Mathematics and Statistics

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Thesis-based program

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Program overview

Doctoral students in mathematics and statistics contribute original thought to a discipline that has developed in richness and complexity from antiquity to the present day. Students will choose to focus on a pure mathematical area such as combinatorics, discrete mathematics, geometry, logic, number theory and cryptography, analysis or even mathematical physics; or on theoretical research in probability or statistics. Or you may choose to work in industrial mathematics and operations research, with application in biology and medicine, biomedical statistics, energy or financial markets, mathematical finance, actuarial science, geoscience, medical imaging, software and computer applications, and big data analysis.

Completing this program

  • Mathematics Courses: Topics may include measure and integration, analysis, algebraic geometry, number theory, scientific modelling and more.

  • Statistics Courses: Topics may include probability, estimation, hypothesis testing and more.

  • Seminars: In addition to required courses, students register in a research seminar in either actuarial science, biostatistics, mathematics, or statistics (depending on student's specialization).

  • Presentations: Students are required to give three invited or contributed presentations during the degree program.

  • Preliminary Examinations: Doctoral students must pass written Preliminary Examinations no later than 18 months from the beginning of their program and before completing Candidacy.

  • Candidacy: Students will complete both oral and written candidacy exams.

  • Thesis: Students will be required to submit and defend an original research thesis.

Specializations

Outcomes

Universities and colleges, Government of Canada (Canadian citizens only), banking and finance, information technology and cybersecurity, energy, risk management and insurance, health, pharmaceuticals, environmental management, quantum computing, data analytics, medical imaging.

A PhD in math and statistics is usually considered a final degree.

Thesis-based program

Students are required to prepare a thesis and successfully defend in an open oral defense.

Courses

Eight courses

Learn more about program requirements in the Academic Calendar

Classroom delivery

Time commitment

Four years full-time; six years maximum

Supervisor

A supervisor is required, but is not required prior to the start of the program

Fees and funding

See the Graduate Calendar for information on fees and fee regulations, and for information on awards and financial assistance.

Supervisors

Learn about faculty available to supervise this degree.
Please note: additional supervisors may be available. Contact the program for more information.

  1. Kristine Bauer

    Kristine Bauer

    Seeking Students
    Algebraic topology and homotopy theory
  2. Karoly Bezdek

    Karoly Bezdek

    Accepting Inquiries
  3. Tibor Bisztriczky

    Tibor Bisztriczky

    Unavailable
    POLYTOPES, DISCRETE GEOMETRY, COMBINATORIAL GEOMETRY
  4. Elena Braverman

    Elena Braverman

    Accepting Inquiries
    Differential equations, dynamical systems
  5. Thierry Chekouo

    Thierry Chekouo

    Seeking Students
    Statistics/Biostatistics
  6. Clifton Cunningham

    Clifton Cunningham

    Accepting Inquiries
    Langlands Program
  7. Rob Deardon

    Rob Deardon

    Seeking Students
  8. Placeholder Profile Image

    Robert Elliott

    Unavailable
  9. Wenjun Jiang

    Wenjun Jiang

    Seeking Students
    Optimal (re)insurance/ Actuarial decision-making problems
  10. Wenyuan Liao

    Wenyuan Liao

    Accepting Inquiries
    Applied Mathematics and Geoscience application

Admission Requirements

GPA

A minimum of 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 point system, over the past two years of full-time study (a minimum of 10 full-course equivalents or 60 units) of the undergraduate degree.

Minimum education

A master’s degree or equivalent in the subject of the specialization.

Work samples

None

Documents

None

Reference letters

Three

Test scores

None

English language proficiency

An applicant whose primary language is not English may fulfill the English language proficiency requirement in one of the following ways:

Deadlines

For admission on September 1:

  • Canadians and permanent residents: Jan. 15 application deadline
  • International students: Jan. 15 application deadline

If you're not a Canadian or permanent resident, or if you have international credentials, make sure to learn about international requirements

Learn more about this program

Department of Mathematics and Statistics

Mathematical Science Room 462
612 Campus Place NW
Calgary, AB T2N 4V8
403.220-6299

Contact the Graduate Program Administrator

Visit the departmental website

 

Faculty of Science

Biological Sciences, Room 540
2500 University Drive NW
Calgary, AB T2N 1N4
403.220.8600

Visit the Faculty of Science website

 

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