PhD requirements

PhD in Mathematics

1. The student must complete successfully 36 hours of coursework, including:
   1. At least three full year sequences (Math 605–606, 611–612, 623–624, 645–646, 651–652, 671–672, Stat 607–608);
   2. Math 621;
   3. At least one of Math 611, Math 623, Math 671;
   4. At least one of Math 645, Math 646, Math 651;
   5. At least one of Math 605, Math 606, Stat 607.
   A student can satisfy the requirement for a full year sequence in (a) by obtaining a passing score on the corresponding qualifying exam (except for 651–652, which does not correspond to a qualifying exam). Note that this does not count against the number of credit hours that must be completed. Any other changes or substitutions to these requirements must be approved by the GAC. The requirements in (c), (d), and (e) will not generally be waived, but in some cases the GAC may approve substituting a more advanced class in the area.
2. The student must pass the Advanced Calculus/Linear Algebra exam.
3. The student must pass two written exams chosen among Algebra, Analysis, Applied Mathematics, Stochastics and Topology.
4. The student must form an oral exam committee and pass the oral exam as described below.
5. The student must write a satisfactory dissertation and pass a final oral examination (primarily a defense of the dissertation), and must satisfy all other requirements of their dissertation committee. The student is required to register for a minimum of 18 dissertation credits.

PhD in Statistics

1. The student must complete successfully 36 hours of coursework, including Math 523 (or Math 623, or Math 605), Stat 535, Stat 607, Stat 608, Stat 625, Stat 705, and Stat 725.
2. The student must also complete five elective courses, including two 600 level statistics courses, and 3 courses of the student’s choice, which require prior approval by the statistics coordinator.
3. The student must pass three Basic Exams at the PhD level in Applied Statistics, Probability and Statistics. (These cover the material from Stat 535 and Stat 625, Stat 607 and Stat 608 respectively.)
4. The student must pass the advanced statistics exam and the oral literature-based exam. These exams are described below.
5. The student must write a satisfactory dissertation and pass a final oral examination (primarily a defense of the dissertation), and must satisfy all other requirements of their dissertation committee. The student is required to register for a minimum of 18 dissertation credits.

Dissertation Committee, Prospectus, Dissertation Credits

This section applies to all PhD students.

Upon completion of all course and exam requirements for their program, the graduate student should select a dissertation advisor from the faculty in the Department as soon as practical. Most often the advisor will have been the chair of the oral exam committee, but this is not required. Upon selecting a dissertation advisor and confirming this choice with the advisor, the student should notify the GPM, who will in turn send a confirmation notice to the student, advisor, GPD and Director of Administration and Staff.

The PhD candidate must form a Dissertation Committee, consisting of a dissertation advisor together with three other graduate faculty members (one of whom must be from another department). The Department requires that the chair of the dissertation committee be graduate faculty in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. Students are encouraged to form their dissertation committee as soon as possible after selecting their dissertation advisor.

The committee should advise the student about any expected need (in dissertation research or later) for reading material in a foreign language such as French or German.

A written prospectus of the proposed dissertation research must be drawn up with the advisor’s input and signed by all committee members. This prospectus must be submitted to the Graduate School and the dissertation defense must be scheduled at least one month before the actual date of the dissertation defense. A LaTeX form for this purpose may be obtained from the GPM.

After passing all exams and choosing an advisor the student may enroll for dissertation credits: a minimum of 18 such credits are required for graduation.