Graduate Program

METU MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT - GRADUATE PROGRAM

Definition. METU Mathematics Department has only one graduate program, the Doctoral Program. In this booklet, from the expression ‘graduate program’ this unique program must be understood.

ENTRANCE

Application. Candidates who fulfill the following conditions may apply.

B. S. degree (it is desirable to have a B.S. degree in mathematics, or to have taken a number of mathematics courses during studies for the B.S. degree).
CGPA: min 3.00/4.00 (or 75/100). (This is required only from those who apply with a B.S. degree.)
LES: min 60.
EPE: min 65 or TOEFL: min 190 or IELTS: min 6.5. (For other exams please visit the webpage of the Registrar’s Office. Note that KPDS is not valid anymore for entrance.)

Past courses. Graduate courses that were taken in NI status can be counted for this program on the student’s written request. However for every 3 courses (9 credits) counted for the program, one semester is dropped from student’s period of study.

Students with an M. Sc. diploma. Conditions and deadlines for such students may differ, hence they are mentioned below separately in italics. See also the Recommended Plans C and D on page 15.

Deficiency Program (DP). Students whose B.S. diplomas are not from METU Mathematics Department may be advised to follow a DP for one semester. Such students have to register for three courses recommended by their advisors. Students who entered the program with a B.S. degree may take up to two courses in the NI status (so that they can be counted to their program later if they wish so) and at least one undergraduate course not in NI status. Students who entered the program with an M. Sc. degree have to take at least three graduate courses (not in NI status) in one semester. CC or higher grades and a CGPA of at least 2.50 in the courses taken in normal status are considered to be satisfactory. Unsatisfactory students have to leave the program.

Application. Students who register to one of the graduate programs of the METU Mathematics Department after May 2002 are subject to the rules and regulations described on this webpage.

DESCRIPTION OF THE GRADUATE PROGRAM

Tasks. The program consists of five tasks.

1. To pass the Preliminary Exam.
2. To pass the Doctoral Qualifying Exam.
3. To pass 14 graduate courses (42 credits) and a seminar course successfully.
For students with an M. Sc. Diploma, to pass 7 courses (21 credits).
4. To pass the thesis proposal defense.
5. To write up and defend the thesis.

First Year of the Program

For students with an M. Sc. Diploma first semester only. The aim of the first year studies is to give a broad background in basic areas of mathematics. The conditions that must be fulfilled in this period are:

To pass at least 6 courses (18 credits) with CB or higher.
To be successful in the Preliminary Exam. (That is, to get S in Math 506.)

Students with an M. Sc. diploma are exempt from the first condition.

To pass at least 6 courses (18 credits) with CB or higher.
To be successful in the Preliminary Exam. (That is, to get S in Math 506.) Students with an M. Sc. diploma are exempt from the first condition.

Preliminary Exam. Every graduate student in METU Mathematics Department has to take this exam. The aim of this exam is to test the knowledge of the student in basic areas of mathematics. The exam is written, and it takes place twice a year, during the registration weeks of the fall and the spring semesters. Each day is devoted to one topic. There is no prerequisite for taking the exam. It consists of 5 topics and 10 subtopics. Each student is required to enter the exam in 4 subtopics chosen from 3 distinct topics.

Topics (and Subtopics):

Algebra (A. Groups and Rings B. Modules and Fields)
Analysis (A. Real Analysis B. Complex Analysis)
Differential Equations (A. Ordinary DE B. Partial DE)
Geometry-Topology (A. Geometry B. Topology)
Numerical Analysis (A. Numerical Analysis I B. Numerical Analysis II)

For the contents of the Preliminary Exam visit: http://www.math.metu.edu.tr/~gradcom/prelims.html

Students are expected to pass the Preliminary Exam in one year; however they must pass it in three semesters. Students with M. Sc. diplomas are expected to pass the Preliminary Exam in one semester, and they must pass it in two semesters. A student who is unsuccessful in the first attempt must take the next Preliminary Exam.

Unsatisfactory students. If one of the following occurs, then the student is regarded as unsatisfactory:

A CGPA of less than 1.50 in the first semester.
A CGPA of less than 2.00 in the second or later semesters (in any year).
Not passing the Preliminary Exam by the beginning of the fourth semester. For students with M. Sc. diplomas, the beginning of the third semester.
Failing the Preliminary Exam twice.

Unsatisfactory students are advised to leave the program or to transfer to the M. Sc. Program of the department depending on their performance in the Preliminary Exam. However in any case, if they are employed as assistants in the department, then their assistantships will be terminated in at most six months.

Second and Third Years of the Program

The aim of this period is to equip students with deeper understanding in their chosen areas of concentration. It is strongly recommended that the student choose a supervisor as soon as possible after passing the Preliminary Exam.

After the student declares that he chose his area of concentration, a Doctoral Qualifying Exam (DQE) jury is appointed for the student by the DQE Committee. As soon as the thesis supervisor is chosen, then the supervisor becomes a member of the DQE jury. The DQE jury advises students on courses to take, begins their doctoral pre-studies, and evaluates students in the Doctoral Qualifying Exam.

The conditions that must be fulfilled in this period are:

To complete the remaining courses (so that the total is 14 courses (42 credits)) successfully (that is with CB or higher and with a CGPA of at least 3.00) by the end of the sixth semester.
To be satisfactory in the seminar course.
To pass the DQE.

Students with an M. Sc. diploma must complete a total of 7 courses (21 credits) with CB or higher and with a CGPA or at least 3.00 in four semesters and must pass the DQE. Students are strongly encouraged to take the DQE in their fifth semesters. (Students with an M.Sc. Diploma in their fourth semesters.)

Doctoral Qualifying Exam. The DQE is given in the areas of analysis, algebra, differential equations, geometry-topology and numerical analysis. For the contents visit http://www.math.metu.edu.tr/~gradcom/qualification.html

The exam takes place twice a year. The exact dates of the exams are announced at least one month before. Students may take the exam at most twice. A student who is unsuccessful in the first attempt must take the next DQE.

Unsatisfactory students. If one of the following occurs, then the student is regarded as unsatisfactory:

Not being successful in fourteen courses and the seminar course by the end of the sixth semester. (For students with M. Sc. diploma, seven courses by the end of the fourth semester.)
Not passing the DQE by the end of the eighth semester. (For students with M. Sc. diplomas, the end of the sixth semester.)
Failing the DQE twice.

Unsatisfactory students are advised to leave the program. If they are employed as assistants in the department, then their assistantships will be terminated.

After passing the DQE

A Thesis Supervising Committee (TSC) must be appointed for each student within one month after passing the DQE and meanwhile students are expected to choose problems with their thesis supervisors and start working on them.

Within six months after passing the DQE, the student:

Writes a thesis proposal.
Defends it before the TSC.

Unsatisfactory students. If one of the following occurs, then the student is regarded as unsatisfactory:

Not defending the thesis proposal within six months after passing the DQE.
Being evaluated as unsatisfactory twice by the TSC in the thesis proposal defense.

Unsatisfactory students are advised to leave the program. If they are employed as assistants in the department, then their assistantships will be terminated.

Research and writing-up the thesis

After passing the thesis proposal defense, the student is expected to continue doing research, obtain original results, write them up as a thesis and defend it before a Doctoral Dissertation Jury. Students are expected to graduate within five years, however a maximum of four additional semesters can be given to complete the thesis work under special circumstances. Students with an M. Sc. Diploma are expected to gradaute within four years, however a maximum of four additional semesters can be given to complete the thesis work under special circumstances.

In this stage students prepare reports and defend them at the TSC meetings that take place every semester. With the approval of their advisors, students may still take courses (in NI status) after completing their compulsary course load.

The conditions that must be fulfilled in this stage are:

To carry out research, and every semester to submit a report to the TSC and defend it.
To write a thesis and defend it before a jury.

Diploma. Students whose theses and defenses are evaluated as satisfactory by the Doctoral Dissertation Jury are awarded a Ph. D. diploma in Mathematics.

Unsatisfactory students. If one of the following occurs, then the student is regarded as unsatisfactory:

Being evaluated as unsatisfactory by the TSC in two consecutive semesters or totally in three semesters.
Being evaluated as unsatisfactory by the Doctoral Dissertation Jury twice.
Not being able to prepare a thesis and defend it before the Doctoral Dissertation Jury by the end of the maximum period of study.

Unsatisfactory students are advised to leave the program. However, if they are employed as assistants in the department, then their assistantships will be terminated.

TABLE OF DEADLINES

Below, sem. stands for semester, TSC for the Thesis Supervising Committee, and SC for the seminar course. The italics with grey background are for students with an M. Sc. diploma.

	Expected	Deadline
First entrance to the Preliminary Exam	Beginning of the 3^rd sem. Beginning of the 2^nd sem.	Same
Appointment of the supervisor	After passing the Preliminary Exam	After passing the DQE
First entrance to the DQE	5^th semester 4^th semester	7^th semester 5^th semester
Appointment of the TSC	After passing the DQE	After passing the DQE
Completion of 14 courses and the SC*	End of the 6^th semester End of the 4^th semester	Same
Thesis proposal defense	6^th semester 5^th semester	9^th semester 7^th semester
Graduation	End of the 10^th semester End of the 8^th semester	End of the 14^th semester End of the 12^th semester

*: Completion of 7 courses for students with an M. Sc. diploma.