| Admission deadlines: | Fall - January 15 (late applications may be considered on a case-by-case basis) |
| Standardized test scores: | GRE general test required; GRE subject test recommended (institutional code 5246). |
| The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the academic International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or the PTE Academic is required of all applicants except those who hold a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree from a college or university in the United States or from an institution located in a country in which English is the official language, provided English was the language of instruction. | |
| Minimum scores for the program are: | |
| - Academic IELTS: an overall band score of 7.0 with no individual score below 6.0; or | |
| - TOEFL: 600 on paper-based or 100 on Internet-based; or | |
| - PTE Academic: 68; | |
| Prerequisite requirements: | A bachelor’s degree in mathematics or comparable coursework. |
| Recommendations required: | Three (3) recommendations |
| Prior academic records: | Transcripts are required from all colleges and universities attended, whether or not credit was earned, the program was completed, or the credit appears as transfer credit on another transcript. Unofficial transcripts from all colleges and universities attended must be uploaded to your online application. Official transcripts are required only of applicants who are offered admission. If transcripts are in a language other than English, English language translations must be provided. The English translation alone should be uploaded into your application. |
| Statement of purpose: | In an essay of 250 – 500 words, state your purpose in undertaking graduate study in your chosen field. Include your academic objectives, research interests, and career plans. Also discuss your related qualifications, including collegiate, professional, and community activities, and any other substantial accomplishments not already mentioned on the application. If you are applying for an assistantship or fellowship, you should also describe any teaching experience you have had. |
| International applicants only: | Please review International Applicant Information (https://columbian.gwu.edu/international-graduate-applicants) carefully for details on required documents, earlier deadlines for applicants requiring an I-20 or DS-2019 from GW, and English language requirements. |
Supporting documents not submitted online should be mailed to:
Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, Office of Graduate Studies
The George Washington University
801 22nd Street NW, Phillips Hall 107
Washington DC 20052
For additional information about the admissions process visit the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences Frequently Asked Questions page.
Contact:
askccas@gwu.edu
202-994-6210 (phone)
Hours: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday
The following requirements must be fulfilled:
The general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, Graduate Programs.
The requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Program.
72 credits, including at least 45 credits of coursework, and at least 6 credits of dissertation research.
Pre-candidacy
During the pre-candidacy phase, students must complete a minimum of 45, but no more than 54, credits of coursework. This coursework is to be undertaken in preparation for the specialty examination.
Students wishing to take courses outside the department must petition and obtain the approval of the graduate committee. The committee may limit the number of such courses that students take.
Subject to the approval of the graduate committee (requested via petition), students may take up to 12 credits of courses offered by other institutions in the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area.
Subject to the approval of the graduate committee (requested via petition) and the agreement of the instructor, students may take up to 12 credits from the following upper-level undergraduate courses for graduate credit, provided that additional graduate-level coursework is completed in these classes.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 3613 | Introduction to Combinatorics | |
| MATH 3632 | Introduction to Graph Theory | |
| MATH 3710 | Introduction to Mathematical Logic | |
| MATH 3720 | Axiomatic Set Theory | |
| MATH 3730 | Computability Theory | |
| MATH 3740 | Computational Complexity | |
| MATH 3848 | Differential Geometry | |
| MATH 4239 | Real Analysis I | |
| MATH 4240 | Real Analysis II | |
| MATH 4981 | Seminar: Topics in Mathematics |
Candidacy assessment process
To advance to candidacy, students must successfully complete at least 45 credits of coursework, a qualifying examination, and a specialty examination.
The qualifying examination covers four subject areas—algebra, analysis, applied mathematics, and topology—and is offered twice each year, before the start of the fall and spring semesters. The exam in each subject area is worth 30 points and may be taken no more than twice. To pass the qualifying examination, students must achieve a total of at least 50 points across three subject areas by the start of their fourth semester in the program.
The specialty examination is an oral examination in the student's intended research area. It is conducted by a committee of three faculty members, including the prospective director of the student's dissertation. Students are required to pass the specialty examination by the time they have completed 54 credits of coursework (by the end of the sixth semester, for full-time students).
Post-candidacy
Once they have advanced to candidacy, students must complete the remaining credits required for the Ph.D., including at least 6 credits of MATH 8999 Dissertation Research; their dissertation; and the successful defense of their dissertation in a final oral examination.