Graduate Program

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EXPEDITING A LATE APPLICATION

IN THEIR OWN WORDS — Pure Math Interview Project

Graduate Student Seminar Organizers — and P.A.M. Dirac

Ours is a comfortable environment for learning and creativity. Find out how our opportunities fit your interests.

Student Programs. The PhD and M.S. study and research include a breadth of topics which reflect today's world of mathematical achievements. Modern and traditional topics blend in the pure mathematics option, as well as in the applied and interdisciplinary areas. Students have four area choices: Pure, Applied/Computational, Financial Mathematics, and Biomathematics. In pure or in applied areas there is a solid basis for successful careers in academia, industry and financial firms, government, and laboratories.

Strong research and teaching preparation is enhanced by information about postdocs and varied careers. Internationally-known mathematicians, often collaborators of our faculty, speak in the weekly colloquia. All doctoral students and faculty participate in focused research seminars; a student-run seminar is a popular and rewarding leadership activity for advanced students.

Admission. Note the priority consideration dates on the departmental application as well as FSU Admissions deadlines. Each of the four areas determines applicants eligible for admission based on a composite of information from the departmental application, GRE (and TOEFL if applicable) scores, all transcripts, and recommendations. Area admissions decisions are independent of consideration for financial support.
FSU Math Updated GRE Score Policy: A discussion of the range of consideration for FSU mathematics applicants on the general GRE.

EXPEDITE YOUR APPLICATION:

First complete the departmental application.

Be sure your 4 recommenders each send e-mails directly to admissions@math.fsu.edu. (Do NOT send recommendations via the FSU general application recommendation site.)

Also note Frequently Asked Questions.

Fall Term Deadlines. Usual admission is for Fall (mid August) term.
January 7: FSU Fellowship applications are due (to the department or outside agencies).
January 31: Departmental online application must be complete for priority RA, TA, GAANN consideration. Applications for admission with funding will be considered on a rolling basis thereafter until all places are filled; thereafter, applicants can be considered for admission without funding.
April 15: The Department will have made Fall awards and wait list as required by the Council of Graduate Schools Resolution.
July 1: FSU Fall term admissions deadline.
August 22: Required Orientation for new students at the department.
Financial Support. Applicants who are eligible for admission in their specified area and who ask for financial assistance in their online application (Sec. 3. Departmental Application) may be recommended by that area for TA/RA support. Initial appointments cover 9 months, are prorated for 10.5 or 12 months, and include tuition waivers and health insurance subsidy. The excellence of FSU mathematics program is recognized by awards to provide GAANN doctoral fellowships (need-based stipends up to $30,000 plus all tuition and fees.) All eligible applicants or enrolled students in the department are notified when there is a GAANN selection cycle for which they can be considered. There are 5-year FSU Legacy Fellowships. Minority applicants will want to apply for McKnight and Wilson-Auzene Fellowships. Some Fellows receive a combined financial aid package (with some, but reduced, TA responsibilities) which makes the overall stipend attractive when compared with other offers.

In the Department. Professor Bettye Anne Case is the Graduate Chair. At the right are links describing our programs; there is important miscellaneous information under Frequently Asked Questions. If you are interested you should complete the online Departmental Application (there is no fee). With this information your area program director (below) and Dr. Case can effectively help you with your further questions. If you do not yet have the required GRE/TOEFL scores, you may send them later to our Graduate Admissions Coordinator (advisor@math.fsu.edu). He will help you complete your file as you investigate how our programs fit your interests.

The University. The FSU Graduate Bulletin gives both university requirements, and the Arts and Sciences requirements, for obtaining a master's or doctoral degree and additional specific mathematics departmental requirements. Courses for the master's degree in the student's area of concentration, or their equivalents, are expected to be completed before admission to doctoral candidacy. General information on funding opportunities, news and events, electronic thesis and dissertation guidelines, degree programs, fees and more can be found at the The Graduate School information site.

UFF-GA Union. All graduate assistants at FSU work under a contract negotiated by United Faculty of Florida-Florida State University-Graduate Assistants United (UFF-FSU-GAU) and Florida State University. UFF-FSU-GAU is the labor union certified as the exclusive bargaining agent for graduate assistants at FSU. To find out more information about the UFF-FSU-GAU, their web address is http://www.uff-fsu-gau.org/index.shtml.

Research Areas. A recent check of faculty and graduate student web pages gives evidence of many diverse opportunities for research, publication, and recognition. Of the current research topics you may find interest among algebraic geometry, biofilms, biomathematics, conformal mapping, complex analysis, complex dynamical systems, computational acoustics, computational neuroscience, computer visualization, cryptography, econophysics, financial mathematics and computational finance, fluid dynamics, game theory, geometry, harmonic analysis, high performance computing, history and biography, human brain mapping, mathematics education, mathematical physics, numerical analysis, PDEs, physiology, probability, protein geometry, shape theory, symbolic computation, topology.
THINKING GLOBALLY, FSU Math's students are from many U.S. states, and from countries around the world.

THINKING LOCALLY, FSU Math's students enjoy Tallahassee's diverse activities within a reasonable cost of living. Florida's capital city is in subtropical northern Florida, about 30 miles from the Gulf of Mexico. The towering live oak trees, azaleas, palms, and pines are set in gently rolling hills.

Greetings from the Chair

Applying

Department Application Form
University Application Form
International Students
Types of Financial Aid
University Fellowships
National Fellowships
Minority Fellowships
Frequently Asked Questions
Choosing a Program

Pure Mathematics (Also see IN THEIR OWN WORDS — Pure Math Interview Project)

Applied & Interdisciplinary Areas
Applied/Computational
Mathematics
Biomathematics
Financial Mathematics

Earning PhD Candidacy
Applied/Computational
Mathematics
Pure Mathematics
Interdisciplinary Mathematics (Financial Mathematics students entering before Summer 2007; Biomathematics)
Financial Mathematics

Fall 2011 Degree Requirements for Entering Students

For continuing students: See FSU's online BLACKBOARD, and departmental Graduate Forms.

Pure Mathematics

Summary: The mathematics department has a lively research groups in the areas of commutative and computational algebra, complex and harmonic analysis, algebraic geometry, number theory and geometric topology. Active graduate and faculty seminars crossing over several disciplines of mathematics will give students exposure to and the chance to actively participate in current research endeavors as they prepare for their degrees. Master's and PhD degrees are available. Coursework and requirements are primarily aimed at preparing students for careers in research and teaching at the college or university level. Please note the short research descriptions of some of the professors advising pure mathematics students.

For more details about the program see the Guide to Pure Mathematics. Professor Mark van Hoeij is the Director of Pure Mathematics.

Applied and Interdisciplinary Areas

Applied and Computational Mathematics

Summary: The mathematics department offers a strong program in applied mathematics. Areas of specialization include accoustics, fluid dynamics, and computer visualization. Master's and PhD degrees are available in Applied Mathematics. The Computational Mathematics program is for students interested in computational methods, visualization, large scale simulation and applications, and computational mechanics. The master's and PhD degree requirements follow most closely to those of Applied Mathematics. The successful graduate will be qualified to be a college or university professor, or a research scientist at a private or governmental institution.

For more details about the program see the Guide to Applied Mathematics. Professor Xiaoming Wang is the Director of Applied and Computational Mathematics.

The Biomathematics program includes applications of mathematics and computation to physiology, evolutionary game theory, brain mapping, shape theory, protein and DNA knotting and geometry, and biofilms. M.S. and Ph.D. students develop biological, mathematical, statistical modeling, and computational skills which form a solid basis for progress on current research priorities in biomathematics. Coursework is flexible and tailored toward the individual career goals of students, including academics, government labs, and the biomedical industry. The M.S. segment of the program has the designation Professional Science Master's Degree from the Council of Graduate Schools, and from the Professional Science Initiative, State of Florida. Recent Ph.D. graduates found prestigious postdoc, lab and academic placement.

For more details about the program see the Guide to Biomathematics. The Directors of Biomathematics are Professors Richard Bertram and Jack Quine.

The Financial Mathematics program includes quantitative and computational finance. It is based on a block of courses taken in the first two years and comprising the master's degree requirements from six departments in three of FSU's colleges. Master's graduates are advantageously positioned to join the large numbers of mathematicians, engineers, and physicists, as well as graduates of schools of business and economics, who work as quantitative analysts and financial engineers. The M.S. segment of the program has the designation Professional Science Master's Degree from the Council of Graduate Schools, and from the Professional Science Initiative, State of Florida. PhDs are, additionally sought for academic postdoctoral and faculty positions.

For more details about the program see the Guide to Financial Mathematics. The Directors of Financial Mathematics are Professors Giray Okten and Alec Kercheval.

Combined Bachelors/Masters Degree Program

M.S. Degree Option With Teaching or Industrial Concentration

Actuarial Science — After a Bachelor's Degree

This document is maintained by melïssa elaine smith / smith@math.fsu.edu
Last modified: 19 March 2012