Integrated M.Sc-Ph.D Programme

IIA is happy to announce the launch of the integrated M.Sc-Ph.D Programme in Physics and Astrophysics in collaboration with Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), New Delhi. The programme will admit bright, highly motivated students with Bachelor's degree in Science/Engineering, selected on an all-India basis. Selected candidates will be offered a studentship of Rs.10,000/- pm, an annual book grant, accommodation, and medical facilities during the M.Sc course. The programme will be conducted at IIA, Bangalore in the residential and face-to-face mode.

Further details on the programme

Upon successful completion of two years in the programme the candidates will be awarded a Masters' Degree. The candidates with a minimum Grade Point would continue to work for their Ph.D. advancing the topic of their M.Sc. dissertation with the same guide or if necessary embark upon a new subject with another guide. They will be paid fellowship of Rs. 16,000/- pm beginning the third year, and Rs. 18,000/- pm beginning the fifth year of the programme. The normal duration of the IPhD programme will be 6 years, including the minimum 2 years for the Masters' Degree. The candidates would satisfy all the administrative requirements of The University along the way and submit their Ph.D. thesis to The University not later than the end of the sixth year.

Curriculum

For the first two years of the programme the students will undergo a set of core-courses and laboratory work in Physics and also be introduced to astronomy/astrophysics in a research environment at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics.
The curriculum is designed in accordance with the following requirements:

Core physics courses that are taught in regular MSc programmes in the country which lay the foundation for research in any area of Physics but also prepare the students for specialized courses in Astrophysics.
Emphasis on the basic principles of physics with applications to astrophysics wherever possible.
Emphasis on problem solving and laboratory skills
Theory courses to have lectures as well as tutorial sessions.
Astrophysics courses offered in the second year.
Sufficient exposure to electronics and instrumentation to provide the interested students the necessary skills to take up projects in the many ground or space based astronomical telescope, instrument and detector development programmes that are in progress in IIA. The instrumentation lab, in addition to a few set up experiments, would involve a project.
The core physics will include a laboratory on experiments in basic physics, laying some emphasis on optics and spectroscopy. In order to have a lot of coverage there would be numerous experiments.
Emphasis on modern trends in the topics covered with best use made of the expertise available at IIA.

Course Structure

S.No. Semester	Course Code	Topic of the course	Course Type Compulsory /Optional	Nature Theory /Practical /Project	Credits
1, S1	IPS11	Mathematical Methods	Compulsory	Theoretical	4
2, S1	IPS12	Classical Mechanics	Compulsory	Theoretical	4
3, S1	IPS13	Quantum Mechanics	Compulsory	Theoretical	4
4, S1	IPS14	Electronics	Compulsory	Theoretical	4
5, S1	IPS15L	Physics Lab	Compulsory	Practical	6
				Total	22
6, S2	IPS21	Statistical Physics	Compulsory	Theoretical	4
7, S2	IPS22	Nuclear and Particle Physics	Compulsory	Theoretical	4
8, S2	IPS23	Atomic and Molecular Physics	Compulsory	Theoretical	4
9, S2	IPS24	Electrodynamics	Compulsory	Theoretical	4
10, S2	IPS25L	Electronics Lab	Compulsory	Practical	6
				Total	22
11, S3	IPS31	Fundamentals of Astrophysics	Compulsory	Theoretical	4
12, S3	IPS32	Radiative Process	Compulsory	Theoretical	4
13, S3	IPS33	Stellar Physics	Compulsory	Theoretical	4
14, S3	IPS34	Fluids and Plasmas	Compulsory	Theoretical	4
15, S3	IPS35	Astronomical Techniques	Compulsory	Theoretical	4
16, S3	IPS36L	Optics Lab	Compulsory	Practical	6
				Total	26
17, S4	IPS4P	Research Project	Compulsory	Project	12
18, S4	IPS41	Solid State Physics	Optional Any Two	Theoretical	4
19, S4	IPS42	Relativistic Quantum Mechanics		Theoretical	4
20, S4	IPS43	Physical Optics		Theoretical	4
21, S4	IPS44	General Relativity and Cosmology		Theoretical	4
22, S4	IPS45	Physics of Compact Objects		Theoretical	4
23, S4	IPS46	Diffuse Matters in Space		Theoretical	4
24, S4	IPS47	Stellar Atmospheres		Theoretical	4
25, S4	IPS48	Galactic Structure		Theoretical	4
26, S4	IPS49	Sun and Solar System		Theoretical	4
26, S4	IPS40	Numerical Techniques		Theoretical	4
				Total	20

Compulsory Total (82) + Optional Total (08) Grand Total =90

1 credit represents one contact hour per week. The student would require to fulfill 18 credits in each semester and laboratory courses have 6 credits each. Core and Elective courses are marked by $ and * respectively. Two elective courses are compulsory.

phd

The memorandum of collaboration (MOC) has been signed on 25th April, 2008 between the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA). The course would be commencing from 15 July 2008. From left to right: V. Krishan (Dean, academics), S.S. Hasan (Director), K. Laxman (Registrar, IGNOU), C.K. Ghosh (Nodal officer for IIA &IGNOU collaboration) & S.K. Saha (chair, Board of Graduate Studies)

Last updated 26.06.2012