types of phd in mathematics

  • Doing a PhD in Mathematics
  • Doing a PhD

What Does a PhD in Maths Involve?

Maths is a vast subject, both in breadth and in depth. As such, there’s a significant number of different areas you can research as a math student. These areas usually fall into one of three categories: pure mathematics, applied mathematics or statistics. Some examples of topics you can research are:

  • Number theory
  • Numerical analysis
  • String theory
  • Random matrix theory
  • Graph theory
  • Quantum mechanics
  • Statistical forecasting
  • Matroid theory
  • Control theory

Besides this, because maths focuses on addressing interdisciplinary real-world problems, you may work and collaborate with other STEM researchers. For example, your research topic may relate to:

  • Biomechanics and transport processes
  • Evidence-based medicine
  • Fluid dynamics
  • Financial mathematics
  • Machine learning
  • Theoretical and Computational Optimisation

What you do day-to-day will largely depend on your specific research topic. However, you’ll likely:

  • Continually read literature – This will be to help develop your knowledge and identify current gaps in the overall body of knowledge surrounding your research topic.
  • Undertake research specific to your topic – This can include defining ideas, proving theorems and identifying relationships between models.
  • Collect and analyse data – This could comprise developing computational models, running simulations and interpreting forecasts etc.
  • Liaise with others – This could take many forms. For example, you may work shoulder-to-shoulder with individuals from different disciplines supporting your research, e.g. Computer scientists for machine learning-based projects. Alternatively, you may need frequent input from those who supplied the data for your research, e.g. Financial institutions or biological research colleagues.
  • Attend a wide range of lectures, seminars and events.

Browse PhD Opportunities in Mathematics

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The average programme duration for a mathematics PhD in the UK is 3 to 4 years for a full-time studying. Although not all universities offer part-time maths PhD programmes, those that do have a typical programme duration of 5 to 7 years.

Again, although the exact arrangement will depend on the university, most maths doctorates will require you to first register for an MPhil . At the end of your first year, your supervisor will assess your progress to decide whether you should be registered for a PhD.

Additional Learning Modules

Best Universities for Maths PhD UK

Some Mathematics departments will require you to enrol on to taught modules as part of your programme. These are to help improve your knowledge and understanding of broader subjects within your field, for example, Fourier Analysis, Differential Geometry and Riemann Surfaces. Even if taught modules aren’t compulsory in several universities, your supervisor will still encourage you to attend them for your development.

Most UK universities will also have access to specialised mathematical training courses. The most common of these include Pure Mathematics courses hosted by Mathematics Access Grid Conferencing ( MAGIC ) and London Taught Course Centre ( LTCC ) and Statistics courses hosted by Academy for PhD Training in Statistics ( APTS ).

What Are the Typical Entry Requirements for A PhD in Maths?

In the UK, the typical entry requirements for a Maths PhD is an upper second-class (2:1) Master’s degree (or international equivalent) in Mathematics or Statistics [1] .

However, there is some variation on this. From writing, the lowest entry requirement is an upper second-class (2:1) Bachelor’s degree in any math-related subject. The highest entry requirement is a first-class (1st) honours Master’s degree in a Mathematics or Statistics degree only.

It’s worth noting if you’re applying to a position which comes with funding provided directly by the Department, the entry requirements will usually be on the higher side because of their competitiveness.

In terms of English Language requirements, most mathematics departments require at least an overall IELTS (International English Language Testing System) score of 6.5, with no less than 6.0 in each individual subtest.

Tips to Consider when Making Your Application

When applying to any mathematics PhD, you’ll be expected to have a good understanding of both your subject field and the specific research topic you are applying to. To help show this, it’s advisable that you demonstrate recent engagement in your research topic. This could be by describing the significance of a research paper you recently read and outlining which parts interested you the most, and why. Additionally, you can discuss a recent mathematics event you attended and suggest ways in how what you learnt might apply to your research topic.

As with most STEM PhDs, most maths PhD professors prefer you to discuss your application with them directly before putting in a formal application. The benefits of this is two folds. First, you’ll get more information on what their department has to offer. Second, the supervisor can better discover your interest in the project and gauge whether you’d be a suitable candidate. Therefore, we encourage you to contact potential supervisors for positions you’re interested in before making any formal applications.

How Much Does a Maths PhD Typically Cost?

The typical tuition fee for a PhD in Maths in the UK is £4,407 per year for UK/EU students and £20,230 per year for international students. This, alongside the range in tuition fees you can expect, is summarised below:

Note: The above tuition fees are based on 12 UK Universities [1]  for 2020/21 Mathematic PhD positions. The typical fee has been taken as the median value.

In addition to the above, it’s not unheard of for research students to be charged a bench fee. In case you’re unfamiliar with a bench fee, it’s an annual fee additional to your tuition, which covers the cost of specialist equipment or resources associated with your research. This can include the upkeep of supercomputers you may use, training in specialist analysis software, or travelling to conferences. The exact fee will depend on your specific research topic; however, it should be minimal for most mathematic projects.

What Specific Funding Opportunities Are There for A PhD in Mathematics?

Alongside the usual funding opportunities available to all PhD Research students such as doctoral loans, departmental scholarships, there are a few other sources of funding available to math PhD students. Examples of these include:

You can find more information on these funding sources here: DiscoverPhDs funding guide .

What Specific Skills Do You Gain from Doing a PhD in Mathematics?

A doctorate in Mathematics not only demonstrates your commitment to continuous learning, but it also provides you with highly marketable skills. Besides subject-specific skills, you’ll also gain many transferable skills which will prove useful in almost all industries. A sample of these skills is listed below.

  • Logical ability to consider and analyse complex issues,
  • Commitment and persistence towards reaching research goals,
  • Outstanding verbal and written skills,
  • Strong attention to detail,
  • The ability to liaise with others from unique disciple backgrounds and work as part of a team
  • Holistic deduction and reasoning skills,
  • Forming and explaining mathematical and logical solutions to a wide range of real-world problems,
  • Exceptional numeracy skills.

What Jobs Can You Get with A Maths PhD?

Jobs for Maths PhDs - PhD in Mathematics Salary

One of the greatest benefits maths PostDocs will have is the ability to pursue a wide range of career paths. This is because all sciences are built on core principles which, to varying extents, are supported by the core principles of mathematics. As a result, it’s not uncommon to ask students what path they intend to follow after completing their degree and receive entirely different answers. Although not extensive by any means, the most common career paths Math PostDocs take are listed below:

  • Academia – Many individuals teach undergraduate students at the university they studied at or ones they gained ties to during their research. This path is usually the preferred among students who want to continue focusing on mathematical theories and concepts as part of their career.
  • Postdoctoral Researcher – Others continue researching with their University or with an independent organisation. This can be a popular path because of the opportunities it provides in collaborative working, supervising others, undertaking research and attending conferences etc.
  • Finance – Because of their deepened analytical skills, it’s no surprise that many PostDocs choose a career in finance. This involves working for some of the most significant players in the financial district in prime locations including London, Frankfurt and Hong Kong. Specific job titles can include Actuarial, Investment Analyst or Risk Modeller.
  • Computer Programming – Some students whose research involves computational mathematics launch their career as a computer programmer. Due to their background, they’ll typically work on specialised projects which require high levels of understanding on the problem at hand. For example, they may work with physicists and biomedical engineers to develop a software package that supports their more complex research.
  • Data Analyst – Those who enjoy number crunching and developing complex models often go into data analytics. This can involve various niches such as forecasting or optimisation, across various fields such as marketing and weather.

What Are Some of The Typical Employers Who Hire Maths PostDocs?

As mentioned above, there’s a high demand for skilled mathematicians and statisticians across a broad range of sectors. Some typical employers are:

  • Education – All UK and international universities
  • Governments – STFC and Department for Transport
  • Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals – NHS, GSK, Pfizer
  • Finance & Banking – e.g. Barclays Capital, PwC and J. P. Morgan
  • Computing – IBM, Microsoft and Facebook
  • Engineering – Boeing, Shell and Dyson

The above is only a small selection of employers. In reality, mathematic PostDocs can work in almost any industry, assuming the role is numerical-based or data-driven.

Math PhD Employer Logos

How Much Can You Earn with A PhD in Maths?

As a mathematics PhD PostDoc, your earning potential will mostly depend on your chosen career path. Due to the wide range of options, it’s impossible to provide an arbitrary value for the typical salary you can expect.

However, if you pursue one of the below paths or enter their respective industry, you can roughly expect to earn [3] :

Academic Lecturer

  • Approximately £30,000 – £35,000 starting salary
  • Approximately £40,000 with a few years experience
  • Approximately £45,000 – £55,000 with 10 years experience
  • Approximately £60,000 and over with significant experience and a leadership role. Certain academic positions can earn over £80,000 depending on the management duties.

Actuary or Finance

  • Approximately £35,000 starting salary
  • Approximately £45,000 – £55,000 with a few years experience
  • Approximately £70,000 and over with 10 years experience
  • Approximately £180,000 and above with significant experience and a leadership role.

Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering

  • Approximately £28,000 starting salary
  • Approximately £35,000 – £40,000 with a few years experience
  • Approximately £60,000 and over with 10 years experience

Data Analyst

  • Approximately £45,000 – £50,000 with a few years experience
  • Approximately £90,000 and above with significant experience and a leadership role.

Again, we stress that the above are indicative values only. Actual salaries will depend on the specific organisation and position and responsibilities of the individual.

Facts and Statistics About Maths PhD Holders

The below chart provides useful insight into the destination of Math PostDocs after completing their PhD. The most popular career paths from other of highest to lowest is education, information and communication, finance and scientific research, manufacturing and government.

Percentage of Math PostDocs entering an industry upon graduating

Note: The above chart is based on ‘UK Higher Education Leavers’ data [2] between 2012/13 and 2016/17 and contains a data size of 200 PostDocs. The data was obtained from the Higher Education Statistics Agency ( HESA ).

Which Noteworthy People Hold a PhD in Maths?

Alan turing.

Alan_Turing

Alan Turing was a British Mathematician, WW2 code-breaker and arguably the father of computer science. Alongside his lengthy list of achievements, Turning achieved a PhD in Mathematics at Princeton University, New Jersey. His thesis titled ‘Systems of Logic Based on Ordinals’ focused on the concepts of ordinal logic and relative computing; you can read it online here . To this day, Turning pioneering works continues to play a fundamental role in shaping the development of artificial intelligence (AI).

Ruth Lawrence

types of phd in mathematics

Ruth Lawrence is a famous British–Israeli Mathematician well known within the academic community. Lawrence earned her PhD in Mathematics from Oxford University at the young age of 17! Her work focused on algebraic topology and knot theory; you can read her interesting collection of research papers here . Among her many contributions to Maths, her most notable include the representation of the braid groups, more formally known as Lawrence–Krammer representations.

Emmy Noether

types of phd in mathematics

Emmy Noether was a German mathematician who received her PhD from the University of Erlangen, Germany. Her research has significantly contributed to both abstract algebra and theoretical physics. Additionally, she proved a groundbreaking theorem important to Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity. In doing so, her theorem, Noether’s theorem , is regarded as one of the most influential developments in physics.

Other Useful Resources

Institute of Mathematics and its Applications (IMA) – IMA is the UK’s professional body for mathematicians. It contains a wide range of useful information, from the benefits of further education in Maths to details on grants and upcoming events.

Maths Careers – Math Careers is a site associated with IMA that provides a wide range of advice to mathematicians of all ages. It has a section dedicated to undergraduates and graduates and contains a handful of information about progressing into research.

Resources for Graduate Students – Produced by Dr Mak Tomford, this webpage contains an extensive collection of detailed advice for Mathematic PhD students. Although the site uses US terminology in places, don’t let that put you off as this resource will prove incredibly helpful in both applying to and undertaking your PhD.

Student Interviews – Still wondering whether a PhD is for you? If so, our collection of PhD interviews would be a great place to get an insider perspective. We’ve interviewed a wide range of PhD students across the UK to find out what doing a PhD is like, how it’s helped them and what advice they have for other prospective students who may be thinking of applying to one. You can read our insightful collection of interviews here .

[1] Universities used to determine the typical (median) and range of entry requirements and tuition fees for 2020/21 Mathematics PhD positions.

  • http://www.lse.ac.uk/study-at-lse/Graduate/Degree-programmes-2020/MPhilPhD-Mathematics
  • https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/graduate/courses/dphil-mathematics?wssl=1
  • https://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/mapmpdpms
  • https://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate/research-degrees/mathematics-mphil-phd
  • http://www.bristol.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/2020/sci/phd-mathematics/
  • https://www.surrey.ac.uk/postgraduate/mathematics-phd
  • https://www.maths.ed.ac.uk/school-of-mathematics/studying-here/pgr/phd-application
  • https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/postgraduate-courses/mathematics-phd/
  • https://www.sussex.ac.uk/study/phd/degrees/mathematics-phd
  • https://www.manchester.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-research/programmes/list/05325/phd-pure-mathematics/
  • https://warwick.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/research/courses-2020/mathematicsphd/
  • https://www.exeter.ac.uk/pg-research/degrees/mathematics/

[2] Higher Education Leavers Statistics: UK, 2016/17 – Outcomes by subject studied – https://www.hesa.ac.uk/news/28-06-2018/sfr250-higher-education-leaver-statistics-subjects

[3] Typical salaries have been extracted from a combination of the below resources. It should be noted that although every effort has been made to keep the reported salaries as relevant to Math PostDocs as possible (i.e. filtering for positions which specify a PhD qualification as one of their requirements/preferences), small inaccuracies may exist due to data availability.

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Department of Mathematics

  • Ph.D. in Mathematics
  • General Information
  • Financial Aid
  • Answers to FAQ
  • M.S. in Mathematics
  • Ph.D. in Mathematics with Thesis in Actuarial Science
  • M.S. in Actuarial Science
  • M.S. in Applied Financial Mathematics
  • M.S. in Applied Financial Mathematics – Actuarial Science
  • Course Schedule
  • Preliminary Exams

Overview of Graduation Requirements

To graduate with a PhD in Mathematics, a student must satisfy all of the following requirements:

  • 45 credits, including 15 doctoral dissertation research credits/GRAD 6950
  • If you have a Master’s degree in mathematics at UConn, then 30 credits are required, including 15 doctoral dissertation research credits.
  • Pass at least one prelim exam after each semester for the first three semesters of their graduate study.
  • Finish all prelim exam requirements by the beginning of the spring semester in their second year.
  • Finish all core course requirements by the end of their second year of graduate study,
  • Choose a thesis advisor no later than the end of the fall semester of the third year.
  • Form your advisory committee :  Major Advisor and at least two Associate Advisors or Co-Major Advisors and at least one Associate Advisor.
  • Meant to further the student’s education, scholarship and professional development.
  • Material should be in the broad area in which the student intends to write a dissertation, but should not focus on the actual thesis research.  Students present and answer questions about the material they have studied.
  • The exam is normally taken at the end of the third year or beginning of the fourth year.
  • Submit Dissertation Proposal
  • Submit Plan of Study
  • Apply for Graduation in Student Admin by the fourth week of the final semester.
  • Dissertation Specifications under Dissertation Information
  • Thesis templates (for LaTex) are available on our Thesis Formatting page
  • Submit Approval Page – Step 7
  • Complete Survey of Earned Doctorates – Step 7
  • Add Diploma Address in Student Admin and Diploma Info.

Preliminary Examination and Core Course Requirements

Pure Mathematics

  • Math 5111/Measure and Integration
  • Math 5120/Complex Function Theory
  • Math 5210/Abstract Algebra
  • Math 5310/Introduction to Geometry and Topology I
  • Math 5160/Probability Theory and Stochastic Processes I
  • Math 5210/Abstract Algebra I
  • Math 5211/Abstract Algebra II
  • Math 5260/Mathematical Logic I
  • Math 5360/Differential Geometry

Applied Mathematics

  • Math 5410/Introduction to Applied Mathematics I
  • Math 5510/Numerical Analysis and Approximation Theory I
  • Math 5440/Partial Differential Equations
  • Math 5520/Finite Element Solution Methods I

Past Prelim Exams

PhD in Mathematics

The PhD in Mathematics consists of preliminary coursework and study, qualifying exams, a candidacy exam with an adviser, and creative research culminating in a written dissertation and defense. All doctoral students must also do some teaching on the way to the PhD. There are minimal course requirements, and detailed requirements and procedures for the PhD program are outlined in the  PhD Handbook .

Please note that our department alternates recruiting in-coming classes that are focused on either applied or pure mathematics. For the Fall 2024 admissions (matriculation in September 2024), we are focusing on students interested in areas of applied mathematics.

All our professors are active in research, and are devoted to teaching and mentoring of students. Thus, there are many opportunities to be involved in cutting-edge research in pure and applied mathematics. Moreover, the seven other research universities in the Boston area are all within easy reach, providing access to many more classes, seminars and colloquia in diverse areas of mathematical research.

Teaching assistantships are available for incoming PhD students, as well as a limited number of University-wide fellowships. Tufts has on-campus housing for graduate students, but many choose to live off-campus instead.

In addition to the above, PhD students often:

  • Mentor undergraduates as teaching assistants and course instructors, and through graduate-student run programs like the Directed Reading Program.
  • Meet with advisors and fellow students to share research and collaborate with scholars across disciplines
  • Attend professional development workshops and present research at conferences

Ph.D. Degree Programs

The UCSD Mathematics Department admits students into the following Ph.D. programs:

  • Ph.D. in Mathematics -- Pure or Applied Mathematics.
  • Ph.D. in Mathematics with a  Specialization in Computational Science .
  • Ph.D. in Mathematics with a  Specialization in Statistics .

In addition, the department participates in the following Ph.D. programs:

  • Ph.D. in  Bioinformatics .
  • Ph.D. in  Mathematics and Science Education  (joint program between UCSD and SDSU).

For application information, go to  How to Apply (Graduate) .  

Ph.D. in Mathematics

The Ph.D. in Mathematics allows study in pure mathematics, applied mathematics and statistics. The mathematics department has over 60 faculty, approximately 100 Ph.D. students, and approximately 35 Masters students. A list of the UCSD mathematics faculty and their research interests can be found at  here . The Ph.D. in Mathematics program produces graduates with a preparation in teaching and a broad knowledge of mathematics. Our students go on to careers as university professors, as well as careers in industry or government.

In the first and second years of study, Ph.D. students take courses in preparation for three written qualifying examinations (quals). One qual must be taken in Algebra or Topology, and another in Real or Complex Analysis. A third qual may be taken in Numerical Analysis or Statistics or one of the remaining topics in the first two groups. All three quals must be passed by the start of the third year. After the qualifying exams are passed, the student is expected to choose an advisor and follow a course of study agreed on by the two of them. At this point, the student chooses a thesis topic, finds a doctoral committee and presents a talk on his or her proposed research topic. If the committee is satisfied with this talk, the student has "Advanced to Candidacy." The student will then pursue their research agenda with their advisor until they have solved an original problem. The student will submit a written dissertation and reconvene his or her committee for a Final Defense. At the Final Defense, the student gives a seminar talk that is very similar to a talk that he or she might give for a job interview.

Nearly every admitted Ph.D. student gets financial support. The financial support is most commonly in the form of a Teaching Assistantship, however, Research Assistantships and other fellowships are also available.

Because of the large faculty to student ratio, graduate students have many opportunities to interact with faculty in courses or smaller research seminars. The graduate students also run their own "Food for Thought" seminar for expository talks as well as a research seminar where they give talks about their research.

UCSD has excellent library facilities with strong collections in mathematics, science, and engineering. Ph.D. students are provided with access to computer facilities and office space.

Full-time students are required to register for a minimum of twelve (12) units every quarter, eight (8) of which must be graduate-level mathematics courses taken for a letter grade only. The remaining four (4) units can be approved upper-division or graduate-level courses in mathematics-related subjects (MATH 500 may not be used to satisfy any part of this requirement). After advancing to candidacy, Ph.D. candidates may take all course work on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis. Typically, students should not enroll in MATH 299 (Reading and Research) until they have passed at least two Qualifying Examinations at the PhD or Provisional PhD level, or obtained approval of their faculty advisor.  

Written Qualifying Examinations

Effective Fall Quarter 1998, the department made changes in their qualifying exam requirements with a view to:

  • improving applied mathematics' access to students and the attractiveness of its program to applicants; and
  • broadening the education of our doctoral students and leading more of them towards applied areas.

The department now offers written qualifying examinations in  SEVEN (7)  subjects. These are grouped into three areas as follows:  

  • Three qualifying examinations must be passed. At least one must be passed at the Ph.D. level and a second must be passed at either the Ph.D. or Provisional Ph.D. level.
  • Of the three qualifying exams, there must be at least one from each of Areas 1 and 2. 
  • Students must pass at least two exams from distinct areas with a minimum grade of Provisional Ph.D. (For example, a Ph.D. pass in Real Analysis, Provisional Ph.D. pass in Complex Analysis, M.A. pass in Algebra would  NOT  satisfy this requirement, but a Ph.D. pass in Real Analysis, M.A. pass in Complex Analysis, Provisional Ph.D. pass in Algebra would, as would a Ph.D. pass in Numerical Analysis, Provisional Ph.D. pass in Applied Algebra, and M.A. pass in Real Analysis.) All exams must be passed by the September exam session prior to the beginning of the third year of graduate studies. (Thus, there is no limit on the number of attempts, encouraging new students to take exams when they arrive, without penalty.) Except for this deadline, there is no limit on the number of exams a student may attempt.

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:  

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.  

Master's Transferring to Ph.D.

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.  

Foreign Language Requirement

There is no Foreign Language requirement for the Ph.D. in Mathematics.  

Advancement to Candidacy

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.  

Dissertation and Final Defense

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.  

Time Limits

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.  

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.

types of phd in mathematics

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PhD in Mathematics

The PhD in Mathematics provides training in mathematics and its applications to a broad range of disciplines and prepares students for careers in academia or industry. It offers students the opportunity to work with faculty on research over a wide range of theoretical and applied topics.

Degree Requirements

The requirements for obtaining an PhD in Mathematics can be found on the associated page of the BU Bulletin .

  • Courses : The courses mentioned on the BU Bulletin page can be chosen from the graduate courses we offer here . Half may be at the MA 500 level or above, but the rest must be at the MA 700 level or above. Students can also request to use courses from other departments to satisfy some of these requirements. Please contact your advisor for more information about which courses can be used in this way. All courses must be passed with a grade of B- or higher.
  • Analysis (examples include MA 711, MA 713, and MA 717)
  • PDEs and Dynamical Systems (examples include MA 771, MA 775, and MA 776)
  • Algebra and Number Theory (examples include MA 741, MA 742, and MA 743)
  • Topology (examples include MA 721, MA 722, and MA 727)
  • Geometry (examples include MA 725, MA 731, and MA 745)
  • Probability and Stochastic Processes (examples include MA 779, MA 780, and MA 783)
  • Applied Mathematics (examples include MA 750, MA 751, and MA 770)
  • Comprehensive Examination : This exam has both a written and an oral component. The written component consists of an expository paper of typically fifteen to twenty-five pages on which the student works over a period of a few months under the guidance of the advisor. The topic of the expository paper is chosen by the student in consultation with the advisor. On completion of the paper, the student takes an oral exam given by a three-person committee, one of whom is the student’s advisor. The oral exam consists of a presentation by the student on the expository paper followed by questioning by the committee members. A student who does not pass the MA Comprehensive Examination may make a second attempt, but all students are expected to pass the exam no later than the end of the summer following their second year.
  • Oral Qualifying Examination: The topics for the PhD oral qualifying exam correspond to the two semester courses taken by the student from one of the 3 subject areas and one semester course each taken by the student from the other two subject areas. In addition, the exam begins with a presentation by the student on some specialized topic relevant to the proposed thesis research. A student who does not pass the qualifying exam may make a second attempt, but all PhD students are expected to pass the exam no later than the end of the summer following their third year.
  • Dissertation and Final Oral Examination: This follows the GRS General Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree .

Admissions information can be found on the BU Arts and Sciences PhD Admissions website .

Financial Aid

Our department funds our PhD students through a combination of University fellowships, teaching fellowships, and faculty research grants. More information will be provided to admitted students.

More Information

Please reach out to us directly at [email protected] if you have further questions.

NYU Courant Department of Mathematics

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Ph.D. Program in Mathematics

Degree requirements.

A candidate for the Ph.D. degree in mathematics must fulfill a number of different departmental requirements .

NYU Shanghai Ph.D. Track

The Ph.D. program also offers students the opportunity to pursue their study and research with Mathematics faculty based at NYU Shanghai. With this opportunity, students generally complete their coursework in New York City before moving full-time to Shanghai for their dissertation research. For more information, please visit the  NYU Shanghai Ph.D. page .

Sample course schedules (Years 1 and 2) for students with a primary interest in:

Applied Math (Math Biology, Scientific Computing, Physical Applied Math, etc.)

Additional information for students interested in studying applied math is available here .

Probability

PDE/Analysis

The Written Comprehensive Examination

The examination tests the basic knowledge required for any serious mathematical study. It consists of the three following sections: Advanced Calculus, Complex Variables, and Linear Algebra. The examination is given on three consecutive days, twice a year, in early September and early January. Each section is allotted three hours and is written at the level of a good undergraduate course. Samples of previous examinations are available in the departmental office. Cooperative preparation is encouraged, as it is for all examinations. In the fall term, the Department offers a workshop, taught by an advanced Teaching Assistant, to help students prepare for the written examinations.

Entering students with a solid preparation are encouraged to consider taking the examination in their first year of full-time study. All students must take the examinations in order to be allowed to register for coursework beyond 36 points of credit; it is recommended that students attempt to take the examinations well before this deadline. Graduate Assistants are required to take the examinations during their first year of study.

For further details, consult the page on the written comprehensive exams .

The Oral Preliminary Examination

This examination is usually (but not invariably) taken after two years of full-time study. The purpose of the examination is to determine if the candidate has acquired sufficient mathematical knowledge and maturity to commence a dissertation. The phrase "mathematical knowledge" is intended to convey rather broad acquaintance with the basic facts of mathematical life, with emphasis on a good understanding of the simplest interesting examples. In particular, highly technical or abstract material is inappropriate, as is the rote reproduction of information. What the examiners look for is something a little different and less easy to quantify. It is conveyed in part by the word "maturity." This means some idea of how mathematics hangs together; the ability to think a little on one's feet; some appreciation of what is natural and important, and what is artificial. The point is that the ability to do successful research depends on more than formal learning, and it is part of the examiners' task to assess these less tangible aspects of the candidate's preparation.

The orals are comprised of a general section and a special section, each lasting one hour, and are conducted by two different panels of three faculty members. The examination takes place three times a year: fall, mid-winter and late spring. Cooperative preparation of often helpful and is encouraged. The general section consists of five topics, one of which may be chosen freely. The other four topics are determined by field of interest, but often turn out to be standard: complex variables, real variables, ordinary differential equations, and partial differential equations. Here, the level of knowledge that is expected is equivalent to that of a one or two term course of the kind Courant normally presents. A brochure containing the most common questions on the general oral examination, edited by Courant students, is available at the Department Office.

The special section is usually devoted to a single topic at a more advanced level and extent of knowledge. The precise content is negotiated with the candidate's faculty advisor. Normally, the chosen topic will have a direct bearing on the candidate's Ph.D. dissertation.

All students must take the oral examinations in order to be allowed to register for coursework beyond 60 points of credit. It is recommended that students attempt the examinations well before this deadline.

The Dissertation Defense

The oral defense is the final examination on the student's dissertation. The defense is conducted by a panel of five faculty members (including the student's advisor) and generally lasts one to two hours. The candidate presents his/her work to a mixed audience, some expert in the student's topic, some not. Often, this presentation is followed by a question-and-answer period and mutual discussion of related material and directions for future work.

Summer Internships and Employment

The Department encourages Ph.D. students at any stage of their studies, including the very early stage, to seek summer employment opportunities at various government and industry facilities. In the past few years, Courant students have taken summer internships at the National Institute of Health, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and NASA, as well as Wall Street firms. Such opportunities can greatly expand students' understanding of the mathematical sciences, offer them possible areas of interest for thesis research, and enhance their career options. The Director of Graduate Studies and members of the faculty (and in particular the students' academic advisors) can assist students in finding appropriate summer employment.

Mentoring and Grievance Policy

For detailed information, consult the page on the Mentoring and Grievance Policy .

Visiting Doctoral Students

Information about spending a term at the Courant Institute's Department of Mathematics as a visiting doctoral student is available on the Visitor Programs  page.

types of phd in mathematics

  • Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics (PhD)
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Canadian Immigration Updates

Applicants to Master’s and Doctoral degrees are not affected by the recently announced cap on study permits. Review more details

Go to programs search

Mathematicians use theoretical and computational methods to solve a wide range of problems from the most abstract to the very applied. UBC's mathematics graduate students work in many branches of pure and applied mathematics. The PhD program trains students to operate as research mathematicians. The focus of the program is on substantial mathematical research leading to the PhD dissertation. Students also develop their skills in presenting and teaching mathematics and its applications.

For specific program requirements, please refer to the departmental program website

What makes the program unique?

UBC has one of the largest and most vigorous departments of mathematics in Canada. Our faculty routinely win national and international awards for their research and teaching achievements. We have an engaged and sociable cohort of graduate students who are essential members of a broad selection of active research groups. Each group holds a variety of seminars and events that allow graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, visitors and faculty to enjoy regular interaction.

UBC is the headquarters for the Pacific Institute of Mathematical Sciences (PIMS). PIMS hosts a plethora of mathematical events such as conferences and summer schools, greatly enriching the scientific environment in the quantitative sciences at UBC. Our mathematics students are also regular participants at the nearby Banff International Research Station for Mathematical Innovation and Discovery. Finally, our Institute for Applied Mathematics provides options for interdisciplinary studies for PhD students who wish to work in applied and computational mathematics.

I was intrigued and inspired by my professors and advisors to take on the program because of the collaborative aspects with Honeywell. This real-world focus motivated many interesting questions in my research.

types of phd in mathematics

Nathan Lawrence

Quick Facts

Program enquiries, admission information & requirements, 1) check eligibility, minimum academic requirements.

The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC). The graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements. Please review the specific requirements for applicants with credentials from institutions in:

  • Canada or the United States
  • International countries other than the United States

Each program may set higher academic minimum requirements. Please review the program website carefully to understand the program requirements. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission as it is a competitive process.

English Language Test

Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application.

Minimum requirements for the two most common English language proficiency tests to apply to this program are listed below:

TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language - internet-based

Overall score requirement : 100

IELTS: International English Language Testing System

Overall score requirement : 7.0

Other Test Scores

Some programs require additional test scores such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Test (GMAT). The requirements for this program are:

The GRE is not required.

2) Meet Deadlines

3) prepare application, transcripts.

All applicants have to submit transcripts from all past post-secondary study. Document submission requirements depend on whether your institution of study is within Canada or outside of Canada.

Letters of Reference

A minimum of three references are required for application to graduate programs at UBC. References should be requested from individuals who are prepared to provide a report on your academic ability and qualifications.

Statement of Interest

Many programs require a statement of interest , sometimes called a "statement of intent", "description of research interests" or something similar.

Supervision

Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.

Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics (PhD)

Citizenship verification.

Permanent Residents of Canada must provide a clear photocopy of both sides of the Permanent Resident card.

4) Apply Online

All applicants must complete an online application form and pay the application fee to be considered for admission to UBC.

Tuition & Financial Support

Financial support.

Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options, including merit-based (i.e. based on your academic performance) and need-based (i.e. based on your financial situation) opportunities.

Program Funding Packages

All full-time students who begin a UBC-Vancouver PhD Mathematics program in September 2018 or later will be provided with a funding package of at least $24,256 for each of the first four years of their PhD. The funding package may consist of any combination of internal or external awards, teaching-related work, research assistantships, and graduate academic assistantships.

Average Funding

  • 52 students received Teaching Assistantships. Average TA funding based on 52 students was $13,784.
  • 48 students received Research Assistantships. Average RA funding based on 48 students was $11,580.
  • 3 students received Academic Assistantships. Average AA funding based on 3 students was $1,814.
  • 54 students received internal awards. Average internal award funding based on 54 students was $13,279.
  • 4 students received external awards. Average external award funding based on 4 students was $27,083.

Scholarships & awards (merit-based funding)

All applicants are encouraged to review the awards listing to identify potential opportunities to fund their graduate education. The database lists merit-based scholarships and awards and allows for filtering by various criteria, such as domestic vs. international or degree level.

Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA)

Many professors are able to provide Research Assistantships (GRA) from their research grants to support full-time graduate students studying under their supervision. The duties constitute part of the student's graduate degree requirements. A Graduate Research Assistantship is considered a form of fellowship for a period of graduate study and is therefore not covered by a collective agreement. Stipends vary widely, and are dependent on the field of study and the type of research grant from which the assistantship is being funded.

Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA)

Graduate programs may have Teaching Assistantships available for registered full-time graduate students. Full teaching assistantships involve 12 hours work per week in preparation, lecturing, or laboratory instruction although many graduate programs offer partial TA appointments at less than 12 hours per week. Teaching assistantship rates are set by collective bargaining between the University and the Teaching Assistants' Union .

Graduate Academic Assistantships (GAA)

Academic Assistantships are employment opportunities to perform work that is relevant to the university or to an individual faculty member, but not to support the student’s graduate research and thesis. Wages are considered regular earnings and when paid monthly, include vacation pay.

Financial aid (need-based funding)

Canadian and US applicants may qualify for governmental loans to finance their studies. Please review eligibility and types of loans .

All students may be able to access private sector or bank loans.

Foreign government scholarships

Many foreign governments provide support to their citizens in pursuing education abroad. International applicants should check the various governmental resources in their home country, such as the Department of Education, for available scholarships.

Working while studying

The possibility to pursue work to supplement income may depend on the demands the program has on students. It should be carefully weighed if work leads to prolonged program durations or whether work placements can be meaningfully embedded into a program.

International students enrolled as full-time students with a valid study permit can work on campus for unlimited hours and work off-campus for no more than 20 hours a week.

A good starting point to explore student jobs is the UBC Work Learn program or a Co-Op placement .

Tax credits and RRSP withdrawals

Students with taxable income in Canada may be able to claim federal or provincial tax credits.

Canadian residents with RRSP accounts may be able to use the Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP) which allows students to withdraw amounts from their registered retirement savings plan (RRSPs) to finance full-time training or education for themselves or their partner.

Please review Filing taxes in Canada on the student services website for more information.

Cost Estimator

Applicants have access to the cost estimator to develop a financial plan that takes into account various income sources and expenses.

Career Outcomes

88 students graduated between 2005 and 2013: 1 is in a non-salaried situation; for 19 we have no data (based on research conducted between Feb-May 2016). For the remaining 68 graduates:

types of phd in mathematics

Sample Employers in Higher Education

Sample employers outside higher education, sample job titles outside higher education, phd career outcome survey, career options.

A great majority of our PhD graduates move on to postdoctoral fellowships and faculty positions at universities and research institutes in North America and around the world. However, a significant fraction of students move into careers in industry. Students considering non-academic careers are encouraged to complete an industrial internship (for instance through the Mitacs Accelerate program - headquartered at UBC) during their studies.

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

These statistics show data for the Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics (PhD). Data are separated for each degree program combination. You may view data for other degree options in the respective program profile.

ENROLMENT DATA

Completion rates & times.

  • Research Supervisors

Advice and insights from UBC Faculty on reaching out to supervisors

These videos contain some general advice from faculty across UBC on finding and reaching out to a supervisor. They are not program specific.

types of phd in mathematics

This list shows faculty members with full supervisory privileges who are affiliated with this program. It is not a comprehensive list of all potential supervisors as faculty from other programs or faculty members without full supervisory privileges can request approvals to supervise graduate students in this program.

  • Adem, Alejandro (Cohomology of finite groups, orbifolds, stringy topology, algebra, sporadic simple group, group actions, arithmetic groups, K-theory, homotopy theory, spaces of homomorphisms)
  • Angel, Omer (Probability theory, percolation, random graphs, random walks, particle processes, scaling limits)
  • Bachmann, Sven (Mathematics and statistics; Mathematical Analysis; quantum phenomena; Mathematical physics; Quantum statistical physics; Topological states of matter)
  • Balmforth, Neil (Fluid mechanics, nonlinear dynamics and applied partial differential equations)
  • Behrend, Kai (Moduli spaces, Gromov-Witten invariants, string theory, Donaldson-Thomas invariants, Euler characteristics, categorification)
  • Bennett, Michael (Number Theory, Diophantine Approximation and Classical Analysis)
  • Bryan, Jim (Algebraic and differential geometry; Algebraic geometry, moduli spaces, enumerative invariants related to theoretical physics.)
  • Cautis, Sabin (Mathematics and statistics; Geometry)
  • Chau, Albert (Differential Geometry and Partial Differential Equations)
  • Chen, Jingyi (Algebraic and differential geometry; Differential Geometry, Partial Differential Equations)
  • Colliander, James (hamiltonian dynamical systems; partial differential equations; harmonic analysis)
  • Coombs, Daniel (Mathematical biology; Cellular immunology; Complex physical systems; Epidemiology (except nutritional and veterinary epidemiology); Cell Signaling and Infectious and Immune Diseases; Cell biophysics; Disease models; Epidemiology; Immune cell signalling; Mathematics)
  • Cytrynbaum, Eric (Bacterial cell division, Microtubule and cellular organization, Wave propagation in excitable media)
  • Dao Duc, Khanh (Genomics; Mathematical biology; Neurocognitive patterns and neural networks; Agricultural spatial analysis and modelling; combine mathematical,computational and statistical tools to study fundamental biological processes; regulation and determinants of gene expression and translation; Machine Learning for Biological Imaging and Microscopy; Database development and management; Biological and Artificial Neural Networks for geometric representation)
  • Doebeli, Michael Walter (Mathematical ecology and evolution, evolution of diversity, adaptive speciation, evolution of cooperation, game theory, experimental evolution in microorganisms)
  • Feng, James (Chemical engineering; Mathematics and statistics; Biophysics; Complex fluids; Fluid mechanics; Mathematical biology)
  • Fraser, Ailana (Differential Geometry, Geometric Analysis)
  • Friedlander, Michael (numerical optimization, numerical linear algebra, scientific computing, Scientific computing)
  • Frigaard, Ian (Fluid mechanics (visco-plastic fluids))
  • Ghioca, Dragos (Drinfeld modules, isotrivial semiabelian varieties, Lehmer inequality)
  • Gordon, Julia Yulia (Representation theory of p-adic groups and motivic integration; Trace Formula and its applications)
  • Gustafson, Stephen James (Mathematics and statistics; Mathematical Analysis; Differential Equation; Global and Non-Linear Analysis; Mathematical physics; Nonlinear partial differential equations; Nonlinear waves; Topological solitons)
  • Hauert, Christoph (Mathematics and statistics; Modelization and Simulation; Evolution and Phylogenesis; Biological Behavior; dynamical systems; evolution; game theory; social dilemmas; stochastic processes)
  • Hermon, Jonathan (probability theory; Markov chains and the cutoff phenomenon; particle systems; percolation)
  • Holmes-Cerfon, Miranda (Mathematical modelling and simulation; Computational methods in statistics; Numerical analysis; Thermodynamics and statistical physics)

Doctoral Citations

Sample thesis submissions.

  • Distribution of integral points on varieties
  • Effective and explicit S-unit equations with many terms
  • Classifying space for commutativity and unordered flag manifolds
  • Finite-size scaling of a few statistical physics models in high dimensions
  • Residual supersingular Iwasawa theory and μ-invariants for Zₚ²-extensions
  • Numerical methods for biological flows laden with deformable capsules and solid particles
  • The construction of blow-up solutions for some evolution equations
  • Topics in discrete analysis
  • Inviscid damping phenomena in some fluid models
  • Gibbs measures and factor codes in symbolic dynamics
  • Deep reinforcement learning agents for industrial control system design
  • Structure-preserving numerical schemes for phase field models
  • Enumerative geometry problems for Calabi-Yau manifolds with an action
  • Tamagawa numbers of symplectic algebraic tori, orbital integrals, and mass formulae for isogeny class of abelian varieties over finite fields

Related Programs

Same specialization.

  • Master of Science in Mathematics (MSc)

At the UBC Okanagan Campus

Further information, specialization.

Mathematicians use theoretical and computational methods to solve a wide range of problems from the most abstract to the very applied. UBC's mathematics graduate students work in many branches of pure and applied mathematics.

UBC Calendar

Program website, faculty overview, academic unit, program identifier, classification, social media channels, supervisor search.

Departments/Programs may update graduate degree program details through the Faculty & Staff portal. To update contact details for application inquiries, please use this form .

types of phd in mathematics

Nicholas Richardson

Having grown up outside of Toronto and completed my undergrad and master's degree at the University of Waterloo, I was ready to change the scenery and go study somewhere else. I joke that is it the farthest I could move without leaving Canada, but more truthfully it was the campus that felt "right...

types of phd in mathematics

Gabriel Currier

I quite like the kind of math that people do here, and enjoy working with my supervisors. The campus is also a beautiful place and the graduate student community is pretty laid back and friendly.

types of phd in mathematics

Ethan White

The reputation of the university and mathematics department, the alignment of my research interests with my advisor’s expertise, and my love for Canada!

types of phd in mathematics

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types of phd in mathematics

Mathematics Ph.D.

Want more info.

We're so glad you're interested in UNT! Let us know if you'd like more information and we'll get you everything you need.

Why Earn a Mathematics Ph.D.?

The Department of Mathematics at the University of North Texas provides a collaborative, open and academically stimulating climate for graduate study. The Ph.D. degree allows you to develop competence in several major areas of mathematics and prepares you for intensive study and research in a specialized area.

In addition to mathematical training, you’ll have opportunities to develop advanced instructional skills. These opportunities include a comprehensive training course for teaching fellows focusing on all types of instructional issues.

  • Independent research ability
  • Research writing
  • Research presentation
  • Computer literacy in LaTeX
  • Pedagogical practices

Mathematics Ph.D. Highlights

Career outlook.

The combination of high-quality mathematical training, expansive instructional training and practical teaching opportunities will give you a competitive edge in the marketplace. Our students obtain math-related employment in academic and non-academic settings.

Mathematics Ph.D. Courses You Could Take

Learn More About UNT

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It’s easy to apply online. Join us and discover why we’re the choice of nearly 47,000 students.

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Best Doctorates in Mathematics: Top PhD Programs, Career Paths, and Salaries

Given that only a small proportion of the general population holds a PhD in Mathematics, there aren’t many people pursuing doctoral studies in the math field. It requires a high level of intelligence and mathematical ability which a typical person doesn’t possess. It also requires a decent work ethic and the ability to commit five to seven years to research and study.

However, PhD in Mathematics salaries are high. If you’re interested in pursuing a PhD in Mathematics, check out our article to find the best mathematics PhDs and what mathematics jobs you can get. First, let’s find out what a PhD in Mathematics is.

Find your bootcamp match

What is a phd in mathematics.

A PhD in Mathematics is a doctoral degree obtained by a graduate student in mathematics. This kind of mathematics graduate program allows students to develop their research capabilities in mathematics and its potential applications.

PhD in Mathematics can be a Doctor of Philosophy, Doctor of Science, or Doctor of Applied Mathematics degree. Students need to submit their PhD thesis in order to complete the math degree program they are pursuing. Math doctorate programs can take between three and six years to complete, depending on how much time is dedicated to the thesis and its required research.

How to Get Into a Mathematics PhD Program: Admission Requirements

The requirements to get into a mathematics PhD program typically include application fees, school transcripts, a professional resume, three letters of recommendation, and a statement of academic purpose. The admission process for most mathematical PhD programs is similar.

Some schools also require that students have mastered the material roughly equivalent to the undergraduate mathematics major, such as several semesters of calculus and experience with differential equations. Other doctoral math programs require applicants to submit essays or a minimum GPA score as entrance requirements.

PhD in Mathematics Admission Requirements

  • Professional CV or resume
  • Statement of academic purpose
  • Application fee
  • At least three recommendation letters
  • Undergraduate and graduate school transcripts

Mathematics PhD Acceptance Rates: How Hard Is It to Get Into a PhD Program in Mathematics?

It is extremely hard to get into a PhD program in Mathematics. For example, the Harvard PhD acceptance rate is 4.59 percent and the University of Wisconsin has a zero percent PhD acceptance rate over a five-year median. Doctoral studies in mathematics are rigorous and have a low acceptance rate, making it difficult to get into and obtain a Doctorate in Mathematics.

How to Get Into the Best Universities

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Best PhDs in Mathematics: In Brief

Best universities for mathematics phds: where to get a phd in mathematics.

The best universities for mathematics PhDs are Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Princeton University, Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley, and Yale University.

Other universities also have excellent PhD in Mathematics programs that we haven’t mentioned in our list, like Johns Hopkins University, Colorado State University, University of California, Los Angeles, and University of Chicago.

Columbia University is a private Ivy League research university founded in 1754 as King's College. It is among the top five national universities and is known as the oldest institution of higher education in New York. At Columbia University, students can find doctoral studies in biological sciences, astronomy, chemistry, economics, music, psychology, and religion.

Mathematics PhD

The PhD mathematics program is designed for full-time students interested in research and teaching at the university level. It is an intense course also meant for students that seek careers in quantitative research and development in business or government. It covers subjects like analysis and probability, Riemann surfaces, cumulative algebra, and modern geometry.

Mathematics PhD Overview

  • Program Length: 4 years
  • Acceptance Rate: 6%
  • Tuition and Fees: $25,248/semester
  • PhD Funding Opportunities: Department of Defense Funding, NIH Fellowship Parent Funding 

Mathematics PhD Admission Requirements

  • A completed online application form at the Online Application System
  • $120 application fee
  • Statement of purpose
  • A video essay (to be completed in the Online Application System)
  • A current resume or CV
  • Official transcripts from each university you attended
  • Two letters of reference

Harvard University was established in 1636 by the Puritan clergyman John Harvard. It is known as the oldest institution of higher learning in the US and as one of the most prestigious universities in the world. It offers many PhD programs in subjects such as anthropology, statistics, virology, physics, neuroscience, mathematics, immunology, and history of science.

This doctoral program is intended for students who aspire to be research mathematicians and have demonstrated a strong interest in this field. The math graduate courses cover topics like commutative algebra, advanced real analysis, differential geometry evolution dynamics, Riemann surfaces, and Hodge theory.

  • Program Length: 4-5 years
  • Acceptance Rate: 7%
  • Tuition and Fees: $50,928/first two years of study; $13,240/second two years of study
  • PhD Funding Opportunities: Hertz Foundation, National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship Program, National Physical Science Consortium for Minorities and Women, National Science Foundation
  • Application
  • $105 application fee 
  • Transcripts
  • Letters of recommendation
  • Demonstration of English proficiency (for non-native speakers)

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a land-grant research university in Cambridge. Founded in 1861, MIT is best known for its programs in physical science and engineering. It offers a wide array of doctoral studies in aeronautics and astronautics, physics, political science, economics, chemical engineering, biology, brain, and cognitive sciences.

Doctor of Philosophy or Doctor of Science Mathematics Degree

In addition to choosing between a Doctor of Philosophy and a Doctor of Science program, students can choose to apply to the Pure or Applied Mathematics programs. Geometry, number theory, algebra, logic, statistics, topology, astrophysics, combinatorics, analysis, probability, numerical analysis, and theoretical physics, are covered in the Pure and Applied Mathematics curricula.

Doctor of Philosophy or Doctor of Science Mathematics Degree Overview

  • Acceptance Rate: N/A
  • Tuition and Fees: $27,755/term
  • PhD Funding Opportunities: Postdoctoral and Senior Research Awards, Faculty Early Career Development Program, Mathematical Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowships (MSPRF)

Doctor of Philosophy or Doctor of Science Mathematics Degree Admission Requirements

  • Fill out the online application
  • Transcripts including grades in math/science/engineering courses
  • At least three names and email addresses of recommendation letter writers
  • Educational and work history
  • Statement of objectives
  • Outside financial support and potential outside support
  • Credit/debit card payment of the $75 application fee
  • Self-reported grades
  • Arrange for submission of official transcripts and letters of recommendation

Princeton University is a private Ivy League research university that was founded in 1746. It is known as the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the US. Princeton University has many PhD programs in subjects like philosophy, mechanical and aerospace engineering, electrical and computer engineering, and neuroscience.

Applied and Computational Math PhD

In this program, students gain a thorough understanding of areas of mathematics critical to scientific and engineering applications, such as numerical analysis and other computational approaches. In the first year, students choose three topics from six applied mathematics categories. At the end of the first year, students need to take a preliminary exam. 

Before the third year, students need to pass the general examination which culminates in a seminar on a research topic. The final requirement for this program is the doctoral dissertation which can be a mathematical contribution to one field of science or engineering.

Applied and Computational Math PhD Overview

  • Tuition and Fees : $58,790/year 
  • PhD Funding Opportunities: University, departmental, and program fellowships, research and teaching assistantships, external financial support

Applied and Computational Math PhD Admission Requirements

  • $75 application fee
  • Recommendation letters
  • Fall semester grades (for students currently enrolled in master’s degree programs)
  • English language tests (for international students)

Established in 1829, Rochester Institute of Technology is known for its excellent technology, engineering, and computing programs. It offers PhDs in Astrophysical Sciences and Technology, Biomedical and Chemical Engineering, Color Science, Imaging Science Sustainability, and many more disciplines.

Mathematical Modeling PhD

Students in this program plan their own trajectory based on required coursework, research, and their selected concentration. They can select from concentrations in the areas of applied inverse problems, biomedical, and discrete mathematics, among others. Some of the program’s courses cover subjects like numerical analysis and computing for mathematical modeling. 

Mathematical Modeling PhD Overview

  • Acceptance Rate: 74%
  • Tuition: $54,176/year 
  • PhD Funding Opportunities: Federal loans, Outside Scholarships, Yellow Ribbon Program, employment through co-ops, internships, or assistantships

Mathematical Modeling PhD Admission Requirements

  • Online graduate application
  • Copies of official transcripts of all previously completed undergraduate and graduate courses
  • Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college
  • Current resume/CV
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Personal statement of educational objectives
  • TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE score (international students)
  • $65 application fee

Stanford University is well-known for its enterprising student population and high return on investment. Founded in 1885 by California senator Leland Stanford, Stanford University is consistently ranking in the top 10 national universities. Stanford offers many PhD programs in its Graduate School of Engineering, including programs in engineering, medicine, and education.

Mathematics PhD Program

Students in this PhD program take courses in algebraic topology, differential topology, differential geometry, algebraic geometry, theory of probability, real analysis, modern algebra, and mathematical methods of imaging. In the first year, the coursework prepares the students for the qualifying examinations which test them on their skills in algebra and real-world analysis. 

Students must have a dissertation advisor and seek candidacy in their second year. Students will take their Area Examination during their third year, which must be completed by the conclusion of the Winter Quarter. In the fourth and fifth years, students are expected to finish their dissertation research.

Mathematics PhD Program Overview

  • Acceptance Rate: 5.7%
  • Tuition and Fees: $56,487
  • PhD Funding Opportunities: Federal programs, university fellowships, research assistantships, teaching assistantships

Mathematics PhD Program Admission Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited US college or university 
  • Unofficial transcripts/academic records
  • Names and contact information of those who can provide between three and six letters of recommendation
  • Online application
  • $125 application fee or fee waiver

University of California, Berkeley was founded in 1868. UC Berkeley is known for strict academic criteria for its undergraduate programs. The school has more than 130 academic departments and 80 multidisciplinary research areas. UC Berkeley is among the top universities in the world.

PhD Program in Applied Mathematics

The applied mathematics program requires doctoral students with previous graduate study in mathematics must demonstrate exceptional mathematical research skills. Students in this course can learn about linear algebra and differential equations, multivariable calculus, and discrete mathematics. There are also major electives like mathematical biology and statistics.

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PhD Program in Applied Mathematics Overview

  • Program Length: 5-6 years
  • Acceptance Rate: 18%
  • Tuition and Fees: $10,248.75/semester (resident); $17,799.75/semester (non-resident)
  • PhD Funding Opportunities : Berkeley Fellowships, Chancellor’s Fellowships, Cota-Robles Fellowships, Mentored Research Awards, UC Dissertation-Year Fellowships, Conference Travel Grants, Parent and Caregiver Grants

PhD Program in Applied Mathematics Admission Requirements

  • A bachelor’s degree or equivalent from an accredited institution
  • A minimum GPA of 3.0
  • Enough experience in your undergraduate program to complete the program
  • At least three letters of recommendation
  • $120 application fee (California residents); $140 application fee (all other applicants)

The University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is among the top 30 national universities. It was founded in 1817 in Ann Arbor. Some of the most popular majors from this university are business administration, experimental psychology, and economics. It also has good PhD level programs in education, electrical and computer engineering, and computer and information science.

Applied & Interdisciplinary Mathematics PhD

This PhD degree's purpose is to create graduates who are well-prepared to pursue successful careers in the mathematical sciences, whether in government or academia. Students in the applied and interdisciplinary mathematics course can learn about risk management and modeling of financial losses, mathematical theory of probability, and modern mathematics.

Applied & Interdisciplinary Mathematics PhD Overview

  • Program Length: 5-6 years 
  • Acceptance Rate: 26%
  • Tuition and Fees: $25,230.38 (in state); $50,646.38 (out of state)
  • PhD Funding Opportunities: Graduate Student Instructorship (GSI): Mathematics Graduate Student Instructor Teacher Training Program, and Graduate Student Research Assistantship (GSRA)

Applied & Interdisciplinary Mathematics PhD Admission Requirements

  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Personal Statement (500-word limit)
  • TOEFL or IELTS Exam (non-native English speakers)
  • Three semesters of calculus
  • One or two semesters of differential equation courses
  • One semester course in modern algebra, linear algebra, geometry or topology
  • Advanced calculus of one and several variables 
  • $75 application fee (US citizens); $90 application fee (international applicants)

Nelson Dewey, the first governor of Wisconsin, founded the University of Wisconsin in 1848. It has one of the best engineering and business majors. It also has several good graduate degrees from its Department of Mathematics like Doctor of Philosophy, Master of Arts – Foundations of Advanced Studies, and Master of Arts – Foundations for Research.

Mathematics, PhD

The University of Wisconsin’s Doctor of Philosophy program offers a foundation in fundamental and advanced graduate mathematics. Students in this PhD program can learn about linear algebra, abstract algebra, differential equations, knot theory, and real analysis.

Mathematics, PhD Overview

  • Program Length: 5 years
  • Acceptance Rate: 16%
  • Tuition and Fees: $12,176/year (in state); $25,504/year (out of state)
  • PhD Funding Opportunities: Graduate assistantships, fellowships, traineeships, student loans, student jobs, research and travel grants

Mathematics, PhD Admission Requirements

  • Application to the UW–Madison Graduate School
  • Master’s degree in mathematics or a related field
  • Official transcripts
  • Supplementary information form
  • Three academic letters of recommendation and one additional letter
  • Proof of English proficiency (for non-native speakers)
  • One-page statement of purpose

Yale University was founded in 1701 in New Haven, Connecticut. It is among the top 10 national universities and is known for its Ivy League reputation . Yale has many PhD programs like anthropology, applied physics, architecture, biomedical engineering, chemical, and environmental engineering. 

PhD in Applied Mathematics

The applied mathematics program entails the study and application of mathematics to issues prompted by a diverse set of application fields. Students study and apply mathematics concepts to questions driven by a variety of applicable fields.

It covers topics such as discrete algorithms, linear and nonlinear partial differential equations, statistical theory and applications, information theory, econometrics, and classical and modern applied harmonic analysis. This program also covers topics like financial statistics, financial mathematics, econometrics probability theory, and information theory. 

PhD in Applied Mathematics Overview

  • Acceptance Rate: 6.2%
  • Tuition and Fees: $45,700/year
  • PhD Funding Opportunities: Financial aid, university fellowships, dissertation fellowships, teaching fellowships

PhD in Applied Mathematics Admission Requirements

  • A list of all the prior colleges or universities you’ve attended 
  • Unofficial transcripts from each school
  • TOEFL scores (non-native English-speaking applicants)

Can You Get a PhD in Mathematics Online?

Yes, you can get a PhD in Mathematics online. However, there aren’t many online PhD math programs out there because of two reasons. The first reason is that there isn’t a big demand for PhDs in Mathematics, so online universities are not inclined to find ways to make those programs more accessible.

The second reason is that in traditional doctoral studies graduate students in mathematics are used as research and teaching assistants. Usually, math doctoral studies take place within a community in which PhD students are apprentices learning alongside instructors and one another.

Best Online PhD Programs in Mathematics

How long does it take to get a phd in mathematics.

It takes about five years to get a PhD in Mathematics. Depending on the academic institution and the specifications of the program, it can take between three and six years. Some students prefer to have a master’s degree before entering a doctoral program in mathematics, but most programs do not require students to have more than a bachelor’s degree .

Some doctoral mathematics academic programs offer two degrees called dual degree programs. You can begin pursuing a Master’s Degree in Mathematics and begin earning credits for a PhD at the same time.

Is a PhD in Mathematics Hard?

Yes, a PhD in Mathematics is hard. Doctoral studies that require advanced knowledge of mathematics would be extremely difficult for most people. Whether you choose to pursue a PhD in Applied Mathematics or Pure Mathematics, you will encounter complex theoretical concepts.

How Much Does It Cost to Get a PhD in Mathematics?

On average, it costs $12,171 per year to get a PhD in Mathematics . This data is based on the National Center for Educational Statistics’s (NCES) report for the average costs of postgraduate studies at public institutions from 2018 to 2019. According to this data, it would cost a total of $48,684 for four years of studies. The cost to get a PhD in Mathematics has likely risen since 2019.

How to Pay for a PhD in Mathematics: PhD Funding Options

The PhD funding options that students can use to pay for a PhD in Mathematics include research fellowships, teaching assistantships, and tuition waivers. In the previous section, we mentioned the cost of doctoral degrees , but this number is with a deduction in the tuition.

These funding options enable students to lower the cost of tuition. For example, domestic students receive lower tuitions. Without funding options or deductions, a PhD can cost from $20,000 to $30,000 per year.

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What Is the Difference Between a Mathematics Master’s Degree and PhD?

The difference between a Master’s Degree in Mathematics and a PhD is the career opportunities they provide graduates. People who pursue a PhD in Mathematics usually seek jobs in research and academia, while people who pursue master’s degrees are more interested in advancing their professional careers.

A PhD in Math is more research-intensive and focused on historical and current perspectives within the mathematics field. Master’s degrees are a bit broader. Master’s degrees can take up to three years to complete, while PhD can take up to six years. Math PhD students also teach and engage in departmental activities, while master’s students do not.

Master’s vs PhD in Mathematics Job Outlook

It is usually required for postsecondary teachers to have PhDs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), these professionals have a job outlook of 12 percent , four percent higher than the average for all occupations.

Mathematics and statisticians are usually required to hold a master’s degree and they have a job outlook of 33 percent , nearly three times the average for all occupations. According to these numbers, the job outlook for Master’s Degrees in Mathematics is higher than for PhDs in Mathematics. However, these are just two examples of careers available to master’s and PhD holders.

Difference in Salary for Mathematics Master’s vs PhD

According to PayScale, mathematicians with a master’s degree earn $85,000 per year, and mathematicians with a PhD degree earn $110,000 a year. This is a difference of $25,000 per year for mathematics master’s vs PhD holders.

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Why You Should Get a PhD in Mathematics

You should get a PhD in Mathematics because it expands your academic career opportunities and salary options. With a PhD in Math, you can work for private businesses or government agencies. Many PhD grads work in engineering, medicine, and software development, where they apply the advanced mathematical knowledge they acquired from their doctoral programs.

Reasons for Getting a PhD in Mathematics

  • Specialized skills. A PhD in Mathematics equips you with highly valuable and marketable skills. Aside from subject-specific abilities, you can obtain several transferable skills that will be beneficial in practically any industry, such as exceptional numeracy, logical ability, holistic deduction, and reasoning skills.
  • Higher salary. A PhD is a terminal graduate degree, meaning it is the highest level of academic certification you can achieve in this field. So with a PhD you will gain the highest skills and knowledge in mathematics. High-level skills and knowledge often translate to a high salary.
  • Career opportunities. One of the best advantages math PhDs have is the option of following a variety of employment pathways. To some extent, all sciences are built on basic mathematical principles, so there are many career opportunities with a PhD in Mathematics. With this kind of degree, you can work in finance, academia, or IT.
  • Research opportunities. Doctoral Degrees in Mathematics cover theoretical mathematics which is one of the best areas for research and research methodology. During your doctoral studies in math, you will study and research with some of the smartest people in the world.

Getting a PhD in Mathematics: Mathematics PhD Coursework

a female PhD Student solving a mathematical test

Getting a PhD in Mathematics is not an easy task. Students need to learn different math courses, some of which require advanced knowledge of mathematics. There is some standard mathematics PhD coursework, like classes in mathematical analysis or mathematical logic. Find out more details on common mathematics PhD courses below.

Mathematical Analysis

These kinds of courses explain the principles of mathematical analysis, including differentiability, continuity, sequence and series convergence, the Riemann integral, function sequences, and series. Students can also learn real applications of real-world analysis, including the estimation of indeterminate integrals, Laurent series, WKB theory, Cauchy theorem, and residual theorem.

Differential Topology

Courses in differential topology are a part of the theory of differential forms and De Rham’s theory. Somer differential topology courses teach about multilinear algebra, Stokes’ theorem, and an introduction to cohomology. But, in most cases, these courses teach about winding numbers, vector fields, index, smooth maps, transversality, and differential manifolds.

Discrete Mathematics

Courses in discrete mathematics usually cover finite geometry, finite groups, finite topology, finite fields, fundamental algebraic topology, combinatorics, and graph theory. Students can learn about the symmetry group of the regular icosahedron because it is a reoccurring subject throughout the course.

Theory of Probability

Theory of probability courses introduce students to discrete and continuous random variables, independent random variables, conditional probability, distribution functions, Poisson distributions, Bayes theorem, and joint distribution. Students in this course will learn how to use math principles in the analysis of random phenomena.

Algebraic Geometry

In most cases, algebraic geometry courses teach students about complex algebraic varieties, cohomology, affine, and projective algebraic geometry. They also cover the fundamental concepts of complex analytic varieties, Bezout’s theorem, algebraic curves, and surfaces, the language of schemes, and properties of morphisms.

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How to Get a PhD in Mathematics: Doctoral Program Requirements

Some of the most common doctoral program requirements to get a PhD in Mathematics are coursework, qualifying exams, research, classroom teaching, and thesis defense. Some doctoral program requirements may vary, but there are a few common steps for most math programs. Keep reading to find out more.

PhD students must finish eight or nine-term courses at the graduate level, in most cases maintaining at least a C average grade. The time for completion of a PhD math coursework is four to five years.

The residency requirement can vary from university to university. For most math PhD candidates, the usual residency requirement is around three years. The whole point of residency is to continue the education and training of students in a specialized field of mathematics.

A committee of three faculty members administers the Qualifying Examination, which is an oral test. Each student selects three qualifying test subjects and discusses them with appropriate examiners. Subjects must be in separate, reasonably broad mathematical fields. 

Typically, the primary topic is decided in cooperation with the potential thesis advisor. After completing the qualifying test, students must choose a thesis advisor, who is usually the primary topic examiner.

In academic positions, teaching is important, especially in mathematical doctoral studies. Many people in math PhD programs aspire to academic positions, so teaching is one of the best ways to learn about the mathematics academic profession. It is an excellent way to learn public presentation skills by completing at least one semester of classroom teaching.

Writing and defending a thesis for a PhD in Mathematics is the culmination of this graduate program. Usually, a thesis is anticipated to contain original research of a high enough quality to be published in a high-level research journal. The defense is usually held in the classroom of the Institute and is presented to the Thesis Examination Committee.

Potential Careers With a Mathematics Degree

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PhD in Mathematics Salary and Job Outlook

People with a PhD in Mathematics earn above the average annual salaries and have careers with above the average job growth. For example, actuaries have a 24 percent job growth till 2030. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average job growth rate for all occupations is 7.7 percent .

Earning a mathematics PhD is difficult but you will graduate with a wide range of job opportunities. People with a PhD in Math earn between $82,360 to $108,660 per year. Overall, people with PhDs in Mathematics have a good salary and job outlook.

What Can You Do With a PhD in Mathematics?

With a PhD in Mathematics, you can work in education or IT and for private, corporate, or government corporations. You can work as a postdoctoral research associate, a math professor in postsecondary or higher education, a director of analytics, a research scientist, a principal software engineer, or an asset manager.

Best Jobs with a PhD in Mathematics

  • Data Scientist
  • Mathematicians and Statistician
  • Operations Research Analyst

What Is the Average Salary for a PhD in Mathematics?

The average salary for a PhD in Mathematics is $110,000 , according to PayScale. The salary range for doctorate-level degree mathematics jobs ranges from $48,690 to $167,040 per year. Lower-earning operations research analysts make an average of $48,690 , while top-earning data scientists earn $167,040 annually, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Highest-Paying Mathematics Jobs for PhD Grads

Best mathematics jobs with a doctorate.

There are many jobs you can find with a math PhD. The skills you will gain are applicable to almost any field. Find out more about the best PhD in Mathematics jobs below.

Data scientists are specialists who know how to extract and interpret data. They know how to use models and algorithms to analyze massive data repositories. They use various strategies to determine the optimal methods for developing a data model for a business. Data scientist is one of the most in-demand and highest-paid jobs in 2022. 

  • Salary with a Mathematics PhD: $108,660
  • Job Outlook: 22% job growth from 2020 to 2030
  • Number of Jobs: 105,980
  • Highest-Paying States: Washington, California, Delaware, New York, New Jersey

Actuaries are more concerned with the financial implications of risk and uncertainty. Actuaries are financial analysts who analyze past and present financial data and forecast future risks. They assess risk using financial theory, statistics, and math and develop plans that reduce the cost of risk.

  • Salary with a Mathematics PhD: $105,900
  • Job Outlook: 24% job growth from 2020 to 2030
  • Number of Jobs: 27,700
  • Highest-Paying States: Georgia, New Hampshire, New York, Connecticut, Vermont

Some of the main responsibilities economists have are to predict the customer demand for the firm's products and the firm's product sales. They deal extensively with microeconomic issues while researching trends, collecting, evaluating, and analyzing data. Economists also investigate how to efficiently allocate resources like raw materials, labor, land, or machines.

  • Salary with a Mathematics PhD: $105,630
  • Job Outlook: 13% job growth from 2020 to 2030
  • Number of Jobs: 18,600
  • Highest-Paying States: New York, District of Columbia California, New Hampshire, Illinois

In most cases mathematicians and statisticians work in academia and government. Usually, both of the positions require the use of analyzing data or applying statistical and mathematical techniques that help solve problems. 

Statisticians are increasingly involved in statistics and research methodology. Mathematicians are more involved in researching mathematical models or abstractly measuring values and creating results. Mathematics and statistics are the best duos that understand the principles of probability.

  • Salary with a Mathematics PhD: $96,280
  • Job Outlook: 33% job growth from 2020 to 2030
  • Number of Jobs: 44,800
  • Highest-Paying States: District of Columbia, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland

Operations research analysts utilize mathematics and logic to assist businesses in making informed decisions and solving complex problems. They are high-level problem solvers that use sophisticated approaches such as mathematical modeling and statistical analysis to help companies operate more economically.

  • Salary with a Mathematics PhD: $82,360
  • Job Outlook: 25% job growth from 2020 to 2030
  • Number of Jobs: 104,100
  • Highest-Paying States: Virginia, Alabama, Maryland, Hawaii, New York

Is a PhD in Mathematics Worth It?

Yes, a PhD in Mathematics is worth it if you are interested in solving math problems and analytical thinking. You also have to be willing to commit to the long educational journey and research required to achieve this level of degree.

Exploring the mathematical fields is challenging and demanding but with time it provides excellent career opportunities. Math positions are respected and well-paid with positive job outlooks. Other than its academic difficulty, there aren’t many downsides when it comes to doctoral math degrees because you can go on to work in many fields.

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PhD in Mathematics FAQ

Yes, a math PhD is useful because it will help you acquire some transferable skills that will be useful in virtually any industry. It is also useful for those interested in mathematics research or academia. If you wonder what you can do with a math degree , a PhD will equip you with many valuable skills.

Yes, a PhD in Mathematics is difficult to learn. It is difficult to be admitted to a doctoral program in mathematics, and it is also difficult and too abstract for most people to grasp advanced mathematical principles taught in PhD studies. Doctoral math studies are objectively difficult, even for those who are naturally strong at math and have excelled at it their whole life.

Mathematicians need several skills like active learning, complex problem-solving, critical thinking, and analytical skills. A good mathematician also needs information ordering and inductive and deductive reasoning abilities.

Mathematicians mainly explore mathematical principles or models and create their own mathematical theories and concepts. Most of the work they do is in the theoretical realm, that is why they mainly want to work in IT, social science, engineering, or financial fields.

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The Graduate Program

The Department of Mathematics offers Ph.D. programs in Mathematics and Applied Mathematics. The department also supports students in the  Graduate Group in Logic and the Methodology of Science , an interdisciplinary doctoral program shared between the departments of Philosophy and Mathematics. At this time, we no longer offer a terminal Master's degree program.

To review the policies and procedures of the Graduate Program, please refer to our  Graduate Student Handbook .

Please note: Some Mathematics Advising Services have been moved to virtual platforms. You can find the latest information on UC Berkeley’s prevention and response efforts  related to COVID-19 here.

Graduate Program Contacts 

The Graduate Program is overseen by the Departmental Vice Chair for Graduate Affairs and the Graduate Student Affairs Officers. 

  • Professor Tom Scanlon, Vice Chair for Graduate Affairs
  • Clay Calder, Graduate Student Affairs Officer
  • Christian Natividad, Graduate Student Affairs Officer 
  • Vicky Lee, Director of Student Services

For Questions Regarding Math Graduate Admissions: Please see the Admissions web page  here . After reviewing the admissions website, if you have further questions please email [email protected] .

Mathematical Modeling Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Degree

A female student writes on a see-through board with mathematical formulas on it.

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The mathematical modeling Ph.D. enables you to develop mathematical models to investigate, analyze, predict, and solve the behaviors of a range of fields from medicine, engineering, and business to physics and science.

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Overview for Mathematical Modeling Ph.D.

Mathematical modeling is the process of developing mathematical descriptions, or models, of real-world systems. These models can be linear or nonlinear, discrete or continuous, deterministic or stochastic, and static or dynamic, and they enable investigating, analyzing, and predicting the behavior of systems in a wide variety of fields. Through extensive study and research, graduates of the mathematical modeling Ph.D. will have the expertise not only to use the tools of mathematical modeling in various application settings, but also to contribute in creative and innovative ways to the solution of complex interdisciplinary problems and to communicate effectively with domain experts in various fields.

Plan of Study

The degree requires at least 60 credit hours of course work and research. The curriculum consists of three required core courses, three required concentration foundation courses, a course in scientific computing and high-performance computing (HPC), three elective courses focused on the student’s chosen research concentration, and a doctoral dissertation. Elective courses are available from within the School of Mathematics and Statistics as well as from other graduate programs at RIT, which can provide application-specific courses of interest for particular research projects. A minimum of 30 credits hours of course work is required. In addition to courses, at least 30 credit hours of research, including the Graduate Research Seminar, and an interdisciplinary internship outside of RIT are required.

Students develop a plan of study in consultation with an application domain advisory committee. This committee consists of the program director, one of the concentration leads, and an expert from an application domain related to the student’s research interest. The committee ensures that all students have a roadmap for completing their degree based on their background and research interests. The plan of study may be revised as needed. Learn more about our mathematical modeling doctoral students and view a selection of mathematical modeling seminars hosted by the department.

Qualifying Examinations

All students must pass two qualifying examinations to determine whether they have sufficient knowledge of modeling principles, mathematics, and computational methods to conduct doctoral research. Students must pass the examinations in order to continue in the Ph.D. program.

The first exam is based on the Numerical Analysis I (MATH-602) and Mathematical Modeling I, II (MATH-622, 722). The second exam is based on the student's concentration foundation courses and additional material deemed appropriate by the committee and consists of a short research project.

Dissertation Research Advisor and Committee

A dissertation research advisor is selected from the program faculty based on the student's research interests, faculty research interest, and discussions with the program director. Once a student has chosen a dissertation advisor, the student, in consultation with the advisor, forms a dissertation committee consisting of at least four members, including the dissertation advisor. The committee includes the dissertation advisor, one other member of the mathematical modeling program faculty, and an external chair appointed by the dean of graduate education. The external chair must be a tenured member of the RIT faculty who is not a current member of the mathematical modeling program faculty. The fourth committee member must not be a member of the RIT faculty and may be a professional affiliated with industry or with another institution; the program director must approve this committee member.

The main duties of the dissertation committee are administering both the candidacy exam and final dissertation defense. In addition, the dissertation committee assists students in planning and conducting their dissertation research and provides guidance during the writing of the dissertation.

Admission to Candidacy

When a student has developed an in-depth understanding of their dissertation research topic, the dissertation committee administers an examination to determine if the student will be admitted to candidacy for the doctoral degree. The purpose of the examination is to ensure that the student has the necessary background knowledge, command of the problem, and intellectual maturity to carry out the specific doctoral-level research project. The examination may include a review of the literature, preliminary research results, and proposed research directions for the completed dissertation. Requirements for the candidacy exam include both a written dissertation proposal and the presentation of an oral defense of the proposal. This examination must be completed at least one year before the student can graduate.

Dissertation Defense and Final Examination

The dissertation defense and final examination may be scheduled after the dissertation has been written and distributed to the dissertation committee and the committee has consented to administer the final examination. Copies of the dissertation must be distributed to all members of the dissertation committee at least four weeks prior to the final examination. The dissertation defense consists of an oral presentation of the dissertation research, which is open to the public. This public presentation must be scheduled and publicly advertised at least four weeks prior to the examination. After the presentation, questions will be fielded from the attending audience and the final examination, which consists of a private questioning of the candidate by the dissertation committee, will ensue. After the questioning, the dissertation committee immediately deliberates and thereafter notifies the candidate and the mathematical modeling graduate director of the result of the examination.

All students in the program must spend at least two consecutive semesters (summer excluded) as resident full-time students to be eligible to receive the doctoral degree.

Maximum Time Limitations

University policy requires that doctoral programs be completed within seven years of the date of the student passing the qualifying exam. All candidates must maintain continuous enrollment during the research phase of the program. Such enrollment is not limited by the maximum number of research credits that apply to the degree.

National Labs Career Fair

Hosted by RIT’s Office of Career Services and Cooperative Education, the National Labs Career Fair is an annual event that brings representatives to campus from the United States’ federally funded research and development labs. These national labs focus on scientific discovery, clean energy development, national security, technology advancements, and more. Students are invited to attend the career fair to network with lab professionals, learn about opportunities, and interview for co-ops, internships, research positions, and full-time employment.

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The College of Science consistently receives research grant awards from organizations that include the National Science Foundation , National Institutes of Health , and NASA , which provide you with unique opportunities to conduct cutting-edge research with our faculty members.

Faculty in the School of Mathematics and Statistics conducts research on a broad variety of topics including:

  • applied inverse problems and optimization
  • applied statistics and data analytics
  • biomedical mathematics
  • discrete mathematics
  • dynamical systems and fluid dynamics
  • geometry, relativity, and gravitation
  • mathematics of earth and environment systems
  • multi-messenger and multi-wavelength astrophysics

Learn more by exploring the school’s mathematics research areas .

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Ph.D. student explores fire through visual art and math modeling

Mathematical Modeling Ph.D. student, Jenna Sjunneson McDanold, explores fire through visual art and mathematical modeling.

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Mathematical Modeling, Curtain Coating, and Glazed Donuts

Bridget Torsey (Mathematical Modeling)

In her research, Bridget Torsey, a Math Modeling Ph.D. student, developed a mathematical model that can optimize curtain coating processes used to cover donuts with glaze so they taste great.

Dr. Tony Wong sitting at desk in front of computer

Your Partners in Success: Meet Our Faculty, Dr. Wong

Dr. Tony Wong

Mathematics is a powerful tool for answering questions. From mitigating climate risks to splitting the dinner bill, Professor Wong shows students that math is more than just a prerequisite.

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February 22, 2024

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RIT researchers highlight the changing connectivity of the Amazon rainforest to global climate

The Amazon rainforest is a unique region where climatologists have studied the effects of warming and deforestation for decades. With the global climate crisis becoming more evident, a new study is linking the Amazon to climate change around the rest of the world.

May 8, 2023

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Squishing the barriers of physics

Four RIT faculty members are opening up soft matter physics, sometimes known as “squishy physics,” to a new generation of diverse scholars. Moumita Das, Poornima Padmanabhan, Shima Parsa, and Lishibanya Mohapatra are helping RIT make its mark in the field.

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RIT to award record number of Ph.D. degrees

RIT will confer a record 69 Ph.D. degrees during commencement May 12, marking a 53 percent increase from last year.

Curriculum for 2023-2024 for Mathematical Modeling Ph.D.

Current Students: See Curriculum Requirements

Mathematical Modeling, Ph.D. degree, typical course sequence

Concentrations, applied inverse problems, biomedical mathematics, discrete mathematics, dynamical systems and fluid dynamics, geometry, relativity and gravitation, admissions and financial aid.

This program is available on-campus only.

Full-time study is 9+ semester credit hours. International students requiring a visa to study at the RIT Rochester campus must study full‑time.

Application Details

To be considered for admission to the Mathematical Modeling Ph.D. program, candidates must fulfill the following requirements:

  • Complete an online graduate application .
  • Submit copies of official transcript(s) (in English) of all previously completed undergraduate and graduate course work, including any transfer credit earned.
  • Hold a baccalaureate degree (or US equivalent) from an accredited university or college.
  • A recommended minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (or equivalent).
  • Submit a current resume or curriculum vitae.
  • Submit a statement of purpose for research which will allow the Admissions Committee to learn the most about you as a prospective researcher.
  • Submit two letters of recommendation .
  • Entrance exam requirements: None
  • Writing samples are optional.
  • Submit English language test scores (TOEFL, IELTS, PTE Academic), if required. Details are below.

English Language Test Scores

International applicants whose native language is not English must submit one of the following official English language test scores. Some international applicants may be considered for an English test requirement waiver .

International students below the minimum requirement may be considered for conditional admission. Each program requires balanced sub-scores when determining an applicant’s need for additional English language courses.

How to Apply   Start or Manage Your Application

Cost and Financial Aid

An RIT graduate degree is an investment with lifelong returns. Ph.D. students typically receive full tuition and an RIT Graduate Assistantship that will consist of a research assistantship (stipend) or a teaching assistantship (salary).

Additional Information

Foundation courses.

Mathematical modeling encompasses a wide variety of scientific disciplines, and candidates from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. If applicants have not taken the expected foundational course work, the program director may require the student to successfully complete foundational courses prior to matriculating into the Ph.D. program. Typical foundation course work includes calculus through multivariable and vector calculus, differential equations, linear algebra, probability and statistics, one course in computer programming, and at least one course in real analysis, numerical analysis, or upper-level discrete mathematics.

DisCoMath Seminar: Strategy Stealing Games

University of Mississippi homepage

Ph.D. in Mathematics

  • Academic Programs

Professor with Ph.D. candidate at a hooding ceremony.

About this Program

On this page…, program information, program type.

Doctorate Program

Area of Study

Sciences, Mathematics, and Technology

College of Liberal Arts

Program Location

Required credit hours, program details.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: February 1

The Department of Mathematics welcomes student applications with the following materials. Additional details are found on the department website .

  • Complete the Graduate School’s Online Application.
  • Pay the application fee ($50).
  • Submit official transcripts.
  • International applicants whose first language is not English may be required to submit scores from an acceptable English language proficiency test .
  • Upload Supplemental Application materials for the Department of Mathematics to the link provided by the online application.
  • Three letters of recommendation: provide contact information for three recommenders  

Students accepted to the Ph.D. program who do not possess a master's degree in mathematics are encouraged to obtain the master's degree while in the doctoral program. 

Students in the Ph.D. in Mathematics program complete 57 credit hours.

  • Math 625, 626: Modern Algebra sequence
  • Math 753, 754: Real Analysis sequence 
  • Math 655, 656: Complex Analysis sequence
  • Math 501: General Topology (Math 501)
  • Dissertation (18 hours)

A student must pass comprehensive examinations in three areas: Real Analysis, Algebra, and a third area chosen by the candidate. Students complete the prospectus defense and defend the dissertation. 

Most of our graduate students are supported with teaching assistantships. Students with a graduate assistantship also receive a scholarship that covers some or all of the tuition and non-residency fee, if applicable, for regular semesters and subsidized health insurance .

The Department of Mathematics also has scholarships including the Mirneal C. and Charles A. Brown scholarship.

The Graduate School’s financial aid webpage lists a variety of funding possibilities, including summer support and a recruiting fellowship program that promotes academic excellence and access to graduate education to groups who are historically underrepresented.  

What is the Study of Mathematics?

Jeremy T Clark

Jeremy Clark, Co-graduate Program Coordinator

We’re here to help! If you have any questions about the Ph.D. in Mathematics, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me or Dr. Wei.

Jeremy T Clark

Associate Professor of Mathematics

Bing Wei

Bing Wei, Co-graduate Program Coordinator

We’re here to help! If you have any questions about the Ph.D. in Mathematics, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me or Dr. Clark.

Professor of Mathematics

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We have a variety of scholarships and financial aid options to help make college more affordable for you and your family.

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College of Education

Overview: phd mathematics & science education.

The PhD in Education:  Curriculum and Instruction offers students opportunities to study in three major areas of concentration:  (a)  Curriculum Studies ; (b)  Literacy, Language, and Culture ; (c ) Mathematics and Science Education .  Students in this PhD program apply to and are admitted to one of these three concentrations.  These concentrations have some common elements but they also differ in a number of important ways.  Therefore, each of these concentrations is described separately.  You should refer to the description of the concentration to which you have been admitted.  You should also refer to later sections of this handbook that provide additional information about conducting dissertation research successfully.

The MSE PhD program spans P-20 mathematics and science education in urban settings in and out of schools. The focus is on developing new knowledge that improves science and mathematics education and has an impact on the communities we serve. Students engage in coursework and research experiences that guide them to view issues of learning, teaching, curriculum, assessment, and policy through sociocultural and sociopolitical lenses where equity, social justice, race, language, culture, and identity are essential considerations.

Program faculty members are widely recognized as leaders in their respective fields. They have published extensively on the educational experiences of African American and Latino learners, and bring to their research and teaching strong disciplinary education in STEM fields. They also have considerable records of mentoring and preparing scholars from traditionally underrepresented groups, as well as preparing and collaborating with P-20 science and mathematics teachers and faculty.

Graduates of the MSE program are well prepared to assume a variety of positions in colleges, universities, organizations, and informal educational settings to improve the mathematics and science education of children, adolescents, and adult learners through research.

Overview of Requirements (Fall 2013) Heading link Copy link

The program requires a minimum of 98 semester hours beyond the baccalaureate degree and a minimum of 66 semester hours beyond the master’s degree.  These requirements include completion of a 12-hour Doctoral Studies Core, a 12-hour methodology requirement, 12 hours of the MSE program core, and 12 hours in one of the two disciplinary strands (i.e., mathematics education or science education). Students are required to pass written and oral portions of a preliminary examination and successfully defend their dissertation research.  Requirements are as follows for students who enter the program with an earned master’s degree.

  • COE Doctoral Studies Core –12 hours
  • Methodology Requirement – 12 hours
  • Mathematics and Science Education Program Core – 12 hours
  • Proseminar in Curriculum and Instruction – 2 hours
  • Mathematics  or  Science Education Specialization – 12 hours
  • Teaching Apprenticeship, Research Project, or Independent Study – 4 hours
  • Preliminary Examination – Written Portion
  • Preparation of a Dissertation Research Proposal
  • Preliminary Examination – Oral Portion
  • Dissertation Research – 12 hours (minimum)
  • Dissertation Defense

Students who enter with a bachelor’s but not a master’s degree must take up to 32 hours of additional course work (the equivalent of a master’s degree) in an area of specialization.

Doctoral Studies Core (12 hours) Heading link Copy link

All doctoral degrees in the College of Education require a core of courses that focuses on different types of research in educational settings, research design, and the analysis of educational data.  These core courses will help you develop the  minimum  skills needed to evaluate research literature and to begin your own independent research.  You are encouraged to take these core courses early in your program; however, you may take other courses in the program before completing this set of courses.

The requirements of the Doctoral Studies Core are:

  • ED 504—Urban Contexts and Educational Research (4 hours)
  • ED 505—Introduction to Educational Research: Paradigms and Processes (4 hours)
  • ED 506—Introduction to Educational Research: Designs and Analyses (4 hours)

Methodology Requirement (12 hours) Heading link Copy link

In addition to the Doctoral Studies Core above, you must take a minimum of three research methodology courses as described below.  Note also that you may choose or be encouraged by your faculty advisor to take additional courses in research methodology beyond these minimums in order to meet your personal scholarly and professional goals.

The Methodology Requirement includes:

  • ED 502—Essentials of Qualitative Inquiry in Education (4 hours)
  • ED 503/EPSY 503—Essentials of Quantitative Inquiry in Education (4 hours)
  • A third methodology course selected in consultation with your advisor (4 hours)

Math and Science Concentration Program Core (12 hours) Heading link Copy link

  • CI 517 – The Sociopolitcal Context of Mathematics and Science Education (4 hours)
  • CI 518 – Race, Identity, and Agency in Mathematics and Science Education (4 hours)
  • CI 573 – Multimodality, Multiliteracies, & Science and Mathematics Education (4 hrs)

Proseminar in Curriculum and Instruction (CI 500, 2 hours) Heading link Copy link

CI 500 is designed to help you meet faculty members and be introduced to the wide range of research approaches used in the field of curriculum studies in general, including mathematics and science education.

Mathematics or Science Education Specialization (12 hours – Choose 3 Courses) Heading link Copy link

  • CI 516 – Research on Mathematics Teachers and Teaching (4 hours)
  • CI 519 — Research on the Learning of Mathematics (4 hours)
  • CI 520 – The K-12 Mathematics Curriculum: Theory, Politics, and Reform (4 hrs)
  • CI 566 – Research on Science Curriculum (4 hours)
  • CI 567 – Research on Science Teaching and Teacher Education (4 hours)
  • CI 570 – Research on Science Learning (4 hours)

Teaching Apprenticeship, Research Project, or Independent Study (CI 592, 593, or 596, 4 hours) Heading link Copy link

You should complete at least 4 hours from among the following options:

Teaching Apprenticeship (CI 592)

An apprenticeship in teaching is strongly recommended for those individuals intending to pursue a career in higher education.  The apprenticeship in teaching requires that you register for CI 592—Apprenticeship in Teacher Education and co-teach a university course under the direction of a faculty sponsor.  The course that you teach should be related to your interests and future career objectives.  A faculty member will be the instructor of record and will supervise you closely throughout the internship.  You will assume responsibility for course instruction, student interaction, and evaluation to the extent negotiated with the instructor.  In addition to this apprenticeship in teaching, you are also encouraged to seek opportunities to deliver guest lectures in other classes offered by the faculty.

Research Project (CI 593)

The research project is an important beginning experience in doing actual research in a chosen area of study.  The research project may also give you an opportunity to explore and pilot ideas for your dissertation research.  You may seek out any faculty to guide and oversee your research project.  Ideally, you would engage in all aspects of research from design through execution, analysis, and writing of results. Such work may lead to a presentation at a scholarly conference or to submission of a manuscript to a professional journal or other publication (e.g., a book chapter, journal paper, etc.).  See Section V on the possible need for IRB approval before conducting a research project. Collaborating with faculty on a larger research project may also be used to fulfill this requirement.

You should consult with your faculty advisor to determine when you are ready to embark on a research project.  You must then find a faculty member to help design and conduct the project.  This faculty member may be your program advisor or another faculty member who has particular expertise and experience to support the project.

Independent Study (CI 596)

In consultation with your advisor, and with the agreement and approval of a supervising faculty member, you may choose to register for an Independent Study (CI 596) project.   This option allows you to design, implement and analyze the results of a research problem in your area of specialization.

Annual Reviews Heading link Copy link

You are required to submit a formal progress report each year.  These reports provide you with an opportunity to reflect on whether you are meeting your goals while allowing faculty to assess whether adequate progress is being made.  Program faculty review and discuss these reports and provide written feedback to you about whether you are meeting expectations.  Recommendations for ways to enhance or sustain your progress are a likely result of this process.  If you are not making adequate progress you may be placed on probation and given directive feedback on how to proceed.

Preliminary Examination Heading link Copy link

The purpose of the preliminary examination is to determine your readiness to undertake dissertation research.  The examination has two parts: a written portion (written prelims) that focuses primarily on your program of study, and an oral portion (oral prelims) that focuses primarily on your dissertation proposal.  Passing the preliminary examination constitutes formal admission to candidacy for the PhD.

Written prelims should be taken when you have completed your coursework, or concurrently with your last course(s).  Oral prelims should be taken after you pass the written prelims  and  have completed your dissertation proposal.  Passing the oral prelims constitutes approval of your dissertation research direction.  Before beginning your dissertation research, you must also receive approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) if the research involves human subjects (see Section V).

Written Prelims Heading link Copy link

You should begin making arrangements to take the written prelims when you have finished, or you are almost finishing, your coursework.  First, you must find a faculty member to chair your written prelims committee.  Your faculty program advisor can help with this task.  Your program advisor may serve as a your committee chair, or you may identify another Mathematics and Science Education program faculty member whose interests and expertise align more closely with your program of study and dissertation research.  You should work with the committee chair to identify and recruit at least two other members to serve on your written prelims committee. Your written prelims committee may, or may not, grow into your 5-member dissertation committee that evaluates your oral prelims, which is the defense of your dissertation proposal.  Thus, as you put together your written prelims committee, know the guidelines for the composition of the oral prelims committee, which is the same as your dissertation committee.

The chair of the written prelims committee will convene the other committee members to develop questions for the exam.  Generally, these questions ask you to integrate and apply knowledge and understandings gained from your coursework, research project, and independent readings with an eye onto your dissertation research direction.  You may choose to take the exam at the university or as a take-home assignment.  Written prelims are evaluated on a pass/fail basis.  If necessary, the entire exam or some portion can be retaken once.  After you have passed this exam, the chair will submit a form indicating this accomplishment to the College of Education Office of Student Services for inclusion in your file.

Dissertation Proposal Heading link Copy link

Your coursework, research project, independent readings, and written prelims should give you a good start on planning your dissertation research.  After passing the written prelims, you must complete a proposal for your dissertation research that you will defend during your oral prelims.

Dissertation research may be developed from the many possibilities related to your area of study and from a variety of research traditions.  The process of writing a dissertation proposal is challenging, but it provides great opportunities for creative and personally rewarding work.  Students often find it helpful to draw on their studies to date and avail themselves of the advice and support of their committee chair and members, other faculty, and fellow students whenever possible. Dissertation proposals may take many forms and be of varying lengths.  The organization, content, and length of the proposal are issues that you should decide in consultation with the chair of your dissertation committee.

When you and your committee chair agree that the dissertation proposal is ready for review and approval, you will work with the chair to distribute the proposal to members of your oral prelims committee (see below under Oral Prelims section) and schedule the defense of your proposal.  The proposal should be distributed to committee members for review at least three weeks before the scheduled date.  It is strongly recommended that a draft of the IRB application is included in the proposal.  As a rule, you should not submit your application to the IRB before the oral prelims are completed because committees may make recommendations for changing research protocols during the exam (i.e., proposal defense).  See Section V for information about IRB requirements and procedures.

Oral Prelims Heading link Copy link

The oral prelims are a hearing on the dissertation proposal with the primary function to assess and approve the dissertation research proposal.

Although the oral prelims committee can be later changed if needed, it should generally be expected to serve also as your dissertation committee and formed accordingly.  The dissertation committee should consist of five members including your chair who must be a Mathematics and Science Education program faculty. At least three members, including the chair, must be UIC faculty who are full members of the Graduate College.  Tenured or tenure-track faculty are usually full members of the Graduate College; clinical and visiting faculty generally are not.  Links to a listing of full members are available on the Graduate College website:  http://grad.uic.edu/cms/?pid=1000207 .  At least two committee members must be tenured faculty in the College of Education (i.e., associate professors or professors).  Also, at least two members must be Mathematics and Science Education program faculty.  The Graduate College also requires that a member is from outside the Program (see Section IV).  You should work with your oral prelims committee chair to identify and recruit at least four other members (possibly including any who have served on your written prelims committee) to serve on your oral prelims committee.

In order to formally constitute the oral prelims committee, you must submit to the Graduate College a Committee Recommendation Form.  This form may be obtained from the Graduate College’s website:  http://grad.uic.edu/cms/?pid=1000329 .    At the same time, you should ask the College of Education Office of Student Services (3145 EPASW) for a degree checklist (see Section IV).  A list of the courses taken is available through the my.UIC portal:  https://my.uic.edu/common/  . You must return the completed degree checklist with the signed Committee Recommendation Form to the College of Education Office of Student Services.   The completed form must be signed by the committee chair and submitted to the College of Education   Office of Student Services at least three weeks before the date of the examination.   Before submitting this form, you must be sure that the faculty members identified to serve on the committee have agreed to serve.  If you want to include a committee member who is  not  on the faculty at UIC or is  not  a member of the UIC Graduate College, the Graduate College must approve that member.  This approval process is initiated when the Committee Recommendation Form is submitted to the College of Education Office of Student Services.  A copy of the potential committee member’s full current curriculum vitae must be submitted with the Committee Recommendation Form.

The oral prelims are evaluated on a pass-fail basis.  If two or more members of the oral prelims committee assign a failing grade, the student fails the exam. Students who fail are sometimes asked to do additional work on or to revise their dissertation proposal before their committee gives final approval.  Even if the committee does not fail a student, it may require that the student make particular changes in the dissertation proposal before the proposal is approved.

Passing the oral prelims signifies that committee members have given their approval for you to carry out your proposed dissertation research.  Once you have reached this point, you must submit the final version of the IRB application for approval (see Section V).  Before an application is submitted to the IRB, you must have it reviewed and signed by the committee chair and the chair of the Curriculum and Instruction Department.

Dissertation Research (CI 599, 12 hours minimum) Heading link Copy link

After passing the oral prelims and receiving approval from the IRB, you may begin your dissertation research.  You must register for a minimum of 12 hours of dissertation credit during the time you conduct and write up your study.  After registering for the minimum of 12 hours of dissertation credit, if you have passed both the written and oral prelims, you may petition the Graduate College to be permitted to register for 0 (zero) hours of dissertation credit.  If permission is granted, you may continue to register for 0 hours if you continue to make satisfactory progress and are within the time limits for completion of the degree.  Note that even if you are eligible and successfully petition the Graduate College to register for 0 hours, you still  must  register  for 0 hours each semester until you have successfully defended the dissertation (although you do not need to register for 0 credits for the summer session unless the defense will be held during the summer).

The Graduate College makes an exception to the above registration requirement if the defense will occur during the late registration period for a term; in those cases, a doctoral defense will be allowed without student registration in that term.  This is assuming that you were registered the previous term, or the previous spring term in the instance of a fall defense (which should be the case since, as stated above, continuous registration is required).  The late registration period is the official first ten days of any fall or spring semester and the first five days of the summer term.  If you defend after the 10 th  day (5 th  in summer) you must be registered.

If you hold a fellowship, assistantship and/or tuition waiver, and do not resign from it, then registration is mandatory for the number of hours required to hold the award or assistantship.  If you hold a student visa, you probably do not have to register if you leave the country by the 10 th  day (5 th  in summer), although this should be verified with Office of International Services.

This (late period registration defense) exception does not affect the registration requirement to take the Preliminary Examination, or the general requirement of continuous registration from Preliminary Examination to defense.  Failure to register continuously may result in being administratively dropped from the program.  You should refer to Section IV for important additional information about constituting a dissertation committee and conducting dissertation research.

Dissertation Defense Heading link Copy link

When nearing the end of dissertation research, you should begin to plan your dissertation defense with your dissertation committee chair.  See Section IV for specific information about organizing and scheduling a dissertation defense and filing all the paperwork required before the defense can be conducted.

According to Graduate College regulations, at least one year must pass between completing the oral prelims and the dissertation defense.  If you fail to complete all program requirements, including the dissertation defense, within five years of passing the oral prelims, you must retake them.

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Phd in mathematics: requirements, salary, jobs, & career growth, what is phd in mathematics.

A PhD in Mathematics is a highly specialized degree that entails completing original research in a specific area of mathematics and making a significant contribution to the field.

Students in a PhD program generally take advanced mathematics courses to expand their understanding of the subject and to obtain the abilities needed to undertake research.

They collaborate extensively with faculty mentors and other researchers to create a research project that takes several years to finish.

A PhD in Mathematics study typically results in the discovery of new mathematical theories, proofs, or algorithms that can be applied in a variety of domains such as computer science, physics, finance, and engineering.

A PhD in Mathematics is a tough and rigorous curriculum that needs great mathematical competence, strong analytical skills, and endurance.

Graduates of mathematics PhD programs frequently move on to positions in academia, research, or business, where they can use their mathematical skills to solve challenging issues and make substantial contributions to their field.

How much money do people make with a PhD in Mathematics?

Individuals with a PhD in Mathematics can expect to earn more than those with a bachelor’s or master’s degree in the subject.

As of May 2020, the median annual income for mathematicians and statisticians, which includes individuals with a PhD in Mathematics, was $96,660, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

However, depending on the field and region, earnings might range from $59,500 to more than $160,000 per year.

I ndividuals with a PhD in Mathematics are frequently employed in academia, where salaries vary according to the type of institution, rank, and years of experience.

For the 2021-2022 academic year, the median income for full-time faculty members in the mathematical sciences was $92,000, according to the American Mathematical Society.

What is expected job growth with PhD in Mathematics?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of mathematicians and statisticians, which includes people with a PhD in Mathematics, is expected to expand 33 percent from 2020 to 2030, substantially faster than the national average.

The rising use of data and the need for quantitative analysis in a range of areas, including healthcare, finance, and technology, are projected to drive this expansion.

Scientific research and development services, which are expected to grow 48 percent from 2020 to 2030, and management, scientific, and technical consulting services, which are expected to grow 37 percent over the same period, are expected to see the most growth in mathematicians and statisticians’ employment.

What can you do with a PhD in Mathematics?

Individuals holding a PhD in Mathematics have numerous job options. Here are a couple such examples:

1. Academia: Individuals with a PhD in Mathematics can pursue academic careers such as professorships or research positions in universities or research institutions. Graduate students and postdoctoral researchers can also be supervised by them.

2. Data Science: As the amount of data in many businesses grows, there is a great demand for people with extensive mathematical skills who can work as data scientists, data analysts, or statisticians.

3. Financial Services: Individuals with a PhD in Mathematics can work as quantitative analysts, risk managers, or financial analysts in the financial industry.

4. Technology: Individuals with a PhD in Mathematics can work in technology organizations as data scientists or machine learning engineers, thanks to the rising use of artificial intelligence and machine learning.

5. Government Agencies: Individuals with a PhD in Mathematics can work for government organizations such as the National Security Agency (NSA), the Department of Defense, or the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in positions such as cryptographers, systems analysts, or aerospace engineers.

6. Consulting: Individuals with a PhD in Mathematics can work for consulting firms, where they can provide analytical and modeling services to clients in a variety of industries.

What are the requirements for a PhD in Mathematics?

The specific requirements for obtaining a PhD in Mathematics can vary depending on the institution and program, but generally, the following are common requirements:

1. Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree: Applicants to most PhD programs in Mathematics must have a Bachelor’s degree from a recognized university. Although it is not usually required, certain schools may accept applicants with a Master’s degree in a related discipline.

2. Academic Transcripts: Applicants are usually expected to present certified transcripts of their undergraduate and graduate education, which demonstrate their academic performance and achievement.

3. Statement of Purpose: Applicants are typically expected to provide a personal statement or statement of purpose detailing their research interests, academic ambitions, and reason for pursuing a PhD in Mathematics.

4. Standardized Test Scores: Applicants to many PhD programs may be required to submit scores from standardized tests such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or other related assessments.

5. Letters of Recommendation: Applicants to PhD programs in Mathematics are frequently required to provide letters of recommendation from academic or professional sources who may speak to the applicant’s academic talents, research potential, and eligibility for a PhD program.

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How long does it take to get a phd in mathematics.

The length of time it takes to earn a PhD in Mathematics can vary depending on a number of factors, such as the program’s structure, the student’s progress, and the research area. However, in general, it takes around 4-6 years to complete a PhD in Mathematics in the United States.

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Do you need a masters in mathematics to get a phd in mathematics.

In most circumstances, a master’s degree in mathematics is not required to pursue a PhD in mathematics.

Many PhD programs in Mathematics accept students who have a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics or a related field and a strong academic record and research potential.

However, some PhD programs may offer a master’s degree as part of the PhD requirements. This is known as a “master’s on the way to a PhD” program.

In this instance, students would normally complete the master’s degree coursework and research requirements before enrolling in the PhD program.

What are the Best PhD in Mathematics Degree programs?

1. massachusetts institute of technology (mit) 2. university of california, berkeley 3. stanford university 4. harvard university 5. princeton university 6. university of chicago 7. california institute of technology (caltech) 8. university of michigan 9. new york university (courant institute) 10. university of texas at austin, leave a comment cancel reply.

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Ph.D Mathematics: Course Details, Eligibility, Admission, Fees

Kripal Thapa

Updated on - Jan 4, 2023

The PhD Mathematics is a three-to-five-year doctoral course that deals with the doctoral practice of mathematics in logical interpretation, analysis, theory, formulation, statistical, and topology. Graduates work as Mathematics Experts, Subject Matter Experts, Lecturers among many other job profiles.

PhD in Mathematics Course Details

About phd mathematics.

PhD Mathematics full form is Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics, a speciality that focuses on the structure in mathematics and propagates new theories and laws and data for the development of mathematics. The course falls under the umbrella of  PhD.

According to Wikipedia, “Mathematics is an area of knowledge, which includes the study of such topics as numbers (arithmetic and number theory), formulas and related structures (algebra), shapes and spaces in which they are contained (geometry), and quantities and their changes (calculus and analysis).” 

Table of Contents

Eligibility Criteria for PhD Mathematics

  • PhD Mathematics Admission Process

Who Should Pursue PhD Mathematics?

Types of phd mathematics.

  • Popular PhD Mathematics Entrance Exams

Study PhD Mathematics in India

  • Top PhD Mathematics Colleges
  • Study PhD Abroad
  • Fees Structure for PhD Mathematics
  • Why Choose PhD Mathematics
  • Syllabus and Subjects for PhD Mathematics

Preparation Tips for PhD Mathematics

  • PhD Mathematics Salary

Career Options After PhD Mathematics

  • Skills to Excel

Eligibility for a PhD Mathematics course in India varies by university. Candidates for admission to the PhD Mathematics course must have a 55% in their Master's degree in Mathematics or Physical Science and a bachelor's degree in Mathematics from a recognized university. Some universities hold entrance exams. There is no upper age limit for candidates for PhD Mathematics. The following are the general admission requirements for the course.

How To Get Admission For PhD Mathematics?

Candidates for PhD Mathematics admission must meet the university's eligibility requirements, which vary by course. Admissions procedures differ depending on the colleges to which applicants apply. The procedure, on the other hand, follows a predetermined pattern.

How to Apply?

The PhD Mathematics course duration is 3-5 years. Before applying for the PhD Program, aspirants may be required to submit a Letter Of Recommendation, a Statement Of Purpose, and other documents specified by the university. They can then apply for a doctoral degree at the university of their choice.

Selection Process

Admission is primarily based on merit, determined by the candidate's performance in state, national, or institutional entrance exams. Some institutes provide the second round of counselling consisting of a group discussion followed by a personal interview. After completing all of these rounds, a final merit list is created and released, confirming a candidate's admission to the institution.

PhD Mathematics should be pursued by students who are interested in the subject of Mathematics and want to pursue it at a research-level. The degree is a research-based degree, and hence the aspirants must be interested in doing research. In addition, students can opt for any suitable specialization that matches their interests to make a bright career in their preferred profession.

When To Do PhD Mathematics?

Students must pursue a PhD Mathematics after they have completed their Master’s degree. After the students have completed their M.Phil, M.Sc, or MA in Math or related subjects, the decision must be taken.

Aspirants can pursue the PhD in Mathematics course in multidisciplinary and multiple ways. Students can pursue it traditionally like a Full-time course, or they can pursue it part-time or distance learning.

Full Time PhD Mathematics

A full-time PhD course is a three to five-year-long course where the students will have to attend regular classes. The classes are conducted in person, and the students will have to attend college to finish these classes.

Part-Time PhD Mathematics

A part-time PhD Mathematics course is a doctorate course for students who can't commit to attending classes regularly. In this format, the students can study according to their schedules.

Popular Entrance Examination For PhD Mathematics

An entrance exam is required for candidates for the PhD Mathematics course. In addition to these exams, other universities may hold their own set of entrance exams for admission to the PhD Mathematics course. Among these are:

A Quick Glance At The PhD Mathematics Entrance Exam

The entrance exam is the only way to gain admission to prestigious universities. The top PhD Mathematics colleges in India hold entrance exams to determine the final merit list. The entrance exam is used to determine a candidate's merit for admission. The university entrance exam cut-off varies by university and is available online, along with the PhD Mathematics course details. The following is a summary of the PhD Mathematics entrance exam:

  • Typically, the entrance exam is taken offline.
  • The exam will take approximately 3 hours to complete.
  • The questions are objective in nature.
  • The purpose of the exam is to assess qualitative ability, data interpretation, and knowledge of the subject.

PhD Mathematics colleges exist in India in abundance for the students to choose from. Aspirants can apply to India's best PhD Mathematics colleges based on their specialization and merit. However, the admission process for these colleges remains remarkably consistent, and therefore, students must ensure that the students research them.

Top 10 PhD Mathematics Colleges

Numerous colleges in India offer PhD Mathematics. In addition to private institutions, India has a plethora of government-run PhD Mathematics colleges. Students can choose a college based on their academic standing and specialization needs. The following are the top ten PhD Mathematics Colleges in India:

Top PhD Mathematics Colleges in Karnataka

The table below shows the top PhD Mathematics colleges in Karnataka:

Top PhD Mathematics Colleges in West Bengal

The table below shows the top PhD Mathematics colleges in West Bengal:

Top PhD Mathematics Colleges in Maharashtra

The table below shows the top PhD Mathematics colleges in Maharashtra:

Top PhD Mathematics Colleges in Orissa

The table below shows the top PhD Mathematics colleges in Orissa:

Study PhD Mathematics Abroad

Aspirants can choose to pursue a PhD Mathematics course abroad if they so choose. The PhD Mathematics fees abroad will vary depending on the location, university and ranking. Below, are some of the top universities for PhD Mathematics from various countries abroad:

Top PhD Mathematics Colleges in the USA

The table below shows the top PhD Mathematics colleges in the USA:

Top PhD Mathematics Colleges in the UK

The table below shows the top PhD Mathematics colleges in the UK:

Top PhD Mathematics Colleges in Canada

The table below shows the top PhD Mathematics colleges in Canada:

Top PhD Mathematics Colleges in Australia

The table below shows the top M.Phil colleges in Australia:

Fee Structure For PhD Mathematics

In India, there are approximately 5,000 PhD Mathematics colleges. In India, the average fee structure for PhD Mathematics is 50,000 - 1.9 LPA. The course fee for a PhD Mathematics varies across the country, depending on the infrastructure and faculty availability. Government colleges in India charge lower PhD mathematics fees than private colleges. The following are some of the top PhD Mathematics Colleges and PhD Mathematics course fees:

Syllabus and Subjects For PhD Mathematics 

The PhD Mathematics course lasts 3-5 years and can be completed semester by semester or annually, depending on the university. The PhD Mathematics syllabus prepares students to formulate, research, and find new mathematical patterns. PhD Mathematics is a doctoral program that prepares students for careers in mathematics through research. The PhD Mathematics syllabus is intended to place a strong emphasis on:

  • Differential Equation
  • Mathematical Finance
  • Differential Geometry Mechanics

Read More: PhD Mathematics Syllabus and Subjects

Why Choose PhD Mathematics?

There are numerous opportunities available in research institutes and universities for candidates interested in a research career. And for those interested in teaching, there are numerous well-paying teaching positions available in private engineering institutions. To assist aspirants in understanding the answers to these questions, we have created the following three pointers:

What is PhD Mathematics All About?

PhD Mathematics is the doctoral program in which students are exposed to mathematical logic and analysis, statistical, topology, and stochastic processes, emphasising the practical. A PhD in Mathematics opens the door to a plethora of career opportunities in the corporate and other sectors of the economy, not just in education.

What Does a PhD Mathematics Graduate Do?

Mathematics is a highly sought-after and difficult specialization in subject matter that necessitates a high level of expertise. PhD in Mathematics teaches students how to research, formulate research methodologies and find solutions.

Accountants:  Accountants are professionals in charge of administrative tasks such as creating forms and the upkeep of schedules. Accounting firms prepare financial statements and tax returns for clients and represent them in financial matters.

Reasons Why PhD Mathematics Can Fetch You a Rewarding Career?

PhD Mathematics are affiliated researchers who find solutions to the existing mathematical questions or try to find the next to the best solution to the question.

Research Skills Development:  The syllabus prepares students to keep up with the expanding frontiers of knowledge and to conduct research relevant to the country's current social and economic goals.

Opportunities to diverse sectors:  Mathematicians can find work in various fields, including banking, the stock exchange, defence, etc. 

Pursuit of Excellence:  Mathematics is a pursuit of excellence, and mathematicians researchers work more to understand the complexities of mathematics and create more solving patterns through research.

Read More: PhD Mathematics Job Opportunities and Scope

PhD Mathematics Course Comparison

PhD Mathematics is a doctoral degree with a prime focus on Mathematics as a discipline and field of study. Based on their preferences, aspirants can pursue a Doctor of Philosophy or PhD course and carve their paths as researchers and field specialists. Below is the comparison of PhD Mathematics with other PhD Courses.

PhD Mathematics vs PhD Sociology

The table below is a comparison between PhD Mathematics and PhD Sociology:

Read More: PhD Sociology

The following are some preparation tips for students to complete the course:

Consult a Syllabus Advisor: Examine your comprehension of the syllabus and, if necessary, seek assistance from seniors or advisors.

Allow One Month For Planning: Allow a month for proper preparation. Make a list of what you need to study and practice before you begin working.

Make a Schedule: Finish your preparations ahead of time to allow for content revision.

Salary for PhD Mathematics

The average PhD Mathematics salary in India for freshers is INR 2.5 LPA, according to Glassdoor. The type of practice, performance, expertise, and other relevant factors influence salary and annual earnings.

Read More : PhD Mathematics Salary

A graduate of the PhD Mathematics program has numerous career options. PhD Mathematics graduates primarily work in government and international organizations. They are sought in a variety of fields, including:

  • Academic Institutes
  • Banking Sector
  • Stock Exchanges
  • Math Research Centers
  • Military Schools
  • Defense Services
  • Trade & Transportation Centers

Skills Required For PhD Mathematics

An aspirant who wishes to pursue a PhD Mathematics must have the necessary skills to progress in the course. The course is practical and requires prior knowledge. Here is a list of a few skills an applicant should have:

  • Researching
  • Mathematical skills
  • Interpretation skills
  • Qualitative Understanding
  • Quantitative Data Interpretation

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  3. Ph.D. In Mathematics: Course, Eligibility Criteria, Admission, Syllabus

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  4. UTRGV PhD Mathematics and Statistics with Interdisciplinary Applications

  5. BHU Phd Admission 2024 |IIT BHU Admission|Banaras Hindu University|By Vaishali Maam

  6. Lecture 23

COMMENTS

  1. PhD in Mathematics

    The typical tuition fee for a PhD in Maths in the UK is £4,407 per year for UK/EU students and £20,230 per year for international students. This, alongside the range in tuition fees you can expect, is summarised below: Situation. Typical Fee (Median) Fee Range.

  2. Guide To Graduate Study

    Guide to Graduate Studies. The PhD Program. The Ph.D. program of the Harvard Department of Mathematics is designed to help motivated students develop their understanding and enjoyment of mathematics. Enjoyment and understanding of the subject, as well as enthusiasm in teaching it, are greater when one is actively thinking about mathematics in ...

  3. Ph.D. in Mathematics

    Overview of Graduation Requirements. To graduate with a PhD in Mathematics, a student must satisfy all of the following requirements: If you have a Master's degree in mathematics at UConn, then 30 credits are required, including 15 doctoral dissertation research credits. Pass three preliminary exams and two core courses (details below).

  4. Ph.D. Program

    In outline, to earn the PhD in either Mathematics or Applied Mathematics, the candidate must meet the following requirements. During the first year of the Ph.D. program: Take at least 4 courses, 2 or more of which are graduate courses offered by the Department of Mathematics. Pass the six-hour written Preliminary Examination covering calculus ...

  5. Your complete guide to a PhD in Mathematics

    Calculus: Exploring change and motion. Linear Algebra: Venturing into vectors and matrices. Number Theory: Unravelling the properties of numbers. Geometry: Investigating shapes, sizes, and their properties. Probability and Statistics: Analysing uncertainty and data. Mathematics is a good degree to follow because of its universal applicability.

  6. PhD in Mathematics

    The PhD in Mathematics consists of preliminary coursework and study, qualifying exams, a candidacy exam with an adviser, and creative research culminating in a written dissertation and defense. All doctoral students must also do some teaching on the way to the PhD.

  7. PDF Graduate Schools and Fellowships in Mathematics

    Graduate Programs and Fellowships in Mathematics If exploring mathematics is your life's calling, then a graduate Ph. D. program in mathematics is your next step towards that end. This document is meant as a primer for applying to these programs. The topics covered are: o CHOOSING THE RIGHT PH.D. PROGRAM o THE ADMISSIONS PROCESS

  8. PhDs in Mathematics

    Embarking on a PhD in Mathematics is an exhilarating journey into the realm of abstract thinking, problem-solving, and the discovery of new mathematical principles. These advanced research degrees offer candidates the opportunity to delve deep into areas of pure mathematics, such as algebra, topology, and geometry, or applied mathematics ...

  9. Ph.D. in Mathematics

    The Ph.D. in Mathematics allows study in pure mathematics, applied mathematics and statistics. The mathematics department has over 60 faculty, approximately 100 Ph.D. students, and approximately 35 Masters students. A list of the UCSD mathematics faculty and their research interests can be found at here.

  10. PhD in Mathematics

    The requirements for obtaining an PhD in Mathematics can be found on the associated page of the BU Bulletin. Courses: The courses mentioned on the BU Bulletin page can be chosen from the graduate courses we offer here. Half may be at the MA 500 level or above, but the rest must be at the MA 700 level or above.

  11. Ph.D. in Mathematics

    The Ph.D. program also offers students the opportunity to pursue their study and research with Mathematics faculty based at NYU Shanghai. With this opportunity, students generally complete their coursework in New York City before moving full-time to Shanghai for their dissertation research. For more information, please visit the NYU Shanghai Ph ...

  12. PhD in Mathematics

    The applicant must have a 3.37 grade point average or higher to be eligible. Amount: $15,000. Deadline: January 29. Who Can Apply: This award is for graduate students enrolled full time in a Ph.D. or Ed.D. degree program in a STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) field who have advanced to candidacy.

  13. Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics (PhD)

    Mathematicians use theoretical and computational methods to solve a wide range of problems from the most abstract to the very applied. UBC's mathematics graduate students work in many branches of pure and applied mathematics. The PhD program trains students to operate as research mathematicians. The focus of the program is on substantial mathematical research leading to the PhD dissertation ...

  14. 380 PhD programmes in Mathematics

    The Pure Mathematics programme from University of Birmingham is at the forefront of research in contemporary aspects of Algebra, Analysis, Combinatorics, Geometry and Mathematical Physics. Ph.D. / Full-time, Part-time / On Campus. University of Birmingham Birmingham, England, United Kingdom. Ranked top 0.5%.

  15. Mathematics PHD

    Est. time to complete: 4-6 years. Credit Hours: 72 (with Bachelor's)54 (with Master's) Explore and research relationships with numbers and find innovative new solutions for complex issues by mastering your passion for numbers. UNT's Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics is awarded for superior accomplishment, the attainment of a high level of ...

  16. Best PhDs in Mathematics

    A PhD in Mathematics is a doctoral degree obtained by a graduate student in mathematics. This kind of mathematics graduate program allows students to develop their research capabilities in mathematics and its potential applications. PhD in Mathematics can be a Doctor of Philosophy, Doctor of Science, or Doctor of Applied Mathematics degree.

  17. The Graduate Program

    The Department of Mathematics offers Ph.D. programs in Mathematics and Applied Mathematics. The department also supports students in the Graduate Group in Logic and the Methodology of Science, an interdisciplinary doctoral program shared between the departments of Philosophy and Mathematics.At this time, we no longer offer a terminal Master's degree program.

  18. Mathematical Modeling Ph.D.

    Overview. Mathematical modeling is the process of developing mathematical descriptions, or models, of real-world systems. These models can be linear or nonlinear, discrete or continuous, deterministic or stochastic, and static or dynamic, and they enable investigating, analyzing, and predicting the behavior of systems in a wide variety of fields.

  19. Prospective PhD Students

    Graduate Programmes » PhD in Mathematics » Prospective PhD Students. Successful applicants are admitted into the Graduate Programme, leading to a PhD degree. Applicants must have at least an Honours degree or its equivalent from a reputable university. Applicants are evaluated by several criteria including their academic records, reference ...

  20. Ph.D. in Mathematics

    The Department of Mathematics in the College of Liberal Arts offers the Ph.D. in Mathematics. The degree requires mastery of a broad area of mathematics and completion of a dissertation that is an original and substantial contribution. It prepares a student for a professional career in mathematics, as a teacher or a research mathematician.

  21. Overview: PhD Mathematics & Science Education

    The MSE PhD program spans P-20 mathematics and science education in urban settings in and out of schools. The focus is on developing new knowledge that improves science and mathematics education and has an impact on the communities we serve. ... All doctoral degrees in the College of Education require a core of courses that focuses on different ...

  22. PhD in Mathematics: Requirements, Salary, Jobs, & Career Growth

    However, depending on the field and region, earnings might range from $59,500 to more than $160,000 per year. Individuals with a PhD in Mathematics are frequently employed in academia, where salaries vary according to the type of institution, rank, and years of experience. For the 2021-2022 academic year, the median income for full-time faculty ...

  23. PhD Mathematics: Course Details, Eligibility, Fees, Admission

    Students must pursue a PhD Mathematics after they have completed their Master's degree. After the students have completed their M.Phil, M.Sc, or MA in Math or related subjects, the decision must be taken. Types of PhD Mathematics. Aspirants can pursue the PhD in Mathematics course in multidisciplinary and multiple ways.