All students in the Masters-PhD Bridge program begin by completing the Masters degree in physics or biology at Fisk University. Upon completion of the Masters degree and for those students who have performed satisfactorily, the joint Fisk-Vanderbilt committee will then recommend to the Dean of the College of Arts and Science and the graduate committee of the Department of Physics and Astronomy or the Department of Biological Sciences at Vanderbilt formal admission into the Vanderbilt PhD program.

• Vanderbilt physics and astronomy Ph.D. requirements
• Vanderbilt biology Ph.D. requirements
• Vanderbilt chemistry Ph.D. requirements

Course Grids

Specific courses taken will vary somewhat depending on the level of undergraduate preparation and the specific area of study. However certain core course reuirements apply to all students. Core course requirement grids are provided here for Astronomy, Chemistry, Physics, and Materials Science.

Physics core courses

Astronomy core courses

Chemistry core courses

Interdisciplinary Materials Science core courses

1 MA degree at Fisk requires at least 21 credit hours of graduate level coursework and 3-6 credit hours of research credits (Fisk course number 591 or 592). Up to 6 credit hours of approved undergraduate courses may be applied toward graduate credit. A total of 30 credit hours are required. After 30 credit hours are earned, Thesis Prep (Fisk course number 599) may be used to maintain full-time status. Fisk graduate courses are numbered 500-599.
2 Vanderbilt graduate courses are numbered 300-399. Vanderbilt undergraduate courses that may be approved for graduate credit are generally numbered 250-299, but some courses numbered 200-249 may also be counted, with approval.

The following is a sample physics curriculum that allows a student to finish the Masters degree in three semesters while finishing the core requirements for the Ph.D. in five semesters.

YEAR 1			YEAR 2			YEAR 3
Fall Semester			Fall Semester			Fall Semester
Elective *	3 cr		Elective *	3 cr		Elective$	9 cr
Fisk 501+ Math Methods	4 cr		Fisk 559+++ Materials/ 581 Adv Exp	4 cr
Fisk 541+ Classical Mech	4 cr		Fisk 591# Research	3 cr
Fisk 583++ Seminar	1 cr
Spring Semester			Spring Semester			Spring Semester
Elective *	3 cr		Elective$	3 cr		Elective$	6 cr
Fisk 542+ Quantum	4 cr		Vand 329B+ Electricity, Mag	3 cr		Vand 341+ Statistical Mech	3 cr
Fisk 552+ Electricity, Mag	4 cr		Vand 330B+ Quantum	3 cr
Fisk 584++ Seminar	1 cr

^*  This elective can be chosen from upper level undergraduate classes. A maximum of 9 undergraduate credits can be counted toward the Fisk Masters. A total of 30 credits is required for the Masters.

⁺  This course counts toward the Vanderbilt core courses requirements. A minimum of a B average in core courses and no more than one B- is allowed.

⁺⁺  Fisk 583 or 584 replaces Vanderbilt 300A.

⁺⁺⁺  Any Graduate level elective course at Fisk or Vanderbilt will satisfy this requirement.

^#  Vanderbilt Phys 369 or Astr 369 may be substituted.

^$  The Vanderbilt PhD requires a total of 72 credit hours of which 36 must be formal course work (not research, dissertation, or thesis hours). This must include 24 hours of formal course work taken at Vanderbilt. .