Graduate Rules in Physics of the University of Pisa
(Last update 19/07/2011)

1 - Aim
The graduate course in Physics aims to prepare researchers of the highest quality in the field of Physics.

2 - Structure
The graduate course in Physics is administrated by the Department of Physics.
The graduate course in Physics involves all scientific sectors FIS/01-FIS/08.
The rules of the graduate course in Physics follows the general graduate rules
at the University of Pisa,
http://www.unipi.it/ateneo/governo/regolament/ateneo/did-ric/dottorato.pdf

3 - Duration and curricula
The duration of the graduate course in Physics is three years.
The graduate course curriculum in Physics is subdivided into four sub-curricula:
Astrophysics, high-energy experimental physics, theoretical physics, and condensed matter physics.

4 - Organization
1. The graduate council and the head of the council constitute the governing body of the course. The composition of the council follows the general rule of the university,
http://www.unipi.it/ateneo/governo/regolament/ateneo/did-ric/dottorato.pdf
Two representatives of the graduate students take part in the council. They are elected for two years; they do not take part in the decisions concerning the annual evaluation of the students and in the organization of the final examinations (the Viva).
2. The graduate council
- chooses the examination board members for the admission (they are nominated by the President of the University);
- is responsible for activating the courses and organizing the first year training (see Art. 6 below);
- advises each graduate student in their choice of Ph D supervisor, to be made within the first half year;
- chooses an internal examiner for each student within his or her second year;
- verifies annually the progress of each graduate student;
- designates three referees for each Ph D thesis, who must produce the report on the admissibility of the thesis to the final examination (the discussion);
- designates the examination board members for the final examination for each student.

5 - Admission
1. The admission examination in the graduate courses (Programs in Physics and in Applied physics) is through a colloquium.
2. The colloquium aims to examine the general knowledge and the candidate's scholastic records, the research capability and the propensity for working in an international environment, and his or her interest in scientific work. The candidate produces a research project together with the application forms, and will discuss it during the colloquium.
3. The evaluation of a candidate takes also into account all documents presented, such as the scholastic records and reference letters by two experts.
4. A candidate who has completed undergraduate education abroad must produce the list of examinations and votes, and the certificates of a Master-of-Science degree or equivalent.
5. A foreign candidate can ask the colloquium to be held in English.
6. The calender of the examination will appear online on the websites of the graduate course in Physics as well as in that of the Graduate School of Basic Sciences, "Galileo Galilei".

Art. 6 - Courses
1. Each student is required to follow three basic courses of 40 hours or more, out of four areas, Theoretical physics, High-energy experimental physics, Condensed-matter physics and Astrophysics/Cosmology. Also the student is required to attend optional course or seminars, totaling 40 hours. The presence for 70% of the planned lectures is perfunctory. At the end of the courses there is an examination.
2. By the end of July of the first year each Ph D student should propose the name of the supervisor, and get an approval from the graduate Council. A change of the supervisor can be done at a later stage, upon approval by the graduate Council.
3. During the second and third year there can be special lecture series and seminars at an advanced level. By the end of the second year a written pre-thesis on the state of the art of the progress must be presented by each Ph D student and discussed in a colloquium. The graduate Council will make a decision on the promotion to the third year, based on the report by the referee and by the supervisor.
4. The final examination with the thesis defense follow the general rule of the University of Pisa.

Art. 7 - Convention and stage abroad
1. During the second and third year the principal activity of the students consists in the research work and the preparation of the thesis. The research activity is performed in the facilities of the University of Pisa as well as at those of the Institutions under convention with the University of Pisa.
2. A Ph D student is encouraged, upon authorization by the graduate Council, to spend part of the time in universities or laboratories abroad for the purpose of research and study. The maximum allowed duration for the stay abroad is 18 months.
3. A Ph D student has, based on appropriate agreements, access to the research facilities mentioned at the point 1, until the day of the Ph D defense, and in any case, not beyond the 31st December of the year after the last year of the graduate course.

Art. 8 - Teaching activities
A Ph D student can, with approval by the graduate Council, spend part of the time in teaching activities after the first year, within the limit that such an activity does not represent a hindrance to his or her proper research activity.

Art. 9 - Election of the student's representatives
1. The representatives of the Ph D students within the graduate Council is elected according to the University rule.
2. The said election for the representatives is valid if two-third of the registered students have participated. If a two or more candidates have got the same number of votes, the person who has later dates of registration as a Ph D student, wins.

Art. 10 - The final examination and the Ph D title
1. The admissibility of the Ph D thesis, submitted at the end of the third year, is decided by the graduate Council, within three months from the date of the submission, based on the reports written by three referees, expert in the research field of the Ph D thesis in question. At least one of the referees must belong to a university of laboratory which does not take part as an official body constituting the present graduate course. Another report must be sent by the supervisor of the thesis.
2. The composition of the examination board and the procedure for the final examination follow the general graduate rules of the University of Pisa.
3. The final examination - the Ph D defense - is public.
4. The examination board expresses the judgements on the candidate, based on the work done, on the reports written by the referees, on the written thesis and its defense, and if considered positive, declares the passing of the final examination.
5. The Ph D title is attained at the moment of the passing of the final examination. The official title is issued upon request by the President of the University of Pisa, who certifies the completion of Ph D thesis requirements. Official copies of each Ph D thesis, after successful defense, is deposited by the University of Pisa in the National Libraries of Rome and Florence. The University of Pisa guarantees the publicity of the formal acts of evaluation procedure, including the final judgements on each candidate.

Art. 11 - Revision of the rules
The present graduate rule can be revised in any part upon approval of the graduate Council and after an approval by the Council of the Department of Physics.