Accelerator Physics Graduate Program
Welcome to the UVic Graduate Program in Accelerator Physics, organised in conjunction with the TRIUMF Laboratory.
TRIUMF, Canada's National Laboratory for Particle and Nuclear Physics, is also the primary facility for accelerator science and engineering in Canada. Existing and future accelerator equipment include the 500 MeV high intensity cyclotron as well as normal and superconducting linear accelerators in the ISAC and ARIEL facilities.
In addition to the internal laboratory program, TRIUMF has collaborated in accelerator-related design work at BNL, CERN, DESY, and KEK and has ties to the Large Hadron Collider through beam dynamics, magnet hardware and instrumentation projects.
Research Opportunities
Research opportunities at MSc and PhD level are available within several ongoing programs at TRIUMF and UVic. Many are associated with the development of TRIUMF on-site accelerators. Research topics are generally available in the following areas:
- Superconducting Radiofrequency (SRF) development
- Targets and Ion Sources developments
- Beam Physics
- Development of the ARIEL e-linac (beam diagnostics, RF separator design, and others)
- Design of future particle accelerators
More information about the research program in accelerator physics is found at the Victoria Subatomic Physics and Accelerator Research Centre website.
Course Program
Students entering the graduate program at MSc level will need to complete the coursework requirements for the MSc (Physics) degree. These include 7.5 course units (5 one-semester classes) for an MSc, and a further 1.5 units (1 one-semester class) for a PhD. For MSc students, the primary course requirements are normally completed during the fall and spring semesters of the first year. 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. PHYS 423) and electromagnetism (see e.g. PHYS 422).
A typical course list for incoming students in accelerator physics is shown below.
Fall MSc core courses
PHYS 500A Quantum Mechanics I
PHYS 502A Classical Electrodynamics
Spring MSc core courses
PHYS 522 Topics in Accelerator Physics
PHYS 522 is run by the Accelerator Physics Division at TRIUMF and is televised and recorded for students at UVic.
In addition to these core courses, the MSc program requires two additional courses. These are typically chosen from the list below.
Further MSc/PhD courses
Further courses which can be taken at the MSc or PhD level include:
PHYS 501A Quantum Theory and Quantum Fields
PHYS 507A Solid State Physics I
PHYS 511A Topics in Nuclear and Particle Physics
PHYS 515 Data Analysis Techniques for Physics and Astronomy
PHYS 521A Techniques in Nuclear and Particle Physics
PHYS 534 Radiotherapy Physics I
PHYS 539 Radiation Dosimetry
Other subjects may be covered by directed studies (PHYS 580), or in certain cases the course programs at other BC institutions, e.g. courses at UBC for students based at TRIUMF.
Some of these courses may only be offered in alternating years.