Graduate Programs
Our GRADUATE PROGRAMS
Over the past half-century, the Department of Mathematical Sciences has awarded well over 100 doctoral degrees in Mathematics and Applied Mathematics. The latest National Research Council (NRC) rankings of doctoral programs ranked our program in the range 11-40 among all U.S. programs in mathematics.
Our faculty consists of internationally recognized researchers in several core areas of mathematics and its applications. As such, we offer a wide range of potential research topics for Ph.D. candidates. Graduates from our program have gone on to prestigious postdoctoral research positions, tenure-track positions combining research and teaching, and jobs in industry, commerce, finance and government agencies.
Expert Faculty
Our faculty are enthusiastic about mentoring their students. The quality of your doctoral degree is primarily determined by the quality of your dissertation research, which in turn is heavily influenced by the guidance received from mentors. At UD, you will find well-known mathematicians working on exciting problems.
Diverse Research
The research of our faculty offers opportunity to work on interesting mathematical and scientifically challenging problems and to obtain training that will prepare you both for career in academic institution or in industrial research environment. Broadly speaking, the department has active research programs in Applied and Computational Mathematics, Analysis, Discrete Mathematics and Probability.
General Program Information
Each year, the deadline for spring admission is November 15 and January 15 for fall admission. Our admission process includes:
- The department considers your GPA and transcript from all prior institutions, GRE scores, letters of recommendation, and other experiences, honors and qualifications found in your CV and personal statement. Of particular interest is your performance in calculus, linear algebra and advanced undergraduate or beginning graduate courses, such as analysis/advanced calculus, abstract algebra, differential equations or others. We are also interested in evidence of research potential.
- International applicants need to pass the TOEFL (minimum 100, with at least 20 in each section) or IELTS (minimum 7.5, with at least 6.5 in each section) language test, unless they have a postsecondary degree from an institution in an English-speaking country.
The GRE general and math subject tests are recommended but not mandatory. If you choose not to do the tests, enter a future test date in the application form. This allows you to move onto the next section of the form; you do not need to actually take the test on that date.
Our program provides incoming students with activities that help them to succeed in the first-year course work, teaching assistant duties and transition to a more research-oriented mode in subsequent years, in particular:
- In July, the incoming students are invited to campus for an orientation and review of key academic materials during the Review of Advanced Mathematical Problems (RAMP).
- In August, we require completion of university and department training for teaching assistants.
- Foreign students are required to participate in the mandatory training offered by the English Language Institute (ELI) in the month before the fall or spring term in which the student begins studying. It is departmental policy that no foreign student be supported more than two semesters without being certified by ELI for having a sufficient command of English and teaching basics for classroom assignments.
- In January, we offer a preparatory session for the required preliminary examinations.
- In the summer after the first year, students are offered support for either independent study or in our collaborative summer research program Groups Exploring the Mathematical Sciences (GEMS).
- In the first year, students receive help with applying for fellowships in a specially designed fall workshop. Students are invited to attend our Graduate Student Seminar series, and encouraged to attend some of the numerous research seminars and colloquia held weekly.
Financial support is part of your formal offer of admission. Absent special circumstances, support for PhD students is guaranteed for five years. Support is extremely limited for students enrolled in the master's degree programs.
The sources of funding in fall and spring semesters include:
- Teaching Assistantship (TA),
- Graduate Assistantship (GA, typically a grader),
- Research Assistantship (RA), and
- Fellowship (both internal and external).
All sources include a tuition waiver. The TA, GA, and internal Fellowship stipends are all identical and more than the university minimum, which increases every year. RA and Fellowship stipends are set by the funding agency.
The five-year guarantee includes support from all sources; sources for each student are determined year to year. While receiving financial aid, students cannot have any other employment, and must not enroll in any other degree programs.
Students are eligible for additional summer stipends after the first year, and in a later summer after admission to PhD candidacy. Students are eligible (subject to external agency restrictions) to earn additional money from teaching during Winter or Summer sessions, though there are not always enough assignments for all students who want them.
Students are eligible for a total of $1,000 from the department for conference or workshop travel during their studies.
Check the latest version of the blue book for eligibility for funds. The Graduate College will supplement up to $1,000 in many cases.
The Graduate Studies Committee establishes policy for the graduate program and assists the Director of Graduate Studies in administering the program. The committee is chaired by the Director of Graduate Studies and consists of four additional faculty members. For this year (2024), the committee members are:
- Ivan Todorov, Chair (todorov@udel.edu)
- Philippe Guyenne (guyenne@udel.edu)
- Shuxing Li (shuxingl@udel.edu)
- Mokshay Madiman (madiman@udel.edu)
- Yvonne Ou (mou@udel.edu)
In addition, a graduate student representative sits on some of the committee meetings. For 2024, the graduate student representative is Gage Hoefer (ghoefer@udel.edu). If you have questions pertaining to the graduate program, feel free to contact any member of the committee. A full description of the duties of the Graduate Studies Committee can be found in the Department Bylaws, section 5.2.
The University of Delaware holistically supports its graduate students, beginning with their health and wellbeing. Benefits include a subsidized health plan and physical and behavioral health services. UD fosters a culture of academic excellence, with committed faculty and staff and access to state-of-the-art research facilities and technology. UD prioritizes professional development with job training, internships and industry partnerships. Graduates further enhance their professional growth and visibility with opportunities to work on interdisciplinary research teams, present their work at conferences and publish in academic journals. Visit the links below to learn how UD is supporting society’s future leaders, scholars, and innovators.
