Graduate study in experimental subatomic physics
Welcome to the UVic Graduate Program in Experimental High Energy Physics.
Research opportunities
Research opportunities at MSc and PhD level are available within several ongoing experimental programs. See the project list, the webpages of individual faculty members, and the links below:
- ATLAS: TeV-scale particle physics at the CERN LHC (Geneva, Switzerland)
- BaBar and Belle II: Precision flavour physics (USA and Japan)
- Hyper-K: Neutrino physics (Japan)
- ALTAIR: Precision calibration for dark energy measurements
- HEP Research Computing
The HEP group at UVic has a strong track record, with many faculty either holding or having held leadership positions within these and earlier experimental collaborations. In turn, many MSc and PhD graduates from UVic having progressed to successful careers in physics within Canada and elsewhere.
Course program
Students entering the graduate program at MSc level will need to complete the coursework requirements for the MSc(Physics) degree as outlined on the Departmental web pages for Graduate Study. These include 7.5 course units (5 one-semester classes) for an MSc, and a further 1.5 units (1 one-semester classes) for a PhD. For MSc students, the primary course requirements are normally completed during the fall and spring semesters of the first year. A typical course list for incoming students in particle physics is shown below. Additional courses may be taken as required in the fall or spring of the second year.
Further 4th-year courses may also be required in addition for those students who have not already completed upper level courses in quantum mechanics (see e.g. PHYS423), electromagnetism (see e.g. PHYS422), and particle physics (see e.g. PHYS424).
Fall MSc core courses
| Number | Name |
|---|---|
| PHYS 500A | Quantum Mechanics |
| PHYS 502A | Classical Electrodynamics |
| PHYS 515 | Data Analysis Techniques for Physics & Astronomy |
Spring MSc core courses
| Number | Name |
|---|---|
| PHYS 501A | Quantum Theory and Quantum Fields |
| PHYS 521A | Techniques in Particle Physics (Detectors) |
Further MSc (or PhD) courses
| Number | Name |
|---|---|
| PHYS 509 | Standard Model Phenomenology |
For PhD students, the remaining courses above and/or the additional courses below may provide the additional course units required, while other subjects may be covered by directed studies (PHYS580).
Additional PhD courses
| Number | Name |
|---|---|
| PHYS522 | Topics in Accelerator Physics |
| PHYS513 | Topics in Theoretical Physics |