Do I have to do senior research? Yes, to graduate with a major in physics you must take either 495 and 496 or 451 and 452

How many credits of research must I take? If you are doing an honors project, you will take 3 credits of 495 and 3 credits of 496 for a total of 6 credits. If you are doing a senior thesis, you must take 1-3 credits of 451 and 1-3 credits of 452 for a total of 2-6 credits.

How do I sign up for 451/2? Find an advisor; register for 451; write a 1-2 page summary of the research you plan to do with your advisor and give this to the research coordinator not later than the second week of the semester

How do I find an advisor? Most faculty don't bite; go talk to them about potential projects. Take Physics 309 during the spring of your Junior year to find out about research in the department. Get a copy of the graduate brochure which gives a short description of each faculty member's research. Talk with the research coordinator about possibilities.

When must I apply for honors research? The deadline is in the Spring of your Junior year as set by the Charles Center.

How do I sign up for 495/496? The Charles Center will register you for Honors each semester once your project is approved.

What if I have a conflict with the meeting time for Physics 451/495 or 452/496? Talk to the Physics Research Coordinator about your situation.

Can I change my honors research project and advisor once I've had an honors project approved by the Charles Center? Yes. You must resubmit the application forms to the Charles Center and have the change approved BEFORE the drop/add period of the first semester of honors research.

How do I go about getting someone to write letters of recommendation for me?

• Pick three (possibly 4 if you have an outside research advisor) professors who know your course or research work best.
• Provide them with the following at least 3 weeks in advance of any deadline:
  • A copy of your transcript
  • A copy of your personal statement
  • A carefully filled out letter-of-recommendation form for each university
  • A William and Mary envelope (the department will provide these for you; ask Dianne) fully addressed to the proper location for each university. Ask to have returned to you ONLY those recommendations that MUST be sent with your application. It's easier on you and the letter-writers if they send their letters directly, even though some universities are lazy and don't want to do the extra work to match your letters with your file. The physics department will pay postage for these letters.
  • A sheet listing each institution to which you are applying and the deadline for receiving the recommendation letters.
• Remember: the easier you make this process for your letter-writers, the more brain-power they will be able to expend on their letter for you ;-)

Can I have two advisors? Yes. There have been several cases in the past when a student has two co-advisors for a thesis project. This can be appropriately indicated on the signature page of the thesis. For honors theses, the Charles Center needs to be informed. .