The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in physics at Central Michigan University is a research-intensive program providing advanced scientific training in specific subfields of physics and related disciplines. The program will provide students with an opportunity to develop the ability and skills necessary to conduct independent, primary research of professional quality.

The physics Ph.D. is designed to be a research degree in which students are trained primarily by conducting research under the guidance of a faculty mentor. The program includes a set of core courses that will be augmented by elective courses in the student's area of interest.

Successful completion of the Ph.D. requires a minimum of 60 hours of graduate work beyond the M.S. degree. Each student's program of study will be developed in consultation with the faculty mentor and approved by the dissertation committee. All students in the Ph.D. program will be required to take six credit hours of courses in topics related to their specific research subfield; 6-15 credit hours of elective graduate courses (up to 15 of which can be transferred from the M.S. physics degree); 27-36 credit hours of directed research; and 12 Ph.D. Dissertation credit hours.