Is it possible to get a PhD degree if you publish a good paper ?

[meyol99]

Is it possible to get a PhD degree if you publish a good paper ?
And if so , what are the terms of the quality of that paper(s) ?

 

[analogdesign]

Not from any reputable university. Maybe an "honorary" degree from somewhere.

 

[ZapperZ]

Is it possible to het a PhD degree if you publish a good paper ?
And if so , what are the terms of the quality of that paper(s) ?

What's with the BOLD and LARGE fonts? <Moderator's note: fixed>

Secondly, the answer is: NO. You should have looked at the website of a few reputable schools, and you will have noticed that there are a series of requirements for the completion of a PhD program.

Here's the requirement for being awarded a PhD in Physics from the https://physics.uchicago.edu/page/graduate-programs:

• https://physics.uchicago.edu/page/phd-candidacy by displaying graduate-level proficiency in core areas and techniques of physics. This proficiency can be demonstrated by satisfactory performance on the graduate diagnostic exam (GDE), by satisfactory performance in core graduate courses, or by a combination of the two.
• Fulfill the https://physics.uchicago.edu/page/grad-experimental by completing Advanced Experimental Physics (PHYS 33400) or a Special Experimental Project (PHYS 33500).
• Pass four post-candidacy graduate courses. At least one course must be selected from each of the broad physics areas of (A) Condensed Matter Physics: PHYS 361, 366, 367, (B) Particle Physics: PHYS 363, 443 or 444, and (C) Large-Scale Physics: PHYS 364, 371, 372. One of the four courses may be selected from the options of (D) Intermediate Electives: PHYS 317, 353, 385, 386.
• Pass two other advanced (40000-level) courses in physics or (with approval) in a closely-related department.
• Successfully defend his/her dissertation.
• Submit for publication to a refereed scientific journal the thesis which has been approved by the Ph.D. committee or a paper based on the thesis.

Most, if not all, of the schools here in the US have similar requirements. Simply publishing "a good paper" isn't sufficient. Besides, who is the judge of whether the paper is "good" or not, and what makes you think you have the ability to publish such a good paper?

Zz.

 

[analogdesign]

Pass two other advanced (40000-level) courses in physics or (with approval) in a closely-related department.

This part was a killer for me. I also had to take two graduate courses in another department. I chose Statistics. Those two courses on Time-Series Analysis were such a blistering attack of Greek symbols I am amazed I survived (and passed).

 

[meyol99]

What's with the BOLD and LARGE fonts?

Secondly, the answer is: NO. You should have looked at the website of a few reputable schools, and you will have noticed that there are a series of requirements for the completion of a PhD program.

Here's the requirement for being awarded a PhD in Physics from the https://physics.uchicago.edu/page/graduate-programs:

• https://physics.uchicago.edu/page/phd-candidacy by displaying graduate-level proficiency in core areas and techniques of physics. This proficiency can be demonstrated by satisfactory performance on the graduate diagnostic exam (GDE), by satisfactory performance in core graduate courses, or by a combination of the two.
• Fulfill the https://physics.uchicago.edu/page/grad-experimental by completing Advanced Experimental Physics (PHYS 33400) or a Special Experimental Project (PHYS 33500).
• Pass four post-candidacy graduate courses. At least one course must be selected from each of the broad physics areas of (A) Condensed Matter Physics: PHYS 361, 366, 367, (B) Particle Physics: PHYS 363, 443 or 444, and (C) Large-Scale Physics: PHYS 364, 371, 372. One of the four courses may be selected from the options of (D) Intermediate Electives: PHYS 317, 353, 385, 386.
• Pass two other advanced (40000-level) courses in physics or (with approval) in a closely-related department.
• Successfully defend his/her dissertation.
• Submit for publication to a refereed scientific journal the thesis which has been approved by the Ph.D. committee or a paper based on the thesis.

Most, if not all, of the schools here in the US have similar requirements. Simply publishing "a good paper" isn't sufficient. Besides, who is the judge of whether the paper is "good" or not, and what makes you think you have the ability to publish such a good paper?

Zz.

So , for instance, if you discover a particle , theoretically and it turns to be experimentally true as well (and we all know that this type of discovery would make someone famous ) , you wouldn't get a PhD ?

 

[ZapperZ]

So , for instance, if you discover a particle , theoretically and it turns to be experimentally true as well (and we all know that this type of discovery would make someone famous ) , you won't get a PhD ?

Which part of "NO" did you miss?

Zz.

 

[analogdesign]

So , for instance, if you discover a particle , theoretically and it turns to be experimentally true as well (and we all know that this type of discovery would make someone famous ) , you won't get a PhD ?

Why would you get a PhD for that? If you're the best golfer of all time and play a round, with witnesses, where you hit a hole-in-one on every hole, would you expect to be given the trophy for the British Open?

 

[meyol99]

Which part of "NO" did you miss?

Zz.

Nonsense.

 

[meyol99]

Why would you get a PhD for that? If you're the best golfer of all time and play a round, with witnesses, where you hit a hole-in-one on every hole, would you expect to be given the trophy for the British Open?

If you play soccer at your best and a scout from Barcelona saw you , he'll sign you.

 

[analogdesign]

If you play soccer at your best and a scout from Barcelona saw you , he'll sign you.

Sure, he'll sign you, but he won't give you a EuroCup trophy. Similarly, if you write an amazing paper, you would be an excellent candidate to be admitted to a PhD program (the equivalent of getting signed).

 

[berkeman]

OP is wasting other members' time by not listening to the good advice he's being given. Thread is closed.

 

[jedishrfu]

The problem here is that you are looking for a shortcut to getting a degree. Writing the most excellent paper possible, one that gets past peer review still wouldn't make you a PhD.

The reason is the PhD is a certification conferred upon you by a reputable university that you understand a certain body of material at the level of other PhDs in the same field, that you can contribute new and novel ideas to that field and that you can mentor other students and teach them to become PhD in the same field.

However, writing the paper above demonstrates that you know one facet of that field well. Consequently the university would offer you a graduate position under a thesis advisor who would guide you in taking the necessary courses to complete your understanding of the field and provide you with a thesis project to complete your degree.

The best analogy I can think of is from music. You might compose and play a beautiful guitar solo which no one has heard of before. However, that doesn't make you a musician until you can play a variety of other songs, are able to exercise all the known techniques of playing that instrument and can collaborate and play in a band or with an orchestra using the language of music.

Having said all this, I think the thread has run its course and will now be closed. I'd like to thank everyone for contributing and answering the original posters questions.

Jedi