ANSWER: The PhD physics programs in some countries are structured in such a way that
prospective or entering students do indeed need to ask these questions. However,
physics departments at US universities normally do not admit new students into a
specific research group. In the US, new students (both master's and PhD) do mostly
course work in their first year.
At Kent State University, our PhD students normally choose an official PhD advisor
early in their second year. By this time, students already have enough information
and familiarity to make their choice. However, there are possibilities to do some
research as an extra activity during the first year if a student wishes to do that.
Most students join our program in the month of August, and start exploratory research
during the summer at the end of their first year.
When the time comes for a student to select a PhD research advisor, a specific
professor might, or might not, be in a position to take on a new PhD advisee in
his/her group. At the time when an initial inquiry is made, before a prospective
student has even applied to our program, it is often difficult for an individual
professor to know if he or she will be in a position to accept a new PhD research
advisee at an uncertain date in the future. However, at any point in time, a
student seeking a PhD research advisor can expect to have a good variety options,
covering all the main areas of research in our department.
For many more questions and their answers, please visit our
Main FAQ Page.
