THE MATHEMATICS GRADUATE GUIDEBOOK

 

Revised October 2007

 

The guidebook is intended as a reference for use by Mathematics faculty and graduate students. It contains degree requirements, language requirements, guidelines for continuation of assistantships, Department and University policies concerning graduate students, and other information about the University of Georgia graduate programs in Mathematics.

 

Contents:

Student Responsibility                                                                                                              

Faculty Advisors and Committees                                                                                            

Course Registration Requirements                                                                                            

Advance Registration and Assistantships                                                                                  

Progress Guidelines                                                                                                               

Teaching Guidelines                                                                                                                 

Degree Requirements                                                                                                               

            The MA Program                                                                                                        

            The MAMS Program                                                                                                  

            The PhD Program                                                                                                        

Language/Research Skills Requirements                                                                                  

Computer Recommendations                                                                                                    

Forms to File                                                                                                                        

University Regulations for Graduate Teaching Assistants                                                        

TA Preparation Courses                                                                                                        

Grievance Procedures                                                                                                

Appendix:  Graduate Course Listing by Area and Level                                             

 

 

Student Responsibility
It is especially important that all students know that it is their responsibility to make sure they fulfill all of the requirements explained in this handbook.

 

Faculty Advisors and Committees

All students entering a Mathematics degree program are advised by the Graduate Committee.  By the end of the first year, each student will be assigned a faculty advisor by the Graduate Coordinator.  The advisor is responsible for forming the student's Master's or PhD committee, and signing his or her advisement form each semester.  The student should meet regularly with his or her advisor, to keep the advisor informed about the student's progress, and to develop a personal mentoring relationship.

 

A student may change advisors at any time; to do so, he or she should discuss the change with both the old and new advisor, and the Graduate Coordinator.

 

The Master's or PhD committee should take an active role in designing the student's course of study, especially in regards to language requirements and courses outside the department.  It makes the final pass/fail decision on MAMS or Master's Comps, or PhD Qualifying Exams.

 

  Course Registration Requirements

The Graduate School requires that all students holding 1/4 or 1/2 time assistantships register for a minimum of 12, and a maximum of 18, credit hours each semester.  Registration for more than 18 credits requires special permission. All other students must register for a minimum of 3, and a maximum of 18, credits per semester. All enrolled students pursuing graduate degrees at the University of Georgia must maintain continuous enrollment from matriculation until completion of all degree requirements.  Continuous enrollment is defined as registering for a minimum of three (3) credits in at least two semesters per academic year (Fall, Spring, Summer) until the degree is attained or status as a degree-seeking graduate student is terminated.

 

The Mathematics Department requires students holding assistantships to take at least 9 credits of program-oriented coursework each semester: ordinarily this will be within the Mathematics department, but courses within related departments (such as Computer Science, Statistics, or Management Science), or language courses, are acceptable if approved by the student's advisor.

 

Except during the summer, the Mathematics Department requires all PhD students who have passed the Written Qualifying Exams to register for at least one PhD-level course each semester, in addition to any reading or research projects they are taking (8800, 8900-8980, 9000, or 9300).

 

During the summer, students receiving support are expected to register for at least 9 credits.

 

Advance Registration and Assistantships

The Graduate School requires all students holding assistantships to register during the Phase I or Phase II registration periods before each semester (i.e. before the first day of classes).  Students who fail to do so will lose their tuition waiver and reduction of fees for that semester; they cannot be paid as teaching assistants, but may be employed as hourly workers, or temporary instructors, if the Department sees fit.

 

Registration is deemed complete when the student has paid his or her fees, or has checked the payroll deduction option on the OASIS screen.  Note that before this can be done, the student must see his or her advisor, bring a completed advisement form to the administrative coordinator, and have "cleared advisement'' entered into the OASIS system.  Students are requested to complete advisement as early as possible.

 

Progress Guidelines

For students holding assistantships, it is the intention of the Department to continue providing support for up to six years (five years for students entering with a Masters degree), as long as the student is making satisfactory academic progress, and discharges his or her assistantship duties responsibly.

 

Progress is examined in an annual review by the Graduate Committee, ordinarily carried out in Spring semester.  The review includes evaluations by the student's advisor, instructors in courses the student has taken within the past year, and faculty members the student has been assigned to assist.  It includes examination of the student's academic record, progress on PhD Qualifying Exams or Master's Comps, completion of language requirements, and training as a teacher.  For students working on dissertations or theses, it includes an evaluation of the progress they have made.  For students assigned teaching duties, it includes an evaluation by the student's teaching mentor.  The review will take into account the following timetables and guidelines:

 

PhD students:  Students entering the PhD program holding Master's degrees in Mathematics are expected to pass their Written Qualifying Exams within 2 years of entering the program; all others, within 3 years.  Students are expected to finish their Oral Qualifying Exams within 9 months, and their Dissertations within 3 years of completing written Quals.  Support will be continued beyond these limits only on an annual basis and only after a petition by the student's advisor, which must project an appropriate date for completion of requirements.  It is expected that continuation of support for more than 1 additional year will be very rare.

 

Master's and MAMS students are expected to complete their programs within two years.  Continued support for the second year depends on satisfactory performance in the first year.  MA Non-Thesis students are expected to pass their Comprehensive Exams at the end of the second year.  Support for a third year will be given only upon the advisor's strong recommendation.

 

Grades are indicators of a student's prospects for success on the corresponding Quals or Master's Comps; grades lower than A, especially in 6000 level courses, signify that difficulties are to be expected.  A grade lower than B- in any Mathematics course is grounds for reducing or terminating support.

 

International students whose native tongue is not English must demonstrate competence in spoken English (e.g. being able to communicate effectively with faculty and other graduate students) by the end of their second year of study.  This requirement can be fulfilled by passing ELAN 7769 and satisfactorily giving a seminar to the graduate students and faculty.  International students are expected to continue their training in English until they have passed GRSC 7770 and passed the TSE/SPEAK Test with a score of at least 50 or passed the TOEFL/TAST with a score of 23-25.  Failure to meet this requirement is grounds for a reduction in support or an increase in non-teaching duties.

 

Domestic students who have not had experience teaching at the college level must take GRSC 7770 (TA preparation course) within their first year of graduate study (second year, for those holding Graduate School Assistantships).

 

All students should complete language/research skills requirements early in their programs.

 

Teaching Guidelines

Teaching guidelines are provided so that our graduate students are adequately trained as teachers, the workload is distributed fairly among our students, and our undergraduates receive high quality instruction from graduate students supported by the department.

  1.  Native English speakers will be expected to be able to teach their own course by Fall semester of their second year.
  2. All other students will be expected to be able to teach their own course by Fall semester of their third year.
  3. The Graduate Committee will evaluate the teaching ability of each student during the Spring semester prior to the Fall semester in which the student is expected to be able to teach his or her own course.  The Graduate Committee will primarily consider faculty and student evaluations from those courses in which the student has served as a mentored teaching assistant.
  4. If the Graduate Committee decides that a student is not ready to teach his or her own course when specified by these guidelines, the student's support will, after due process has been accorded, be decreased by 1 unit during the year in which the teaching was to have started.  As an alternative to reducing support, additional non-teaching duties may be assigned.
  5. The teaching ability of the student will be reviewed in each subsequent Spring semester.  The student's support will be reinstated, left unchanged or further decreased, depending on the Graduate Committee's evaluation of the student's ability to teach during the following academic year.

 

Degree Requirements

All students entering the MA and PhD programs in the Fall semester are required to take the Preliminary Examination during Orientation Week. This exam is designed to test the students' mastery of the foundations of the undergraduate mathematics curriculum, principally linear algebra and advanced calculus, and is used mainly for placement purposes. Based on the performance on the exam, the student may be placed into MATH 7900 (Foundations for Graduate Mathematics) during the Fall semester, and be required to take the exam again in the middle of the Spring semester.

 

The Master of Arts Program

The purpose of the MA program in Mathematics is to offer students who hold a Bachelor's degree in mathematics or a closely related field an opportunity to broaden their knowledge in several areas of mathematics and its applications.  This program will prepare a student for teaching at junior colleges or for careers in business, government, or industry.  An inadequately prepared PhD applicant may be admitted to the MA program with the possibility of transferring later to the PhD program if he or she makes sufficient progress.

 

Prerequisites:  To enter the MA program a student should have a strong Bachelor's degree in mathematics or a closely related field.  The student should have had training at the junior/senior level in courses requiring reading and writing proofs, preferably including at least two from modern algebra, topology, and real analysis.  Additional courses in pure and applied mathematics, probability, statistics, physics, and computer science are desirable. 

 

MA Program Requirements:  The MA program in mathematics is offered under two plans:  (1) MA with thesis, and (2) MA without thesis.  The general Graduate School requirements include a minimum of 30 semester hours of course work of which at least 12 hours must be in courses open only to graduate students (exclusive of 7000 and 7300, but including 6000 level courses). A maximum of 6 hours of 7000 and 3 hours of 7300 may be applied toward the 30 hours. For additional requirements concerning transfer credit, submission of program of study, admission to candidacy, and regulations concerning Master's comps and preparation of theses, see the current Graduate Bulletin, or consult the Graduate School.

 

Departmental requirements are as follows.

 

  1. Candidates for the MA degree with thesis are required to take 30 credit hours of mathematics-related coursework, and to write a thesis.  The coursework must include 9 hours in 8000-level courses*, and 3 hours of MATH 7300 (Master’s Thesis).  It is desirable that the thesis should present original research.  However, the thesis may be expository in nature in which case it should be a synthesis of several research articles and books.  The student must give a final oral defense of the thesis and it must be approved by a committee of three members including the thesis advisor. 

  2. Candidates for the MA degree without thesis are required to take at least 33 credit hours of mathematics-related coursework, including 12 hours in 8000-level courses*.  Candidates are also required to take Comprehensive Examinations in three areas as specified below. 

 * The following are excluded from the required 9 or 12 hours of 8000-level courses:

a) the 2-hour 8xx5 problem sessions which accompany the qual-prep courses;
b) reading courses 8800;
c) more that one semester of VIGRE Research 8850;
d) seminars 8900-8980;
e) non-Math courses.

Exceptions may be granted (rarely) on a case-by-case basis with approval of the advisor and the graduate coordinator.

 

Both options for the MA degree require that the student demonstrate competence in one of the three language/research skills areas:  natural languages, computer science, or statistics, as discussed in the section on Language/Research Skills Requirements.

 

A student's progress towards an MA degree is supervised by a 3-person Master's committee, formed at the beginning of his or her graduate career.  The student's faculty advisor chooses this committee, and is its chair.

 

The three MA Comprehensive Exams taken by students in the MA non-thesis program must be chosen from three different areas among (1) Analysis, (2) Algebra, (3) Topology, and (4) Applied.  See the Appendix for a list of courses, grouped by area.  The course groups corresponding to the four areas are (1) A and E, (2) B and F, (3) C and G, and (4) D and H.  At least one exam must cover an 8000-level course.  Master's Comps are two hours in length, and must initially be taken in a one-week period, ordinarily at the end of the candidate's second year of study. The examiner marks the exam and makes a pass/fair recommendation, but success is ultimately determined by the student's committee; if the student's work is not satisfactory the committee may recommend "fail" or administer another exam.

 

Students transferring from the PhD to the MA non-thesis program are given credit for Master's Comps if they have passed two or more PhD Written Qualifying Exams.

 

The Master of Applied Mathematical Science (MAMS) Program

The purpose of the MAMS program is to provide mathematical training for students who wish to work in business, government, or industry.  It is designed to produce applied mathematical scientists who can solve quantitative and qualitative problems arising in practical applications (for example, in areas such as computer aided industrial design, operations research, engineering or systems analysis).  The MAMS program is intended for people who wish to sharpen their mathematical skills for use in applied situations.

 

The MAMS degree offered in the Mathematics Department is inherently interdisciplinary in nature.  A principal feature of the MAMS program is that the student works on an individual problem.  This problem can come from any applied area of study (for example, physics, agricultural engineering, ecology, marine sciences or finance).  Some upper level course work in that area may be included in the student's program of study.  The project results are written up by the student in a substantial technical report.  The student also gives an oral presentation of the report to the faculty.  The technical report should clearly describe the problem, detail the mathematical analysis and results, and interpret the results in terms of the original problem.

 

Prerequisites:  In order to be admitted to the MAMS program, a student must have taken courses in multivariate calculus, linear algebra, and ordinary differential equations.  Students should also have had some experience with computers.

 

Course Work:  The course work in students' programs of study should broaden their knowledge and skills in applied mathematics.  To obtain a MAMS degree the student must pass 33 credit hours of approved course work, including either

Real Analysis (MATH 6100) or Complex Variables (MATH 6150)

and either

Probability (MATH 6600) or Introduction to Partial Differential Equations (MATH 6720).

 

At least 9 credit hours of 8000-level mathematics courses must be included in the student's program of study with at least one course taken from each of any two of the following areas:

 

 

NUMERICAL ANALYSIS

Advanced Numerical Analysis (MATH 8500, 8510, 8520)

Special Topics in Numerical Analysis (MATH 8550)

 

PROBABILITY

Probability (MATH 8600)

Stochastic Processes (MATH 8620)

Stochastic Analysis (MATH 8630)

 

DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS

Industrial Mathematics (MATH 8700)

Variational Methods/Perturbation Theory (MATH 8710)

Ordinary Differential Equations (MATH 8740)

Introduction to Dynamical Systems

Partial Differential Equations (MATH 8770)

 

In addition students may take up to nine hours of course work in other departments in an area related to the technical report project.

 

Technical Report:  A distinguishing feature of the MAMS program is the writing and presentation of a technical report following an investigation into a real-world applied mathematics problem.  This report, written under the guidance of a faculty advisor, consists of three parts:

 

  1. The introduction, in which the problem is explained clearly in non-technical terms;

  2. The description of the mathematically formulated problem and the mathematical analysis performed;  
  3. The summary, which relates the results of the problem and explains any conclusions.

 

The report and presentation may be viewed as training for a real job situation where one communicates the results of a project and any relevant conclusions to a manager or a client.

 

The PhD Program

Prerequisites:  To enter the PhD program a student should hold at least a Bachelor's degree in mathematics.  The academic record of a student applying to the PhD program should contain substantial evidence that the student will succeed in the doctoral program.  In reviewing an applicant's folder, the Graduate Committee gives substantial weight to the applicant's transcripts, letters of recommendation, and GRE scores. 

 

Requirements:  The PhD degree has no rigid course requirement beyond the residency requirement (however, breadth and depth of knowledge are strongly encouraged).  It does require (1) passing written and oral qualifying examinations, (2) writing a dissertation embodying the results of original research which is acceptable to the student's dissertation committee, (3) a final oral defense of the dissertation, and (4) a language/research skills requirement.

 

            For the language research skills requirement, the student must demonstrate competence in two areas:  either two natural languages, or one natural language and computer science, or one natural language together with sufficient improvement in English, if the student is an international student whose English is initially inadequate.  See the section on Language/Research Skills Requirements for detailed requirements.

 

A student's progress towards the PhD degree is initially supervised by a three-person Preliminary Advisory Committee, formed at the beginning of his or her graduate program.  The student's faculty advisor chooses this committee, and is its chair.  After the student has passed the Written Qualifying Exams, and before taking the Oral Qualifying Exam, the Advisory Committee is increased to five members. 

 

The PhD Qualifying Examination System consists of two parts.  The first part consists of four Written Qualifying Exams and the second consists of an Oral Qualifying Exam. 

 

Written Qualifying Exams are offered every year in August before the start of Fall semester classes and in January before the start of Spring semester classes.  Study guides and copies of previous qualifying exams are available on the Graduate Program website for students to use in preparing for their Written Qualifying Exams.

 

The Written Qualifying Exams are divided into three groups:

Group 1:  Complex Analysis, Real Analysis

Group 2:  Algebra; Topology

Group 3:  Probability; Numerical Analysis

 

Each PhD candidate is required to pass four Written Qualifying Exams, including both exams from Group 1 and at least one exam from Group 2.  The exams in Group 1 are two hours long, and the other exams are three hours long.  Each of the six introductory 8000-level courses (MATH 8000, 8100, 8150, 8200, 8500, and 8600, along with the associated 8xx5 problem session) is designed to help prepare students for the written qualifying exam in the corresponding subject area. 

 

The Written Qualifying Exams may be taken in any order, and more than one exam may be taken at a time.  An exam may be repeated until passed; however, timely completion of the Written Qualifying Exams is expected according to the Progress Guidelines.  For each written qualifying exam taken by a student, an examining committee decides on a pass/fail recommendation communicated to the student’s advisory committee.  The final determination of pass or fail on a written examination lies with the student's committee.  The student’s committee may reverse the examining committee’s decision or may choose to administer its own examination in addition.

 

The Oral Qualifying Exam is based on the student's anticipated area of specialization. In it, the student is expected to present material from a research paper and to answer general questions about the area of specialization. It is to be taken within 9 months of the time the student passes his or her last Written Qualifying Exam.  (A student who passes Written Qualifying Exams early will be allowed additional time to pass the Oral Qualifying Exam.)  To begin preparing for the Oral Qualifying Exam, the student decides upon a thesis advisor.  At this time the student's committee will increase from 3 to 5 members.  The student, advisor, and committee agree upon a body of material for which the student will be responsible.  The student reads research papers in the area:  in general, in the examination, the student presents a 30-minute lecture on those prepared papers, followed by a question period of at least one hour on the paper and background material.

 

Language/Research Skills Requirement

Natural Languages:  The student must have a reading knowledge of a foreign language with significant mathematical literature, chosen from French, German, or Russian.  A student can show this knowledge either:

  1. by passing an appropriate course (French, German, or Russian 2001 or above) with a  grade of  B- or better;

OR 

  1. by translating an unfamiliar mathematical paper, using a dictionary, in a reasonable length of time (3-4 hours for a 4 page paper), to the satisfaction of a qualified examiner from the Mathematics faculty;

OR 

  1. by having native proficiency in one of the languages above, as certified by a qualified examiner.

 

 

Computer Science:   The student must demonstrate sufficient knowledge of computers to do mathematical research.  A student can demonstrate this either:

  1. by passing any of the following courses with a grade of  B- or better:  CSCI 6900 (special topics), or CSCI 7010 (Computer Programming);

OR

  1. by completing a substantial mathematics programming project, to the satisfaction of the Mathematics faculty.

 

 

Statistics:  The student must demonstrate a useful theoretical and practical knowledge of statistics.  A student can demonstrate this either:

  1. by passing any of the following courses with a grade of B- or better: STAT 6220, 6230, 6240, 6260, 6280, 6290, 6360, 6520; 

OR 

  1. by passing the Statistics Department equivalency exam, and satisfactorily completing a statistics research project at the level of a final project for any of the courses above. 

 

 

Certification

a.       A student meeting the requirement by a course may indicate this on his or her Admission to Candidacy form. 

b.      For a student doing a translation, the examiner will submit a form indicating the results of the exam (graded on a Pass/Fail basis) to the Graduation Office as soon as possible after completion of the examination. 

c.       For a student with native proficiency, the examiner will indicate the student's nationality or cultural background, and attest to his or her proficiency. 

d.      For a student doing a programming project, the Graduate Coordinator will submit a form to the Graduation Office, signed by a 3-person examining committee, indicating satisfactory completion of the project.

e.       For a student carrying out a statistics project, the Graduate Coordinator will submit a form to the Graduation Office, signed by a 3-person examining committee, indicating satisfactory completion of the project and Equivalency Exam.

 

After completion of language and/or research skills requirements students will submit the "Foreign Language/Research Skills Form" (located on the Mathematics website), to the Mathematics Graduate Office (room 434B).

 

These requirements are subject to the following conditions: 

 

Courses

In order to demonstrate sufficient current familiarity with a language or research skill, a course used to satisfy this requirement must have been taken while the student was a graduate student.

 

Departmental Language Examinations 

The Mathematics Graduate Coordinator will designate faculty members to serve as examiners in each language.  The examiners will be persons of native or near-native proficiency in the language.  When the student is prepared, he or she can make an appointment to do the translation, which will be done in a controlled situation.  An examination may be taken a maximum of three times in any given language.  A different article will be used for each attempt.  All attempts will be reported, regardless of the outcome. 

 

Computer Projects

Computer programming projects must be approved in advance by the student's advisor.  It is expected that projects will concern mathematical research and require about one semester's work. In carrying out a project, the student must demonstrate proficiency in at least one standard programming language, and show a working knowledge of some microcomputer system from the Unix, Windows, or Macintosh worlds.  At the end of the project, the student will either submit a written report, or give a half-hour presentation, to a three-person committee designated by the Graduate Coordinator.  Successful completion of the project will be evaluated by this committee. 

 

Statistics

The Statistics equivalency exam can be taken at most three times.  Statistics research projects must be approved in advance by the student's advisor.  At the conclusion of the project, the student will either submit a short written report, or give a half-hour presentation, to a three-person committee designated by the Graduate Coordinator.  Successful conclusion of the project will be evaluated by this committee. 

 

The approved Computer Science and Statistics courses are as follows:

 

Computer Science:  CSCI 6900, CSCI 7010

CSCI 6900 (Special Topics):  The content of this course varies, but in the past it has included Symbolic Programming, and Computer Algebra, which are very useful for mathematical research. 

CSCI 7010 (Computer Programming):  This course involves algorithms, programs, computing systems and hands-on-experience with microcomputers. 

 

Statistics:  STAT 6220, 6230, 6240, 6260, 6280, 6290, 6360, 6520

STAT 6220 (Statistical Methods II):  Regression, analysis of variance, factorial designs, etc.  This is the second basic course in statistical methods, following STAT 6210. 

STAT 6230 (Applied Regression Analysis):  Techniques of multiple regression and model building, multiple and partial correlation, etc.  Have STAT 6220 as a prerequisite. 

STAT 6240 (Sampling and Survey Methods):  Design of sample surveys, biases, variances and cost estimators.  At the level of STAT 6220; have STAT 6210 as a prerequisite.

STAT 6260 (Statistical Quality Assurance):  Basic graphical techniques and control charts, etc.  Have STAT 6220 as a prerequisite.

STAT 6280 (Applied Time Series Analysis):  Autoregressive, moving average, and integrated processes, etc.  Have STAT 6510 as a prerequisite. 

STAT 6290 (Non-Parametric Methods):  Techniques and application of non-parametric tests.  Estimates, confidence intervals, etc.  Have STAT 6220 as a prerequisite. 

STAT 6360 (Statistical Programming SAS):  Statistical programming techniques.  Have STAT 6220 or STAT 6230 as a prerequisite. 

STAT 6520 (Mathematical Statistics II):  This is a second course in mathematical statistics.  Have STAT 6510 as a prerequisite. 

The rationale behind these choices is that all are at a level equivalent  to or above STAT 6220, and all could be useful to a student teaching in a small mathematics department who was occasionally called on to teach statistics courses, or to a student employed in industry.

 

 

Computer Recommendations

Computers should be seen as one tool, in an array of tools available, for attacking mathematical problems.  Skill in computer programming is increasingly important for mathematicians to acquire.  It is not expected that all mathematics students will take coursework in computer science, but for many that will be appropriate.  As a minimum, students should obtain the following skills:

 

  1. Ability to quickly work out simple numerical and symbolic examples in a programming language or in a high-level package like Mathematica, MATLAB or MAPLE.

2.      The ability to do mathematical word processing.  TeX is the de facto standard and some knowledge of it is expected.

 

For some students it will be important to obtain a high level of skill in programming, so as to be able to do meaningful computer experiments as a part of mathematical research.  This is particularly so in applied areas, but increasingly also in pure areas.  The skill may be in a classical programming language, or in a high-level symbolic manipulation package.  In any case the student should develop sensitivity to the strengths and limitations of the machine and the language, and to issues of algorithmic efficiency, allocation of memory resources, internal representations of objects, and reliability of results.

 

The Mathematics Department will support:

  1. Access to computers equipped with standard software used in classes, like C++, Java, MAPLE, Mathematica, MATLAB;

  2. Internet access from each student office;
  3. Mathematical word processing in TeX and various front ends to it, with capabilities of previewing, and printing on a laser printer;
  4. Front-end access to a powerful computer, for serious mathematical computing.

 

Forms to File

The Graduate School requires that a number of forms be filed, on schedule, for each program.    A schedule of deadlines is published by the Graduate School each semester and is posted on their website http://www.grad.uga.edu and is also posted on the Mathematics Department's Graduate bulletin board.

 

Students are responsible for making sure that the appropriate forms are filed on time.

Forms may be obtained at

http://www.uga.edu/gradschool/forms&publications/currentstudent_forms.html

and should be taken to the Graduation Office located at 320 East Clayton Street, Ste. 400, Athens, GA  30602-4401.  Submit a copy of all forms to the Mathematics Graduate Office (room 434B) before taking them to the Graduate School.

 

 

MA Degree

Document

Due

Advisory Committee for Master of Arts &

Master of Science Candidates form

At least 1 semester before graduating and before submitting Program of Study

Program of Study for Master of Arts &

Master of Science Candidates form

Should be submitted by the second semester of residence, but must be submitted no later than the beginning of the semester student intends to graduate

MA Admission to Candidacy form

At least 1 semester before graduating

Application to Graduate form

Beginning of semester student intends to graduate

Approval Form for Master’s Thesis Defense or

Final Examination

At least 2 weeks before graduation

Filed by Graduate Coordinator

Exit Approval Letter for Master of Arts

At least 1 week before graduation

Graduate Coordinator submits on Department stationery

 

MA candidates must have at least a 3.0 average at the time of applying for admission to candidacy.

Approval Form for Master's Thesis Defense or Final Examination states that the student has passed Written Master's Comps.  Advisors of students writing MA theses should regard the thesis defense as satisfying Comps.

MA candidates with thesis must meet graduate school rules for checking theses, having them checked by the prescribed date, making sure they have the correct format, and having copies filed with the Graduate School and Library.

On the Program of Study designate by asterisk 6000- and 7000- level courses only open to graduate students, exclusive of research and thesis hours (7000 and 7300).   All 6000-level MATH courses have been deemed to meet this condition.

 

 

MAMS Degree

Document

Due

Advisory Committee for Master of Arts &

Master of Science Candidates form

At least 1 semester before graduating and before submitting Program of Study

Program of Study form for Non-Doctoral Professional Degrees

At least 1 semester before graduating

Admission to Candidacy for Non-Doctoral

Professional Degrees form

At least 1 semester before graduating

Application to Graduate form

Beginning of semester student intends to graduate

Exit Approval Letter for the MAMS Technical Report

 

At least 1 week before graduation

Graduate Coordinator submits on Department stationery

 

MAMS candidates must have at least a 3.0 average at the time of applying for admission to candidacy.

MAMS candidates must file three copies of the Technical Report with the Mathematics Department, including one in a folder provided by the Department.

 

 

PhD Degree  

Document

Due

Advisory Committee for Doctoral Candidates form (preliminary committee with 3 members)

Prior to taking written quals

Submitted before Program of Study

Preliminary Doctoral Program of Study

Developed by Major Professor and student, approved by the majority of committee, submitted to Graduate Coordinator by end of first year. (Do not submit to Grad. School)

Advisory Committee for Doctoral Candidates form (revised to include 5 members)

Prior to taking oral quals

Submitted before or with Program of Study

Final Doctoral Program of Study form

Should be submitted in the first year of residency, but must be submitted by the time oral comprehensive examinations are scheduled.

Oral Qualifying Exam Announcement 

Graduate Coordinator notifies Graduate School 2 weeks before exam is scheduled

Report of the Written and Oral Comprehensive Examination form

Graduate Coordinator submits to Grad. School when student passes the Oral Qualifying Exam

Application for Admission to Candidacy for Doctoral Degree form

One full semester before the date of graduation

Application to Graduate form

The beginning of semester student intends to graduate

Final Defense of Doctoral Dissertation Announcement

Graduate Coordinator notifies Graduate School

2 weeks before defense is scheduled

Approval form for Doctoral Dissertation and Final Oral Examination

Graduate Coordinator submits after student successfully completes thesis defense and at least 2 weeks before graduation

 

PhD candidates must complete all their language requirements before applying for Admission to Candidacy. Students must have at least a 3.0 average at the time of applying for admission to candidacy

If the membership on the student's 3-person Preliminary Advisory Committee or 5-person Final Advisory Committee changes after the original Advisory Committee for Doctoral Candidates form has been filed, it is necessary to file another copy of that form indicating the revised committee.

PhD candidates must meet Graduate School rules for checking Dissertations, having them checked by the prescribed date, making sure they have the correct format, and filing copies with the Graduate School and Library. 

 

 

 

University Regulations for Graduate Teaching Assistants

1)  All new GTAs and GLAs, who will have any kind of instructional responsibility, are required to attend the university-wide orientation for Graduate Assistants held before the beginning of Fall Semester classes.  Returning GTAs and GLAs are encouraged to attend sessions of interest.

 

2)  Domestic GTAs who have no prior teaching experience at the college level must enroll in GRSC 7770 level 3 (3 credit hours) before being given responsibility for a course.

 

3)  International graduate students whose native language is not English (i.e. those required to take the TOEFL) are required to have a passing score on the Test of Spoken English (TSE/SPEAK) or the new version of TOEFL/TAST (IBT TOEFL) before being considered for a teaching assignment.  The new version, IBT TOEFL, is being phase in by Educational Testing Service and includes a speaking component.  The SPEAK and TAST exams are no longer available as an on-campus option.  However, TSE/SPEAK/TAST scores will continue to be accepted for a limited time until the IBT TOEFL is available to all international applicants.

  1. Students scoring either 50 or above on the TSE/SPEAK or 26 or above on the TOEFL/TAST Speaking section can be considered for teaching assignments if they have attended the Fall Orientation and completed a GRSC/ELAN seminar or departmental teaching support course.
  2. Students scoring 45 on the TSE/SPEAK or 23-25 TOEFL/TAST Speaking section must successfully complete a 3 credit-hour language and cultural orientation course (currently identified as ELAN 7769 Level 2).
  3. Students scoring 40 on the TSE SPEAK or 20-22 on TOEFL/TAST Speaking section must successfully complete a 3 credit-hour language skills course (currently identified as ELAN 7768 Level 1) before enrolling in ELAN 7769 Level 2.  Note: Students with scores less than 20 on TOEFL/TAST may be required to repeat the Level 1 course before proceeding to Level 2.
  4. Students scoring below 20 on TOEFL/TAST are encouraged to enroll in an intensive English program before any further consideration of assignment to teaching duties.
  5. Students who have not taken the TSE/SPEAK or TOEFL/TAST test are required to enroll in ELAN 7768 Level 1 for language evaluation.
  6. The SPEAK and TAST test are no longer available.  They are replaced by IBT TOEFL language evaluation that is available from ETS or on campus at University Testing Service.

 

 

TA Preparation Courses

GTAs and GLAs who have no prior successful teaching experience at the college level in the United States must enroll in ELAN 7768, ELAN 7769 or GRSC 7770 before they are given any responsibility for a course.  The Mathematics Department offers discipline specific sections of GRSC 7770.

 

ELAN – Levels 1 and 2 are designed specifically for non-English speaking teaching assistants.

ELAN 7768 Level One 

The class is designed to improve the classroom communication of international teaching assistants through English as a Second Language training. Sessions include:

  1. Diagnosis of language problems
  2. Structured opportunities to improve language proficiency
  3. Practice with the English sound symbol system
  4. Work on word stress and sentence stress production
  5. Review of question forms and intonation patterns
  6. Practice of vowels and consonants
  7. Fluency exercises

 

ELAN 7769 Level Two

The class is designed to improve the ability of international teaching assistants to communicate effectively within the cultural context of the University of Georgia classroom.  Sessions include:

  1. Diagnosis of communication problems
  2. Techniques to establish rapport with students
  3. Demonstrations of effective teaching strategies
  4. Discussions of classroom management procedures
  5. Tips on how to lead discussion sessions, plan lessons, evaluate and advise students
  6. Observation and practice of effective teaching communication strategies
  7. Practice giving directions, explanations, and short lectures

 

GRSC 7770 Level Three (Can be used for Certificate in University Teaching) 

The class is designed to prepare teaching assistants for their role in the University of Georgia classroom and for potential careers involving instruction at other institutions.  Sessions include:

  1. Techniques to organize and effectively conduct the first class meeting of a course
  2. Discussion of the range of options for dealing effectively with students and classroom problems
  3. Practice in planning, organizing and presenting a good lecture
  4. Tips on conducting and managing class discussions
  5. Discussion of good test design and valid evaluation
  6. Methods to evaluate one's own teaching
  7. Techniques to design and use a variety of teaching methods
  8. Presentations of the major sources of information that relate to the instructional policies and procedures at the University of Georgia
  9. Opportunities to document the graduate teaching experience via the teaching portfolio
  10. Guidance in developing a teaching project for the Certificate in University Teaching

 

 

Grievance Procedures

Students who feel they have been treated unfairly in any matter concerning the graduate program, including continuation of support, assignment of duties, academic status, or nondiscrimination policies, may request a hearing by the Graduate Committee.  Assignment of grades, and setting of grading policies and standards, are considered to be an instructor's prerogative and are not normally an appropriate grievance topic. 

  1. Grievances should be submitted to the Graduate Coordinator in writing.
  2. When a grievance concerns an individual Graduate Committee member, that person will abstain from the decision.
  3. Grievances concerning support decisions will be heard by the full Committee.
  4. A Committee decision may be appealed, in written form, to the Department Head, who will decide whether or not to pursue the matter further.

 

 

 

 

Appendix: Graduate Course Listing

 

Graduate courses are offered at two levels.  Courses numbered 6000-6900 are intended for senior undergraduates as well as graduate students.  Courses numbered 8000-8980 are intended for graduate students preparing for Comprehensive or Qualifying Exams, or advanced Masters and PhD students.  As a general rule, 6000-level courses and 8000-level courses carry 3 hours of credit per semester.  (Most graduate courses meet 3 hours a week.)    Normally, a first year student selects three courses per semester at the 6000-level.  A second year student normally selects at least two courses per semester at the 8000-level.  A first year student with previous course work at the 6000-level may substitute 8000-level courses.  All first year students and all second year PhD students are required to take VIGRE Research Group (MATH 8850) in both Fall and Spring semesters.  Most first year students take one of the teaching seminars GRSC 7770, ELAN 7768, or ELAN 7769.

 

A list of courses is given below, divided into groups according to subject area and level.  See the University of Georgia Bulletin for a more detailed description of these courses.

 

 

 
 
 
A. Analysis 6100-10-20  
Real Analysis
   
Lebesgue Integration
   
Multivariable Analysis
  6150
Complex Variables
B. Algebra 6000-10-50-80
Algebra
  6300 
Algebraic Geometry
  6400-50
Number Theory
C. Topology 6200
Topology
  6220
Differential Topology
  6250
Differential Geometry
D. Applied 6500-10
Numerical Analysis
  6600
Probability
  6630-70-90
Algorithms
   
Combinatorics
   
Graph Theory
  6700-20-80
Applied Mathematics
   
Differential Equations
E. Analysis 8100-10
Real Analysis
  8150-60
Complex Analysis
  8170-80
Functional Analysis
  8190
Lie Groups
F. Algebra 8000-10-20
Algebra
   
Finite Groups
   
Commutative Algebra
  8080
Lie Algebras
  8300-10-20
Algebraic Geometry
   
Schemes
   
Curves
  8400-10
Number Theory
G. Topology 8200-