Mathematics at Dartmouth

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Graduate Student FAQ

Most frequently asked Question:
How can we obtain application materials for the graduate program in Mathematics?

Answer:

1. All applications are now done online at https://app.applyyourself.com/?id=dart-grad
   Application deadline is February 15.
   
   
2. If you have questions, you may request information via:
   Graduate Program Administrator
   Department of Mathematics
   6188 Kemeny Hall
   Dartmouth College
   Hanover, NH    03755-3551
   (603) 646 - 2415
   mathphd@math.dartmouth.edu

Other questions about the application process:

1. Q: Is there an application fee?

   A: Yes, we have a $15.00 application fee.

2. Q: Can I send you a photocopy of my GRE scores now and send you the official copy after you have decided to admit me?

   A: No. An official copy of your GRE scores (general and subject), sent to us from ETS, must be a part of your application. If you have asked ETS to send official scores but have reason to fear that they will not arrive at our department until somewhat after the application deadline of February 15, please contact the Graduate Program Administrator at the address, phone number, or email address above.

3. Q: How do I apply for financial aid?

   A: No additional application is necessary; all applicants are considered for fellowship support, and all admitted students who do not have other support (such as NSF or othe external fellowships) are generally offered Dartmouth Fellowships.

General remarks

Official department and College information about the graduate program is available at the Application Info link. This includes the application form for admission as well as financial aid information.

The list below contains informal responses to frequently asked questions, most of which were provided by Mark L. Tomforde, a former graduate student. If you have questions about the program not answered below, you may email the program secretary at mathphd@math.dartmouth.edu or some of our current gradute students at mathgradinfo@dartmouth.edu. Do not use the second email address to request application materials. Instead, see the options above.

Questions

1. How can we obtain application materials for the graduate program in Mathematics? (answer)

2. What is the location like? (answer)

3. What is the size of the whole school? (answer)

4. What is the size of the math department? (answer)

5. How many grad students enter in one year? (answer)

6. Where have recent Ph.Ds taken jobs? (answer)

7. Are there specific fields of research that the math department generally focuses on, or are there a broad range of choices? (answer)

8. How many years does it take to get through the program? (answer)

9. Can I get just a Masters degree? (answer)

10. I already have a Masters degree from another school. Can I skip the Masters requirements and qualifying exams and just get a Ph.D. from Dartmouth? (answer)

11. What kinds of financial support are there? (answer)

12. How many years will the support last? (answer)

13. Are there any scholarships available? (answer)

14. Briefly, what are the requirements for graduation? (answer)

15. What kinds of course requirements are there? (answer)

16. What is the attrition rate? (answer)

17. What is the emphasis on research versus teaching? (answer)

18. I've heard that Dartmouth has a strong focus on teacher preparation. How do they prepare you to teach? Is it helpful? What is the teaching load? (answer)

19. Is there anything else a prospective student should know about the program? (answer)

Answers

1. How can we obtain application materials for the graduate program in Mathematics?
   • All applications are now done online at https://app.applyyourself.com/?id=dart-grad
     Application deadline is February 15.
     
     
   • If you have questions, you may request information via:
     Graduate Program Administrator
     Department of Mathematics
     6188 Kemeny Hall
     Dartmouth College
     Hanover, NH    03755-3551
     (603) 646 - 2415
     mathphd@math.dartmouth.edu

2. What is the location like?

   Dartmouth is located in Hanover, NH which is a small town of approximately 10,000 (not including Dartmouth). It is located near Interstates 89 and 91. Hanover is 2 hours from Boston, 3 hours from Montreal, and 5 hours from New York City. The surrounding area is very scenic. There are hills and lots of hiking and the surrounding area is full of trees which are quite pretty in the fall when the leaves change color. There are lots of outdoor activities available, and although Hanover is small there is a town called West Lebanon about 10 miles away which has things like a K-mart, a Borders, a bunch of restaurants, and other stores.

3. What is the size of the whole school?

   About 6,000. (4,000 undergrads , the rest are grad students, med students, Tuck business school students, and Thayer engineering students)

4. What is the size of the math department?

   About 30 professors and about 30 math graduate students.

5. How many grad students enter in one year?

   About 4-6 each year.

6. Where have recent Ph.Ds taken jobs?

   See our list of recent graduates to where people have gone.

7. Are there specific fields of research that the math department generally focuses on, or are there a broad range of choices?

   There is a pretty broad range of areas that the math department is involved in. Algebra, Analysis, Topology, Geometry, Number Theory, Logic, Combinatorics, Wavelets and Signal Processing. There are also people who are willing to supervise students in any of these areas. Some areas that currently are not represented are Algebraic Geometry and Complex Analysis.

8. How many years does it take to get through the program?

   Five years altogether. Typically, two years for the Masters degree and three additional years for the Ph.D. In some of the older literature, the program advertises itself as a four-year program with a possible fifth year of support if needed, but in reality it is a five-year program. In theory, of course, you can graduate as soon as you fulfill all the requirements (e.g. pass quals, write a thesis, pass language exams). In reality, almost everyone needs five years to do this.

9. Can I get just a Masters degree?

   No. At least that can't be your intent when you enter. Typically Dartmouth only admits those students who wish to continue on to get a Ph.D. Although students will sometimes leave the program after getting a Masters and before receiving a Ph.D., all students who initially enter are supposed to do so with the intent of completing the Ph.D. program.

10. I already have a Masters degree from another school. Can I skip the Masters requirements and qualifying exams and just get a Ph.D. from Dartmouth?

    In general, no. Dartmouth requires that you pass all four certification exams even if you have a Masters degree, so in effect, you will get a Masters from them before becoming a Ph.D. candidate. If you believe that your circumstances warrant special consideration, you may want to talk with the department chair or someone on the graduate admissions committee.

11. What kinds of financial support are there?

    The 12-month stipend for 2007-2008 is $22,464. The money is quite adequate to live off of since the cost of living isn't very high around here. The support continues through the entire year (summers included).

12. How many years will the support last?

    Support lasts for 5 years, provided that you meet the deadlines for qualifying exams, language exams and advancement to candidacy, and otherwise remain in good academic standing. Under those circumstances, the support continues (essentially) automatically.

13. Are there any scholarships available?

    All graduate students who are not otherwise supported receive a Dartmouth Fellowship, which covers the cost of tuition as well as the stipend mentioned above. There really aren't any other internal scholarships.

14. Briefly, what are the requirements for graduation?

    Masters requirements: Completion of eight courses and departmental certification (i.e. passing quals) in algebra, analysis, topology, and one other area.

    Ph.D. requirements: Master Requirements including certification at Ph.D. level, completion of a doctoral thesis of acceptable quality and its defense in an oral examination, completion of the teaching seminar and teaching at least two courses, demonstration of a reading knowledge of one foreign language normally chosen from French, German, and Russian.

    The teaching seminar is taken in the summer after your second year. Deadlines for the other requirements are as follows:

    Qual 1 - By 2nd week of summer term of the first year
    Qual 2 - By 2nd week of fall term of second year
    Qual 3 - By 2nd week of the winter term of second year
    Qual 4 - By 5th week of the spring term of the second year
    

    Language exam - End of Winter quarter of the fourth year

    Thesis - Final draft must be turned in three weeks before anticipated graduation date

15. What kinds of course requirements are there?

    You need to take eight courses and pass four qualifying exams. The quals are in the areas of Algebra, Analysis, Topology, and a fourth area of your choice. (Syllabi for the quals are on the department web page) Courses that aren't required, but that everyone takes to prepare for quals are:

    Fall 1st year:
    Group and Ring Theory
    Measure Theory
    

    Winter 1st year:
    Integration on Manifolds
    Galois Theory
    

    Spring 1st year:
    Algebra (Rings and Modules/Commutative Algebra/Noncommutative Algebra)
    

    Summer after 1st year:
    Algebraic Topology

    Fall 2nd year:
    Differential Topology

    Summer after 2nd year:
    Teaching Seminar (counts as 2 courses)

    In addition there are other course to make up for things you may have missed as an undergraduate (e.g. point set topology, complex analysis, undergraduate algebra or analysis, etc.) as well as other graduate courses in subjects which you may want to learn for your 4th area qual such as number theory, logic, geometry, etc. You typically take three courses your first quarter and then one or two courses the following quarters depending on what else you're doing.

16. What is the attrition rate?

    Of the students who entered the program between 1994 and 2001 (classes more recent are still ongoing), about 60% received a Ph.D. and about another 23% received an Master's degree. There are no significant differences in completion rates between men and women, nor between international students and U.S. students.

17. What is the emphasis on research versus teaching?

    Teaching and research are both taken seriously. The program is designed to make you a competent researcher while at the same time developing skills to make you a more effective teacher.

18. I've heard that Dartmouth has a strong focus on teacher preparation. How do they prepare you to teach? Is it helpful? What is the teaching load?

    Teaching is taken very seriously at Dartmouth. The faculty are chosen not only on the basis of research but also on their ability as a teacher. Likewise a component of the graduate program will entail training to make you a better teacher.

    Teaching responsibilities are as follows: During your first two years you TA one Dartmouth course for two quarters (and you then have two quarters off.) Although the TA assignments can vary, in general it will involve holding a tutorial in a room 3 nights a week to which students come voluntarily. It also involves grading tests with the professor (about 3 times a quarter). You will not have to grade homework.

    The summer after your second year you will take the Teaching Seminar. This is an intensive 10-week long graduate seminar supervised by two Dartmouth professors. You will read and discuss different philosophies on how to teach mathematics and problem solving to undergraduates. You will also receive hands-on experience by developing and implementing curricula for two different week-long high school workshops, as well as substitute teach two days in a Dartmouth course. Furthermore, you will learn about designing group work, syllabi, tests, and homework assignments. The Teaching Seminar is a lot of work (it counts as two courses) but almost everyone who takes it agrees that they are a better teacher afterward. (In addition, it looks good on CV's when applying for jobs.)

    After the teaching seminar you will teach one class for each of the next two years (so one class during one quarter, and then three quarters off to work on your thesis.) You will have a course supervisor who exercises oversight on your course, but usually you will bear full responsibility for the course including supervising graders and TA's.

19. Is there anything else a prospective student should know about the program?

    Some random facts:

    • In general the math department and grad students are a very friendly and supportive bunch. The grad students say that the atmosphere is not overly competitive and they frequently collaborate with each other.
      
    • Money is typically available for (at least advanced) grad students to travel to one or two conferences a year.
      
    • Currently one third of the graduate students are female, and Dartmouth has more female tenured faculty than any of the other Ivy League schools.
      
    • In September, 2006 the Math Department moved into its new facilities, Kemeny Hall. It is a beautiful building, and graduate student space abundant and well-appointed.