Students join a research group and participate in research from the very beginning.
The first year emphasizes course work and master's thesis research. Students in their second year complete their master's thesis preliminary to the candidacy examination. After passing the candidacy exam, students devote their time to research on the doctoral dissertation. The program requires a minimum of three academic years of residence. The small-college atmosphere of Caltech facilitates close working relationships between faculty members and students and encourages novel interdisciplinary research.