Applied Mathematics & Statistics, and Scientific Computation

AMSC Doctorate Program Overview

The Ph.D. degree is granted after successful completion of a program which demonstrates both a high attainment of scholarship, and the ability to do independent original research. The student's course of study must be a broadly based, coherent program in an acceptable field of either applied mathematics or scientific computation. The student is not required to obtain a master's degree before obtaining the doctorate. There is also no language requirement.

Roughly speaking, earning a doctorate has three stages that overlap somewhat. In the first stage the student concentrates on meeting the preliminary requirements but also begins to search for a research area. In the second stage the student identifies a research area and passes the oral candidacy examination. The final stage is dominated by the completion of the dissertation.

Requirements

• Overall Course Requirements. The student must have taken at least 36 graduate course credits at least 24 of which must be on the 600-898 level. In addition the student must have taken 12 credits of dissertation research (AMSC 899). Dissertation research can only be taken after the student is admitted to candidacy.
• Preliminary Requirements. These include various coursework and qualifying requirements. They are quite different for the Applied Mathematics (AM), Applied Statistics (AS) and Scientific Computation (SC) concentration. They are also quite flexible. The AMSC Graduate Committee must approve how each student meets these requirements.
  Preliminary Requirements for the AM Concentration
  Preliminary Requirements for the AS Concentration
  Preliminary Requirements for the SC Concentration
• Candidacy Requirements. These include all the appropriate preliminary requirements and an oral examination that allows the student to demonstrate that he or she has a deep enough understanding to carry out research in a proposed area. Once these requirements are met, the student applies to the Graduate School for Admission to Candidacy . The student must be admitted to candidacy within five years from the date of admission to the Graduate School. Extensions of time are granted by the Graduate School only under unusual circumstances.
  Candidacy Requirements
  
• Dissertation Requirements. These can only be met after the student has been admitted to candidacy. The centerpiece is the writing and defending of the student's dissertation. These requirements must be completed during a four year period after admission to candidacy. Extensions of time are granted by the Graduate School only under unusual circumstances.
  Dissertation Requirements
  

Transfer of Credits

• The AMSC Graduate Committee approves the transfer.
• A grade of B or better was earned in the courses offered (no courses with pass/fail grades will be accepted).
• The credit was earned within the time limits imposed for completing the Ph.D. degree at the University of Maryland.
• The credits have not been used to meet requirements for an undergraduate degree.