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Page Modified Jan 10, 2008 10:49 am

Advanced Degrees

M. S. Program

The Department of Mathematics, through the Graduate School, offers the Master of Science Degree.

  1. Admission

    In most cases an applicant to the Master's program should have completed work in mathematics equivalent to that required for a Bachelor's Degree at Kansas State University.

    An application file should be completed at least three months before the time of enrollment, although in certain exceptional cases, late applications can be considered. Admission is granted upon approval by the Graduate Program Advisory Committee, the Department Head, and the Graduate School. Students pursuing graduate studies are enrolled in the Graduate School and are subject to the policies as outlined in the Graduate School Handbook,* as well as the regulations of the Department of Mathematics.

  2. The Basic Examination


    Basic Exam Syllabus*
    Basic Exam Archives and Practice Problems*

    All students must take a Basic Examination before enrolling in graduate studies in mathematics at Kansas State University. One purpose of the examination is to determine the student's level of mathematical background and maturity and to enable the Graduate Advisory Committee to advise the student accordingly. The examination tests for a basic knowledge of undergraduate mathematics: modern algebra, elementary analysis, and computational mathematics (basic calculus, differential equations, and linear algebra). Passing the Basic Exam is a requirement for both the Master's and Ph.D. degrees.

    The Basic Examination is also given during each spring semester. A first-year GTA or GRA wishing to have support continued into the second year is expected to pass the basic examination during the first year, as well as to capably discharge the various responsibilities of a GTA or GRA. Subsequent appointments as a GTA or GRA will always be conditioned on adequate academic progress in the degree program as well as on satisfactorily carrying out the duties of the appointment.

  3. Overview of the Program

    The goal of the Master's program in mathematics at Kansas State University is to expose each student to the foundations of advanced mathematics. In general, a student in the Master's program will fall into one of three categories: wishing to work in the private sector, wishing to teach mathematics in a community or four-year college, or wishing to continue into a Ph.D. program in mathematics. In order to complete a Master's degree, the student must pass the Basic Exam, fulfill the coursework requirement, form a Supervisory Committee and file the Program of Study, and lastly, pass the Master's Final Examination.

  4. Major Professor and Supervisory Committee

    Graduate School forms and guidelines for Masters students*

    In accordance with the Graduate School Handbook, the student should, by the end of the second semester of graduate study, choose a major professor and a Supervisory Committee, and file a program of study with the Graduate School. This committee will advise the student throughout the remaining period of study, as well as administer the Final Examination.

  5. Program of Study and Coursework

    Graduate course descriptions*

    The Program of Study must be approved by the student's Supervisory Committee, the Department Head, and the Dean of the Graduate School. The student must earn a minimum of 30 credit hours of graduate credit (courses numbered at the 700 level or above). The student must maintain at least a 3.0 GPA in the courses listed on the Program of Study. Furthermore, the student must earn a grade of A or B in three-fourths of these courses, with no worse than a C grade in the remaining courses.

  6. Master's Final Examination

    The Master's student, in the final semester of study, will schedule a Master's Final Examination through the Graduate School. This examination may be the form of a defense of a thesis or report, or a test of the student's understanding of graduate-level mathematics. The precise format of the examination will be decided upon in consultation with the student's Supervisory Committee, according to one of the options below:

    1. Non Thesis/Report: In this option, the student will take an examination, either written, oral, or both, administered by the Supervisory Committee. Alternatively, the student may take the Ph.D. Qualifying Examination*. The student's Supervisory Committee could then evaluate the results of the Qualifying Examination to determine whether those results would be adequate for the Master's Exam pass. Note: A partial pass on the QE may be sufficient to complete a terminal Master's degree. A full pass on the Qualifying Examination is the preferred option for students wishing to continue into the Ph.D. program in mathematics at KSU.

    2. Master's Thesis: Write a thesis and defend it before the Department of Mathematics faculty. For this option there must be six to eight credit hours of MATH 899 (Thesis Topics) on the Program of Study.

    3. Master's Report: Write a report and defend it before the Department of Mathematics faculty. For this option there must be two credit hours of MATH 898 (Master's Research) on the Program of Study.

  7. Time Allowed

    Students are expected to complete the M.S. Program within three years. A student in this program should not anticipate receiving financial support (such as Teaching or Research Assistantships) from the Department for more than three years.

  8. Continuing into the Ph.D. Program after completing a Master's Degree

    A student originally admitted to the Master's program in mathematics who decides to continue graduate studies into the Ph.D. program in mathematics must submit to the Math Department a Graduate School `application for Master's students currently enrolled at K-State continuing for a Doctoral Degree in the same curriculum'.

    International students currently enrolled
    Domestic students currently enrolled

    If approved, the Department will forward the application to the Graduate School for admission into the Ph.D. program.

Ph. D. Program

The Department of Mathematics, through the Graduate School, offers the Doctor of Philosophy degree.

  1. Admission

    In most cases an applicant to the Ph.D. program should have completed work in mathematics equivalent to that required for a Bachelor's Degree at Kansas State University.

    An application file should be completed at least three months before the time of enrollment, although in some exceptional cases, late applications can be considered. Admission is granted upon approval by the Graduate Program Advisory Committee, the Department Head, and the Graduate School. Students pursuing graduate studies are enrolled in the Graduate School and are subject to the policies as outlined in the Graduate School Handbook*, as well as the regulations of the Department of Mathematics.

  2. The Basic Examination

    Basic Exam Syllabus*
    Basic Exam Archives and Practice Problems*

    All students must take the Basic Examination before enrolling in graduate studies in mathematics at Kansas State University. The purpose of the examination is to determine the student's level of mathematical background and maturity and to enable the Graduate Advisory Committee to advise the student accordingly. The examination tests for a basic knowledge of undergraduate mathematics: modern algebra, elementary analysis, and computational mathematics (basic calculus, differential equations, and linear algebra). Passing the Basic Exam is a requirement for both the Master's and Ph.D. degrees.

    The Basic Examination is also given during each Spring Semester. A first-year GTA or GRA wishing to have his/her support continued into the second year is expected to pass the Basic Exam during the first year, as well as to capably discharge the various responsibilities of a GTA or GRA. Subsequent appointments as a GTA or GRA will always be conditioned on adequate academic progress in the degree program as well as on satisfactorily carrying out the duties of the appointment.

  3. Overview of the Program

    The goal of the doctoral program in mathematics at Kansas State University is to provide each student with the tools needed to become a productive member of the mathematical community. To reach this goal, candidates must demonstrate to the faculty that they have met criteria for both breadth and depth in their studies. Specifically, each student will be required first to pass a written Qualifying Examination covering a broad range of mathematical subjects, and then, a Specialty Examination demonstrating the ability to pursue original and independent research in a chosen field of study. These will be followed by original research culminating in the Ph.D. dissertation. In addition, each student in the doctoral program in mathematics must demonstrate reading proficiency in either French, German or Russian. Since the vast majority of mathematics published in languages other than English are in one of the above languages, the graduate faculty feels that having at least a reading knowledge in one of the above languages is an important research tool.

    The breadth requirement consists of two components: required coursework and the Qualifying Exam (QE). The Qualifying Exam is intended to measure the student's ability to understand and to communicate with specialists from a broad range of mathematics. The depth criterion is met by the Specialty Examination (SE) and the dissertation. To pass the SE, a student must show a high level of mastery of the major ideas in the chosen area of specialization and thereby demonstrate the potential for making tangible contributions. The particular format of the Specialty Examination will be left to the discretion of the student's Ph.D. Supervisory Committee. The Qualifying and Specialty Examinations together make up the Graduate School's Preliminary Examination.

    There are seven major steps to completing a Ph.D. degree:

    1. Coursework;*
    2. Qualifying Examination*;
    3. Supervisory Committee and the Program of Study;*
    4. Specialty Examination;*
    5. Foreign Language examination;*
    6. The Ph.D. dissertation;*
    7. Final Defense of dissertation.*

    Detailed characteristics of the QE and SE are given below as well as specific guidelines for the other steps. Any deviations from the rules contained therein require the approval of the Mathematics Graduate Faculty.

    1. Coursework


      Graduate course descriptions*

      COURSE LOAD: The student is required to complete a minimum of 90 hours of graduate credit (courses numbered at the 700 level or above), with at least 60% of the credit hours in courses numbered 800 or higher. Students entering with a Master's Degree from an accredited program may transfer up to 30 hours of that degree toward the Ph.D. coursework requirement. The above-mentioned 90 credit hours must contain a minimum of 30 credit hours of MATH 999 (Ph.D. research), and at least 24 credit hours of coursework (exclusive of MATH 999 courses) in the Department of Mathematics. Eligibility to enroll in MATH 999 is restricted to students having passed the Speciality Exam (see below). This coursework must be completed according to the Graduate School's policy regarding grades and minimum GPA; see paragraph C, below.

      800-LEVEL COURSE-REQUIREMENT: The above coursework must also include a one-year sequence from the following list:

      1. MATH 810 (Higher Algebra I) and MATH 811 (Higher Algebra II).

      2. MATH 821 (Real Analysis) and MATH 822 (Complex Analysis).

      3. MATH 875 (Algebraic Topology) and MATH 876 (Differential Topology).

      4. MATH 840 (Differential Equations I) and MATH 841(Differential Equations II).

      5. MATH 861 (Numerical Analysis I) and MATH 862 (Numerical Analysis II).

      To be able to fullfill this 800-level course requirement a minimum grade of B must be obtained in both semesters.

      Such a one-year sequence may not count if it corresponds to one of the subdisciplinary topics that the students has passed in the Qualifying exam (see paragraph B. below), e.g. if a student passes the Qualifying Examination by taking Analysis and Algebra, then the sequences Math 821-822 and Math 810-811 cannot be counted as fullfilling the 800-level course requirement. On the other hand, a student may opt to take a third qualifying exam in lieu of the 800-level course requirement.

    2. Qualifying Examination


      [ Qualifying Exam Syllabi]* and [ Qualifying Exam Archives]*

      For a description of the QE subject areas through the Spring 2003 semester, please click here.*

      Beginning Fall 2003, the QE will consist of two written Subject Area Examinations and will constitute part of the Graduate School's Preliminary Examination. The Subject Area Examinations are to be chosen by the student from the following list:

      Algebra (based on MATH 810-811)
      Analysis (based on MATH 821-822)
      Geometry/Topology (based on MATH 701-875-876)

      The individual subdisciplinary examinations are taken individually (possibly in different semesters); passing the Qualifying Examination is tantamount to passing each of the Subject Area Examinations.

      Students who wish to obtain the Ph.D. at Kansas State University will be required to pass the QE by the end of the third year from the time that they originally enter the graduate program in mathematics. (Students who enter the graduate program in a Spring semester will be regarded, for the purpose of meeting the deadline for successful completion of the QE, as having entered the program at the beginning of the following Fall semester.) Furthermore, students entering with weak backgrounds but showing good progress may petition for an extra year within which to pass the Qualifying Exam. The QE Subject Area Examinations will be offered early in the Fall and Spring semesters of each year. Students who intend to take a QE Subject Area Examination in a given semester should declare their intention to the Director of Graduate Studies before the end of the preceding semester. Each Subject Area Examination is based on material covered in a one-year 800-level course in the subject area (as indicated above), and tests the student's general knowledge of that subject area. These examinations are roughly equivalent to final examinations in the corresponding 800-level courses. Each student will receive a grade of "pass" or "fail" on each Subject Area Examination; passing QE as a whole requires passing grades on each of the Subject Area Examinations.

    3. Supervisory Committee and the Program of Study


      Graduate School forms and guidelines for Phd Students*

      Within one year of passing the Qualifying Exam, the Ph.D. student is expected to select a major professor, form a supervisory committee, and to file a Program of Study with the Graduate School. The Supervisory Committee will advise the student throughout the remaining period of the study, as well as administer the SE and the final oral defense. The Program of Study primarily serves to notify the Graduate School of the student's supervisory committee as well as to list the relevant coursework. The Graduate School requires that the Program of Study be filed at least one semester prior to taking the SE.

      The Program of Study must be approved by the student's Supervisory Committee, the Department Head, and the Dean of the Graduate School. The Program of Study must list a minimum of 90 credit hours of graduate credit (courses numbered at the 700 level or above that have been taken or will be taken), with at least 60% of the credit hours in courses numbered 800 or higher. Students entering with a Master's Degree from an accredited program may transfer up to 30 hours of that degree toward the Ph.D. Furthermore, the student's program of study must contain a minimum of 30 credit hours of MATH 999 (Ph.D. research) and at least 24 credit hours of coursework (exclusive of MATH 999) in the Mathematics Department. The student must maintain at least a 3.0 GPA in the courses listed on the Program of Study. Furthermore, the student must earn a grade of A or B in three-fourths of these courses, with no worse than a C grade in the remaining courses.

    4. Specialty Examination

      The Specialty Exam is the second part of the Graduate School requirement for the Preliminary Examination and must be passed in order to become a doctoral candidate. Each student must take the SE, but can do so only after having passed the QE, formed the Supervisory Committee, and submitted a Program of Study to the Graduate School. The structure and content of the SE may vary, depending on the characteristics of the student's chosen field of study, the Program of Study, and the discretion of the Supervisory Committee. For example, the SE may include one or more of the following components: a written and/or oral examination, a prepared colloquium talk, a computer program, or a publishable paper. The Supervisory Committee will determine the date for the SE, which should be no later than two years after successful completion of the QE and at least seven months before the final oral examination. The SE shall be scheduled through the Graduate School, using the Request for Preliminary Examination Ballot form. Shortly before the examination date, the Graduate School will issue a ballot for the Preliminary Examination to the Major Professor on which the results of both the Qualifying Examination and the Specialty Examination are to be recorded. Failure of the SE is tantamount to failing the Preliminary Exam, and will be grounds for termination of financial support by the Department of Mathematics (if applicable), and failure of the second attempt will be grounds for dismissal from the Ph.D. program by the Graduate School. Upon satisfactory completion of the Preliminary Exam, the doctoral student is automatically advanced to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree.

    5. Foreign Language Examination


      Foreign Language Proficiency Exams for Graduate Students: Modern Language Dept*

      In addition to the QE and SE, each Ph.D. candidate will be required to pass a language examination in French, German or Russian. No substitute foreign languages will be allowed. The requirement must be completed at least seven months prior to the final examination and may be met in one of two ways:

      1. Pass the Graduate Foreign Language Proficiency Exam for that language administered by the Modern Language Department or,

      2. Within two years prior to entering the Graduate School here at KSU, (or during one's studies while a graduate student at Kansas State University) receive a grade of at least B for fourth-semester (or higher) study in the elected language at the college level.

    6. The Ph. D. Dissertation

      After successful completion of the SE, students will continue their research under the supervision of their doctoral advisors. In order to receive the Ph. D. degree, the student will be required to write a Ph.D. thesis containing non-trivial, new results of publishable quality, and successfully defend this thesis in a final oral examination administered by the Supervisory Committee.

    7. MATH 999 Coursework

      It is the intention of the Department that a Ph.D. student enrolled in MATH 999 is actively doing research directly relevant to the writing of the doctoral dissertation. Since a student not having passed the Specialty Exam has not yet demonstrated sufficient depth to embark on Ph.D. level research, enrolling in MATH 999 coursework is restricted to only those students having passed the Specialty Exam. Students enrolling in MATH 999 for the first time (only) will need to complete the Request for Permission to take Math 999, Ph.D. Research.

    8. Final Defense of Dissertation

      After the student's dissertation has been deemed acceptable by the doctoral advisor, a final oral examination will be scheduled through the Graduate School and held in accordance with Graduate School requirements.

  4. Time Allowed

    Students are expected to complete this program within six years and should not anticipate receiving financial support (such as Teaching Assistantships) from the Department for more than six years. Students are also responsible for being aware of and following the Graduate School time requirements. (See the Graduate Handbook and the Graduate Catalogue for these requirements.)

    In any case, the date that the student was originally admitted to the graduate program in the Department of Mathematics will be considered the beginning date for the purpose of deciding time guidelines/deadlines in reference to the QE and SE, as well as maximum length of time to complete a degree and for possible financial support.

Any questions concerning the above requirements can be directed to the Director of Graduate Studies.

GTA Enrollment Requirements

According to Graduate School policy, GTAs holding appointments at .4 time or higher must enroll in no less than 6 credit hours and no more than 12 credit hours for the fall and spring semesters, and no less than 3 credit hours and no more than 6 credit hours during the summer semester. Any graduate student wishing to enroll in more than the maximum credit hours allowed by the Graduate School must petition for and obtain formal permission from the Graduate School. The Department of Mathematics requires Graduate Teaching Assistants to take at least 9 credit hours of mathematics classes in the Fall and Spring semesters. Under these conditions, it normally takes a person with a good background two years to complete the requirements for a Master's degree and an additional three years to complete the Ph.D. Correspondingly, assistantships are renewed provided the scholastic work and teaching are satisfactory. Summer support for Graduate Teaching Assistants is usually available, but is not automatic. To be eligible for summer support, GTAs must enroll in 6 credit hours of math classes during the summer semester.

Beginning with the Fall semester of 1992, the Graduate School received authorization to waive tuition fees for .5 time GTAs for the Fall and Spring semesters of each academic year. In the summer of 1998, a similar tuition waiver was instituted for .5 GTAs enrolled in the summer. If the GTA appointment is for less than .5 time, the tuition waiver will be prorated accordingly. To be eligible for this tuition waiver, the GTA must be enrolled in the Graduate School's minimum of six credit hours. However, as stated above, GTAs in the Department of Mathematics are required to enroll in at least nine credit hours during the fall and spring semester and six credit hours in the summer term. Any GTA enrolling in more than twelve credit hours will be assessed fees for the additional hours.

Under normal circumstances, a graduate student is expected to enroll in mathematics courses. When a GTA wishes to enroll in one or more courses outside the Department of Mathematics, permission from the student's academic advisor must be obtained and must be communicated in writing to the Department Head. Included in this letter to the Head should be a brief statement indicating the reasons for taking such extra-departmental courses.

Shortly before pre-enrollment for each semester, each GTA will be asked to submit a tentative schedule form to Reta indicating the classes the student intends to enroll in during pre-enrollment, and signed by the student's academic advisor. Since the scheduling of graduate courses and the GTA teaching assignments are heavily influenced by these class schedules, it is crucial that the student not change this schedule except under extreme circumstances. Any change in this class schedule must be initialed by the academic advisor on the tentative schedule form.