Interdisciplinary Ph.D.
We accept I.Ph.D. applications both
as Coordinating Unit Discipline and as a Co-Discipline.
We also announce our
Graduate Seminar Series. Everyone is welcome.
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Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Admission Requirements
- Ph.D. programs at UMKC are interdisciplinary
and place much greater emphasis on original research.
- Your doctoral degree is split across two (or more) academic divisions roughly
corresponding to the traditional academic disciplines.
- If you wish to study at the doctoral level
with "Mathematics" as your Coordinating Unit Discipline (meaning, the Department of Mathematics and Statistics)
you must first apply to the School of
Graduate Studies.
- You must meet both
general
and discipline-specific criteria
for admission and be recommended for admission by the
doctoral faculty review groups in both "Mathematics" and your co-discipline.
- See Participating Disciplines for a current list of possible co-disciplines.
Highlights
of the minimum admissions requirements set by the
School of Graduate Studies and the
Department of Mathematics and Statistics are listed below:
- At least a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics, Statistics, or equivalent from an accredited college or university, or
- A Bachelor's degree in another subject including evidence of a strong performance in at least three Mathematics courses beyond Calculus I, II, and III.
- An overall grade-point average of at least 3.0 ("B", on a 4.0 scale) covering all college work taken prior to the BA/BS, or,
an overall grade-point average of at least 3.0 ("B", on a 4.0 scale) covering all post-BA/BS work completed to date.
- A current Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score.
- Our Department may establish additional criteria or higher standards we consider to be appropriate, and such discipline-specific criteria will take precedence over the general criteria.
- Complete information on graduate admission requirements
may be found at the
School of Graduate Studies site, under "Prospective Students",
and the
Department of Mathematics and Statistics section
of the UMKC graduate catalog.
For International Students
- International students who have studied less than
two years (full time) in a U.S. academic program or
a comparable program in an English-speaking country
are required to obtain one of the following:
A TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score of at least
- 550 on the paper-based test, or
- 213 on the computer-based test, or
- 80 on the internet-based test.
- More details on international student admission requirements are given at
International Graduate Applicant & Student Information.
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Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Degree Requirements
Revised Requirements (effective Fall 2006)
Detailed information on the general and discipline-specific degree requirements may be found at
School of Graduate Studies Interdisciplinary Ph.D.
For Students with "Mathematics" as Coordinating Unit Discipline
- Admission to the School of Graduate Studies only provides
Provisional Admission to the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics.
- Qualifying Requirements for Full Admission:
- You must choose as Emphasis either Mathematics or Statistics.
- A student with an M.S. degree in Mathematics or Statistics from an accredited University may get full admission.
- A student with only a B.S. degree (as detailed above under Ph.D. Admission Requirements) must take the
6 core courses in the department's M.S. program (corresponding to your emphasis),
Mathematics, or Statistics, and receive an average grade of 3.0 ("B") or better over those courses.
- After Full Admission, you must take at least six 5500-level courses
(18 credit hours) such as the following, depending on your emphasis:
Mathematics Emphasis (a selection)
Math 5519 (General Algebra II)
Math 5523 (Real Variables II)
Math 5542 (Advanced Numerical Analysis II)
Math 5552 (General Topology)
Math 5557 (Functional Analysis)
Statistics Emphasis (a selection)
Stat 5578 (Advanced Mathematical Statistics)
Stat 5590 (Theory of General Linear Models)
Stat 55xx (Sequential Analysis)
Stat 55xx (Bayesian Statistics)
Stat 5561 (Time Series Analysis)
Stat 5576 (Probability)
Math 5513 (Real Variables I)
Math 5532 (Advanced Numerical Analysis I)
- Other 5500-level courses (including independent study courses) may be deemed necessary by your Ph.D. Supervisory committee.
- To discuss what classes to take, and in what order, for your degree,
you should print and use one (or more) of our 3-year Graduate Student Class Planners
(2 pages, PDF; last updated: 17 February 2009):
- Transfer credit in mathematics may be
accepted (in accordance with the minimum 21
credits residency requirements set by the School of Graduate Studies).
- After the completion of 18 credit hours as indicated above, you are required to
submit for your Plan of Study
the appropriate form. All further changes to your plan of study must be approved in advance
by the Chair of your Ph.D. Supervisory Committee.
- You must satisfy co-discipline course work requirements set forth by your co-discipline.
- Your dissertation must represent a
significant contribution to Mathematics, or Statistics, depending on your emphasis.
- The following Flow Chart illustrates the process indicated above.
For Students with "Mathematics" as Co-Discipline
- You must take (or receive credit for) at least 12 credit hours in mathematics, and receive an average grade of 3.0 ("B") or better in all courses taken.
- At most 6 of these credit hours may be at the 400-level in mathematics or statistics.
The remaining credit hours must be at the 5500-level in mathematics or statistics.
- In general, Independent Reading courses (490 or 5590) in the department will not be counted as part of the required 12 credit hours in mathematics unless approved by your co-discipline advisor. In that case, up to 3 credit hours of such courses may be counted.
For descriptions of graduate courses offered by the department, please visit
Mathematics & Statistics Courses.
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Written Comprehensive Examination, and Oral Examination
Revised Requirements (effective Fall 2006)
The School of Graduate Studies requires a "Comprehensive Examination",
which in Mathematics and Statistics consists of both a written and an oral component.
You must pass both the written and oral examinations, as described below,
in order to pass the "Comprehensive Examination" and continue in the Ph.D. program in "Mathematics".
For Students with "Mathematics" as Coordinating Unit Discipline
- A written comprehensive examination consisting of three 3-hour examinations is required.
- For Mathematics Emphasis the 3 (closed book) exams are based on:
Math 5519 (General Algebra II),
Math 5523 (Real Variables II), and
Math 5542 (Advanced Numerical Analysis II).
- For Statistics Emphasis the 3 (closed book) exams are based on:
Stat 5576 (Probability),
Stat 5578 (Advanced Mathematical Statistics), and
Stat 5590 (Theory of General Linear Models).
- Written Comprehensive Exam Topics (in PDF format)
Note: These topics are current as of the date on the PDF document,
but are always subject to change by the department Graduate Committee.
- The 3 exams are given in at most three consecutive weeks in October and February of each year.
- "Passing" the written comprehensive exam means passing all 3 exams.
The passing score is 70% for each of the 3 exams.
- Each of the 3 exams can be taken at most twice.
- If you fail at the first attempt one or more of the 3 exams, you fail the written comprehensive exam at the
first attempt.
- On the second attempt (after 12 weeks, by School of Graduate Studies regulations), you can retake the failed
parts.
- If you fail at the second attempt one or more of the repeated exams, you then fail the written comprehensive
exam, and are automatically terminated from the Ph.D. program in "Mathematics".
- A one-hour oral examination will be given after
a student passes all 3 exams within the written comprehensive exam.
- The purpose of the oral examination is for your committee to confirm that you have grasped the general knowledge of mathematics or statistics required for a successful doctoral candidate.
- The oral examination covers fundamental concepts (as given in the Written Comprehensive Exam Topics, in PDF format, indicated above) deemed to be necessary for a doctoral candidate to know, including but not limited to the problems that already appeared in any of the 3 exams which were part of your written comprehensive exam.
- If you fail at the first attempt the oral examination, you may make a second attempt at a time agreed upon by your Ph.D. Supervisory Committee.
- If you fail at the second attempt the oral examination, your Ph.D. Supervisory Committee will vote whether you will be passed or failed for the entire "Comprehensive Examination" (written and oral together). If the vote is "failing", you will be terminated from the Ph.D. program in Mathematics.
For Students with "Mathematics" as Co-Discipline
- NO written comprehensive examination is required.
- Your co-discipline committee members in "Mathematics" will participate only in the oral examination required of you by your Coordinating Unit Discipline.
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Ph.D. Research Proposal and Dissertation
Revised Requirements (effective Fall 2006)
For Students with "Mathematics" as Coordinating Unit Discipline
For Students with "Mathematics" as Co-Discipline
- Your co-discipline committee members in "Mathematics":
- will attend an oral presentation on your Research Proposal. We expect that you will make correct use of available mathematical tools
in your research.
- will sign the "Approval of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Research Proposal" form if the oral presentation is satisfactory.
- will attend your Final Dissertation Defense.
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