Program Overview

Program Overview

The Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics is a graduate program designed to prepare students for teaching at the graduate level and doing mathematical research in academic, industrial, and business settings.

Degree Description

The PhD in Mathematics is awarded in recognition of distinctive scholarship and original contributions to knowledge in Mathematics. The 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.

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, IELTS or Duolingo score is required.
  • The minimum score for admission is:
    • 540 TOEFL
    • 75 TOEFLI
    • 6.5 IELTS
    • 105 Duolingo
• The minimum score required for assistantship consideration is:
  • TOEFL score of 100
  • IELTS of 7
  • Duolingo of 130
• 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.
  • 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. Examples of career placements in academia include:

• Postdoc, USDA Northwest Climate Hub and WSU Center for Sustaining Agriculture
• Assistant Professor, Central Washington University
• Assistant Professor, Marian University (WI) Examples of career placements in government and industry 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)