A student seeking admission to the Ph.D. program in mathematical sciences must meet all requirements for admission to the Graduate School and shall have satisfied the requirements (or equivalent) for the B.S. in mathematical sciences at NIU. In addition, each student is required to have completed an approved year-long sequence of courses in probability and statistics prior to admission to the program, or to take an approved sequence of graduate courses in probability and statistics as part of the doctoral program. Students seeking admission who possess a master’s degree in mathematical sciences will also be expected to have met the above requirements.
Course Requirements
The Graduate Studies Committee of the department will be responsible for approving each student’s program to meet the course requirements specified below. Each student will complete at least 90 hours of course work. The committee will assess all work done at other institutions and will grant transfer credit for any graduate work deemed acceptable and subsequently approved by the dean of the Graduate School. The Graduate Studies Committee of the department will also be responsible for the administration of the qualifying and candidacy examinations.
Students who take Group D are expected to fulfill at least 12 semester hours of their elective requirement with a coherent, approved program of courses outside the Department of Mathematical Sciences.
At least 21 hours of elective topics courses and seminars. One seminar must be elected outside the student’s area of study. The topics courses should ordinarily be chosen from the list below. (Elective course work should be chosen so that the program contains a coherent selection of 6 semester hours at the 500-level or above in the mathematical sciences, outside the student’s broad area of study, or in a related discipline.) Repetitions of topics courses and seminars are allowed as subjects vary.
An additional 12-18 semester hours of electives at the graduate level. Elective course work should be chosen so that the program contains a coherent selection of 6 semester hours at the 500-level or above in the mathematical sciences, outside the student’s broad area of study, or in a related discipline.
Applications Involvement Component
Three to 9 semester hours in MATH 692 - Applications Experience, or equivalent experience.
Doctoral Research and Dissertation
At least 24 semester hours in MATH 699 - Doctoral Research and Dissertation.
Qualifying Examination
Whether admission to the program follows completion of a baccalaureate or a master’s degree, each student is required to pass a written qualifying examination administered by the Graduate Studies Committee of the department.
Candidacy Examination
The candidacy examination is an oral examination in the student’s primary area of study and is taken later than the qualifying examination. The committee to hear the candidacy examination will be nominated by the chair of the department and appointed by the dean of the Graduate School.
Language Requirements
The student must demonstrate average reading proficiency in two of the following foreign languages: French, German, and Russian; or average reading proficiency in one of these languages, combined with a translation of a mathematical research article in this language to the satisfaction of the Graduate Studies Committee of the department.
Computer Project Requirement
The student must complete a project in which a computer is used in a nonroutine way. The project will normally be related to the candidate’s primary area of study and must be approved by the candidate’s dissertation adviser and the Graduate Studies Committee.
Dissertation Committee
The dissertation committee for each student will be nominated by the chair of the department and appointed by the dean of the Graduate School. This committee will consist of three to five graduate faculty members and be chaired by the dissertation adviser who has been appointed by the chair of the department.
External Examiner
An external examiner for the doctoral dissertation will be nominated by the chair of the department and appointed by the dean of the Graduate School. The examiner shall submit a written report on the dissertation to the chair of the department, the dean of the Graduate School, and the student’s dissertation committee prior to the oral dissertation defense.
Oral Dissertation Defense
An oral examination on the dissertation will be conducted by the dissertation committee according to the rules of the Graduate School. This defense will be open to the university community.
Return to: