Overview
The University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky, Is in the Heart of the Bluegrass Region
The University of Kentucky is located in Lexington, Kentucky, a metropolitan area with a population of approximately 280,000. Lexington, the second-largest city in Kentucky and the sixty-sixth-largest city in the U.S., is located in the heart of Kentucky's beautiful Bluegrass Region approximately 85 miles from both Louisville, Kentucky, and Cincinnati, Ohio. The city's vibrant downtown area, just a short walk from the campus, offers numerous theaters, concert halls, and restaurants. Lexington's location also affords the outdoor enthusiast ample opportunities for recreation in the Daniel Boone National Forest, including canoeing, hiking, and rock climbing.
The University of Kentucky, founded in 1865, is a public, research-extensive, land-grant university with an annual budget of nearly $2.1 billion, a faculty numbering nearly 2,000, and an enrollment of 20,000 undergraduate students and 6,000 graduate students. The university awards nearly 300 doctoral degrees per year. The university's library system holds nearly 3,600,000 volumes and includes subscriptions to approximately 35,000 electronic journals, making it a beacon of education in the Bluegrass Region.
The Core Curriculum, Research Facilities, and Research Opportunities Are Key to Physics and Astronomy Graduate Studies
The Department of Physics and Astronomy comprises 28 faculty members, 15 postdoctoral scholars, and 65 graduate students. The department offers active graduate studies research programs in astronomy and astrophysics, atomic physics, condensed matter physics, nuclear physics, and theoretical particle physics (including string theory). Students can complete thesis research projects in any of these areas for the M.S. or Ph.D. degree.
The core curriculum consists of one semester of classical mechanics, two semesters of electromagnetic theory, two semesters of quantum mechanics, and one semester of statistical mechanics. In addition to the core curriculum, students must complete three courses in advanced topical courses, typically in the research area of interest. The department also requires a written qualification exam. Following completion of the core curriculum and the qualification exam, students generally transition to full-time participation in research. Once research is complete, students present an oral thesis defense and submit a written dissertation for the Ph.D. degree. M.S. candidates may choose to complete additional course work in lieu of a M.S. research thesis.
The Department of Physics and Astronomy offers exceptional access to research opportunities and research facilities. The recently established Center for Advanced Materials offers world-class, on-campus condensed matter research facilities in novel electronic materials, including nanoscale physics. Researchers in nuclear physics perform experiments at national and international accelerator facilities. Particle theorists conducting simulation studies on the space-time lattice utilize national supercomputing facilities. Additional services are provided by an in-house machine shop, electronics shop, and vacuum shop. Finally, the department maintains a network of personal computers (Linux and Windows) for student use.
Students interested in pursuing graduate studies in physics and astronomy should be aware that mastery in these fields requires both a commitment from the student and dedication to hard work. The rewards of meeting this challenge are considerable, and can provide the aspiring professional physicist with membership in the physics research community - perhaps one of the greatest intellectual adventures of mankind.
Details on Applications, Fellowships, and University Housing for the Department of Physics and Astronomy Graduate Study
The application process consists of the submission of an online departmental application form, an application form to the university's Graduate School, official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended, scores from the GRE General Test, three letters of recommendation, and a personal statement detailing research interests. The GRE Physics Subject Test is not an application requirement. The application deadline for admission in the fall semester is February 1. The department typically enrolls 10-15 new graduate students each year.
Nearly all admitted graduate students receive a full tuition scholarship, plus a stipend in the form of a teaching or research assistantship. Most new graduate students are offered a teaching assistantship, which typically requires teaching duties in either a classroom or laboratory setting at the undergraduate level. Students are encouraged to seek out a faculty member as a research adviser early in their graduate school careers, and many students are supported by research assistantships during the academic year and summer. Several fellowships (requiring no teaching duties) are also available to new graduate students on a competitive basis. All applicants are considered for these fellowships - a separate application is not required.
Living and housing expenses in Lexington are quite affordable. On-campus university housing rates (including utilities) for graduate students range from $485 per month for an efficiency to $685 per month for a two-bedroom university housing apartment. A large number of off-campus apartments are located near campus and offer very competitive rates. Student health insurance is provided at no charge to full-time graduate students.
