Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics

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Program Link:
https://www.math.wsu.edu/graduatestudies/
Program Handbook:
https://www.math.wsu.edu/graduatestudies/mathstat-graduate-handbook.pdf
Total Graduate Faculty in Program:
35
Total Core Graduate Faculty in Program:
30
Graduate Students in Program:
57
Students Receiving Assistantships:
55
Priority Deadlines:

  • Fall January 10
  • Spring September 10

Campus:

  • Pullman

International Student English Proficiency Exams

International students may need to surpass the Graduate School’s minimum English language proficiency exam scores for this program. If the graduate program has unique score requirements, they will be detailed below. Otherwise, please refer to the Graduate School’s minimum score guidelines.

  • 540 TOEFL Minimum score for admission
  • 75 TOEFLI Minimum score for admission
  • 6.5 IELTS Minimum score for admission
  • 105 Duolingo Minimum score for admission

Degree Description:

PhD in Mathematics
This degree is awarded in recognition of distinctive scholarship and original contributions to knowledge in Mathematics. The PhD program is especially designed to prepare the student for teaching at the graduate level and doing mathematical research in academic, industrial and business settings. Students studying various fields within the realm of pure mathematics would be included in this PhD program.

PhD in Mathematics (Applied Mathematics Option)
The specialization of modern academic disciplines provides both a challenge to those who wish to do research at the interface of mathematics and its areas of application and many opportunities to make valuable contributions. The Applied Mathematics Option allows students from a range of backgrounds to pursue a traditional applied mathematics program, while retaining the option to thoroughly learn an area of application. Entering students may not necessarily have a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics. However, they will be required to demonstrate a grasp of the core areas of advanced calculus and linear algebra at the level of a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics. They will then be given great latitude to take specialized courses in Mathematics and their area of application.

PhD in Mathematics with Education Emphasis
The degree of PhD in Mathematics with Education Emphasis is awarded in recognition of scholarship and original contributions to the teaching and learning of mathematics. The main difference from the other PhD choices is in the research focus. The requirements for this PhD include competence in core mathematics, as well as study in the research methodologies applicable to research in mathematics education.

Admission Requirements:

Students should have taken upper-level analysis and linear algebra courses before applying, and have the equivalent of an undergraduate degree in mathematics, statistics, or a related field. Additional upper-level courses like abstract algebra, functional or complex analysis, optimization, applied mathematics, topology, etc. will be taken into account.

For international students, either a TOEFL, IETLS or Duolingo score is required. The minimum score for admission is listed above. The minimum score required for assistantship consideration is TOEFL score of 100, IELTS of 7, or Duolingo of 130. Exceptions can be found here: https://gradschool.wsu.edu/international-requirements/

Students applying to the PhD Mathematics program will be automatically considered for an assistantship position.

The application will require:

  • Unofficial transcripts from all previous institutions.
  • GPA above a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
  • Resume/CV.
  • Email contact information for 3 references.
  • Personal statement. The personal statement is your chance to highlight relevant experiences and discuss your future research interests.
  • GRE scores are not required but encouraged.

Career Opportunities:

Academia (tenure-track positions at universities and colleges worldwide), Bio-statistics (health and pharmaceutical companies), Risk analysis (financial and insurance companies, investment management), Research (state or federal government, software development), Mathematics education (publishing, consulting and developing of educational software).

Career Placements:

Graduates from the Mathematics PhD program begin careers in both academia and government or industry. A few examples of career placements in academia from the past few years include:

  • Postdoc, USDA Northwest Climate Hub and WSU Center for Sustaining Agriculture
  • Assistant Professor, Central Washington University
  • Assistant Professor, Marian University (WI)

A few examples of career placements in government and industry from the past few years include:

  • Regulatory Data Scientist, Office of Regulatory Innovation and Assistance, Washington State Government
  • Quantitative Model Validation Analyst, First Tech Federal Credit Union (OR)
  • Data Scientist, Emsi Labor Market Analytics (ID)

Contact Information: