PH.D.

The department offers the Ph.D. in probability and statistics. There is a continuing demand for well-trained statisticians, and the department has been successful in placing its graduates in universities, research institutes, government, financial institutions, and industry.

The required curriculum includes three sequences: STAT G6101-G6102-G6103 (Applied Statistics); STAT G6107-G6108 (Theoretical Statistics); and STAT G6105-G6106 and STAT W6501 (Analysis and Probability Theory and Stochastic Processes). Students wishing addition preparation before embarking on the Analysis and Probability sequence (STAT G6105-G6106) may take MATH W4061-W4062 (Introduction to Modern Analysis) first. Students must take G6101-G6102 in their first year, and G6103 in their second. Students must take G6107-6108 in their first year. Students must either take G6105-G6106 or W4061-W4062 in their first year, and must complete G6105-G6106 and G6501 by the end of their second year.

At the end of the first year there is a sequence of three written qualifying exam covering the first-year course material. The exams will be designed to accommodate both students who take the G6105-G6106 sequence in their first year and students who take the W4061-W4062 sequence in the first year.

In the second and subsequent years, students attend advanced graduate courses, participate in graduate seminars and working groups (offered in the regular academic semesters and the Summer semester), attend Departmental seminars, take part in consulting and research activities, and develop a dissertation project. Students who have finished the first-year curriculum take at least one doctoral seminar (8000-level course) each semester of registration during the academic year and the summer (in special circumstances, substitutes for the doctoral seminars may be approved).

Students also participate in the Department's teaching program as teaching assistants or as instructiors and take part for at least two semesters in the department's statistical consulting service (approved summer internships in government or industry may be substituted for one semester of the consulting requirement). Many students prefer to take part in the consulting program for more than two semesters.

Until beginning work with a dissertation adviser, students are assigned faculty advisers. Students should discuss their study and research plans regularly with their advisers and the Director of Graduate Studies. Registration forms must be signed by the Director of Graduate Studies each semester.

Students awarded advanced standing (generally students who enter the program with a MA or MS) must register for a total of four Residence Units. Students not awarded advanced standing must register for a total of six Residence Units. After completion of the requisite number of Residence Units, students must register for Full-time Extended Residence.

Students also take an oral qualifying examination (before the end of the third year of study for students who enter with advanced standing, before the end of the fourth year for those who do not), after which the M.Phil degree is awarded.

The Ph.D. degree is awarded upon oral defense of an acceptable dissertation. The program typically takes from three to five years.

FAQ's for prospective students.

 

Financial Aid

All Ph.D. students are admitted with full support. U.S. nationals and permanent residents interested in applications in the Earth and Environmental Sciences may have an opportunity, after completing the oral qualifying examination, to take part in the IGERT fellowship program. Students who teach during the summer or who serve as instructors are generally provided with additional compensation.

Ph.D. students are given funds to purchase a laptop PC, and additional computing resources are supplied for research projects as necessary.

The Department also subsidizes up to $500 of travel expenses for students who make presentations at scientific meetings. Additional matching funds from the Graduate School Arts and Sciences are available to students who have passed the oral qualifying exam.

Summer support has been provided regularly in recent years.

Facilities

The department maintains two high-speed Linux servers, and students have full access to the campus instructional network (which has a wide range of statistical software). Mathematics/statistics, science, and social science libraries are located on campus. The library system also has many useful online resources, including Jstor, Nexis, Current index to Statistics, and Datagate.

Admission Requirements

Ph.D. students are admitted only in September. Admissions decisions are made in late February of each year for the Fall semester. A student admitted to the Ph.D. program normally has a background in linear algebra and real analysis, and has taken a few courses in statistics and probability. Familiarity with computing and programming is desirable. Students who are quantitatively trained or have substantial background/experience in other scientific disciplines are also encouraged to apply for admission. Prospective Ph.D. students must take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general test. The GRE Advanced Subject Test in Mathematics is also highly recommended.

 

Application

The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences recommends that all interested students apply on-line. If you cannot apply online, you should download the application. Please note that the application fee for paper or on-line applications is $110.