Students who want to pursue a PhD in the area of Algebra/Algebraic Geometry/Number Theory and their applications must try to follow the instructions below.
The research of our faculty is in one of the following areas:
Algebraic Geometry (Curves, Jacobians, Moduli Spaces, Singularities)
Computational Algebra/Computational Algebraic Geometry
Coding Theory and Cryptography
Theta functions and their applications
A student must fulfill all requirements as stated in the catalog. Below we give a guide for all PhD students intending to work in Algebra.
A Master of Science degree in
Mathematics of Cryptography and Communications
has been proposed. If you are interested in this new program we would like to hear from you.
Courses:
All students who enter the program are assumed to have knowledge of algebra in the level of with MTH 475-476 or equivalent. The following courses are mandatory:
Breadth requirements:
MTH 551: Real Analysis; MTH 555: Complex Analysis
MTH 613: Statistics and one other graduate course in Statistics
Required Courses: 7 of the following courses:
MTH 561-562: Algebraic Topology
MTH 569: Graph Theory
Theory of Computation
Combinatorial Optimization
PhD qualifying exams
There are two qualifying exams for students working in algebra.
PhD qualifying exam in algebra (based on MTH 571-572)
PhD qualifying exam in the area of concentration (to be decided in cooperation with your advisor)
The exam is graded Pass/Fail and is administered by the Algebra Committee which contains three faculty members of the Department from the area of research in Algebra/Algebraic geometry. The student can take the exam only twice.
The PhD qualifying exam in algebra is offered twice a year in May and August of each year. The exam in the area of concentration is offered at the students request.
The oral exam is an oral presentation of the thesis problem by the student in front of the Dissertation Committee. The exam is graded pass/fail. A unanimous decision of the committee is required for the student to pass. After passing the oral exam the student is a PhD candidate.
The thesis defense is done in front of a Dissertation Committee. The first part of the defense is open to the public and it lasts one hour. During the second hour the committee meets with the student in private to discuss certain matters of the scientific content. The exam is graded Pass/Fail. A unanimous decision of the committee is required for the student to pass. The student can take the exam at most twice.