Guide for First Year Physics Grads

Caltech Physics is spread out over several buildings including Bridge, Annenberg, Downs-Lauritsen and Cahill. First-year graduate students have a shared office/lounge space in the basement of West Bridge (B160). Once you join a research group, your group admin will assign you a new office located where your research group resides

Your first stop when you have questions can always be PMA's Student Programs Team. If they can't answer your question, they will know where to find the answer. 

Questions regarding academics, research, course selection, your plan of study, etc. can be directed to your academic adviser. The Graduate Option Representative is another place to go with these questions. The Graduate Option Representative is a faculty member who oversees the academic program in the department and is one of your primary resources. Feel free to check in with the option rep any time, especially for unusual circumstances or important academic decisions. For questions about your academic progress, planning, and milestones, you may also reach out to Nam Ung, Director of Student Programs. Nam can help you strategize and troubleshoot, and guide you through the administrative parameters of the PhD program. 

The Registrar's Office, Graduate Office, and ISP (International Student Programs), all of which are located in the Center for Student Services on Holliston Ave., can also help you with issues such as registration, visa concerns, etc. We recommend contacting PMA's Student Programs Team first as they may be able to assist you and/or direct you to the appropriate office. ↑

Some useful web pages:
Requirement for a Doctorate in Physics
Physics Candidacy FAQs 

An academic adviser is appointed for each student upon admission to the graduate program in physics. The academic adviser will serve as the primary mentor until the student finds a research adviser. Students will meet with their academic adviser to decide on their first-year course schedule, and are encouraged to continue these meetings quarterly until the student finds a research adviser. In addition to coursework, you may also discuss questions about research interests with your academic adviser.

Fall registration for classes will happen during Orientation week. The Graduate Studies Office will reach out with instructions via email. You can always reach out to your academic advisor or the Option Representative if you have questions about classes. Make sure you register for Ph 242, the only course that is required for all physics graduate students to take, in both the fall and winter terms. This class is a great way to get to know your cohort, in addition to learning about the physics research happening at Caltech.

Registration for subsequent terms will follow the academic calendar published by the Registrar's Office.

What courses you decide to take will depend on the research areas of interest as well as the Advanced Physics Requirements designed to ensure you are exposed to a breadth of topics in physics. You are encouraged to discuss coursework with your academic advisor, the Option Representative, faculty in areas of research interest, and continuing graduate students.↑

Continuity of registration must be maintained until all requirements for the Ph.D. have been completed, with the exception of authorized leaves. Students must maintain full-time enrollment of 36 units per term. If academic courses do not add up to 36 units, the remaining units should be enrollment in the research-related courses Ph 171, Ph 172, or (eventually) Ph 300.These courses have section numbers associated with each faculty member. You should talk with the faculty member of interest in advance of registering for their section.  Ph 172 will be the typical choice for early-year students that already have a likely research adviser.  If you are just exploring a topical area, Ph 171 is an alternative choice. Which one you choose isn't critical from a registration point of view.  It's entirely up to you and the faculty mentor. If you are not taking any academic courses in a given term (common in later years), all 36 registered units will be in one of these three research courses.  In your first term or so, if you have not yet identified a faculty member to do a reading or research course with, you may temporarily enroll in the Option Representative's section of Ph 171.  This arrangement should be of limited duration.

As a first-year student, you are encouraged to explore research interests and get to know your professors. For a quick glance at the exciting research happening in physics, please visit this link. Feel free to start reaching out to professors doing research in the areas you are interested.

Your first-term fellowship allows you the flexibility to start exploring your research interests right when you begin your graduate studies. Once you have a good sense of your research direction and find a good fit with a faculty member, it is a good point to officially declare your research adviser (the Student Programs team can help you obtain Option Rep signature). When you're ready to submit the form, please upload it here. Some students join a research group and officially declare their research adviser by the winter term of their first year, while others declare in the spring term of their first year. The option expects you to declare a research adviser by some point during your second year.

Aside from the research being conducted in their group, you should also ask a potential research adviser questions about their working style, research group expectations, expectations of a graduate student, relevant coursework for preparation, and potential funding support. You are encouraged to reflect on your needs as a graduate student, and through conversations with potential advisers, assess how that may or may not fit with their style and approach.

There are lots of ways to meet other graduate students. The PMA Student Programs Team hosts monthly Happy Hours (and once a term with faculty) and Bagel Hours for graduate students, along with a variety of other social activities - keep an eye out for the email announcements. The Graduate Student Council as well as various student clubs are other ways to meet students with common interests.

Physics students must demonstrate proficiency in all areas of basic physics, including classical mechanics (including continuum mechanics), electricity and magnetism, quantum mechanics, statistical physics, optics, basic mathematical methods of physics, and the physical origin of everyday phenomena. A solid understanding of these fundamental areas of physics is considered essential and proficiency will be tested by two written candidacy examinations (also commonly known as "quals"): 1) Classical Mechanics and Electromagnetism and 2) Quantum Mechanics, Statistical Mechanics and Thermodynamics. They are offered twice a year, typically in October and July. More information about them can be found here. The two separate exams may be taken at the same or different times. This flexible scheduling of the written exams allows students to prepare for the exams while simultaneously learning about research areas, either through advanced courses, reading courses, or participation in a research group. The exams can be attempted up to three times and must be successfully completed by the end of the second year of study.

Physics Colloquium is held on Thursdays from 4:00pm-5:00pm in the Feynman Lecture Hall (201 E. Bridge), as well as on Zoom. You can find the schedule here, as well as sign up to attend a lunch with the speaker. Look for an email regarding signing up for lunch. We also have a sip & snack time right before the colloquium, so keep an eye out for announcements in the PMA Weekly newsletter.