Programs for International Students
Dual Degree Program (BS/BA + MS/MA)
Master of Science in Mathematics
Program Profile: Penn was recently ranked 4th among all US universities in a leading national study, and our mathematics graduate program was recently ranked highest in a study of graduate programs in arts and sciences at Penn. We have a very active and involved mathematics faculty, diverse course offerings and a broad seminar schedule, with strengths in algebra, analysis, geometry-topology, combinatorics, logic, and mathematical physics. We have a supportive atmosphere, with personal attention from the faculty and extensive interaction among graduate students. Our grad students can take courses not only in the Mathematics Department but also elsewhere at Penn, and the wide resources of the university are available.
Student Profile: There are currently about sixty graduate students in the Penn Math Department; half of them are international students. Most were math majors with high grades from top schools, and enter the department in the PhD program. Students who have graduated from the program have taken jobs in a variety of areas, including: faculty positions in colleges or universities, positions in industry or research labs in areas such as bioinformatics, robotics, mathematical finance, and computer science.
Curriculum: Students take eight one-semester courses, including just one required semester each of algebra, analysis, and geometry-topology. Remaining courses are taken in areas of concentration that include algebra (number theory, algebraic geometry, ring theory), analysis (classical analysis, operator algebras), geometry-topology (differential geometry, symplectic geometry, topology of manifolds), logic (including mathematical foundations of computer science), combinatorics, and applications such as mathematical physics, medical imaging and mathematical finance.
Masters students write and defend a masters thesis of about 30 pages in length, and typically receive their degree at the end of the second year. There is no language requirement or oral exam.
In addition to taking courses, students attend seminars on a broad spectrum of topics and levels including but not limited to: Algebra, Geometry-topology, Mathematical Physics, Geometry-Topology, Analysis, Logic and Computation, and Galois theory.
Program Length: Two years of full-time study.
Application: Applications must contain all of the following in order to be considered complete:
- Completed application form
- Non-refundable application fee of $70.00 (Make checks payable to the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania)
- Three letters of recommendation
- GRE Score report
- TOEFL Score report, for applicants whose primary language is not English
- Transcripts from each post-secondary school attended
- Personal statement
Tuition: Approximate tuition costs for the 8 course units in this program are $34,575. Click here for more detailed information.