PreliminaryExamination Information

Preliminary Examination Information

The Doctoral Preliminary Examinations are administered twice each year, in May and August, and are offered in the ten core subject areas corresponding to the graduate core courses listed at the bottom of this page.

Overview of the Exams

Each examination is four hours long and evaluates a student’s understanding of essential concepts within the respective subject area. These exams are not equivalent to final course exams; instead, they are developed by committees of faculty in each core area, in consultation with the Graduate Committee, to assess fundamental readiness for doctoral research.

The specific topics covered on each exam are outlined in the Preliminary Examination Topics List, available from the Graduate Advisor.

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Exam Administration

• May Administration: the week before the first summer term begins
• August Administration: the week after the second summer term ends
• Time: 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (four hours)
• Location: Academic Testing Center

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Registration and Requirements

Students must notify the Graduate Advisor of the examinations they plan to take at least three weeks before the exam date. Up to three exams may be attempted during any single administration.

A student must pass three different examinations by the required deadline, based on prior graduate coursework. At least one exam must be chosen from the following fundamental subjects:

• Algebra
• Complex Analysis
• Real Analysis
• Topology
• ODE
• PDE

Each exam receives a grade of P (pass) or F (fail).

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Special Requirements by Area of Specialization

Statistics

Students specializing in Statistics must pass the Ph.D. Preliminary Examination in Probability and Statistics (STAT 5328–STAT 5329). Most students also choose to take the Real Analysis exam, but students may select other approved subjects if desired.

Mathematical Finance

Students specializing in Mathematical Finance must pass the Ph.D. Preliminary Examination in Mathematical Finance (MATH 6352 & 6353).

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Deadlines for Satisfactory Progress

• Students entering with a Master’s degree: must pass the Preliminary Examinations before the beginning of their third year.
• Students entering without a Master’s degree: must pass the Preliminary Examinations before the beginning of their fourth year.

Students who do not meet these deadlines may not continue in the Doctoral Program in the Department of Mathematics & Statistics at Texas Tech University.

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Past Exams & Resources