Duke Physics

Highlights

New curriculum (starting in Fall 2010):

• 6 core courses.
• Tailored to student's goals and needs.
• Modern graduate courses.
• 2 elective courses.
• No breadth requirements.
Optional mini-courses.
• No qualifier exams, no general exams.

Research programs:

• Student's research can start early, but no need to decide the field in the first year.
• Many collaborations with other departments.
• Advisors could be outside the department (if doing Physics).

People and Places:

• 70–90 graduate students and 42 faculty.
• Excellent interaction between faculty members and graduate students. Really.
• In Durham, North Carolina, in the South-East USA
• A medium sized department, and a medium sized city.

Admissions & Applications

• The applications are processed by the Duke Graduate School.
• The Physics deadline is December 31.
• The FAQ for further information.

Finances:

• All students are given assistantships (TA, or RA, or fellowships).
• The normal assistantships comes with a stipend of $26,986 per year.
• The Cost of Living is less than most other good institutions.
• The tuition and most fees are paid by the assistantships.
• Usually, the health insurance premium is paid by the Graduate School.