonical momenta, phase space, constrained systems, central-force motion, non-inertial reference frames, and rigid-body motion.

Instructor(s): Staff Terms Offered: Autumn Prerequisite(s): PHYS 13100 or 14100; MATH 18400 or 20300 (may be concurrent with MATH 20300).

PHYS 21101-21102-21103. Experimental Physics I-II-III.

This is a year-long laboratory sequence, offering experiments in atomic, molecular, solid-state, nuclear, and particle physics. Additional material, as needed, is presented in supplemental lectures. Content varies from quarter to quarter. (L) Note(s): Open only to students who are majoring in Physics.

PHYS 21101. Experimental Physics I. 100 Units.

Instructor(s): Staff Terms Offered: Autumn Prerequisite(s): PHYS 23510

PHYS 21102. Experimental Physics II. 100 Units.

A continuation of the year-long laboratory sequence.

Terms Offered: Winter Prerequisite(s): PHYS 21101

PHYS 21103. Experimental Physics III. 100 Units.

Terms Offered: Spring Prerequisite(s): PHYS 21102

PHYS 21400. Creative Machines and Innovative Instrumentation. 100 Units.

An understanding of the techniques, tricks, and traps of building creative machines and innovative instrumentation is essential for a range of fields from the physical sciences to the arts. In this hands-on, practical course, you will design and build functional devices as a means to learn the systematic processes of engineering and fundamentals of design and construction. The kinds of things you will learn may include mechanical design and machining, computer-aided design, rapid prototyping, circuitry, electrical measurement methods, and other techniques for resolving real-world design problems. In collaboration with others, you will complete a mini-project and a final project, which will involve the design and fabrication of a functional scientific instrument. The course will be taught at an introductory level; no previous experience is expected. The iterative nature of the design process will require an appreciable amount of time outside of class for completing projects. The course is open to undergraduates in all majors (subject to the pre-requisites), as well as Master's and Ph.D. students.

Instructor(s): Scott Wakely (Autumn), John Carlstrom (Winter), Stephan Meyer (Spring) Terms Offered: Autumn Spring Winter Prerequisite(s): PHYS 12200 or PHYS 13200 or PHYS 14200; or CMSC 12100 or CMSC 12200 or CMSC 12300; or consent of instructor. Equivalent Course(s): PSMS 31400, ASTR 31400, CMSC 21400, CHEM 21400, ASTR 21400

PHYS 22500-22700. Intermediate Electricity and Magnetism I-II.

This is a two-quarter sequence on static and time-varying electric and magnetic fields.

PHYS 22500. Intermediate Electricity and Magnetism I. 100 Units.

Topics include electrostatics and magnetostatics, boundary-value problems, and electric and magnetic fields in matter.

Terms Offered: Winter Prerequisite(s): PHYS 13200 or 14200; MATH 18500 or 20250 (may be concurrent with MATH 20250)

PHYS 22700. Intermediate Electricity and Magnetism II. 100 Units.

Topics include electromagnetic induction, electromagnetic waves, and radiation.

Terms Offered: Spring Prerequisite(s): PHYS 22500

PHYS 22600. Electronics. 100 Units.

This hands-on experimental course is intended to develop confidence, understanding, and design ability in modern electronics. It is not a course in the physics of semiconductors. In two lab sessions a week, we explore the properties of diodes, transistors, amplifiers, operational amplifiers, oscillators, field effect transistors, logic gates, digital circuits, analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters, phase-locked loops, and more. Lectures supplement the lab. (L)

Instructor(s): Staff Terms Offered: Spring Prerequisite(s): PHYS 12200 or 13200 or 14200

PHYS 23410-23510-24310. Quantum Mechanics I-II-III.

This is a three-quarter sequence that, starting from basic postulates, develops the formalism of quantum mechanics and uses it to study atomic phenomena.

PHYS 23410. Quantum Mechanics I. 100 Units.

A study of wave-particle duality leading to the basic postulates of quantum mechanics is presented. Topics include the uncertainty principle, applications of the Schrödinger equation in one and three dimensions, the quantum harmonic oscillator, rotational invariance and angular momentum, the hydrogen atom, and spin.

Terms Offered: Winter Prerequisite(s): PHYS 13300 or 14300; MATH 18600 or 20250 (may be concurrent with MATH 18600 or 20250).

PHYS 23510. Quantum Mechanics II. 100 Units.

A review of quantum mechanics is presented, with emphasis on Hilbert space, observables, and eigenstates. Topics include spin and angular momentum, time-independent perturbation theory, fine and hyperfine structure of hydrogen, the Zeeman and Stark effects, many-electron atoms, molecules, the Pauli exclusion principle, and radiative transitions.

Terms Offered: Spring Prerequisite(s): PHYS 23410

PHYS 24310. Advanced Quantum Mechanics. 100 Units.

This course will include topics not normally covered in PHYS 23400-23500. Topics may include the following: symmetry in quantum mechanics; quantum mechanics and electromagnetism; adiabatic approximation and Berry phase; path integral formulation; scattering.

Terms Offered: Autumn Prerequisite(s): PHYS 23510

PHYS 23600. Solid State Physics. 100 Units.

Topics include a review of quantum statistics, crystal structure and crystal binding, lattice vibrations and phonons, liquid helium, the free-electron model of metals, the nearly-free-electron model, semi-conductors, and optical properties of solids.

Instructor(s): Staff Terms Offered: Winter Prerequisite(s): PHYS 23510; PHYS 27900

PHYS 23700. Nuclei and Elementary Particles. 100 Units.

This course covers topics such as nuclear structure, processes of transformation, observables of the nucleus, passage of nuclear radiation through matter, accelerators and detectors, photons, leptons, mesons, and baryons, hadronic interactions, and the weak interaction.

Instructor(s): Staff Terms Offered: Spring Prerequisite(s): PHYS 23510

PHYS 25000. Computational Physics. 100 Units.

This course introduces the use of computers in the physical sciences. After an introduction to programming basics, we cover numerical solutions to fundamental types of problems, including cellular automatons, artificial neural networks, computer simulations of complex systems, and finite element analysis. Additional topics may include an introduction to graphical programming, with applications to data acquisition and device control. (L)

Instructor(s): Staff Terms Offered: Autumn Prerequisite(s): PHYS 13300 or 14300 required; knowledge of computer programming not required

PHYS 26400. Spacetime and Black Holes. 100 Units.

This course is an introduction to general relativity, focusing on metrics and geodesics, and treating gravity as the curvature of four-dimensional spacetime. It will begin by fully exploring special relativity, and will then introduce the basic tools of physics in curved spacetime. It will also study black holes, including aspects of the event horizon and singularity, and the properties of orbits in black hole spacetimes.

Instructor(s): Staff Terms Offered: Autumn Prerequisite(s): PHYS 18500 or consent of instructor

PHYS 27900. Statistical and Thermal Physics. 100 Units.

This course develops a statistical description of physical systems. Topics include elements of probability theory, equilibrium and fluctuations, thermodynamics, canonical ensembles, the equipartition theorem, quantum statistics of ideal gases, and kinetic theory.

PHYS 29100-29200-29300. Bachelor's Thesis I-II-III.

This year-long sequence of courses is designed to involve the student in current research. Over the course of the year, the student works on a research project in physics or a closely related field, leading to the writing of a bachelor’s thesis. A student who submits a satisfactory thesis, earns a grade of B or higher based on the project, and achieves a GPA of 3.0 or higher in courses required for the major is eligible to receive a BA with honors. The project may be one suggested by the instructor or one proposed by the student and approved by the instructor. In either case, all phases of the project (including the literature search, design and construction of the experiments, and analysis) must be done by the student. The instructor and faculty adviser, as well as members of the adviser's research group, are available for consultation. Note: Students are required to submit the College Reading and Research Course Form in Autumn Quarter. Students receive a grade in each quarter of registration: P/F grading in Autumn and Winter Quarters, and a quality grade in Spring Quarter.

PHYS 29100. Bachelor's Thesis I. 100 Units.

Students are required to submit the College Reading and Research Course Form. P/F grading.

Terms Offered: Autumn Prerequisite(s): Open to students who are majoring in Physics with fourth-year standing and consent of instructor.

PHYS 29200. Bachelor's Thesis II. 100 Units.

P/F grading.

Terms Offered: Winter Prerequisite(s): PHYS 29100

PHYS 29300. Bachelor's Thesis III. 100 Units.

Quality grading.

Terms Offered: Spring Prerequisite(s): PHYS 29200

PHYS 29700. Participation in Research. 100 Units.

By mutual agreement, students work in a faculty member's research group. Participation in research may take the form of independent work (with some guidance) on a small project, or of assistance in research to an advanced graduate student or research associate. A written report must be submitted at the end of the quarter. Students may register for PHYS 29700 for as many quarters as they wish; students need not remain with the same faculty member each quarter. (L)

Terms Offered: Autumn Spring Summer Winter Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor and departmental counselor. Open to students who are majoring in Physics with third- or fourth-year standing. Note(s): Students are required to submit the College Reading and Research Course Form. May be taken for P/F grading with consent of instructor.

Undergraduate Primary Contact

Undergraduate Program Chair and Departmental Counselor: Stuart Gazes KPTC 205 773.702.7760 Email

Secondary Contact

Director of Graduate Studies and Departmental Counselor: Zosia Krusberg KPTC 201 773.702.3067 Email

Administrative Contact

Instructional Services: Tiffany Kurns KPTC 205 773.702.7019 Email

University Homepage
My.UChicago
Parents and Families
The College
College Programming Office
College Directory
Campus Maps
Accessibility

University Registrar 1427 East 60th Street Chicago, IL 60637 United States Ph: 773-702-7891 Fax: 773-702-3562

Print this page.

The PDF will include all information unique to this page.

Get the Reddit app

Join the A2C Discord!

r/ApplyingToCollege is the premier forum for college admissions questions, advice, and discussions, from college essays and scholarships to college list help and application advice, career guidance, and more.

Is Harvard significantly better for the humanities than Uchicago?

Hello, I'm a rising senior who's considering doing ED or EA for Uchicago or Harvard. My prospective major is history, and from my research, it does look like Harvard has better humanities programs than UChicago. My impression is that for social sciences, they're equally matched, but since I'm interested in both social sciences and humanities, I'm conflicted about applying ED to Uchicago. However, when I went on their campus tours, I loved Uchicago's a lot better, and I could see myself enjoying my time studying and living on their campus, something I did not feel while I was at Harvard. but I'm second-guessing myself because I've heard a lot of speculation about Uchicago's financial problems, and I'm worried that the school's financial trouble might affect my education by underfunding or cutting classes I might be interested in. I feel like that would be less of a problem at Harvard. Do you think Uchucagi being a better fit matters more than all the other concerns I have brought up in this case? Thank you so much for your time and input.

Latest Posts
Unanswered topics
Active topics
Forum Index Prospective Physics Graduate Student Topics School Selection

Does UChicago really treat its grad students badly?

Post by InquilineKea » Sat Jan 28, 2012 10:17 pm

Re: Does UChicago really treat its grad students badly?

Post by ol » Sat Jan 28, 2012 11:34 pm

some of the UChicago profs have egos out the ass and will make things quite difficult for their students when there's no reason to.

Post by mrrsnhtl » Sun Jan 29, 2012 1:33 pm

Post by CarlBrannen » Sun Jan 29, 2012 5:46 pm

mrrsnhtl wrote: Well, what I've heard about it was that most of the grad.students were failing the grad.qualifying examination so they had to be discarded. Therefore the school becomes a workplace for seasonal graduate workers ?! Probably, it is not true anyway, does anyone have an idea?

Post by bfollinprm » Mon Jan 30, 2012 2:18 am

Post by Andromeda » Mon Jan 30, 2012 7:53 am

Post by InquilineKea » Mon Jan 30, 2012 11:19 am

Post by grae313 » Mon Jan 30, 2012 1:08 pm

Post by pter0dactyl » Mon Jan 30, 2012 6:10 pm

Post by InquilineKea » Tue Jan 31, 2012 11:45 am

grae313 wrote: You should really go visit and talk to the graduate students. UC Berkeley had a bad reputation like this but when I visited I was told that it was historically true but the department had taken a lot of steps to change and it was completely not the case any more. I had almost not applied because of my impression of the place as very cut-throat and uncaring. Until you speak directly to the graduate students or people with recent, first hand experience of your particular department, you're dealing with hearsay.

Post by midwestphysics » Tue Jan 31, 2012 11:49 am

Post by grae313 » Thu Feb 02, 2012 12:46 pm

pter0dactyl wrote: UChicago grad student here (in physics). My impression is that the qualifying exam is absolutely not meant to weed people out these days. The official policy is that students can take the qualifier whenever it's offered but must pass by the fall of 3rd year, so it's certainly no longer possible to be tricked into sticking around for a decade. But I don't know of anyone who was kicked out due to not passing by the 3rd year. Indeed there was one recent iteration of the exam that had a 100% pass rate. As for the department as a whole, I can't speak for everyone but I've enjoyed my time here so far. Feel free to ask or PM if you guys have any specific questions.

Post by enthree » Wed Feb 15, 2012 9:43 pm

Post by Arbitrary » Sun Jun 15, 2014 2:53 am

Post by tsymmetry » Mon Jun 16, 2014 2:33 pm

Post by ol » Tue Jun 17, 2014 7:39 am

tsymmetry wrote: Harvard and MIT used to be known as very tough places to be a grad student, but it seems that the departments have made an effort to improve the environments.

Post by Catria » Tue Jul 01, 2014 12:23 pm

Arbitrary wrote: A quick update on the matter: Starting in 2014, the candidacy exam in the University of Chicago physics PhD program is pretty much cancelled. Instead, you take a placement exam upon arriving, and then a counseling committee decides which courses you need to take, based on your performance. You are qualified once you pass the courses they tell you to take. Apparently, the faculty wishes to make the qualifying process less stressful by this new system. Ah well, I was not planning on taking the previous candidacy exam upon arrival on September. Now it seems that I should shake a leg and start studying seriously. Thankfully, there are only things to be gained by taking the placement exam.

Return to “School Selection”

Physics GRE Forum
↳ Registration and Test Preparation
↳ Problems, Solutions, and Discussion
↳ Scores and Score Reporting
Prospective Physics Graduate Student Topics
↳ School Selection
↳ GPA and Transcripts
↳ Tests and Scores
↳ Statement of Purpose and Resume
↳ Research
↳ Funding
↳ Letters of Recommendation
↳ Special Concerns for International Students
↳ Transitioning to Physics from a non-physics field
Current Physics Graduate Student Topics
Physics Web Logs (Blogs)
↳ Blog Comments
Building Physics Graduate School Profiles
PhysicsGRE.com Articles
Physics Lounge
Delete cookies

Frequently Asked Questions
Guidelines and Deadlines
Fee Waivers
Required Scores
Non-Degree Visiting Students Requirements
Hardship Requests
Joint and Dual Degrees
Master’s
International Students
Campus Tours
Publications
Recruitment Calendar
Student Life
Summer Programs

We know that you may have many questions about the process of applying to graduate school.

The answers to all of our most frequently asked questions (FAQs) can be found here, as well as throughout our site.

These questions are separated out into categories – general FAQs, and some that we hear most often from our international applicants. Most of the graduate schools and divisions, as well as individual degree programs, also have their own admissions pages and their own FAQ sections, which we encourage you to consult. If your question is not answered here, please feel free to contact us at [email protected] and we can direct you to the appropriate web page that contains the information you need.

Program FAQs

Do you offer distance or online programs?

Aside from our Master of Science in Analytics Online program, UChicago does not offer any fully online or remote degree programs. The University of Chicago Professional Education (UCPE) office does offer a wide array of online and remote short courses, which you can learn about on the UCPE website.

Do you offer non–degree programs?

Our Graham School of Continuing Liberal and Professional Studies offers a number of non-degree programs in fields like visual arts, editing, and community health advocacy. You can view a list of offerings at the Graham School website. The University of Chicago Professional Education (UCPE) also has many non-degree offerings, and some academic units, such as the Harris School of Public Policy, have non-degree courses and credential programs, as well.

I have not yet decided which program to apply to. Can I take classes at the university without enrolling in a particular program?

Yes. The Graduate-Student-At-Large (GSAL) program, offered through our Graham School of Continuing Liberal and Professional Studies, enables eligible students to take graduate and undergraduate courses throughout the university without being enrolled in a degree program. As a GSAL student, you would not be a degree candidate at the University of Chicago, but credit earned here may be transferable to one of our programs or to other institutions.

Can I pursue my degree part–time?

Most of our graduate programs require that their students enroll full–time. The few exceptions state explicitly whether they allow students to enroll part-time. These include the Booth School of Business's Weekend, Evening, and Executive MBA programs, several programs in the Graham School of Continuing Liberal and Professional Studies, the Master's Program in Computer Science, and the MA in the Crown Family School of Social Work. Other programs may be willing to negotiate part-time status on a case-by-case basis, but it is best to address these concerns with the program's admissions office before applying.

The University of Chicago offers a PhD in my program of interest, but does not specifically mention a master’s degree. Can I apply just for a master’s degree?

Our PhD programs do not typically offer terminal master’s degrees. Instead, we offer several interdisciplinary one-year master’s degree programs which allow students to work with faculty in their field of interest while constructing a unique program of study that best suits their needs. These programs are the Master of Arts Program in the Humanities (MAPH) and the Master of Arts Program in the Social Sciences (MAPSS) programs.

How do I meet with a representative of a program or school?

If you would like to meet with a representative from your program(s) of interest, we suggest that you contact the department well before your visit. Contact information for most of our programs can be found on our website. If you need assistance finding appropriate contact information, please contact us at [email protected] and we would be happy to assist you. You can also meet with our staff during a campus tour.

Does the university offer English language courses?

Only for students already admitted to a program, not as a standalone program. Our English Language Institute offers classes for speakers of English as an additional language through the Academic English Pre-matriculation Program (AEPP), as well as special interests classes and workshops during the school year. However, these classes are not part of an accredited program at the University of Chicago and do not satisfy any University requirements. All applicants are required to either qualify for a waiver or to submit TOEFL or IELTS scores during the application process. Information about minimum scores required for admission can be found here.

Preparing to Apply

Is it necessary to have the support of a faculty member before I apply?

No, it is not necessary to have a faculty member sponsor your application. In general, you may contact faculty with questions, but there is no expectation that you do so. However, in certain fields, particularly the sciences, it is more common to contact faculty in advance to inquire about their ability to take on new students. Before contacting a specific faculty member, you may want to contact the departmental administrator or divisional admissions office with any questions you might have regarding admissions, whether a particular faculty member is able to take on students, etc. It’s also always wise to have specific questions for faculty, based on the research you have already done on your program and their work.

I have a different major than the field in which I am applying for a graduate degree. Is that a problem?

Some programs, especially those in the physical, social, and biological sciences, have very specific requirements of their applicants’ undergraduate coursework. Those requirements can be found on the individual program websites. In general, the faculty reading an application will typically be concerned with the coursework related to your intended field of study, so if you majored in an unrelated field but clearly have the appropriate academic background and/or research experience, you may still be a competitive applicant. Students who are changing fields of study may also want to consider one of our interdisciplinary master’s programs before applying directly to a PhD program.

Can I earn joint or dual degrees?

Yes. Application procedures for joint/dual programs vary widely by program. In most cases, students interested in pursuing a joint or dual degree must apply to and be admitted to both programs, though it is not always necessary to be admitted to both in the same year. Application information for all of our joint/dual programs is listed on our Programs page. All students interested in a joint program are strongly encouraged to contact the admissions office for each program prior to beginning the application process.

Can I apply to more than one program?

You may apply to multiple programs during the same admissions cycle. Please note that you must submit an application for each program, and pay each application fee.

Can I transfer credits from another institution?

For most of the University's programs, credits do not transfer from another institution. Credit transfers are decided on a case-by-case basis with your departmental adviser after admission. By contacting your department directly, you may be able to learn which credits are likely to transfer.

Do I need a master’s degree to apply to a PhD program?

With the exception of our Divinity School and the Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice PhD programs - both of which do require it - you do not need a master's degree to apply. However, it is becoming increasingly common for successful applicants in some fields to already hold a master's degree at the time of application.

I have not graduated with a four-year bachelor’s degree. Can I still apply?

For admission to most of our programs, applicants must hold a bachelor's degree, but we do not have a University-wide requirement that it be a four-year degree. Our faculty understand that in many parts of the world three-year bachelor's degrees are standard. In those cases, our programs will typically accept a three-year degree, provided it is equivalent to a bachelor's, such as a BTech or BSc degree. That said, it is not unusual in some programs for students to do a fourth-year program, a master's degree, or other post-bachelor's program to enhance the competitiveness of their application.

Do you offer conditional admission?

No programs at the University of Chicago offer conditional admission to students who have not submitted an application following the standard application process and deadlines. A few will make conditional offers of admission to students who otherwise have met the requirements for admission, but do not yet meet the program's English proficiency requirements. If you receive a conditional offer, you will not be allowed to enroll until you have met the requirement; the conditions may not be met after arrival on campus.

Test Score FAQs

Does my program of interest require the GRE?

Because each program sets testing requirements other than English proficiency, we do not maintain a list. Check the website of your program of interest to confirm whether they require, recommend, accept, or do not accept the GRE or other standardized tests.

I have taken the TOEFL/IELTS and have earned the required scores. Do I still need to take the GRE?

If the program you are applying to requires the GRE, yes, you do. The TOEFL/IELTS and the GRE test very different things and are not taken in lieu of each other. That means, if you have taken the TOEFL/IELTS, you must still take the GRE. If you are exempt from the TOEFL/IELTS, you must nevertheless take the GRE.

Can I have my official scores sent after I am admitted?

Unless explicitly stated on the program's application, no. You should self-report your scores on the application itself, but the requirement is not met until we receive the official scores electronically from the testing agency.

Which English proficiency tests do you accept?

We accept the TOEFL iBT, the IELTS Academic, and the at-home versions of both tests. We do not accept Duolingo, TOEFL Essentials, IELTS Indicator or general test, or any other tests.

I have worked in the U.S. for more than two years. Does that mean that I am exempt from the TOEFL/IELTS requirement?

No, you must take the TOEFL or IELTS. There is no employment waiver for our English proficiency requirement.

I took the TOEFL in 2021 and I am applying in the fall of 2023. Can I still use those TOEFL results?

Scores must still be valid (taken within the past two years) as of the deadline you apply under. If you send us scores, but they expire before the deadline of the program you are applying to, you must send new scores.

I still have some questions regarding my English language proficiency. Whom should I contact?

Please contact us at [email protected].

Application Support FAQs

I am experiencing technical issues with the online application (unable to login, upload materials, unable to submit application etc.). Whom should I contact?

Please contact us at [email protected]. Please include in the email your full name, application reference number, and the name of the program to which you are applying.

What does it mean to waive my FERPA rights?

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) allows students to access their educational records if they enroll at an institution. Applicants may waive the right to access recommendation letters in any FERPA request they may submit in the future, though you are not required to do so. However, please keep in mind that if a recommender believes you may have access to the letter in the future, they may choose not to write a letter or they may write a different letter than they might have otherwise done. In addition, admissions committees may not assign the same weight to such letters because they are often perceived as less candid.

Can I change my decision to waive or not waive my FERPA rights?

Once you have submitted a recommendation request, you will be unable to change your decision to waive FERPA rights for that particular request. You will need to enter a new recommendation request, and make the correct selection.

One of my recommenders cannot access/has not received the link to your system. What should I do?

In some cases, institutional email servers may block our automatic emails. If your recommender has not received the email with their link, please contact us at [email protected].

Can I change my recommenders?

As long as your application has not been submitted, you can add more recommenders, up to the limit allowed by the program. Once you enter a request, you cannot change it.

My recommender made an error in my reference. Whom should they contact?

If your recommender is unable to submit your reference, or has made an error, please have your recommender contact us at [email protected].

Can I make changes to my application after it is submitted?

If you wish to add new material, such as grades from a recent semester or quarter, you may do so by uploading them through the “Other Miscellaneous Documents” section of your online account. If you have submitted erroneous information, or if you believe there has been some technical or formatting error that occurred during your application’s submission, please contact us at [email protected]. If the deadline has passed, it is unlikely you will be able to make changes.

Why have my test scores not been verified on my online application?

Test scores can take up to six weeks to reach us after you submit them. Please be patient. If you have already received a confirmation email from us that your test scores have already been received and allowed at least 48 hours for them to appear in your file, but they still have not, please contact us at [email protected]. Please include in the email: your application program, reference number, and any information you have regarding how/when the official score was sent, as well as the date on which you received the email confirming we had received the score. If you have not received the confirmation email, we have not received the score.

Do you accept materials through Interfolio?

Yes. Our system also supports automatic uploads from their system. To submit your letters in this fashion, you will need to enter the unique Interfolio email address in place of your recommender's email address in our application system. Once the request is received by Interfolio you will need to log in to their system to approve the submission. Once that is completed, Interfolio will upload your recommendation request to our application system, typically within 48 hours.

Some of my application materials will be submitted late. Will my application still be considered?

Maybe. If you believe any part of your application will be submitted after the deadline, please contact the admissions office for the program to which you are applying. Some programs allow a grace period, but others do not.

Is an interview required?

If your program offers interviews, they will contact you directly to set up an interview appointment.

No. You should self-report your scores on the application itself, but the requirement is not met until we receive the official scores electronically from the testing agency.

Do I need to convert my GPA to a 4.0 scale?

Unless you are specifically told to do so in the instructions on your application, please do not convert your GPA to a 4.0 scale.

Do I have to have my transcripts translated into English?

If any of your required documents are not already in English, please upload the documents in their original language along with an English translation. Translations should be prepared or verified by someone whose position requires knowledge of both English and the other language—for example, a professor of English at a French university. The University of Chicago does not offer translation services. However, applicants seeking a translator might consider contacting their home country’s consulate or embassy or searching the directory of the American Translators Association.

When will I receive an admissions decision?

The date decisions begin to be issued varies widely between programs, but is usually one to three months after the application deadline. Check your applicant status portal if you have any concerns about the status of your application after it has been submitted. Once an update has been made to your application status, you will receive an email directing you to log into our application system to view your decision. Programs will not provide decisions via email or phone.

How do I appeal an admissions decision?

There is no appeals process for admissions decisions. All decisions of admissions committees are final.

Will the University sponsor a visa for me?

The University of Chicago only sponsors visas for students who have been accepted to and are enrolling at the university. You will not be allowed to begin the visa process if you hold a conditional admission offer. Our Office of International Affairswill contact you with information after your program notifies them that you are eligible to begin the request process.

What funding is offered to PhD students?

Students admitted to a PhD program receive full financial support, usually for the entire duration of the program so long as you continue to make good academic progress. Support typically includes tuition, health insurance, and a living stipend. Each program has a slightly different funding structure; you can learn more on your department’s website.

What funding is offered to master’s students?

Each department and program has different scholarship and funding opportunities, so please visit the website for your program of interest for more specific information. Many of our master's programs do award some merit-based tuition aid, which is included in the offer of admissions in most cases. You can find more information on funding your graduate education on our Funding Your Education page.

What financial aid is available to international students?

International applicants are given equal consideration for all awards and sources of University funding for which they qualify. However, sources of aid are limited and competitive because some programs receive funding from the U.S. government that cannot be used to support international students. International students are also not eligible for U.S. student loans in most cases. For these reasons, we encourage all international students to investigate outside sources of aid, including programs within their home country, as well as organizations like Education USA, the Institute of International Education, and International Education Financial Aid. Further information on financial policies can be found here.

What are tuition expenses/expenses for living in Hyde Park?

Tuition varies by program. Compared to similar neighborhoods in other big cities, the cost of living in Hyde Park is relatively low. You can find out more about what living in Hyde Park is like, as well as information about housing options in the neighborhood and elsewhere around Chicago on our Graduate Housing page.

Does UChicago participate in Yellow Ribbon?

The University of Chicago welcomes veterans and other military-affiliated students to our community. The University’s Office for Military-Affiliated Communities (OMAC) helps military-affiliated individuals obtain educational benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense, and provides a range of other services as well. Yellow Ribbon applicants must be admitted and have confirmed their intent to enroll into an academic program before submitting a Yellow Ribbon application to the University of Chicago, and acceptance in the program is on a first-come, first-serve basis, although most programs do not limit the number of participants. We encourage military-affiliated prospective students to consult with OMAC by contacting them at [email protected].

What work opportunities are available to international students?

There are many employment opportunities available for graduate students, regardless of their citizenship status. Visit our international student funding page and the Office of International Affairs website to learn more about applying for work as an international student.

This website uses cookies to improve user experience. By using our website you consent to all cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy.

PhD Program in Medical Physics

The Committee on Medical Physics offers a program to provide aspiring medical physicists with the knowledge they will need in their future professions. Our program leads to the Doctor of Philosophy degree with an emphasis on research that provides preparation for careers in academia, industry, and/or clinical support roles.

Quick Links

PhD Requirements
Graduate Program Statistics
Diversity and Inclusion
Congratulations, Linnea Kremer! PhD Spring 2024
Congratulations, Mena Shenouda! PhD Spring 2024
Congratulations, Hadley DeBrosse! PhD Spring 2024

After completing my bachelor’s degree in physics with a minor in mathematics, I knew medical physics was the path for me. I was thrilled to discover there was a way to marry my love for physics with my newfound appreciation of medicine during an internship at Argonne National Laboratory where I worked on isotope production and heavy-ion therapy projects. Currently, I am beginning my third-year graduate studies under a joint appointment through the Graduate Research Cooperative working with Dr. Chin-Tu Chen (UChicago) and Dr. Jerry Nolen (ANL). I am focusing my thesis on targeted radionuclide therapy and isotope production. My main focus is on the radiobiological effects of Terbium-155, a promising Auger electron emitter. I am working on novel production and delivery methods of Tb-155 in order to explore the efficacy of Auger emitters in metastatic small-cell cancer treatment. I am in the process of designing targeting ligands which are selective not only to cancer cells but to cancer cell DNA specifically. I also work on nuclear reaction and cellular dosimetry modeling to optimize experimental outcomes. Outside the lab, I am an avid supporter of the Chicago music scene and can usually be found at a punk or metal show. I also enjoy powerlifting, tattooing, traveling, and anything else that gets the adrenaline pumping and energizes me to keep chasing crazy physics!

PhD student - Chen and Nolen Labs

AI can predict how monkeys play Pac-Man

An AI model learned to predict the choices made by monkeys and their eye movements while playing Pac-Man, hinting that a machine intelligence can “think” in a similar way to mammals

By Chris Stokel-Walker

2 July 2024

In Pac-Man, players must collect dots in a maze and evade capture by ghosts

ArcadeImages/Alamy Stock Photo

An artificial intelligence can accurately predict how a monkey plays the Pac-Man video game and mimic the animals’ eye movements when they do this.

Tianming Yang at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and his colleagues trained two rhesus monkeys to play Pac-Man by rewarding them with juice for collecting all the dots in a maze and evading capture by ghosts. Getting Pac-Man, the character players control, to eat the ghosts after chomping on a special dot that makes them vulnerable also earned…

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox! We'll also keep you up to date with New Scientist events and special offers.

To continue reading, subscribe today with our introductory offers

No commitment, cancel anytime*

Offer ends 2nd of July 2024.

*Cancel anytime within 14 days of payment to receive a refund on unserved issues.

Inclusive of applicable taxes (VAT)

Existing subscribers

More from New Scientist

Explore the latest news, articles and features

University examiners fail to spot ChatGPT answers in real-world test

Writers accept lower pay when they use AI to help with their work

Subscriber-only

People are less likely to believe an AI if it conveys uncertainty

Diet-monitoring AI tracks your each and every spoonful

IMAGES

UChicago Physical Sciences Division: 2019 PhD and Hooding Ceremony
Program
Science awards go to UChicago physics professor, alumnus
Undergrads achieve levitation breakthrough
MISTAKES EVERY STEM MAJOR MAKES (from a uchicago physics major)
Physicist credits Fire Scholarship for leading to degree, career at

VIDEO

A Glimpse of UChicago
Chicago
Week in My Life at the University of Chicago
Experience of University of Pisa students- PhD in Geophysics students
reading my uchicago essays + tips
Personalized Rankings and User Engagement: An Empirical Evaluation of the Reddit News Feed

COMMENTS

is it difficult to get into uchicago physics grad school from ...
In the part 4-5 years, I know of at least 3 uchicago undergrads who went on to physics grad school here. But a lot of uchicago undergrads tend to not apply here for grad school. The department wouldn't encourage it so they may hold you to a higher standard, but it's definitely possible. Yeah. Why so 😯.
Question on UChicago Physics PhD Candidate Statement promp : r ...
Question on UChicago Physics PhD Candidate Statement promp. Hi everyone, here's a screenshot of the Candidate Statement prompt for UChicago. Based on the prompt, I would think it is another name for the Statement of Purpose. The thing is I emailed the program and I was told that it should be between 2-4 pages single-spaced, which is a tad long ...
Physics at U Chicago : r/uchicago
If you do well UChicago has a lot of connections with grad schools, and our brand is very very strong for getting into good graduate programs (doing well as a UChicago physics major does carry weight). If you're interested in theory I'd recommend a double major in math - this isn't so important if you're interested more in experimentation.
How is the Physics major like? : r/uchicago
It requires a lot of work to complete the lab reports, more work than is required in any other physics class. However, compared to other STEM majors like CompSci or Chem, the labs and reports are really not that bad. In fact, they are quite manageable, so I wouldn't worry about it. For the 130s sequence, the difficulty of tests and the like is ...
cu boulder vs uchicago on physics graduate program
I wonder if cu boulder has any disadvantage on employment compared to UChicago. I would be surprised, it's a very well regarded physics program and NIST is right there. Assuming your eyeing national lab or similar, Id probably rather be close to argon and fermi than the secondary NIST campus in boulder.
Graduate Students
The Department of Physics offers the opportunity for students to pursue a Ph.D. in many areas of experimental and theoretical physics. Entering students typically have undergraduate degrees in physics or related fields, and are drawn from among the most talented students around the world. The department does not offer a terminal master's program.
Department of Physics
Welcome to UChicago Department of Physics. Welcome to the Department of Physics at the University of Chicago. As you explore this site you will find a wealth of information about us: who we are, the research we do, the academic programs we offer, our seminars and colloquia, what social and academic events take place, and much more.
Graduate Student Resources
Graduate Student Resources. If you wish to speak to someone about the Ph.D. program, or other issues pertaining to the graduate student experience, please contact either Zosia Krusberg, the Director of Graduate Studies, Stuart Gazes, the Undergraduate Program Chair, or Young-Kee Kim, the Department Chair. A File highlighting general resources ...
Apply
Apply for our PhD Program. The General and Physics GRE policy for the 2025-2026 application cycle, with expected enrollment in the Fall of 2025, is presently being discussed. ... 773.702.7007 [email protected]. Questions, comments, problems, etc.? Contact Putri! Department of Physics; Accessibility;
Thirty-one UChicago faculty members receive named, distinguished
Kim notes that Albert A. Michelson, the recipient of the 1907 Nobel Prize in Physics, for whom the chair is named, was the first chair of the UChicago Department of Physics in 1892; Kim served as chair of that department between 2016 and 2022. ... Quantrell and PhD Teaching Awards UChicago announces 2024 winners of Quantrell and PhD Teaching ...
Graduate Program Policies
All Ph.D. students must fulfill the experimental physics requirement during their first year, either by taking the Advanced Experimental Physics course (PHYS 334) or by carrying out an Advanced Experimental Physics Project (PHYS 335). Students must make a decision as to which of these options they will choose very early in the academic year.
Post-candidacy Course Requirements
The post-candidacy course requirements can be fullfilled at any point during a students time in our program. The courses must be selected from the list given below. Each student must: Take a total of 4 courses from the "menu" below of intermediate graduate courses in Categories A, B, C, and D with at least one from each of the categories A, B ...
Academic Programs
The UChicago Physical Sciences Division fosters an inclusive and creative research environment and shapes the next generations of scientists and mathematicians. ... The PhD program in the Department of Physics offers the opportunity for students to pursue research in many areas of experimental and theoretical physics, including accelerator ...
Graduate Course Outlines
Graduate Program Course Outlines. The Course Outlines and syllabi on this web page represent the best descriptions of some of the graduate courses that are available at this time. The Physics Department expects that these topics will be covered, but some deviations may result. You should consult the instructor before choosing to take a course ...
Incredibly complex mazes discovered in structure of bizarre crystals
An algorithm designed to find the most efficient path from atom to atom in a bizarre kind of crystal turns out to produce incredibly intricate mazes. As well as making mazes, the technique could ...
UChicago Pritzker Molecular Engineering strengthens India ties
"IIT and other institutions in India have an incredible scientific heritage in physics and experiments. ... Shrayesh Patel, who works in the Materials Systems for Sustainability and Health theme, visited IIT Delhi to show how a graduate education at UChicago's Pritzker Molecular Engineering can help top students achieve their goals.
Revived Technology Used to Count Individual Photons from Distant
"People are using them for amazing things all over; their utility ranges from particle physics to cosmology. It's a very versatile and useful technology." The project was a close collaboration between physicists, astronomers, and engineers at Berkeley Lab, Fermilab, UChicago, the National Science Foundation's NOIRLab, and the National ...
Ancient artefacts suggest Australian ritual endured for 12,000 years
Wooden artefacts found in an Australian cave suggest that an Indigenous ceremony documented in the 19 th century may have been practised 12,000 years ago, making it possibly the oldest known ...
math and physics classes : r/uchicago
Additional is this note on the physics page of the catalog: The mathematics requirement is a Mathematical Methods sequence, MATH 18300-18400-18500-18600 Mathematical Methods in the Physical Sciences I-II-III-IV. Alternatively, students may use an Analysis sequence (MATH 20300-20400-20500 Analysis in Rn I-II-III or higher*) and* MATH 20250 Abstract Linear Algebra, though they may subsequently ...
I didn't get into any PhD programs. Are admissions still open ...
Hi, I just finished my Master's degree in Black Hole Physics. I wanted to do a PhD, but I didn't pass any admissions in my country (Italy). In one program, I ranked #8 out of 100, but they only accepted the first 7. Are there any places where I can still get admitted to a PhD program in Physics?
UChicago faculty members receive named, distinguished service
He has supervised 52 PhD students and has been senior scientist for 15 NSF postdocs. Young-Kee Kim. ... A. Michelson, the recipient of the 1907 Nobel Prize in Physics, for whom the chair is named, was the first chair of the UChicago Department of Physics in 1892; Kim served as chair of that department between 2016 and 2022. ...
| PhD Program in Medical Physics
Committee on Medical Physics 5841 S. Maryland Avenue, MC2026 Chicago, IL 60637 © 2024 Committee on Medical Physics
Physics < University of Chicago Catalog
Requirements for both are as follows: 1) a minimum GPA of 3.3 in the courses listed under Major in the preceding Summary of Requirements sections. 2) completion of PHYS 29100-29200-29300 with a grade of B or higher, based on a bachelor's thesis describing an approved research project completed during the year.
Am I smart enough to study Physics : r/PhysicsStudents
Got into a good PhD program for physics. If I had to estimate my IQ it's probably 95-105. ... This sub-reddit is dedicated to everything related to BMW vehicles, tuning, racing, and more. This sub has no official connection to the Discord server, nor does this sub have any official endorsement or official relationship with BMW themselves.
Questions about the Physics major : r/uchicago
Physics here is very good. We're ranked like 4th or 5th nationally, last time I checked. No idea how the major stacks up otherwise. Yes, physics is extremely stressful and sometimes makes you question why you're doing it, though I'd guess it's probably around the same level as CS or Chem here.
Is Harvard significantly better for the humanities than Uchicago?
That being said, you will get a fantastic humanities education at either Harvard or UChicago, and both will unlock doors for you. UChicago is particularly famous for its philosophy department, so depending on your degree, UChicago may even be a better choice. It might also matter what professors you specifically want to work with.
Does UChicago really treat its grad students badly?
Starting in 2014, the candidacy exam in the University of Chicago physics PhD program is pretty much cancelled. Instead, you take a placement exam upon arriving, and then a counseling committee decides which courses you need to take, based on your performance. You are qualified once you pass the courses they tell you to take.
Frequently Asked Questions
The answers to all of our most frequently asked questions (FAQs) can be found here, as well as throughout our site. These questions are separated out into categories - general FAQs, and some that we hear most often from our international applicants. Most of the graduate schools and divisions, as well as individual degree programs, also have ...
PhD Program in Medical Physics
Currently, I am beginning my third-year graduate studies under a joint appointment through the Graduate Research Cooperative working with Dr. Chin-Tu Chen (UChicago) and Dr. Jerry Nolen (ANL). I am focusing my thesis on targeted radionuclide therapy and isotope production. My main focus is on the radiobiological effects of Terbium-155, a ...
AI can predict how monkeys play Pac-Man
An AI model learned to predict the choices made by monkeys and their eye movements while playing Pac-Man, hinting that a machine intelligence can "think" in a similar way to mammals

Physics Recruitment

Please see here for fee waiver criteria and additional information.

Inside the Lab

Humanities Division

Physical Sciences Division

Social Sciences Division

Booth School of Business

Divinity School

Harris School

Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering

Recommended Stories

Related Topics

Can you find good health information on TikTok? UChicago study advises caution

Aboard a drilling rig in the Mediterranean, scientists seek to understand Earth’s past climates

A UChicago student finds connection and career path in Berlin

Explore labs through videos and Q and As with UChicago faculty, staff and students

Upgraded synchrotron starts up at Argonne National Laboratory

UChicago scientists pioneer technique to visualize anti-ferroelectric materials

How UChicago’s Center for the Study of Gender and Sexuality ‘is here for everyone’

UChicago announces 2024 winners of Quantrell and PhD Teaching Awards

Project to improve accessibility, sustainability of Main Quadrangles

Five UChicago faculty elected to National Academy of Sciences in 2024

UChicago graduate student selected as 2024 Paul and Daisy Soros Fellow

UChicago President Paul Alivisatos shares 2024 Kavli Prize in Nanoscience

First student awarded scholarship in honor of historian, civil rights activist Timuel D. Black

Department of Physics

PHYS 316: Advanced Classical Mechanics

PHYS 322: Advanced Electrodynamics and Optics I

PHYS 323: Advanced Electrodynamics and Optics II

Physics 330: Mathematical Methods of Physics

Physics 341-342: Quantum Mechanics I-II

PHYSICS 352: STATISTICAL MECHANICS

PHYSICS 353: ADVANCED STATISTICAL MECHANICS

PHYSICS 361: SOLID STATE PHYSICS

Physics 363: Particle Physics

Physics 364: General Relativity

PHYSICS 366: ADVANCED SOLID STATE PHYSICS

PHYSICS 367: SOFT CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS

Physics 385: Advanced Math Methods

Physics 386: Advanced Methods of Data Analysis

Physics 443: Quantum Field Theory I

Physics 444: Quantum Field Theory II

Physics 445: Quantum Field Theory III

UChicago Pritzker Molecular Engineering strengthens India ties

Related content

Physical Sciences Division

David Archer

Benson Farb

Young-Kee Kim

Yamuna Krishnan

Related News

News Topics

News Archive

2024-2025 Catalog

Mathematics

Program of Study

Program Requirements

Summary of Requirements for the BA in Physics

Summary of Requirements for the BS in Physics

Sample Programs

Introductory Course

Advanced Placement

Accreditation

Opportunities for Participation in Research

Minor Program in Physics

Physics Courses

Undergraduate Primary Contact

Secondary Contact

Administrative Contact

Get the Reddit app

Is Harvard significantly better for the humanities than Uchicago?

Does UChicago really treat its grad students badly?

Re: Does UChicago really treat its grad students badly?

We know that you may have many questions about the process of applying to graduate school.

Program FAQs

Preparing to Apply

Test Score FAQs

Application Support FAQs

PhD Program in Medical Physics

AI can predict how monkeys play Pac-Man