In 1916 Murnaghan submitted his thesis The Lines of Electric Force Due to a Moving Electron and was awarded his Ph.D. Following this he was appointed as a lecturer at the Rice Institute in Houston, Texas.
Sa 1916 na isinumite Murnaghan kanyang tesis Ang mga linya ng electric Force Dahil sa isang Paglilipat Electron at noon ay iginawad sa kanyang Ph.D. Mga sumusunod na ito siya ay hinirang bilang isang lektor sa Rice Institute sa Houston, Texas.