The purpose of this handbook is to give physics graduate students an overview of their rights and responsibilities while they are here at UNH. Sources within the department for further information are the Graduate Advisor (for physics questions) and the Physics Administrative Assistant (for paperwork).

The most important office outside the department is the Graduate School Office www.gradschool.unh.edu/ on the first floor of Thompson Hall (T-Hall). The Graduate School can offer help on general (i.e. non-physics) questions. Their phone number is 86-2-3000. The graduate catalog is the definitive resource for UNH rules, such as time limits. While we have included some of those rules in this booklet, we recommend checking with the Graduate School. The Graduate School also has various informational brochures available including information on Dining Services, Recreational Sports, and Day Care. The Graduate Student Organization www.unh.edu/gso/ also can help with academic procedures, student life issues, financial aid, payroll deductions, and details about what the graduate student fees are and what they pay for.

International students will find the International Student Office to be their best resource for questions or problems related to their foreign status (e.g. Visas). The web site is http://www.unh.edu/oiss/

OVERVIEW OF GRADUATE PROGRAM

• Master's requirements
  • Five required courses: Experimental Physics 805, Mathematical Methods of Physics 931, Theoretical Mechanics 939, Electromagnetic Theory 941, Quantum Mechanics 943
  • Either
    • 9 additional credits of coursework plus six credit hours of Master's thesis work and an oral thesis defense OR
    • 15 additional credits of coursework including a research project and an oral exam in the form of a seminar OR
    • 15 additional credits of coursework plus a pass the written comprehensive and the oral qulifying exam (- for students in the Ph.D. program only).
• Ph.D. requirements
  • Eight required courses: Experimental Physics 805, Mathematical Methods of Physics 931, Statistical Physics 935, Theoretical Mechanics 939, Electromagnetic Theory 941-42, Quantum Mechanics 943-44
  • Four additional 3 credit courses of which 2 may be at the 800 level. For Space Science students, students, these courses must include Plasma Physics 951, Magnetohydrodynamics of the Heliosphere 953, and one of Magnetospheres 987, Heliospheric and Galactic Physics 954.
  • Demonstrate proficiency in teaching.
  • Passing the written comprehensive exam.
  • Passing an oral qualifying exam on a thesis proposal.
  • A minimum of two semesters of Doctoral Research (999).
  • Passing the oral thesis defense.

COURSEWORK

Introduction

All teaching and research assistants must take 6 credits per semester (two classes) to be considered full time students; all other graduate students must take 9 credits per semester (three classes) to have full-time status.

Graduate level courses are numbered in the 900's; most of a graduate student's courses will be chosen from this group. In addition to the required lab course (805), Ph.D. students are allowed to count only two of the 800 level physics courses toward their degree. Other Physics 800 level courses may be taken to give full time status, but will not count toward degree requirements. Master's students may count an unlimited number of 800 level courses. Students may also take relevant courses in other departments (e.g. Math or Chemistry); the graduate advisor must decide if a course in another department is acceptable for graduate credit (for example, is this course part of an overall plan). Students may sign up for as many credits in Master's Thesis (899) or Doctoral Thesis (999) as necessary to make them full time. Ph.D. students must take a minimum of two semesters of 999.

Students who feel rusty or unprepared for any of the basic courses should consider taking the upper level undergraduate equivalent before proceeding to graduate work. Students should consult the professor for the course or the Graduate Advisor if they have questions about prerequisites for the graduate courses. The expected undergraduate preparation for graduate work in physics includes two semesters of quantum mechanics, two semesters of electricity and magnetism, one semester of classical mechanics, and one semester of mathematical methods of physics, all at the junior or senior level.

A grade of B - or better is required for all courses taken at the graduate level. If a student receives a lower grade in a course, the course must be retaken in order for it to count toward a degree. Students who receive three grades of C + or lower are no longer eligible to continue in the graduate program.

Students who have done graduate work at other schools should see the Graduate Advisor about waiving some courses that are required for the Ph.D. program. A catalog description of the course, course syllabus, and name of text used helps in determining if a waiver is appropriate.

In addition to courses, it is expected that all graduate students regularly attend the Physics Colloquia which are usually held Monday afternoons at 4pm. First year graduate students also take the one credit course, Introduction to Research in Physics.

Ph.D. Requirements 

 The required courses for a Ph.D. are Experimental Physics (805), Mathematical Methods of Physics (931), Statistical Physics (935), Theoretical Mechanics (939), Electromagnetic Theory (941, 942), and Quantum Mechanics (943, 944). In addition, four additional 3 credit courses (not including seminar courses or Doctoral Research) are required, two of which may be at the 800 level. Space Science students (those students whose Ph.D. advisor is a member of the EOS faculty) have additional constraints on their course requirements; these are discussed in the Space Science Curriculum section.

All Ph.D. students are required to develop and demonstrate proficiency in lecturing. Normally this requirement is met by students satisfactorily completing one year of teaching as a Teaching Assistant. The faculty will accommodate special arrangements, by petition, to achieve and demonstrate the equivalent level of oral communication.

There are no foreign language requirements for a Ph.D. Students who are not yet proficient in speaking or understanding English should take English As A Second Language, which is offered through the English Department.

Master's Requirements

The required courses for a Master's are Experimental Physics (805), Mathematical Methods of Physics (931), Theoretical Mechanics (939), Electromagnetic Theory (941), and Quantum Mechanics (943). In addition to the required courses, the Master's student must select one of the following plans:

1) Complete another 9 credits of coursework and a Master's Thesis, representing the equivalent of 6 semester hours' work, and pass an oral exam on the thesis.

2) Complete another 15 credits of coursework, a research project (may account for up to 3 credits) and an oral exam in the format of a seminar. An exam committee consisting of two faculty members is required. Prior approval from the graduate advisor is required for this option.

3) Complete another 15 credits of coursework and pass the written comprehensive and the oral qualifying exams (- for students in the Ph.D. program only).

We strongly recommend the thesis option since research experience is highly valued by employers and is qualitatively different from coursework. For a Master's degree, any number of electives may be at the 800 level. Master's students do not take the Ph.D. comprehensive or oral qualifying exam.

Teaching Assistants and Education Courses

All Teaching Assistants must enroll in Physics 901 during their first semester as a TA. This is a one credit course on Physics Teaching designed to help new TAs with their duties.

There are courses offered on campus about issues in college teaching, which are designed for students who are contemplating college teaching as a career. Check the Graduate School Preparing Future Faculty web page for more information http://www.gradschool.unh.edu

Electives

The physics 800 level electives are Optics (808), Introduction to Modern Astrophysics (810), Introduction to Space Plasma Physics (812), Introduction to Solid State Physics (818), Nuclear Physics (820), Advanced Scientific Computing (854), (offered through the Math Department), and Cosmology & General Relativity (864). The graduate physics 900 level electives are Plasma Physics (951), Magnetohydrodynamics of the Heliosphere (953), Heliospheric and Galactic Physics (954), Advanced Quantum Mechanics I and II (961-2), Advanced Solid State Physics (965), Magnetospheres (987) and High Energy Astrophysics (988). Students may also take 800 or 900 level courses in other departments if they are applicable to physics (see the graduate advisor). Depending on the needs in the research programs and availability of faculty, other special topics may be offered under Physics 995.

Students should consult their Thesis Advisor about which electives are necessary for their thesis work. Some electives should also be taken to give a student a broader physics background.

Timing

Required courses are typically offered once a year. Most others are offered only every other year. Students should take this into account when planning their schedules.

Offered every year
Fall	Spring
Math Physics 931	Experimental 805
Classical Mechanics 939	Intro. to Numerical Methods II, Math 854
E & M II 942	Statistical Physics 935
Quantum Mechanics II 944	E&M I 941
Intro. to Numerical Methods I, Math 853	Quantum Mechanics I 943
Physics Teaching Seminar (1 credit)	Introduction to Research (1 credit)

Offered every other year
Typically offered in Fall	Typically offered in Spring
Introduction to Astrophysics 810	Optics 808
Introduction to Space Plasma Physics 812	Solid State Physics 818
Heliospheric Physics 954	Nuclear Physics 820
Advanced QM II 962	Cosmology and General Relativity 864
Advanced Solid State 965	Magnetohydrodynamics of the Heliosphere 953
Magnetospheres 987
High Energy Astrophysics 988

Master's Curriculum

The following is a sample curriculum for a Master's student. Students with good backgrounds and students who are not TAs should take three courses per semester.

	Fall	Spring
Year 1	931 Math Physics I	941 E & M I
	939 Mechanics I	943 QM I
	Physics Teaching Seminar	Introduction to Research
Year 2	Elective	805 Experimental
	Elective	Elective
Year 3	Elective or Thesis
	Elective or Thesis

Ph.D. Curriculum

Most TAs take only two courses per semester. Students with strong backgrounds and students who are not TAs should take three courses per semester. Students who are unsure of what to do can try three courses, but evaluate their situation by the end of the second week when they can drop one course with no monetary penalty.

 

Two courses/semester

	Fall	Spring
Year 1	931 Math Physics I	941 E&M I
	939 Mechanics I	943 QM I
	Physics Teaching Seminar	Introduction to Research
Year 2	942 E&M II	805 Experimental
	944 QM II	935 Statistical Mechanics
Year 3	Elective	Elective
	999 Research	999 Research
Year 4	Elective	Elective
	999 Research

Three courses/semester

	Fall	Spring
Year 1	931 Math Physics I	805 Experimental
	939 Mechanics I	941 E & M I
	Elective	943 QM I
	Physics Teaching Seminar	Introduction to Research
Year 2	942 E&M II	935 Statistical
	944 QM II	Elective
	Elective	Elective
Year 3	999 Research	999 Research

Space Science Curriculum

A basic training in plasma physics is needed for Ph.D. research in Space Science. Therefore, the following classes should be taken as three of the electives: PHYS 951 (Plasma Physics), PHYS 953 (Magnetohydrodynamics of the Heliosphere), and one of PHYS 954 (Heliospheric and Galactic Physics), PHYS 987 (Magnetospheres).

Suggestions for other electives for Space Science students are:

810	Introduction to Astrophysics
812	Introduction to Space Plasma Physics
995	Space Instrumentation

or a course from another field of physics, such as:

818	Introduction to Solid State Physics
820	Nuclear Physics
854	Advanced Scientific Computing
864	Cosmology & General Relativity
961, 962	Advanced Quantum Mechanics

Depending on the research area, courses from other departments may be taken as electives (other courses are eligible with the graduate advisor's approval), e.g.:

MATH 853	Introduction to Numerical Methods I
MATH 854	Introduction to Numerical Methods II
IAM 851	Introduction to High Performance Computing
ME 807	Analytical Fluid Dynamics
ME 812	Waves in Fluids
ME 909	Viscous Flow
ME 910	Turbulence
ME 995	Asymptotic Methods

Cognate in College Teaching

Description The Cognate in College Teaching is essentially a minor in college level teaching; this minor is given in association with a PhD degree only (not with a Master's); it is not a stand-alone degree. The purpose of the Cognate is to prepare future faculty for their role as teachers. This experience can make the student more marketable, and can make the transition from student to researcher/teacher less difficult. This program enhances both the teaching and research roles of new faculty: research has shown that new faculty fail most often because they are not "teaching-ready", and this greatly detracts from their ability to do research in the early years.

For the most recent description of the program, check the web page: Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning

Students cannot officially begin the cognate until they pass their qualifying exams. However, they should begin taking some of the courses before that to test their interest in a teaching career. Students interested in the program should understand that this will add some time to their tenure as graduate students, although the time will be spread out over several years (see the timeline below).

Requirements The Cognate in College Teaching requires the completion of 12 credits and emphasizes the development of classroom teaching skills in a specific field or discipline. Requirements include:

• Core Courses (4 credits from the 950 series of courses, including GRAD 950)
• Field and disciplinary studies courses (4 credits)
• College Teaching Praxis (4 credits). Students register for GRAD 990 during the summer before teaching

There currently exists one discipline-specific course: Physics Teaching Seminar (Ph 901), which carries one credit and is required of all physics TA's. Based on student interest we can offer a reading course on issues associated with college level physics education for the remaining two credits.

Grad 990: Teaching Praxis requires a student to teach one three-credit course. The student must take full control of the class (i.e., design the syllabus, choose the book, write the tests).

The choice of which course a student will teach depends greatly on the talents and interests of the students. However, in general we would expect that students would teach introductory courses of small size (30 students or less).

As part of Grad 990, students will create a teaching portfolio that includes a statement of their teaching philosophy and methods, syllabi, tests, evaluations, etc. Students will attend a few classes to learn how to create their portfolio.

Sample Timeline

1st year: physics teaching seminar (1 credit); Grad 950 (1 credit); physics courses; TA
2nd year: Grad 950 (1 credit); physics courses; TA
3rd year: Grad 950 (1 credit); physics courses; RA
4th year: physics education reading course (2 credits); research
5th year: research, Grad 990 (4 credits)

Officially beginning the Cognate: A student can officially begin the cognate only after they have been advanced to candidacy. They need to meet with the Physics Cognate Advisor (currently Prof. Meredith) and their research advisor to map out a timeline and make sure that research effort and cognate effort are both possible.

Financial Support: There are several possible means for support of students while they are teaching. Courses taught through DCE (summer or night time), College for Lifelong Learning, and courses at other local colleges generate revenue that could pay the student and their tuition. It should not be expected that research grants support a student for the time that they spend on teaching. The Teaching Excellence Program is also available to help find funding for students taking Grad 990. We expect that teaching (Grad 990) will be a half-time job

Oral Qualifying Exam

The Oral Qualifying Exam is one of the requirements for the Ph.D. degree, and is taken after a student passes the Comprehensive Exam, and typically after working for 6 months to one year with a research advisor. It is expected that during this period, the student will begin to become familiar with the relevant literature, gain an understanding of the mathematics and concepts related to their particular topic, and complete a substantial portion of a small independent project that is related to their thesis work. Before scheduling the Oral Exam, the Ph.D. Thesis Committee must be formed. The Oral Exam is to be announced to the department as a seminar presentation with title and abstract at least one week in advance.

Format of the Oral Exam

The presentation portion of the Oral Exam is typically 45 minutes in length, open to the public, and is followed by questions from the general audience. The advisor and thesis committee may rule out any questions deemed inappropriate for this Exam. The Thesis Committee then meets with the student for more detailed questions and discussion. Next, the student is excused and the Committee makes an overall decision on the Exam. The possibilities are:

1. the student Passes the Exam;
2. the student Does Not Pass, but is invited to repeat the Oral Exam with the same Thesis Committee to demonstrate understanding that was found lacking;
3. the student Does Not Pass, and is recommended to either identify a different advisor and topic or possibly withdraw from the program.

After passing the Oral Exam, and completing departmental course requirements, the student will Advance to Candidacy.

Content of the Presentation

The Oral Exam Presentation consists of a proposed thesis topic, background information on the topic and how it relates to larger questions in its subfield, and an outline of what the student will do to successfully complete a thesis on this topic. It is recognized that the topic may evolve or change substantially during progress towards the thesis, and this process will be monitored by the Thesis Committee. However, in the Oral Exam, the student is expected to present as thorough a plan as possible at that time, demonstrating the ability to work independently. The student will be questioned about the topic in some depth, to verify that this topic is appropriate for a Physics Ph.D. thesis, and to identify areas that the student needs to strengthen along the way.

Written Summary

The student must submit a written summary of the thesis proposal (typically 5 pages) to the Thesis Committee prior to the Oral Exam. The written summary is to focus on the student's plan and the availability of resources to accomplish the plan (i.e. what is proposed to be done, and how it will be done).

Comprehensive Exam: Texts and Topics

The following topics and texts were assembled from courses given recently at UNH. Other texts used in Junior and Senior level classes also are appropriate. Be sure to look at one lower level book and one upper level book for each topic. Because texts are so similar, there is no need to look at more than one text at each level; choose whichever you prefer or have access to. But don't forget to look at lower level texts as they have some problems and topics that are not in higher level texts.

Classical Mechanics

Texts

lower level	Halliday, Resnick and Walker
	Knight
	Young
upper level	Symon
	Marion and Thorton

Topics:

Newtonian Mechanics
Gravitation
Lagrangian Mechanics
Hamiltonian Mechanics
Scattering
Rigid Bodies and Rotation
Small Oscillations
Central Forces
Systems of Particles

Electricity and Magnetism

Texts:

lower level	Halliday, Resnick and Walker
	Knight
	Young
upper level	Lorrain, Corson and Lorrain
	Reitz, Milford and Christy
	Griffiths
	Purcell

Topics:
Electrostatics
Boundary Value Problems in Electrostatics
Multipoles, Electrostatics of Macroscopic Media, Dielectrics
Magnetostatics
Time Varying Fields, Maxwell Equations, Conservation Laws
Plane Electromagnetic Waves and Wave Propagation
Wave Guides and Resonant Cavities
Simple Radiating Systems
Special Theory of Relativity

Quantum Mechanics

Texts

upper level	Liboff, Introductory Quantum Mechanics
	Ohanian, Principles of Quantum Mechanics
	Griffiths,

Topics:

Applying the postulates of QM, uncertainty principle, wave-particle duality, superposition principle
Eigenfunctions and eigenvalues
Calculating probabilities and expectation values
Properties of Hermitian operators
Dirac notation
Identical particles
Spin
Particle in a 1, 2, or 3 dimensional box
Simple harmonic oscillator in 1, 2, or 3 dimensions
Hydrogen atom
Perturbation theory (time independent, degenerate, time dependent)
Variational methods
Scattering

Thermal and Statistical Physics

Texts:

lower level	Halliday, Resnick and Walker
	Knight
upper level	Schroeder

Topics:

Energy and the second law
Ideal gas, entropy
Heat capacity
Heat Engines and refrigerators
Free energy, phase transitions
Boltzmann statistics, partition function
Quantum statistics, Bosons and Fermions

Modern Physics

Texts:

	Halliday, Resnick and Walker Fundamentals of Physics Extended, 9th ed.	Chapters 35-43, 44.1-9
	Young and Freedman Sears and Zemansky's Unversity Physics (with Modern Phys.), 12th ed.	Chapters 35-43, 44.1-4

Topics:

Interference, Diffraction, Relativity, Wave Nature of Particles
Quantum Physics, Photons, Electrons, Atoms, Molecules
Condensed Matter Physics
Nuclear Physics
Particle Physics

Financial Aid

Introduction

There are many kinds of financial aid available to graduate students. Aid comes in the form of grants, fellowships, assistantships, work-study, and loans, available from within the University and through outside agencies. The Graduate Catalog describes the following options in more detail.

The most common support is through Research or Teaching Assistantships in the Department. While these are the names that we use within the Department, the official names (used on paperwork) are as follows:

Graduate Assistants: Title used for first year or continuing students who are involved in teaching labs and grading.

Project Assistants: Title used for students who are supported by externally funded research projects.

Graduate Associates: Title used for students who have passed the qualifier and all 12 courses required for a Ph.D. The course load is not to exceed 2 courses per semester.

Research Assistantships

To obtain a Research Assistantship, students should take the initiative and talk with faculty who work in the fields of interest to them. It is most common to start as a Research Assistant (RA) with a summer project.

Working as an RA for a professor in the Department will provide a graduate student with the basic skills needed for a future career as an independently working physicist. This is an integral part of the graduate curriculum. Work as an RA will usually lead into work on a thesis.

However, since the scope of the training and the research commitments of the groups are broader than the final thesis, it is expected that most students will perform additional scientific and technical duties. For example, if the thesis topic is centered around the analysis of results from a large experiment in space physics or nuclear physics, the student will probably be asked to also assist in the experimental and technical work related to the field. If the thesis is of a theoretical nature, the student may be asked to assist in the computer programming which leads to more sophisticated models in the field. The student may also be asked to participate in routine operations necessary to maintain the scientific infrastructure operation, such as help in the calibration of instruments, updating the software on laboratory computers, help in the assembly of experiments etc. Various different combinations of this kind are appropriate and will be most beneficial for success in a future scientific career. This non-thesis work should decrease as progress on the thesis is made, and should not impede progress toward a Ph.D. within the normal time frame.

Research Assistants are given a tuition waiver and salary as noted under the section on pay schedule. Typically RAs are supported in the summer as well as the academic year, but this must be checked with the faculty for whom the student is working.

Teaching Assistantships

A limited number of Teaching Assistantships (TAs) are awarded by the Physics Department to incoming students each year. The rest of the TA positions are for continuing students who have not yet decided on a research topic. Teaching assistants are expected to work approximately 20 hours a week. The assistantships include a tuition waiver and a stipend. Typically, TAs are not supported during the summer months. Students should try to find an RA position for the summer, or check with the Administrative Assistant to see if any TAs are needed in the summer. Students should find summer employment early in the spring semester. There are two types of teaching jobs: grading and lab assistants, whose jobs are explained in the following section.

Compensation

Graduate Student compensation in the Physics Department of UNH is mostly tied to University rules and typically consists of several components:

Graduate Student Stipend for the Academic Year	RA, TA, or Fellowship
Graduate Student Stipend for the Summer	if RA or Summer TA (total set for Summer TA or negotiable, typically also with Fellowship)
Tuition paid (AY only)	RA, TA, or Fellowship
Health Insurance	RA, TA, or Fellowship
Student Fees	may depend on situation

AY Stipend

The rates for the Graduate Student Stipend are set on an annual basis by the Graduate School and the Research Office. The Graduate Stipend is paid according to 4.5 months of compensated work for the 9-month AY because work is expected at a 20-h/week level, thus leaving room for graduate studies. There are 3 levels for the Stipend:

• Level 1: All master’s students; PhD students who have only a bachelor’s degree and less than 2 years experience as a TA or RA @ UNH;
• Level 2: PhD students who have a master’s degree or PhD students who have only a bachelor’s degree but have at least 2 years experience as a TA or RA @ UNH;
• Level 3: PhD students @ candidacy.

Summer Stipend

These rates also translate into the Summer Stipend at the full monthly rate, recognizing that over the Summer 40 h/week are available for work. There are set rates for each Summer TA assignment, with the expectation that ample time remains outside this task. Each RA assignment may differ in the total of months compensated over the 3-month period. Offers typically range between 4/9 and 6/9 of the full AY Stipend (recognizing 40 h/week). If a student still needs to study for the Comp Exam and/or the student wants to spend a substantial time away from UNH during the summer, either 4/9 or 5/9 are offered, to be negotiated with the advisor. 6/9 are typically only offered if the student wants to work through the entire summer, with only some short vacation. Also, some of the research projects may not have 3 months Graduate Stipend available for the Summer. Also for this reason, this employment is negotiable with the advisor.

Tuition

Graduate Student Tuition is waived by the College for TAs. For RA and Fellowship appointments Tuition is paid by the sponsor.

Health Insurance

Health Insurance for the entire year comes with any full-time graduate student appointment (RA, TA, Fellowship) over the AY.

Student Fees

Student fees are usually the responsibility of the graduate student. For RAs, advisors may pay student fees from a combination of Grant and Help funds, depending on the type of fee. However, some advisors may not have the resources for these added fees. The advisor will talk with the students upfront about the situation and the total compensation. Fellowships may or may not include an allowance for such costs.

National Graduate Fellowships

There are several national fellowships that students should consider applying for. In particular, the Graduate Office has applications for the NSF Graduate Fellowships; these are available in September and due in November each year.

In the fields of space plasma physics and astrophysics there are currently two types of graduate fellowships available.

1) The University of New Hampshire is a Space Grant University. Under this agreement a few Space Grant Fellowships, sponsored by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, are available every year, administered through the Institute for Earth, Oceans, and Space (EOS). Criteria for selection are:

- Evidence of unusual promise in a space-related discipline as demonstrated by college or graduate transcripts, GRE scores, and the recommendation of academic supervisors.

- The relevance of the applicant's interest and planned graduate program.

The competition is announced every year. It is expected that the fellowship holder will assume additional responsibilities for outreach activities of EOS. These include stimulation of science and mathematics education among undergraduates, pre-college students, and lay citizens. The Space Grant fellowship is available for one year. The fellowship includes a stipend and the tuition waiver. Further information may be obtained from the Associate Director of EOS.

2) The National Aeronautics and Space Administration sponsors graduate fellowships for space related research topics. To compete for these fellowships a research proposal has to be submitted to NASA through the UNH Office of Sponsored Research. More information about these fellowships, which are available to US citizens only, may be obtained from the research office (phone 862-2000). To be successful in the competition it is advisable that research work has already started with a faculty member of the Department. The sponsoring faculty will assist the student in compiling the scientific objectives and the scientific implementation plan for a successful proposal. Help for the administrative part of the proposal is available in the Space Science Center administration. The fellowship includes a stipend, tuition and funds for research related travel for collaboration with other institutions and to scientific conferences.

UNH Scholarships and Fellowships

UNH provides several Scholarships and Fellowships for its Graduate Students. For information on any of these, check with the Graduate Office.

Full-Time Tuition Scholarship

Eligibility:	Any full time student with a high scholastic record.
Amount:	Tuition Waiver.
How to apply:	Apply to department or program.
Dates:	See Graduate Advisor in January

Part-Time Tuition Scholarship

Eligibility:	Any part-time student without an assistantship
Amount:	Partial waiver of tuition.
How to apply:	Apply at the Graduate School.
Dates:	Applications due Nov. 1 for spring semester due April 1 for fall semester

Dissertation Fellowship

Eligibility:	Ph. D. students in final year of program.
Amount:	Stipend and waiver of Doctoral Research Fee.
How to apply:	Apply at the Graduate School.
Dates:	Applications available Dec. 2; due mid January

Summer Fellowship for Teaching Assistants

Eligibility:	Students who have held a teaching assistantship position in the previous academic year.
Amount:	Two month summer stipend.
How to apply:	Apply at the Graduate School
Dates:	Applications available in December, due in early February.

Other Aid

For information on work-study, Stafford (GSL) Student Loan Programs, Perkins Loans, Supplemental Loans for Students (SLS), UNH Loans, and Veterans' Benefits, check with the Financial Aid Office.

Teaching Assistantship Responsibilities

Teaching assistants play an important role in the Department's introductory courses. All Teaching Assistants must enroll in Physics 901 during their first semester as a TA. This is a one-credit course on Physics Teaching designed to help new TAs with their duties.

Below, we discuss the basic responsibilities for both graders and lab assistants.

Lab Assistant Responsibilities

The following was taken from instructions for TAs in Physics 407. Only the general ideas are applicable to TAs in other courses. Check with the professor in your course to find out your exact responsibilities. 

Reading: You should read both the lab book and the textbook. Reading the textbook will keep you up to date on what the students should know and the notation they are most familiar with. The Physics office will provide you with a copy of the text which you must return at the end of the semester.

Labs: You must do each lab before you teach it, just as if you were a student. This will allow you to answer the students' questions effectively and to anticipate any tricky sections of the experiment or calculations. It will also give you some sense of the accuracy that can be obtained with the equipment and techniques available. Check with the lab technician, who is in charge of labs, to see when you can do the practice lab.

Lecture: You should give a lecture for each lab, about half an hour long. The purpose of the lecture is to relate the lab to the lecture portion of the course, to give the students some idea how to do the lab, and to let them know what the purpose of the lab is. If there are any tricky, non-obvious procedures, they should be discussed at this point. This lecture should be prepared, not off the cuff.

Prelab Questions: Make sure that the students do the prelab questions before the lab. These questions are designed to ensure that students understand the physics behind the lab before they start. It may be a good idea to 'sign-off' on the answers so that there is a record that they were done on time. (This is course dependent. Not all courses have prelab questions.)

Labs: Be available while the students are doing the lab to provide assistance. Whenever possible, you should try to get students to answer their own questions. This can be done by searching to find something that they do understand, and working back toward the answer to their question.

Sample Calculations: Before each student leaves, they should do one sample calculation and have it checked by you. This ensures that they have some clue about how to complete the lab on their own.

Grading: You may be responsible for grading homework, quizzes, and tests. Plan on spending a total of about twenty hours a week on your grading and lab assistant duties. You should make every effort to grade the papers within one week of receiving them, otherwise you will fall behind and the students will forget the assignment.

Recording Grades: You are responsible for recording the quiz and homework grades. You can either record these on paper, or use an electronic spreadsheet. Please keep neat records, since these will be our only records for the class. Be sure that you and the professor agree on what the maximum score is so that the grades will be averaged in correctly. You must hand in the grades at the Physics Office before finals week.

Office Hours: You must have three office hours a week so that students can get help when they are stuck. You may find that on some days few students come. It therefore is wise to have your own work to do so that the time is not wasted. On the other hand, be firm with students when it is not your office hours or they have not made an appointment to see you. You need time to do your own work, and this will be impossible if all hundred or so of your students feel that they can drop in anytime, even if only for just a few minutes.

Names: Because the labs are small and the lecture is large, you are the most personal link that the student has to this course. One small but significant gesture is to learn the names of yours students. Any effort to make the course less impersonal will be appreciated.

Policies and Times: Before the course begins, all of the TAs, along with the professor, need to agree on late policy, make-up policy, due date, re-do policy, and a general grading scheme. Note that it is important to be as consistent as possible with each other. All important decisions should be made together. You also need to find a time when you can do the lab together, and everyone needs to decide on their own office hours. It might be wise to choose office hours that don't overlap so that students are more likely to find someone to provide help.

Occasional Duties: Information Sheets: At the beginning of the semester, you must hand out information sheets to your students. There is a sample form on the next few pages; you will need to fill in the blanks with the policies and times described above.

Test Grading and Proctoring: You may be asked to help with test grading or proctoring. Check your course syllabus carefully and check with the faculty member a week before the exam to see if you need to proctor. Find out from the time and room schedule when the final is scheduled, and plan on working for two or three days after that.

Help: If you get stuck on a lab, see the professor or lab technician. Don't forget that your fellow graduate students are also valuable resources, especially those who have taught this course before.

Sample Lab Information Sheet

This sheet was used in Ph407, and won't be exactly what is needed in the other courses. However, it should give TAs some ideas about what information their students will need.  

Lab TA: _____________
Office: Graduate Cubes, location ______________________
Office Hours: ________________
Office Phone: 862-2067
Message Phone 862-1950

---

Required Work: You must complete all labs and lab reports in order to pass, regardless of your overall point total. See the appendix Lab ReportOutline in your lab manual for details on report preparation. There is also a sample lab available to give you an idea of what is expected.

Transferring Credit: In order to receive credit for a previously successful lab you must fill out a lab petition. These petitions can be obtained from the Physics office in DeMeritt 105. Also, please let me know if you are transferring credit so that I can keep my bookkeeping straight.

Make-up Labs: If you miss a lab, try to make up the lab during that regular lab period, i.e. the one or two weeks during which that lab is scheduled. If this is not possible, labs can be made up during the make-up period at the end of the semester. In either case, please see me so that I'm sure that you have made arrangements to complete the work.

Due dates: Your lab is due _____days after your lab class. Late labs will be penalized as follows_____________________________________. Labs should be put in my lab report cubby; please do not put them in my mailbox.

Re-do Policy: If you complete a lab, but receive a grade of ____ or lower, you can re-do the lab report for additional credit. Such labs are due within __days after they are returned.

Suggested Preparation: Before you come to lab, read the appropriate section in the lab book as well as the related sections in the textbook (these are listed in the lab book). If you have time, also do the prelab problems.

Class organization: Each lab will begin with a short talk to discuss the purpose of the lab and the relation of the lab to the lecture portion of the course, as well as the details on how to do the experiment. Then you will be given time to do the prelab problems; these problems will show you the connection between the formulas you will be using and the formulas that are in the textbook. After your prelab problems have been checked by me, you may proceed to do the lab. After you have taken all the required data, you must do at least one sample calculation before you leave, and have it checked by me. This will ensure that you will be able to complete the lab report successfully on your own.

Lab Partners: All labs are done by pairs of students. However the reports should be done individually. Therefore the only part of the lab reports that should be identical are the data and error estimation.

Grading: The following is the general grading scheme: 1 point each for the abstract and the prelab questions, 1/2 point each for the purpose, procedure, equipment diagram, and results; 1 point each for the data collection, error estimation, graphs, and error propagation; and 2 points for the calculations.

Calculators: You will need access to a calculator that can handle trigonometric functions and powers.

Lab Book: You must have a lab notebook, preferably the Engineering/Science Notebook by Ampad Corp which has graph paper and ruled paper on each page. Your lab book should be written in ink (Why ink? Because real researchers never erase data, even though they may not believe it. Later they may realize that it was actually correct, or it may give clues to earlier misunderstandings. Using ink releases you from the temptation to erase.) The graphs are done in pencil because they are not raw data. Circle all data points and show error bars on your graphs.

Table of Contents: Number your pages as you go, and put a table of contents at the front so that the reports are easy to find.

Sections: Each of the sections: Abstract, Purpose, etc., described in Lab Report Appendix, should be kept separate from the rest and clearly labeled.

Legibility: Please write legibly. If a report can't be read it can't be graded. If you do find that you've written a sloppy section in ink, separate it from the rest of the text with horizontal lines and recopy it neatly below.

Questions and Problems: If you have any questions or problems with the physics, policy, grading, or anything else, let me know as soon as possible. Either come see me, or leave me a message. Aside from office hours, you can find me in the lab room during my other lab classes. These days and times are also posted on my lab report cubby If I don't hear from you, I assume that everything is going okay, or that you don't care that things are going badly.

RESOURCES

Physics Library

There is a Physics branch of the UNH Library with which all graduate students are sure to become familiar. The holdings consist mostly of Physics and Astronomy books and journals. The librarian is always very helpful; don't be afraid to ask for help at any time.

There are several other libraries on campus. Kingsbury houses the Engineering/Math library; Parsons, the Chemistry Library; Kendall, the Life Sciences Library; and Dimond, the main library. It is not unusual to find that books or journals necessary for physics research in these other libraries.

Because the books are not in a centralized location, the On-Line Catalog is a valuable time saver. The On-line Catalog www.library.unh.edu can be accessed from any terminal on campus and can tell the user if a book is in the UNH collection, which library it is in, and if it is currently available. See the librarian for details on how to access the Catalog.

Schedules: The physics library has two standard schedules. One for when school is in session, the other for holidays and summer time. Watch for notices announcing changes in the library hours.

School Year
Monday - Thursday	8 am - 10 pm
Friday	8 am - 4:30 pm
Saturday	1 pm - 5 pm
Sunday	2 pm - 10 pm

 

Summer and Holidays
Monday - Friday	8 am - 4:30 pm (closed at lunch time)
	one evening each week

Borrowing Materials

Books: To check out books, just present your UNH ID. Books, theses, film loops, and audio cassettes are signed out for 4 weeks. You may also check out books on extended time (XT). This allows you to keep books until they are recalled in May of each year.

Journals: Bound and current journals can be checked out. New issues can be signed out only overnight, while older volumes can be signed out for 3 days.

Reserves: A list of all of the books on reserve is available at the library desk. If a book you want is on reserve, you need to ask a librarian for it. Reserves are generally 2 hours or 1 day. Two hour reserves can be signed out overnight if they are checked out within an hour of closing.

Inter-library Loan: If the library system on campus does not have something you need, it can be obtained through Inter-library loan. It can take 2 weeks to 6 months to fill requests, but it usually takes less than a month. If you want a book you will be allowed to borrow it, but for journal articles you will receive photocopies of the articles you request.

Copying

The copy machine in the Physics Department Office is for University business only. Teaching Assistants who wish to copy materials for their classes may use this machine to make copies.

The office copier is not for personal use. Use the copier machine in the library for personal items. Copy cards may be purchased in the main library or in the copy centers around campus.

Laboratory Equipment

Room 102 is the lab equipment room. The lab technician has an office there. The lab technician is responsible for setting up lab equipment. Lab TAs should see the technician if there is equipment that needs to be fixed or replaced or that is missing.

The equipment is also available for individual use. For example, students may need to borrow a piece of equipment to do demonstrations for a project with a local school or may just have some personal project they wish to work on. To borrow equipment, the borrower must check with the lab technician, to make sure it isn't needed for lab experiments. If it is okay, the equipment may be signed out. Sign it back in when it is returned. Please return the equipment promptly as it may be needed for laboratory experiments.

Computing Facilities

The University provides all students with accounts on a UNIX machine that can be used for electronic mail and other computer work. For more details, see http://www.unh.edu/cis/index.html. There are several student computer clusters around campus with PC's and Macintosh computers. The Physics Department has a small cluster with PC's and LINUX machines.

LIFE OUTSIDE THE DEPARTMENT

Housing

On Campus

Babcock: The only on-campus dormitory for graduate students is Babcock Hall. It has single-sex and coed wings. All of the rooms are single occupancy. The rooms are small, even by dormitory standards, but living in Babcock is a great way to get to know lots of graduate students in other departments. If you are interested, contact the UNH Department of Housing, Pettee House (862-2120).

Forest Park: Students who are married or have children are eligible to live in Forest Park, an on-campus apartment complex with studio, 1 bedroom, and 2 bedroom apartments. There is a waiting list to get in. Faculty members also live in Forest Park and are given preference over students on the waiting list. If you are interested, stop by the Forest Park office, which is located in the apartment complex, or call (862-2742). Forest Park is located behind Morse and Kingsbury Halls.

Off Campus

Most graduate students live off campus. All of the towns listed below are common places to find UNH students living. The local bus service, COAST, has routes to all of these places. Each town has its own atmosphere, and you will find that everyone has an opinion on the best places to live. Rent also varies a lot, with Durham generally being the most expensive and Dover being less expensive. There are other towns around, but you will need a car.

Durham: Many home owners rent small one bedroom apartments. They generally prefer to rent to graduate students. These apartments are in the more residential parts of town and are usually very quiet. Many undergraduates live near the center of town and it can be noisy. The only supermarket in town is expensive, and the night life is limited.

Newmarket: Newmarket has a mix of apartment complexes, houses, and subdivided houses for rent. There is a fairly large student population here. Newmarket is small and quiet. There are no supermarkets near town. The night life is limited, but the Stone Church, with bar and live bands is popular with graduate students.

Dover: Dover is a large town. There are lots of things to do there. Many restaurants, a movie theater, play houses and more. There are also plenty of supermarkets and places to shop. Downtown Dover is noisy, but the back streets are usually quiet. Be careful to make sure your apartment is near the bus routes if you are depending on them for transportation.

Portsmouth: Portsmouth is also a large town. It is well known for its night life. The arts are also alive and well in Portsmouth. There are various activities occurring in Portsmouth every day of the week all year round. There are no supermarkets in the downtown area, though there are several within easy reach by car or bus. The biggest malls are also nearby. Portsmouth is a fair distance from the University, and many people think it is generally too far away.

Transportation

Coast Buses: The bus system that serves the local communities is called the Cooperative Alliance for Seacoast Transportation or COAST for short. From the University of New Hampshire, the following communities can be conveniently reached: Madbury, Dover, Somersworth, Newington and the Newington Malls, Portsmouth, and Newmarket. The first buses arrive in Durham at 8:00 AM and the last buses of the day leave at 10:00 PM. To obtain a bus pass, you must go to the COAST/Kari-Van Office in the UNH Visitors Center, which is located across the street from the University Field House.

Airports, Trains and Buses: Durham is served by three airports: Logan Airport in Boston, Pease, and Manchester. Only a few flights go to Pease, which is located in nearby Portsmouth. Durham can be reached from Boston by the C & J Bus service that goes both to South Station in downtown Boston and to Logan airport. There is no bus service between Manchester and Durham. The Amtrak DownEaster train goes from Portland, with a stop in Durham, to Boston's North Station.

Distractions

There are numerous distractions in the Durham area: hiking, sailing, beaches, skiing, berry picking, summer concerts, UNH concert series, Boston, Portsmouth stores and restaurants, and the summer softball league, just to name a few. You don't have to spend all of your time chained to your desk!