Graduate Qualifier Sample Problems

Reference books and sample problems for the four subjects of the Ph.D. Qualifying Exam

The following books are suggested by the sub-committees for each of the respective subjects of the Ph.D. Qualifying Exam in Physics. You may use your own books to prepare for the exam and do not have to buy the following books for this purpose. But you may search the content list of these books online to see what parts of physics are covered on the exam.

Classical Mechanics
Classical Dynamics of Particles and Systems by Stephen Thornton and Jerry Marion;
Classical Mechanics by Herbert Goldstein, Charles Poole, and John Safko (only the first two chapters).
Sample problems [PDF]
Sample problems 2 [PDF]
Sample problems 3 [PDF]

Electromagnetics
Introduction to Electrodynamics by David J. Griffiths. (4th ed.)
Sample problems [PDF]
Sample problems 2 [PDF]
Sample problems 3 [PDF]

Quantum Mechanics
Introduction to Quantum Mechanics by David J. Griffiths (2nd ed.).
Sample problems [PDF]
Sample problems 2 [PDF]
Sample problems 3 [PDF]

Statistical Mechanism
Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics by Walter Greiner, Ludwig Neise, and Horst Stöcker
Sample problems [PDF]
Sample problems 2 [PDF]
Sample problems 3 [PDF]