About PhD Program,
There are two options that lead to the Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics. They are Mathematics and Mathematics with an emphasis in statistics.
The Department of Mathematics has 33 faculty members, with research interests in several areas of mathematics, statistics, and mathematics education, and approximately 55 graduate students. The department is housed in the recently renovated Carnegie Library building on the main campus quadrangle. Programs of study include those for M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Mathematics, with or without a concentration in Statistics, and for M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Mathematics Education.
The Ph.D. degree in mathematics is the primary graduate degree offered by the Mathematics Department. Successful applicants are admitted directly to the Ph.D. program and earn a M.S. degree on the way to their Ph.D.
PhD Program Degree Eligibility with GPA,
- Completion of the requirements for the Masters’ degree in mathematics via the mathematics track.
- Completion of a total of at least 72 credits of graduate course work, including credits taken toward the completion of the MS degree. Credits beyond the MS degree must be at the 600-level or above. Up to 24 credits may be dissertation credits. Dissertation credits can be taken only after students pass the full Qualifying Examinations.
- Maintaining grade point average of at least 3.6 in the courses covered by the Preliminary and Qualifying Examinations and in the courses in their field of specialization. The Mathematics Graduate Committee may recommend that a student in the Ph.D. program who fails to maintain the required grade point average not be continued in the Ph.D. program.
PhD Funding Coverage,
Every applicant for graduate study is automatically considered for financial support (teaching assistantships, fellowships, and research assistantships). There is no additional application required.
Graduate Teaching Assistantships
Graduate teaching assistantships in the Mathematics Department (for PhD stduents who, on the basis of their spoken English, have been cleared to teach) carry a stipend (2024-2025) of $28,000. Teaching Assistantships are accompanied by a tuition scholarship for 24 credit hours.
The normal obligation for teaching assistants is officially 20 hours of service per week, which includes class time, preparation, grading, and office hours. A typical assignment is equivalent to teaching four recitations or one section including a recitation of a mathematics course per semester. Teaching assistantships are generally renewed each year by the Mathematics Department (with the concurrence of the Graduate School), as long as the student executes his/her teaching duties competently and continues to make satisfactory progress toward a graduate degree in Mathematics.
Command of English is an important criterion in the awarding of teaching assistantships.
Additional summer support (in the form of teaching assistantships and/or fellowships), is usually available for continuing graduate students who have completed at least one semester of graduate study in our Mathematics Department. In recent summers, this support averaged over $4,000 per student.
Research Assistantships
May be available to advanced graduate students working in conjunction with faculty with grant support. Availability varies from year to year.
University Funding Options
The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarship Programs has several options for funding graduate students. Please see the OFASP web page for further information.
Application Requirement,
- A completed application form
- TOEFL scores for international applicants
- A brief (about 1 page) statement indicating why you wish to pursue graduate study and why Syracuse is a good fit for you, particularly how your research interests align with areas of expertise in the department.
- A curriculum vitae or resume
- A transcript from each postsecondary institution attended sent by the institution to the SU Graduate School.
- 3 letters of recommendation sent directly to the SU Graduate School.
- TOEFL scores should be reported in your application on the Graduate School website as well as sent directly to SU by the ETS. The institution code for Syracuse University is 2823.
Application Deadline,
Jan 24, 2025
Application Fee,
All applicants must pay a non-refundable application fee of $75.
