Graduate Courses

Please check course outlines for more detailed information on courses, the undergraduate calendar for prerequisites or restrictions and WebAdvisor for the most up-to-date information on current semester offerings. 

Course Title Description Offerings
PHYS*7010 Quantum Mechanics I Review of formalism of nonrelativistic quantum mechanics including symmetries and invariance. Approximation methods and scattering theory. Elementary quantum theory of radiation. Introduction to one-particle relativistic wave equations. annually - Fall
PHYS*7020 Quantum Mechanics II Concepts of relativistic quantum mechanics, elementary quantum field theory, and Feynman diagrams. Application to many-particle systems.
Prerequisite(s): PHYS*7010 or equivalent
on demand
PHYS*7030 Quantum Field Theory Review of relativistic quantum mechanics and classical field theory. Quantization of free quantum fields (the particle interpretation of field quants). Canonical quantization of interacting fields (Feynman rules). Application of the formalism of interacting quantum fields to lowest-order quantum electrodynamic processes. Radiative corrections and renormalization.
Prerequisite(s): PHYS*7010 or equivalent.
even - Winter
PHYS*7040 Statistical Physics I Statistical basis of thermodynamics; microcanonical, canonical and grand canonical ensembles; quantum statistical mechanics, theory of the density matrix; fluctuations, noise, irreversible thermodynamics; transport theory; application to gases, liquids, solids. annually - Fall
PHYS*7050 Statistical Physics II Phase transitions. Fluctuation phenomena. Kubo's theory of time correlation functions for transport and spectral properties; applications selected from a variety of topics including linearized hydrodynamics of normal and superfluids, molecular liquids, liquid crystals, surface phenomena, theory of the dielectric constant, etc.
Prerequisite(s): PHYS*7040 or equivalent.
odd - Winter
PHYS*7060 Electromagnetic Theory Solutions to Maxwell's equations; radiation theory, normal modes; multipole expansion; Kirchhoff's diffraction theory; radiating point charge; optical theorem. Special relativity; transformation laws for the electromagnetic field; line broadening. Dispersion; Kramers-Kronig relations. Magnetohydrodynamics and plasmas. annually - Winter
PHYS*7080 Applications of Group Theory Introduction to group theory; symmetry, the group concept, representation theory, character theory. Applications to molecular vibrations, the solid state, quantum mechanics and crystal field theory. on demand
PHYS*7090 Green's Function Method Review of essential quantum field theory. Zero and finite temperature. Green's functions. Applications. on demand
PHYS*7100 Atomic Physics Emphasis on atomic structure and spectroscopy. Review of angular momentum, rotations, Wigner-Eckart theorem, n-j symbols. Energy levels in complex atoms, Hartree-Fock theory, radiative-transitions and inner-shell processes. Further topics selected with class interest in mind, at least one of which is to be taken from current literature. on demand
PHYS*7130 Molecular Physics Angular momentum and the rotation of molecules; introduction to group theory with application to molecular vibrations; principles of molecular spectroscopy; spectra of isolated molecules; intermolecular interactions and their effects on molecular spectra; selected additional topics (e.g., electronic structure of molecules, experimental spectroscopic techniques, neutron scattering, correlation functions, collision induced absorption, extension of group theory to molecular crystals, normal co-ordinate analysis, etc.). on demand
PHYS*7140 Nonlinear Optics Classical and Quantum Mechanical descriptions of nonlinear susceptibility, nonlinear wave propogation, nonlinear effects such as Peckel's and Kerr effects, harmonic generation, phase conjugation and stimulated scattering processes. even - Winter
PHYS*7150 Nuclear Physics Static properties of nuclei; alpha, beta, gamma decay; two-body systems; nuclear forces; nuclear reactions; single-particle models for spherical and deformed nuclei; shell, collective, interacting boson models. on demand
PHYS*7160 Special Topics in Subatomic and Nuclear Physics Restriction(s): Instructor consent required. on demand
PHYS*7170 Intermediate and High Energy Physics Strong, electromagnetic and weak interactions. Isospin, strangeness, conservation laws and symmetry principles. Leptons, hadrons, quarks and their classification, formation, interactions and decay. on demand
PHYS*7180 Special Topics in Subatomic and Nuclear Physics Restriction(s): Instructor consent required. on demand
PHYS*7310 Solid State Physics I Phonons, electron states, electron-electron interaction, electron-ion interaction, static properties of solids. on demand
PHYS*7320 Solid State Physics II Transport properties; optical properties; magnetism; superconductivity; disordered systems. on demand
PHYS*7330 Special Topics in Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics Topics Vary annually - winter, topics vary
PHYS*7370 Special Topics in Surface Physics Topics Vary on demand
PHYS*7390 Quantum Many Body Physics  (in approval process) even - Winter
PHYS*7450 Special Topics in Experimental Physics A modular course in which each module deals with an established technique of experimental physics. Four modules will be offered during the Winter and Spring semesters, but registration and credit will be in the spring semester. Typical topics are neutron diffraction, light scattering, acoustics, molecular beams, NMR, surface analysis, etc. on demand
PHYS*7470 Optical Electronics Optoelectronic component fabrication, light propogation in linear and nonlinear media, optical fiber properties, electro-optic and acousto-optic modulation, spontaneous and stimulated emission, semiconductor lasers and detectors, nose effects in fiber systems. on demand
PHYS*7510 Clinical Applications of Physics in Medicine This course provides an overview of the application of physics to medicine. The physical concepts underlying the diagnosis and treatment of disease will be explored. Topics will include general imaging principles such as resolution, intensity, and contrast; x-ray imaging and computed tomography; radioisotopes and nuclear medicine, SPECT and PET; magnetic resonance imaging; ultrasound imaging and radiation therapy. Credit may be obtained for only one of PHYS*4070 or PHYS*7510. annually - Winter
PHYS*7520 Molecular Biophysics
Physical methods of determining macromolecular structure: energetics, intramolecular and intermolecular forces, with application to lamellar structures, information storage, DNA and RNA, recognition and rejection of foreign molecules. Offered in conjunction with PHYS*4540. Extra work is required of graduate students.
Restriction(s): Credit may be obtained for only one of PHYS*4540 or PHYS*7520
annually - Winter
PHYS*7540 Special Topics in Biophysics Topics vary on demand
PHYS*7570 Special Topics in Biophysics Topics vary on demand
PHYS*7670 Quantum information Processing Quantum superposition, interference, and entanglement. Postulates of Quantum Mechanics. Quantum computational complexity. Quantum Algorithms. Quantum communication and cryptography. Quantum error correction. Implementations.
(Waterloo campus only)
annually - Fall 
PHYS*7680 Special Topics in Quantum information Processing Topics vary
(Waterloo campus only)
on demand 
PHYS*7690 Special Topics in Quantum information Processing Topics vary
(Waterloo campus only)
on demand 
PHYS*7710 Special Lecture and Reading Course Topics vary on demand
PHYS*7730 Special Topics in Physics Topics vary on demand
PHYS*7750 Inter-Institution Exchange
At the Graduate Coordinator's director's discretion, a PhD or MSc student may receive credit for a term of specialized studies at another institution. Formal evaluation is required.
Restriction(s): Graduate Coordinator approval required
on demand
PHYS*7810 Fundamentals of Astrophyiscs I The fundamental astronomical data: techniques to obtain it and the shortcomings present. The classification systems. Wide- and narrow-band photometric systems. The intrinsic properties of stars: colours, luminosities, masses, radii, temperatures. Variable stars. Distance indicators. Interstellar reddening. Related topics. odd - Fall
PHYS*7820 Fundamentals of Astrophyiscs II  (in approval process) even - Fall
PHYS*7840 Advanced Techniques in GR and Applications to Black Hole Review of elementary general relativity. Timelike and null geodesic congruences. Hypersurfaces and junction conditions. Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formulations of general relativity. Mass and angular momentum of a gravitating body. The laws of black-hole mechanics. on demand
PHYS*7850 Introduction to Quantum Field Theory for Cosmology Introduction to scalar field theory and its canonical quantization in flat and curved spacetimes. The flat space effects of Casimir and Unruh. Quantum fluctuations of scalar fields and of the metric on curved space-times and application to inflationary cosmology. Hawking radiation.
Prerequisite(s): PHYS*7010
even - Winter
PHYS*7860 Introduction to General Relativity with Applications to Cosmology Introduction to the differential geometry of Lorentzian manifolds. The principles of general relativity. Causal structure and cosmological singularities. Cosmological space-times with Killing vector fields. Friedmann-Lemaitre cosmologies, scalar vector and tensor perturbations in the linear and nonlinear regimes. De Sitter space-times and inflationary models. odd - Fall
PHYS*7870 Cosmology Friedmann-Robertson-Walker metric and dynamics; big bang thermodynamics; nucelosynthesis; recombination; perturbation theory and structure formation; anisotropies in the Cosmic Microwave Background; statistics of cosmological density and velocity fields; galaxy formation; inflation. odd - Winter
PHYS*7880 Special Topics in Astrophysics Topics Vary on demand
PHYS*7890 Special Topics in Astrophysics Topics Vary on demand
PHYS*7900 Special Topics in Gravitation and Cosmology Topics Vary on demand
PHYS*7910 Special Topics in Gravitation and Cosmology Topics Vary on demand

Please direct inquiries regarding on demand courses to physgrad@uoguelph.ca