General Description

Doctoral qualifying examinations are given in Applied Mathematics and in Applied Probability and Statistics.  These consist of (I) written preliminary exams, each composed of three parts, and (II) an oral exam.

I.   Preliminary Exam

Applied Mathematics

• Part A. Applied Mathematics
• Part B. Analysis
• Part C. Linear Algebra and Numerical Methods (LA/NUM)
  

Applied Probability and Statistics

• Part A. Probability Distributions and Regression Analysis Methods
• Part B. Real Analysis and Statistical Inference
• Part C. Probability Theory and Design and Analysis of Experiments
  

Ph.D. students usually take Part A at the beginning of their second semester in the program and take Parts B and C soon after the end of their second semester.  Any one part of the preliminary exam can be taken at most twice.  Exam grades are: A pass, B fail (some understanding of subject but not sufficient to pass), F fail (understanding is more deficient).  More information about each part of the preliminary exams is given by following the links above.

II.  Oral Exam

Ph.D. students usually take the oral exam at the beginning of their fourth semester in the program.

Applied Mathematics Topics are:

• Applied Mathematics (based on Math 689 and Math 690)
  and the examinee's choice of two of the following three:
    
• Ordinary Differential Equations (based on Math 676)
• Asymptotic Methods (based on Math 671)
• Numerical Methods (based on Math 614 and Math 712)
  

Applied Probability and Statistics Topics are:

• Stochastic Processes (based on Math 691)
• Survival Analysis (based on Math 659)
• Generalized Linear Models (Math 763)

More information about topics for the oral exam is given by following the links above. 

Schedule

To maintain status in the doctoral program (and to progress from doctoral student to doctoral candidate) students must successfully complete the preliminary and oral components of the qualifying exam within two years of beginning the Ph.D. program.

The components of the exams are usually offered at the following times of the year:

• August:  Preliminary Exams Parts B and C
• January:  Preliminary Exams Part A and Oral Exam
• May:  Preliminary Exams Parts A, B, C, and Oral Exam

Additional Information

Copies of past qualifying exams are available here.