Culminating
Events:
Culminating event for the degree program
Dissertation
Dissertation Advising Committee Information
The preparation of the dissertation will be supervised by the student's Doctoral Advisory Committee. This committee must include at
least three Temple faculty, two of whom must be in the mathematics department. The chairperson of the committee must be a member of Temple
University Mathematics Department. The Doctoral Advisory Committee may include members of other Temple University departments; it is also possible for faculty from other universities, or expert advisors employed in non-university settings, to be included in the Doctoral Advisory Committee.
Dissertation Examining Committee Information
The dissertation Defense may be attended by faculty and graduate students from Temple University or other institutions, as well as
mathematicians or scientists employed in a non-academic setting. The candidate's Doctoral Dissertation Examining Committee must attend the defense. This committee includes the candidate's Doctoral Advisory Committee and at least one additional member, who must be a faculty of some Temple University department other than Mathematics, or a faculty member of another university. The
Dissertation Examining Committee will meet at the conclusion of the Dissertation Defense and decide, by majority vote, if the candidate was successful.
Advisor/Committee Information
If a student needs to change a member of
a Committee, the new member must be approved by the departments graduate committee and registered with the
Graduate Secretary and the Graduate School.
Preliminary Exam Description
The Preliminary Examination is oral, and takes two hours. The student chooses the Chief Examiner with the advice and consent of the
Graduate Committee, and with the consent of the the proposed Chief Examiner. The Chief Examiner, in accepting his or her assignment, implicitly offers to be the student's dissertation supervisor if the examination is passed.
No student will be permitted to take the preliminary examination before passing the Ph.D. Written Comprehensive Examination and
satisfying the foreign language requirement.
Approximately half of the Preliminary Examination will be conducted by the chief examiner, who will ask questions in the area that the student has chosen as a specialty. The other half of the examination will be devoted to questions asked by other faculty members, on two or more elementary topics related to the area of specialization. The exact description of the elementary topics to be included in the examination is determined by the chief examiner.
Subject Areas/Major Components of the Preliminary Examination
Approximately half of the Preliminary Examination will be conducted by the chief examiner, who will ask questions in the area that the student has chosen as a specialty. The other half of the examination will be devoted to questions asked by other faculty members, on two or more elementary topics related to the area of specialization. The exact description of the elementary topics to be included in the examination is determined by the chief examiner, who will also be responsible for assigning examiners to cover these topics. The
examination committee consists of the Chief Examiner, the examiners for the elementary topics, and any other faculty who choose to
attend. All faculty in attendance may vote upon the outcome of the examination. The examination will be considered passed if the Chief Examiner and at least half of the other faculty present vote in favor of passing.
At what point in the program is the student expected to take the preliminary examination
The preliminary exam must be taken before the end of the fourth year and can be repeated only once.
No student will be permitted to take the preliminary examination before passing the Ph.D. Written Comprehensive Examination and
satisfying the foreign language requirement.
Writing the Questions for the Preliminary Examination
Approximately half of the Preliminary Examination will be conducted by the chief examiner, who will ask questions in the area that the student has chosen as a specialty. The other half of the examination will be devoted to questions asked by other faculty members, on two or more elementary topics related to the area of specialization. The exact description of the elementary topics to be included in the examination is determined by the chief examiner, who will also be responsible for assigning examiners to cover these topics. The
examination committee consists of the Chief Examiner, the examiners for the elementary topics, and any other faculty who choose to
attend. All faculty in attendance may vote upon the outcome of the examination.
Evaluating the Preliminary Examination
The examination committee consists of the Chief Examiner, the examiners for the elementary topics, and any other faculty who choose to attend. The examination will be considered passed if the Chief
Examiner and at least half of the other faculty present vote in favor of passing.
Criterion for Passing the Preliminary Examination.
The examination will be considered passed if the Chief Examiner and at least half of the other faculty present vote in favor of passing.
Administering, Scheduling, and Proctoring the Preliminary Examination
Students who are preparing to write their preliminary examinations should confirm a time and date with their Dissertation Advisory Committee Chairperson and
register with the Graduate Secretary. The
student and Chairperson will receive confirmation for the time, date, room, and
proctor for the examination.
Dissertation/Monograph Philosophy
The Candidate's dissertation must be a distinctive and original contribution to research in mathematics. It must be an individual work,
with only one author. Previously published work by the candidate may be included, if it represents research done while the student
was enrolled in the Ph. D. Program in Mathematics at Temple University, and was not used to obtain any other degree. Sections of
joint work which cannot be attributed to the candidate alone must not be included in the body of the dissertation, but may be attached
as an appendix. All previously published work must be logically connected and integrated into the dissertation, with a common
introduction, conclusion, and bibliography. Existing copyrights must not be violated.
The preparation of the dissertation will be supervised by the student's Doctoral Advisory Committee. This committee must include at
least three Temple faculty, two of whom must be in mathematics. the chairperson of the committee must be a mem
Philosophy of the Proposal
Please contact the Department or the Graduate School directly.
The first step in preparing the dissertation is to write a Dissertation Proposal, which must be approved by the Candidate's Doctoral
Advisory committee.
The proposal is kept on file, and if it becomes necessary to alter the proposal, the changes should be approved
by the Doctoral Advisory Committee and filed with the proposal.
Criterion for Passing the Dissertation and the Defense.
The Dissertation Examining Committee will meet at the conclusion of the Dissertation Defense and decide, by majority vote, if the
candidate was successful.
Dissertation Defense Scheduling
Students who are preparing to defend their dissertation should confirm a time and date with their Dissertation Advisory Committee and register
with the Graduate Secretary at least 15 days before the defense is to be scheduled. The Graduate Chair will arrange the time, date, and room. The Graduate Secretary forward to the student the appropriate
forms.
Announcing the Dissertation Defense
When the dissertation is deemed complete by the Candidate and by the Doctoral Advisory Committee, a Defense will be scheduled. This Dissertation Defense must be announced in writing at least ten days in advance of its occurrence, and copies of the announcement must be directed to each member of the Candidate's Dissertation Examining Committee, each faculty member of the Department of Mathematics, the Dean of the Graduate School, the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and the Temple Times. Copies of the announcement are to be
posted at the Department Office and at the College Office.
