About Department of Physics
The Physics Department at the College of Science was established in 1988, when the college was founded. It welcomed its first students in the 1989–1990 academic year, and its first batch of students graduated in 1992–1993. The duration of study in the department is four calendar years, based on semesters (courses) for all stages, interspersed with a two-week spring break and a two-month summer break. The department awards a bachelor's degree in physics, which qualifies students to keep pace with technical advances in scientific research and helps them serve the public and private sectors, in addition to master's and doctoral degrees. The teaching staff consists of 32 faculty members with doctoral degrees in various scientific fields and eight faculty members with master's degrees in various specializations in the field of physics. The preliminary studies in the department follow an advanced educational curriculum in which students study the fundamentals of physics over the course of four years. During this time, students practice the practical aspects of physics in preliminary laboratories, which accompany the theoretical curriculum to increase their understanding of physical phenomena, especially those directly related to everyday life. There is also a graduation research project that lasts for one academic year, during which students are examined by committees formed for this purpose. The department aims to prepare graduates who are qualified to work in various scientific and practical fields, thanks to the experience they gain during their years of study in various government departments in the industrial sector, research institutions, health and oil departments, and others. In the field of postgraduate studies (master's and doctorate), the master's program was introduced in 1999-2000, while the doctorate program was introduced in 2011-2012. Postgraduate studies in the department consist of two stages: The preparatory year is divided into two semesters (courses) in which students take basic courses as well as more specialized elective courses, in addition to English language courses. A comprehensive exam is added for doctoral students only. The second stage is the scientific research stage, which lasts for one calendar year for master's students and two calendar years for doctoral students. Students then defend their thesis before a committee of experts to be awarded a higher degree. In the future, the department aims to expand the scope of its activities by holding seminars in the fields of renewable energy and medical physics, in addition to high-energy physics.