Bryn Mawr College Math Department: Graduate Studies

Graduate Program Information

About Our Graduate Program
Graduate Courses
Degree Requirements
Exams
Graduate Research
Meet Our Students and Alumni
Social Events
How to Apply
Fees and Financial Aid
- For Current Students
- For Prospective Students
Teaching Assistantship and Other Financial Support
Calendar and Deadlines
- For Current Students
- For Prospective Students
GSAS Home Page
Contact Information

Graduate Work in Mathematics at Bryn Mawr College

Bryn Mawr's Graduate Program in Mathematics occupies a special niche in the mathematics education community in the United States. We offer university-quality research training that lead to M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in the supportive environment of a liberal arts college. For students interested in a well-rounded training that includes serious attention to teaching as well as research, Bryn Mawr is an excellent alternative to the large research-oriented university.

Although our undergraduates are all female, our graduate program is and always has been coeducation. We currently have 16 graduate students, 5 of which are male. A number of our students are supported by teaching assistantships. All graduate students are given office space and department mailboxes and have access to computers in the offices and the mathematics labs.

Our program emphasizes the broad divisions of pure mathematics. For M.A. thesis and Ph.D. dissertation research, students may concentrate in any of the numerous specializations of our faculty.

Bryn Mawr is located in a peaceful suburb of Philadelphia. The region has many mathematical opportunities. In addition to the numerous mathematics colloquia that take place at Bryn Mawr and Haverford Colleges, students have easy access to mathematical lectures at nearby math departments which include University of Pennsylvania, Temple University, Princeton University, and the Institute for Advanced Study.

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Graduate Courses

Graduate students may take graduate mathematics courses, do independent work with a faculty mentor, and/or take appropriate advanced undergraduate courses, supplemented with additional work for graduate credit. Up to four units may be taken at the University of Pennsylvania or at another reciprocating institution.

A distinctive aspect of the graduate program at Bryn Mawr is that students in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Bryn Mawr do not receive letter grades. At the completion of a seminar or unit of graduate work, the student’s work is graded satisfactory (S) or unsatisfactory (U), and the instructor writes a narrative evaluation of the student’s performance and ability to proceed with graduate work. These are kept on file in the Graduate School and copies are distributed each semester to the student.

Graduate students usually spend the first few years taking courses in mathematics and completing an M.A. thesis with a faculty adviser. The mathematics department typically offers 3-4 graduate courses each year that provide a broad foundation in pure mathematics. These courses also give excellent preparation for the preliminary exams (usually in analysis, topology, and algebra) that are required for those interested in pursuing Ph.D. degree. As an example of our offerings, in the ‘02-‘03 academic year, a yearlong course was offered in Graduate Topology (Math 505 and 506), and a semester long course was offered in Harmonic Analysis (Math 601). In addition, a number of students did additional work so that the undergraduate courses Complex Analysis (Math 322) and Partial Differential Equations (Math 311) counted for graduate credit.

As students progress and begin work on their M.A. or Ph.D. dissertations, an increasing portion of their time will be devoted to individual study and research under the direction of a member of the department. At this time, students usually sign up for Supervised Work (Math 701).

Course list:

501,502
503,504
505,506
511,512
515,516
521,522
523,524
563,564
601,602
603,604
605,606
615,616
701
702 Real Analysis I and II
Algebra I and II
Topology I and II
Complex Analysis I and II
Geometry I and II
Dynamical Systems I and II
Number Theory I and II
Lie Algebras I and II
Topics in Analysis
Topics in Algebra
Topics in Topology
Topics in Geometry
Supervised Work
Research Seminar

Selected undergraduate courses:

301,302
303,304
311
312,313
322,323
351
390 Introduction to Real Analysis
Abstract Algebra
Partial Differential Equations
Topology
Theory of Functions of a Complex Variable
Chaotic Dynamical Systems
Number Theory

**	For the descriptions of courses above and the information on currently offered courses, go to Courses.

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Degree Requirements

The requirements for the M.A. are:

at least 2 units in 500 or 600-level graduate mathematics
at least 2 additional units in graduate mathematics
at least 2 additional units in graduate mathematics or an allied field
reading proficiency in one foreign language, usually French, German, or Russian
completion of a M.A. thesis
passage of an oral final examination in the area of the thesis

The M.A. is most commonly completed in a two year period during which the student takes two courses each semester for a total of eight units, at least two of which are devoted to research on and writing of the M.A. thesis.

An undergraduate student enrolled in the A.B./M.A. Program must meet these same requirements with the exception that up to two units may be taken for dual undergraduate and graduate credit, thus decreasing the total number of units required to get the two degrees.

The requirements for the Ph.D. are:

at least 12 units in mathematics, as needed to provide a broad foundation
reading proficiency in French, German, or Russian
reading proficiency in a second of these languages or proficiency in an acceptable high-level computer language
passing marks on the Preliminary Examination consisting of three four-hour written and one one-hour oral examination
completion of a Ph.D. dissertation
passage of an oral final examination in the area of the dissertation

Although it is not required, we recommend that most students first complete an M.A. degree, before continuing on to the Ph.D.

The twelve units generally include many units of Supervised Work (Math 701). The preliminary examination usually consists of one test each of Algebra, Analysis, and Topology. The oral final exam is a standard dissertation defense consisting of a presentation of the dissertation material, questions from the general audience, then further questioning by the committee, after the rest of the audience is excused.Our graduate students may specialize in any of the broad divisions of mathematics represented among our faculty (see our faculty research specialization). In certain circumstances, arrangements have been made for graduate students to work with faculty at other institutions. In all cases, students are expected to acquire a well-rounded understanding of mathematics as a whole.

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Exams

Language Exams

For both the M.A. and the Ph.D. degree one foreign language is required, normally French, German, or Russian. Students whose native language is not English are not required to present an additional language. For the Ph.D. degree an additional foreign language or proficiency in computing is required. Language and computer skills will be tested by examinations administered by the department or may be demonstrated by the satisfactory completion of appropriate courses approved by the department. Any foreign language, other than the ones listed above, must be approved by the department.

Preliminary Exams (for Ph.D. Degree)

The preliminary exams are intended to check that a student has a broad breadth of mathematics. The exam consists of three four-hour written examinations, usually in Algebra, Analysis, and Topology, followed by a one-hour oral. They are taken either in one five-week period, or in two specified two-week periods in the Spring and Fall.

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Graduate Research

Thesis and Dissertation Requirements

All M.A. candidates are required to write a thesis. An M.A. thesis may be based on original research, expository, or a combination of the two. As an indication of the quality of our graduate students' work, in 2001, one of our M.A. students won the prestigious Master's Thesis Award from the Northeastern Association of Graduate Schools.

All Ph.D. candidates must complete original research the results of which must be presented in a well-crafted dissertation that is worthy of publication.

As topics of these theses and dissertations, graduate students may specialize in any of the broad divisions of mathematics represented among our faculty. In certain circumstances, arrangements have been made for graduate students to work with faculty at other institutions.

Research Specialization of Faculty

Faculty	Specialization
Cheng	Harmonic Analysis, Fourier Analysis
Cunningham	Functional Analysis, Harmonic Analysis and Geometry
Donnay	Dynamical Systems, Differential Geometry and Ergodic Theory
Grundman	Algebra, Algebraic Number Theory and Analytic Number Theory
Hughes	Functional Analysis, Harmonic and Wavelet Analysis and Operator Theory
Melvin	Geometric Topology, Low Dimensional Manifolds, Quantum Topology
Traynor	Differential Topology and Geometry, Symplectic Topology, Contact Geometry

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Meet Our Graduate Students and Alumni

The Mathematics Department is located in the Marion Edwards Park Science Center, next to the Physics Department and the Collier Science Library. All graduate students are given office space and mailboxes in the department, and have access to computers in the offices and the mathematics labs. In recent years, there have been about 12 graduate students in the program.

Complete List of Graduate Students

Cathleen Battiste
Bogdan Butoi
Beth Campbell
Jennifer Dalton
Ayako Fukui
Jill Jordan
Michelle Lawson
Christina Nistor
Joseph Paola
Jonah Swann
Sherry Teti
Daniel Wisniewski

* Click here for Select Profiles of Current Students.

Statements from Alums (M.A. and Ph.D.) Coming soon...

Most of our M.A.'s go into teaching or pursue a higher degree. Of our five Ph.D.'s in the past decade, four went directly into good positions at liberal arts colleges while the fifth continued in her high-level job in the pharmaceutical industry. This was during a time when many graduates from "top" Ph.D. programs around the country were failing to find academic jobs.
(For the statements from undergraduate alums, go to Alumni Statements.)

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Social Events

The Department has many opportunities for social interaction. Graduate students are welcome to participate in any of the undergraduate math groups, such as the Math Club and the distressing Math collective. The Department hosts several teas a year, which are open to math faculty and students, both undergraduate and graduate. Finally, a weekly colloquium, featuring a wide variety of mathematicians, is hosted by the Bryn Mawr and Haverford Mathematics Departments. The location of the colloquium alternates between Bryn Mawr and Haverford. Some pictures of some of these social event can be found. For more details, go to Colloquium & Events.

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How to Apply

Application must be made on a standard four-page application form, which can be requested by mail from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) or downloaded from the GSAS site. Applications must include three letters of recommendation and a statement of interest. Applicants must also submit official transcripts and official scores from the general GRE apptitude test.

To request paper application and recommendation forms, phone 610-526-5072, fax 610-526-5076 or write to:

Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Bryn Mawr College
101 North Merion Avenue
Bryn Mawr, PA 19010-2899 USA

For more information on the application process, visit the GSAS website.

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Teaching Assistantships and Other Financial Support

Teaching Assistantships

We currently have 5 teaching assistants in mathematics. For the 2003-2004 academic year, these stipends offered a complete tuition waiver, health insurance assistance, and a stipend of $13,000 (with a possibility of an additional $3500 for summer support).

Applicants intrested in a teaching assistanship should indicate this on their application form.

Teaching assistants are assigned to a course, or sometimes to a particular section of a course. The duties of a mathematics teaching assistantship vary tremendously but generally include preparing for, organizing, and facilitating weekly or semiweekly problem sessions, grading or otherwise evaluating students, holding office hours and working with students one-on-one, and meeting with the course instructor. Faculty work very hard to help graduate students develop their teaching skills. Although this is generally done on an informal, individual basis, we do strive to make graduate student teaching assistantship assignments so as to enhance this skill development while giving each student as broad of a teaching experience as possible. Our success in producing strong teachers is demonstrated by the frequency with which local colleges and universities that need to hire additional teaching staff seek out our graduates as well as our continuing students who have finished their M.A.'s.

At Bryn Mawr, faculty members are evaluated by students in every course they teach. Teaching assistanats are also evaluated by the undergraduate students in the courses they assist in. Completed evaluation forms are reviewed by the supervising faculty member with the TA. The originals or copies of all TA evaluations are submitted to the GSAS and become part of the TA’s file

The annual Doris Sill Carland Prizes for Outstanding Teaching are made to one of more TAs on the basis of their evaluations and recommendations from supervising faculty, which are reviewed by the Dean and the Committee on Graduate Awards. In the Spring of 1996, our Ph.D. student Gowri Meda received the college-wide award for excellence in teaching.

Summer Support

Summer support is often available to our graduate students. For the summer of 2003, the summer stipends ranged up to $3,500. To apply for support, students must write a proposal for their summer research activities.

Support for non-TAs

The department is usually able to grant tuition wivers for non-TA’s who are taking classes or are enrolled in Supervised Work with a faculty. Advanced students who need less direct supervision often go on "continuing enrollment" status for which no tuition is due, but a fee must be paid to cover costs of using the library and other facilities. When a student is making good progress toward the degree, we will often ask that this fee be waived.

Outside Employment

A number of our students have employment outside the mathematics department that supports them while they are pursuing their graduate degree. In recent years, we have had students partially to fully support themselves by teaching at Neumann College, Gwynedd-Mercy College, and Germantown Friends School. We have also had students obtain their degrees while employed at nonacademic places such as GlaxoSmithKline and the Animas Corporation.

Conference Reimbursement

The graduate school has a fund from which students can request reimbursement for travel expenses for attending a scholarly conference. When possible, the department funds graduate students who want to attend the annual Joint Mathematics Meetings or local (less expensive) meetings.

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