Program Length: 4 years (a fifth year must be approved.)
Financial Support
All first-year students receive full
tuition, health plan coverage, and a first-year fellowship in science
and engineering. First-years are not required to
grade or teach. All 2nd-, 3rd-, and 4th-years are paid as Assistants in
Instruction (AI)/Assistants in Research (AR). Stipends are paid at a
"pre-generals" and "post-generals" rate; the latter being a higher
amount. Students are encouraged to apply for funding from outside
funding sources.
Courses & Seminars
The Department offers graduate courses on
various levels, all of which are oriented toward research. Every fall
semester, three (3) introductory courses are offered in algebra,
analysis and geometry. All students are encouraged to attend department
seminars, graduate student seminars, and seminars offered through the
Institutute for Advanced Studies (IAS) in Princeton. See Seminars.
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PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
Language exams
The student satisfies the language
requirement by demonstrating to a member of the mathematics faculty a
reasonable ability to read ordinary mathematical texts in at least one
of the following three languages: French, German, and Russian. The
language test must be passed before the end of the first year and before standing for the general examination.
One-year residency
Students must be in residence for at least
one academic year before standing for the general examination. If a
student wishes to take his/her general examination during the first
year, the earliest acceptable time is during the April/May exam period.
General examination
The student must stand for an oral exam
administered by a committee of three professors, including the advisor
who serves as chair of the committee. A typical exam can last 2 to 3
hours. Areas covered are algebra, and real and complex variables. The
student must also choose two (2) special or advanced topics. These two
additional topics are expected to come from distinct major areas of
mathematics, and the student's choice is subject to the approval of the
Department. Usually in the second year, and sometimes even in the
first, students begin investigations of their own that lead to the
doctoral dissertation. For the student interested in mathematical
physics, the general examination is adjusted to include
mathematical physics as one of the two special topics. There are three
general examination periods each academic year--October, January, and
April/May. It has been a tradition of the students to post their exams as a
resource and study guide for other students, see
Graduate Students' Guide to Generals.
Grading/Teaching
During the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th years, AIs (or
AI/ARs) are expected to either grade or teach two sections of an
undergraduate course, or the equivalent, each semester. Although
students are not required to teach in order to fulfill Department Ph.D.
requirements, they are strongly encouraged to teach at least once
before they graduate. Teaching letters of recommendations are a
critical part of postdoctoral applications in academia. It is mandatory
that all students, whether receiving outside funding or not, attend AI
orientation and training through The McGraw Center before teaching for the first time.
Dissertation and
Final Public Oral Exam (FPOE)
The student must prepare an acceptable
doctoral dissertation (thesis), which must demonstrate that the student
has achieved a high level of understanding of his or her topic/field
and is capable of doing independent research, and which must expand
upon what was previously known or present a significant new
interpretation of known materials. The Final Public Oral Exam is the
successful presentation of the oral defense of the dissertation.
Preparation and Procedures for FPOE
Use this Checklist!
Degree Application and Completion Process
Thesis LaTex template
Graduate School
General Information
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Announcements!!!
NSF/RTG Summer Program
Study Analysis and Geometry
Summer 2012
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