Department of Mathematics
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Information for Current Graduate Students

Requirements to Obtain the PhD in Pure Mathematics

First-Year Courses

The first-year students take three quarters each of basic courses in analysis, algebra, and geometry and topology. See the main page describing these courses, and see below for some collected notes from some past first-year courses.

Finding an Advisor

Students start looking for an advisor in the winter quarter of their first year, and have usually found one by the end of the spring quarter. Students are expected to take the initiative in finding an advisor. For example, students can

There is a Meet the Faculty Colloquium held weekly, usually in the spring quarter. Students can also get a good idea of faculty interests by going to research seminars.

Counseling Resources

Students are urged to approach the graduate chair (currently Marianna Csörnyei) if they have concerns about academic progress, health and emotional problems, or any other related issues.

Annual Report Form

At the end of the academic year, graduate students in their third year and beyond must fill out the department's annual report form, have it signed by their advisor or advisors, and return the completed and signed form to Laurie Wail.

Teaching Responsibilities

On behalf of the Department, the Director of Undergraduate Studies and the Undergraduate Committee oversee all graduate student teaching in mathematics. For any questions, here is their contact information.

Here is a general outline of the teaching responsibilities of graduate students:

Financial Resources

Students who matriculate and maintain satisfactory academic progress should expect five years of financial support, including full tuition scholarship, a generous living stipend, and summer support, the last contingent on current levels of NSF support. Funding comes from the University of Chicago, the National Science Foundation, and the National Need Fellowship Program of the Department of Education.

Student are encouraged further to apply for NSF graduate research fellowships and Department of Defense fellowships, which provide further forms of support (e.g., travel, equipment).

The PhD in Applied Mathematics

The University of Chicago has recently approved a new degree-granting Ph.D. program in Computational and Applied Mathematics. The program will be jointly administered by faculty in a number of departments (Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science and others) in a formal framework called the Committee on Computational and Applied Mathematics (CCAM). See here for information about the Ph.D. program, and the faculty in the Committee.