The Ph.D. Program is designed with three specialization areas in applied mathematical sciences: Applied Continuous Mathematics, Applied Discrete Mathematics and Applied Statistics. The students admitted into the program must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution with at least a 3.0 grade point average, with a major in one of the mathematical sciences, engineering, computer science, the physical sciences, the biological sciences or the health sciences.
Specific course prerequisites for regular admission into the program (with relevant Oakland University course numbers) include courses in Multivariable Calculus (MTH 254), Linear Algebra (MTH 256), and Advanced Calculus (MTH 351). In addition, there are specialization prerequisites of: Differential Equations (APM 257) for Applied Continuous; Abstract Algebra (MTH 475) and Data Structures (CSE 231) for Applied Discrete; and 12 credits in Statistics (e.g., STA 226, STA 322, STA 323) for Applied Statistics. In addition, Complex Variables (MTH 352) is recommended for Applied Continuous. Students who lack the necessary background may need to complete a few prerequisite undergraduate courses prior to regular admission into the program.
Applicants for admission must present transcripts of all previous undergraduate and graduate level academic work and three letters of recommendation. In addition, applicants should submit a brief personal statement (not more than 500 words) describing their goals in pursuing the Ph.D. Requirements for the Ph.D. degree. A minimum of 90 credits beyond the bachelor's degree is required for the Ph.D. degree in Applied Mathematical Sciences. Transfer credits must receive approval by the Committee on Graduate Programs and the Dean of Graduate Study. The total course requirement is 15 courses (60 credits), exclusive of dissertation research credit, with a minimum of 8 courses in the specialization and 2 courses in each of the other areas. There is a minimum of 2 free electives. For each specialization, the course requirements and options are listed below.
Nine courses are required in the Applied Continuous specialization consisting of
In addition, the requirements include completion of at least three credits
(included in dissertation research credit requirements) in the one credit
seminar: APM 695, Problem Solving Seminar (1 credit ).
Two courses are required in the Applied Statistics area consisting of
Two courses are required in the Applied Discrete area consisting of
In addition, there are two free elective courses for a total of fifteen courses to satisfy the 60 credit course requirement, exclusive of dissertation research credit.
Specialization requirements: Eight courses are required in the Applied Discrete specialization consisting of
In addition, the requirements include completion of at least three credits
(included in dissertation research credit requirements) in the one credit
seminar: APM 695, Problem Solving Seminar (1 credit ).
Two courses are required in the Applied Statistics area consisting of
Two courses are required in the Applied Continuous area consisting of
In addition, there are three free elective courses for a total of fifteen
courses to satisfy the 60 credit course requirement, exclusive of dissertation
research credit.
Nine courses are required in the Applied Statistics specialization consisting of
These six courses must include one of the following sets of courses {STA 528, STA 628}, {STA 530, STA 630} or {STA 527, STA 603}. In addition, the requirements include completion of at least three credits (included in dissertation research credit requirements) in the one credit seminar: STA 695, Problem Solving Seminar (1 credit ).
Two courses are required in the Applied Continuous area consisting of
Two courses are required in the Applied Discrete area consisting of
In addition, there are two free elective courses for a total of fifteen courses to satisfy the 60 credit course requirement, exclusive of dissertation research credit.
The General Examination is intended to assess the student's overall knowledge of Mathematical Sciences at the graduate level and the student's ability to pursue the doctoral degree in his or her selected specialization. The General Examination is administered by the Committee on Graduate Programs and consists of three written examinations and an oral examination. The General Examination is offered once prior to the Fall Term (normally in August) and once in the Winter Term (normally in January).
There are three written examinations, one in each of the areas of Continuous Mathematics, Discrete Mathematics, and Statistics. The Committee on Graduate Programs will appoint an examination committee for each area composed of two faculty members from that area. The Committee on Graduate Programs will also publish guidelines for the preparation and grading of the area examinations. These guidelines will include broad general descriptions of the subject matter which is suitable for inclusion in the examinations, and general descriptions of the knowledge and skills which a student should possess to pass the written examination. The guidelines as well as prior General Examinations will be available to the students in the program.
Each examination committee will grade the exams from their area and advise the Committee on Graduate Programs on the level of performance of each student. The Committee on Graduate Programs is responsible for deciding, in consultation with the area examination committees, whether a student has passed each portion of the General Examination. This decision shall be consistent with any policies in the published guidelines. In the case of a student who is judged not to have passed the written portion, the Committee on Graduate Programs will determine whether the student will be allowed to retake the exam and, if so, which of the area examinations must be retaken.
The Committee on Graduate Programs will arrange an oral exam for each of the students who pass the written portion of the General Examination (in cases where the Committee on Graduate Programs is in doubt about the performance of a student on the written portion of the General Examination they may schedule an oral examination and delay a decision on the written examinations until after the oral examination). The oral examination should occur within a month after the results of the written examinations are announced. The oral examination committee will consist of one member from each of the area examination committees. At least two weeks before the oral examination, the members of the oral examination committee will have copies of the student's written examination papers. It is the responsibility of the oral examination committee to assess the student's capability to pursue the doctoral degree.
Following the oral examination the Committee on Graduate Programs will determine which of the students have passed the General Examination. Such students will be designated as admitted to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree.
A student who fails the General Examination may be permitted to take the General Examination one more time. Those parts of the General Examination which are to be repeated are determined by the Committee on Graduate Programs. This second attempt must occur within 13 months of the first time that the student wrote the examination. A student must have completed at least 12 credits of graduate course work at Oakland with a GPA of 3.0 or better before taking the General Examination. No student with a GPA below 3.0 will be permitted to take the General Examination. Students in the Ph.D. program will not be allowed to accumulate more than 32 credits toward the Ph.D. degree without taking the General Examination. A student must have passed the General Examination to be eligible to register for Doctoral Dissertation Research.
Each student who has passed the General Examination will have a dissertation committee prior to registration for doctoral research credit.
The dissertation committee will be appointed by the Committee on Graduate Programs, with the approval of the Dean of Graduate Studies. The dissertation committee will consist of five faculty members, at least three of whom will be in the specialization area of the student. Prior to the formation of the committee, the student will nominate one faculty member from the student's area of specialization with the concurrence of the faculty member. At least one member of the committee will be selected by the Committee on Graduate Programs from faculty in the department but outside the student's area of specialization. The chair of the dissertation committee will be the intended supervisor of the doctoral dissertation for the student and is normally the faculty member nominated by the student. The membership of the committee may be changed by action of the Committee on Graduate Programs, with the approval of the Dean of Graduate Studies.
For the first five Ph.D candidates who take a final oral examination, two of the five members of each dissertation committee shall be faculty members from other research universities with long standing Ph.D. programs in the mathematical sciences. These outside members of the dissertation committee will normally be in the broad area of specialization of the student.
The chair of the dissertation committee is responsible for keeping the committee members informed about the progress of the dissertation research and making preliminary drafts of the dissertation available to all members of the dissertation committee in a manner which permits timely suggestions for improvements. When the chair of the committee determines that the dissertation is ready for oral presentation, the chair will request that a colloquium talk be scheduled where the student presents the dissertation. Immediately following the colloquium, the dissertation committee will continue an oral examination of the candidate. Others are welcome to attend this portion of the final examination, with the consent of the candidate and the committee. When this oral examination is concluded, the committee will meet privately and decide whether the candidate, with possible modifications in the dissertation, will be recommended by the committee to receive the Ph.D. Every member of the committee must be present at the oral examination and be willing to sign the dissertation (after suitable and specified modifications, if any) for the student to pass this final oral examination.
If more than five years have elapsed since passing the General Examination, the student may be required to retake the General Examination before the dissertation committee considers the dissertation for possible acceptance. The decision to require the student to retake the General Examination is made by the Committee on Graduate Programs in consultation with the present members of the dissertation committee.
A minimum residency requirement is full-time residency (a minimum of 8 credits per semester) for at least three consecutive full semesters (fall-winter-fall, winter-fall-winter, fall-winter-spring-summer, winter-spring-summer-fall, etc.) with at least two of these devoted to dissertation research. The demands of this research activity imply that the student may not be employed in work which is not directly related to dissertation research, for more than twenty hours a week while satisfying this residency requirement. Petitions for exceptions to this policy may be submitted to the Committee on Graduate Programs.