PhD degree requirements
NOTE: this page contains degree requirements for students entering Fall 2025 and later. For students who entered in previous terms, see this page.
Written Qualifying Examinations
Pass two exams in three of the four sequences listed below (six exams total, one for each semester), with grades of Pass or High Pass. At least one exam must be passed from the analysis sequence, and at least one from the Algebra sequence.
Analysis (MAA6616, MAA6617)
Algebra (MAS6331, MAS6332)
Topology (MTG6346, MTG6347)
Numerical Analysis (MAD6406, MAD6407)
The section Satisfactory Progress below has deadlines by which the parts must be passed.
2. Oral Qualifying Examination
Pass the oral part of the Qualifying Examination. The oral exam is conducted by the Supervisory Committee. It is scheduled only after all of the written exams have been passed. It focuses on the intended area of research and includes other appropriate material at the Supervisory Committee’s discretion.
3. Research and Dissertation
Conduct research under the guidance of a faculty member and prepare, present and defend a dissertation which shows independent investigation and is acceptable in form and content to the Supervisory Committee and the Graduate School.
4. Courses and Grades
Complete 90 credits of graduate work, with a minimum of 36 credits in 6000+ graduate mathematics courses for the extent part of the distribution requirements, and fulfill the breadth part of the distribution requirements by completing sequences in two of the following four categories, two semesters in a third, and a semester in the fourth (see distribution requirements for a list of suitable courses):
- Algebra, Combinatorics and Number Theory
- Analysis
- Applied Mathematics
- Topology and Foundations
Achieve a grade point average of 3.0 or better in all course work and a grade point average of 3.0 or better in all course work in mathematics.
6. Teaching requirement
Teach a minimum of two semesters at the college level.
7. Residence Requirement
Complete 30 credits enrolled at the University of Florida campus beyond the first 30 credits counted toward the doctoral degree.
Admission to Candidacy
Students normally are admitted to candidacy when they have a dissertation topic approved by their supervisory committee and have passed the written and oral parts of the qualifying examination.
Satisfactory Progress Criteria
Graduate students in mathematics are required to make satisfactory progress. Students not making satisfactory progress will be placed on probation. If probationary status is not resolved by the end of the semester in which it is initiated, the student will not be allowed to continue as a graduate student in mathematics and any guarantee of support will be terminated. Exceptions to the rules will be made through written appeals to the Graduate coordinator or the Graduate Committee. Graduate students in mathematics must meet university requirements for satisfactory progress (see the subsection on Unsatisfactory Progress or Unsatisfactory Scholarship in the General Regulations section of the Graduate Catalog). In addition, the Department of Mathematics requires the following:
- Course and Grade Requirements
- During their first year, PhD students must take at least two 5000+ mathematics courses each semester. Normally students will take at least two 6000 level sequences leading to written qualifying exams.
- During their second year, PhD students normally take two 6000+ sequences and complete their schedule with courses that fulfill their degree goals.
- After the first two years, PhD students must take at least one 5000+ mathematics course per semester. A student can count a reading/research course, e.g. MAT 6905, MAT 6910, MAT 7979, MAT 7980, for at most two non-summer terms. At most five credits of MAT 6910 count toward the degree.
- The distribution requirements are normally completed by the end of the fourth year of graduate study and must be completed by the fall of the fifth year of graduate study.
- Each mathematics graduate student must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better.
- Written and Oral qualifying exams
- PhD students must pass at least two written qualifying exams by May of the first full academic year of graduate study, at least four by August of that year, and all six by May of the second year. Students who fail to achieve one of these three milestones will be transferred to the master’s program.
- Students must take the oral part of the Qualifying Exam prior to the midpoint of the fall semester of the fourth year of graduate study.
- Dissertation Advisor and Supervisory Committee
- A PhD student is expected to have a dissertation advisor and supervisory committee by the end of the Spring semester of the second year; failure to have one by January of the third year will result in academic probation.
- At no time after the end of the third year may a PhD student be without a dissertation advisor and supervisory committee. If you change advisors at any time, you must notify the Graduate Secretary.
- A PhD supervisory committee should consist of five approved faculty members: the advisor, an external member (a graduate faculty member not affiliated with the Department of Mathematics), and three additional members. Usually at least three members of the committee are graduate faculty in the UF Department of Mathematics.
- Time Limits
- The Ph.D. requirements must be completed by the end of the Summer B/C semester of the eighth calendar year after the first term enrolled in any University of Florida mathematics graduate program.