Program Details | Mathematical Sciences Ph.D.

The Ph.D in Mathematical Sciences at Portland State University is a research degree. It aims to develop student's ability to conduct and share original research. The program is flexible, learner driven, and provides participants with a structured environment, professional guidance, and advising support. Mathematical Sciences at PSU encompass a wide range of specialties. Traditionally at PSU, students often engage in multidisciplinary research work and take graduate courses in other departments. The program prepares for academic professions as well as a broad range of non academic professions. Indeed, Mathematical Sciences form an integral part of emerging fields such as computational medicine/biology, artificial intelligence, information security, and e-sciences. In today’s data-intensive world, Mathematical Sciences allow to  answer questions and solve problems in areas as diverse as economics and finance, government and law, the arts and music, medicine, weather and air quality forecasting, climate modeling, and national defense in addition to its traditional application in the physical sciences. The program is flexible, learner-driven, and provides participants with a structured environment, professional guidance, and advising support.

The program accommodates a broad range of interdisciplinary partners. Students choose a main concentration within the Mathematical Sciences as well as a secondary concentration. This secondary concentration can be chosen within the Mathematical Sciences or alternatively, within the natural sciences, social sciences, or engineering. Typical examples of secondary concentrations outside of Mathematical Sciences include Computer science, Engineering, Physics, Biology, Economics, Systems Science, Finance, Urban Studies and Planning, Public Health and Medicine.

Degree Requirements

Upon admission to the program the student will be assigned an academic adviser providing support for the student's exam schedule and program of courses. After satisfactory completion of the qualifying and comprehensive examinations, a dissertation committee headed by a thesis adviser will be appointed to supervise the remainder of the student's program.

Course Requirements

A minimum of 81 credit hours distributed as follows:

• Approved graduate level courses - 42 credits
  • Primary concentration: Mathematics and Statistics courses at the 600 level - 18 credit minimum.
  • Secondary concentration: courses at the 600 level in Mathematics and Statistics or courses at the 500 and 600 level offered in another discipline - 9 credit minimum.
  • Other courses in Mathematics and Statistics at the 500 and 600 level, including Mth/Stat 601 (non-dissertation research) - 15 credits. For students entering the program with a Master’s degree, up to 9 credits can be transferred from graduate Mathematics or Statistics courses offered in other universities.
• Mathematical/Statistical Literature and Problems course (Mth/Stat 501) - 3 credits. This requirement can be waived in full or partially in case of a Master’s thesis or a similar exercise performed in another university. When a partial waiver is provided, the candidate is asked to perform an oral presentation of his Master's thesis or similar exercise under the rules of the Mth/Stat 501 course.
• Doctoral seminar (Mth 607) or Internship (Mth 604) - 9 credits.
• Dissertation (Mth 603) - 27 credits.

Moreover, the candidate will be expected to participate in colloquia and research seminars presented in the department.

Examinations

Qualifying examinations: These exams are intended to verify that the student has the prerequisites for high-level mathematical courses and also to verify that the student has the basic capabilities and interest in mathematical research. This examination consists of two Master’s level written examinations offered in the Fariborz Maseeh Department of Mathematics and Statistics (“the department”), as well as defending a Mth 501/Stat 501 Mathematical/Statistical Literature and Problems course. In both cases, this course consists of reading critically a research article and presenting it in writing as well as orally in front of a mathematically literate audience. The qualifying examinations are to be completed before the end of the second year after enrollment in the program, so that the student may engage early-on in the study of higher level mathematics and in research.

Comprehensive examinations: This is an oral exam conducted by an examining committee composed of three or more PSU faculty members, a majority of  which hold a primary appointment in the department. The scope of the exam is determined by a syllabus prepared by the candidate’s examining committee. The syllabus reflects the primary as well as the secondary concentration of the candidate. A student may receive from the examining committee a grade of unconditional pass, conditional pass (with conditions specified by the examining committee), or fail. A (strict) majority of votes in favor of either pass or conditional pass is needed for the student not to fail the exam. The candidate is allowed to stand for this exam at most twice, and must pass this exam within five years after entering the program to continue.

Dissertation

Upon the successful completion of the course and examination requirements, the student proposes for approval by the Mathematical Sciences Ph.D. committee and subsequently by the Graduate School, a dissertation committee. This committee comprises a research adviser who is a faculty member in the department and at least three other faculty members. Additional faculty members may also serve on the dissertation committees. Overall, at least half of the members of the dissertation committee must be members of the department. The dissertation committee must also satisfy the rules dictated by the Graduate School.

Advancement to Candidacy

With guidance from the dissertation committee, the student will prepare a thesis proposal and presentation. The goal of this presentation is to inform the committee of the intent of the dissertation and receive their critical comments. Upon subsequent recommendation of the dissertation committee, the student is recommended for advancement to candidacy for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

Thesis Defense

After preparation of the written dissertation, and with the approval of the dissertation committee, the Ph.D. degree candidate will present their work in a dissertation defense culminating in their research activities.
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Residency

A minimum of three consecutive terms in this program must be spent in full-time residence at Portland State University.

Career Outcomes

Each year, graduates from our Mathematical Sciences Ph.D. program land jobs in Oregon, across the country and around the world. Here is a list of where some of them are currently employed or were employed just after graduating.

• Cigna
• Cooper University Hospital
• Digimarc Corporation
• FLIR Systems
• Intel
• iovation
• Los Alamos National Laboratory
• Mathematical Sciences Publishers
• MathWorks
• Pacific Crest Innovation Academy
• Powin Energy
• U.S. Bank
• U.S. Department of Defense
• Illinois State University
• Khalifa University
• Loyola University Chicago
• Oregon State University
• Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaiso
• Portland State University
• Texas A&M Kingsville
• University of Las Vegas