To be prepared for graduate-level course work in both mathematics and the outside area, applicants should have a bachelor's or master's degree with a strong mathematics component and some background in the other area. Plan of Study Faculty members help each student plan a course of study that is consistent with the student's background, interests, and goals. These individual programs are designed to help students develop expertise in methods of applied mathematics and build a good foundation in related topics of theoretical mathematics. The individual programs also provide sufficient knowledge in an outside area to enable students to use mathematical techniques in that area. Students can arrange their study plans to earn a master's degree from another department after they complete part of their plan.
Students find suitable thesis problems and supervisors with the help of the faculty.
One program objective is to have each student's dissertation research include many of the activities of an applied mathematical scientist. For example, a student might formulate a model, do a quantitative analysis of the model, and interpret the results. Admission and Financial Support Fellowships and research and teaching assistantships are available to qualified applicants. Fellowship support is available during the summers. Applications for fall semester admission and for financial support should be received by February 1.