The Doctorate

Doctoral students must satisfy a minor requirement of nine additional credit hours of graduate or advanced undergraduate coursework taken entirely outside the School of Mathematics. A number of students have chosen to use their minor program as the basis for an additional degree in another department while working on their mathematics degrees.

Prior to admission to candidacy for the doctoral degree, each student must satisfy the School's comprehensive examination requirement. The first phase is a written examination which students usually complete after their first year in the graduate program. The second phase is an oral examination in the student's proposed area of specialization.

Research and the writing of the dissertation represent the final phase of the student's doctoral study. A final oral examination on the dissertation must be passed prior to the granting of the degree.

I. Admission to the Doctoral Program

II. Proposed Program of Study

III. Curricular Requirements

• At least 36 letter/grade hours in Mathematics at the 6000-level or above chosen in some rational way to the satisfaction of the departmental Graduate Committee and the student's research advisor. Reading courses and Special Topics courses (taken as letter/grade) can be counted towards these 36 hours.
• The minor, 9 hours of course work taken outside of the School of Mathematics, in a group of related courses usually at the 6000-level or above chosen in some rational way to the satisfaction of the departmental Graduate Committee. At least 6 hours of the minor should be completed within three years of admission to the doctoral program.
• Six additional hours at the 6000-level or above.

Note: Work on a master's thesis may not be counted toward any of the 51 hours specified above, but course work for the master's degree may be counted.

Any transfer of credit for graduate work done elsewhere and any departure from these curricular requirements must be approved by the departmental Graduate Committee.

IV. Comprehensive Examinations

The written examination will be administered twice each year, shortly after the beginning of the Fall Semester and at a time near the beginning of the Spring Semester. The result of the written examination is either pass or fail on each half. A study guide is available along with some sample comprehensive examinations. The PhD ACO program administers its own comprehensive examination.

All students must adhere to the following rules and timetables, which may be extended by the graduate coordinator, but only at the time of matriculation and only when certified in writing. Modifications because of leaves from the program will be decided on a case-by-case basis.

After acceptance into the PhD Program in Mathematics, a student must pass the written examination no later than its fourth administration during the student's doctoral enrollment. A student in the Mathematics Ph.D. program can pass each of the two parts of the Written Comprehensive Exam in separate semesters, counting these separate passes towards the Comprehensive Exam requirement.

A student will be allowed to attempt the written portion of the comprehensive examination as many times as are consistent with the previous paragraph.

The graduate coordinator will be responsible for advising each new student at matriculation of these rules and procedures and the appropriate timetable for the written portion of the examination. The graduate coordinator will also be responsible for maintaining a study guide and list of recommended texts, as well as a file of previous examinations, to be used by students preparing for this written examination.

Oral Specialty Examination

New Rules from May, 2006. A student must pass the Oral Specialty Examination within 3 years since first enrolling in the Ph.D. program, and after having passed the written portion of the Comprehensive Exams. The Examination will be given by a committee consisting of the student's dissertation advisor or probable advisor, two faculty members chosen by the advisor in consultation with the student, and a fourth member appointed by the School's Graduate Coordinator. The scope of the examination will be determined by the advisor and will be approved by the Graduate Coordinator. The Examining Committee shall either (1) pass the student, or (2) fail the student. Within the time constraints of which above, the Oral Specialty Examination may be attempted multiple times, though not more than twice in any given Semester. The advisor is responsible for filling in the appropriate Oral Exams form and returning it to the Graduate Coordinator.

Old Rules Prior to May, 2006. The Oral Specialty Examination must be attempted within eighteen months of passing the Written Comprehensive Examination. The Examination will be given by a committee consisting of the student's dissertation advisor or probable advisor, two faculty members chosen by the advisor in consultation with the student, and a fourth member appointed by the School's Graduate Committee. The scope of the examination will be determined by the advisor and will be approved by the Graduate Committee. The Examining Committee shall either (1) pass the student unconditionally, (2) fail the student with recommendation for reexamination, or (3) fail the student. In the second case, the reexamination may be either written or oral, should be by substantially the same committee, and must be scheduled within six months. In the third case, the student may request a reexamination within six months in either the current field or another field. In no case will a student be allowed more than three attempts to pass the specialty examination. The advisor is responsible for filling in the appropriate Oral Exams form and returning it to the Graduate Coordinator.

V. Dissertation and Oral Examination

An excellent descripton of "what you have to do to graduate" is at http://www.grad.gatech.edu/thesis/thesis_man.html where you will also find rules and regulations on how to properly format the PhD thesis.

VI. Other Policies of the School of Mathematics Pertaining to the Graduate Degree Programs

• The departmental degree requirements supplement the Institute requirements as listed in the Catalog. In particular, students are urged to read the grade point requirements for graduate students listed in the General Catalog.
• A student enrolled in the master's degree program in Mathematics who wishes to be admitted to the Ph.D. program in Mathematics should direct his or her request to the departmental Graduate Coordinator. Such a request should be accompanied by: (1) three letters of recommendation two of which are from people in mathematics; (2) a statement of purpose; (3) a most recent copy of transcripts. Students who have not passed at least one part of the written Comprehensive Exam are discouraged from requesting upgrade to the PhD level.