(MATH 220A-B-C)
After qualifying exams are given, the faculty meet to discuss the results of the exams with the Qualifying Exam and Appeals Committee (QEAC). Exam grades are reported at one of four levels:
Qualifying Examination Pass Levels | |
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Excellent performance, suitable for continuing towards doctoral work | |
Marginal performance at doctoral level | |
Not suitable for continuing towards doctoral work, but satisfactory for terminal M.A. or M.S. | |
Unsatisfactory for Master's level work |
Department policy stipulates that at least one of the exams must be completed with a Provisional Ph.D. pass or better by September following the end of the first year. Anyone unable to complete this schedule will be terminated from the doctoral program and transferred to one of our Master's programs. Any grievances about exams or other matters can be brought before the Qualifying Exam and Appeals Committee for consideration.
Exams are typically offered twice a year, one scheduled late in the Spring Quarter and again in early September (prior to the start of Fall Quarter). Copies of past exams are available on the Math Graduate Student Handbook .
In choosing a program with an eye to future employment, students should seek the assistance of a faculty advisor and take a broad selection of courses including applied mathematics, such as those in Area 3.
Any student who wishes to transfer from masters to the Ph.D. program will submit their full admissions file as Ph.D. applicants by the regular closing date for all Ph.D. applicants (end of the fall quarter/beginning of winter quarter). It is the student's responsibility to submit their files in a timely fashion, no later than the closing date for Ph.D. applications at the end of the fall quarter of their second year of masters study, or earlier. The candidate is required to add any relevant materials to their original masters admissions file, such as most recent transcript showing performance in our graduate program. Letters of support from potential faculty advisors are encouraged. The admissions committee will either recommend the candidate for admission to the Ph.D. program, or decline admission. In the event of a positive recommendation, the Qualifying Exam Committee checks the qualifying exam results of candidates to determine whether they meet the appropriate Ph.D. program requirements, at the latest by the fall of the year in which the application is received. For students in the second year of the master's program, it is required that the student has secured a Ph.D. advisor before admission is finalized. An admitted student is supported in the same way as continuing Ph.D. students at the same level of advancement are supported. Transferring from the Master's program may require renewal of an I-20 for international students, and such students should make their financial plans accordingly. To be eligible for TA support, non-native English speakers must pass the English exam administered by the department in conjunction with the Teaching + Learning Commons.
There is no Foreign Language requirement for the Ph.D. in Mathematics.
It is expected that by the end of the third year (9 quarters), students should have a field of research chosen and a faculty member willing to direct and guide them. A student will advance to candidacy after successfully passing the oral qualifying examination, which deals primarily with the area of research proposed but may include the project itself. This examination is conducted by the student's appointed doctoral committee. Based on their recommendation, a student advances to candidacy and is awarded the C. Phil. degree.
Submission of a written dissertation and a final examination in which the thesis is publicly defended are the last steps before the Ph.D. degree is awarded. When the dissertation is substantially completed, copies must be provided to all committee members at least four weeks in advance of the proposed defense date. Two weeks before the scheduled final defense, a copy of the dissertation must be made available in the Department for public inspection.
The normative time for the Ph.D. in mathematics is five (5) years. Students must be advanced to candidacy by the end of eleven (11) quarters. Total university support cannot exceed six (6) years. Total registered time at UCSD cannot exceed seven (7) years.
Ph.D. Program Time Limits | |
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Pass Qualifying Exams | |
Find thesis advisor | |
Advance to Candidacy | |
Final Defense |
It may be useful to describe what the majority of students who have successfully completed their Ph.D. and obtained an academic job have done. In the past some students have waited until the last time limit before completing their qualifying exams, finding an advisor or advancing to candidacy. We strongly discourage this, because experience suggests that such students often do not complete the program. Although these are formal time limits, the general expectation is that students pass two qualifying exams, one at the Ph.D. level and one at the masters level by the beginning of their second year. (About half of our students accomplish this.) In the second year, a student begins taking reading courses so that they become familiar with the process of doing research and familiarize themselves with a number of faculty who may serve as their advisor. In surveying our students, on average, a student takes 4 to 5 reading courses before finding an advisor. Optimally, a student advances to candidacy sometime in their third year. This allows for the fourth and fifth year to concentrate on research and produce a thesis. In contrast to coursework, research is an unpredictable endeavor, so it is in the interest of the student to have as much time as possible to produce a thesis.
A student is also a teaching assistant in a variety of courses to strengthen their resume when they apply for a teaching job. Students who excel in their TA duties and who have advanced to candidacy are selected to teach a course of their own as an Associate Instructor. Because there are a limited number of openings to become an Associate Instructor, we highly recommend that you do an outstanding job of TAing in a large variety of courses and advance to candidacy as soon as possible to optimize your chances of getting an Associate Instructorship.
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Mathematics phd program.
The Ph.D. program in the Department of Mathematics provides students with in-depth knowledge and rigorous training in all the subject areas of mathematics. A core feature is the first-year program, which helps bring students to the forefront of modern mathematics. Students work closely with faculty and each other and participate fully in both research and student-run seminars.
Questions? Email [email protected]
This is a two-year professional degree program designed to prepare you for a career in contemporary industry or business. You'll receive thorough training in applied mathematics and scientific computing, exposure to mathematics-related subjects in science and engineering, and experience in a group project. Our graduates have been successful in securing desirable positions with companies ranging from small, local firms to large, international corporations.
Professor; Director, Applied Mathematics & Computation; Director, Applied Math MS Graduate Admissions
The Master's Degree Program in Applied Mathematics is specially designed to prepare graduates for a successful career in today's industrial/business world. Accordingly, the program is structured into the following three components:
The graduate courses in the Department concentrate on Analytical Methods, Numerical Methods, and Probability/Statistics. These courses give the student a thorough background in advanced applied mathematics.
Given the interdisciplinary nature of Applied Math, students are encouraged to take courses outside the Department. These are determined depending on each student's interests and preparation. In recent years, they have been chosen from Computer Science, Engineering (Industrial, Mechanical, Electrical), Physics, and Management Science. These courses expose the student to the use of practical mathematical tools by scientists and engineers. Courses taken outside of the department require the director's approval in order to count towards the MS degree.
Students in the program are required to complete at least one course that includes a group project component. The group projects are intended to emulate industrial teamwork on a large, technical problem. Through the combined efforts and diverse talents of the group members, a mathematical model is developed, a computer code is implemented, and a final report is written. In the process, the students learn how to start solving a new and hard problem, how to make a professional presentation of their work, and how to collaborate effectively with their coworkers.
Those wishing to be considered for Fall admission should submit all application materials to the Graduate Admissions Office during the preceding Spring. Reviewing of applications will start after the application deadline January 10 , with precedence given to those before that date. Later applications are considered provided that openings are available.
All applicants are expected to have a strong undergraduate preparation in mathematics, including advanced calculus, linear algebra, and differential equations. Some exposure to computer science and/or scientific computing is also desirable, as is some knowledge of another area of science or engineering. A Bachelor's Degree in Mathematics, however, is not necessary. Students with undergraduate majors in Physics or Engineering, for instance, and with sufficient mathematical background, are encourage to apply.
The program is able to offer a tuition waiver and a stipend to a limited number of students upon admission. This financial support takes the form of a teaching assistantship in the department. The duties of the students in the Master's Degree Program are usually restricted to grading or consulting for an undergraduate course, although instructing in an elementary course is also possible.
For additional information, contact the Program Director Markos Katsoulakis .
List under constant construction. Recent alumni of the Applied Math MS program may contact Graduate Program Manager Kaitlyn O'Konis ( @email ) to provide the department with their most recent employment information.
Award-winning teaching, research opportunities, and interdisciplinary programs in a diverse, inclusive community of excellence.
Lederle Graduate Research Tower, 1654 University of Massachusetts Amherst 710 N. Pleasant Street Amherst, MA 01003-9305, USA
Department Phone: (413) 545-2762 Department Fax: (413) 545-1801 Department Office: LGRT 1622