The Degree
Graduate degree requirements consist of 30 credits of graduate level courses (usually 10 courses) and a minimum GPA of 3.0 to graduate. There is no thesis option. Course requirements are as follows:
Core Courses (Required)
• Math 501 Probability and Applications (Fall semester only)
• Math 502 Deterministic Methods of Applied Mathematics (Both Fall and Spring semesters)
• Math 503 Mathematical Statistics (Spring semester only)
• Math 504 Numerical Methods (Both Fall and Spring semesters)
Sample of Math/Stat Elective Courses (choose five)
• Math 510 Computational Math/Stat (Fall semester only)
• Math 605 Financial Mathematics (each Spring semesters)
• Math 640 Math 640 Bayesian Statistics
• Math 651 Regression Analysis (Fall semester only)
• Math 652 Applied Multivariate Analysis
• Math 657 Categorical Data Analysis
• Math 656 Data Mining (each fall semesters)
• Math 658 Survey Sampling (alternate summers)
• Math 611 Stochastic Simulation (each fall)
Sample of Non-Math Electives (choose one)
Every student is expected to take a non-math/stat elective course in a scientific area that extends or makes use of the tools and techniques of mathematics and statistics. Examples of such elective courses are as follows:
• Computer science (C++ or other language, cyber science)
• Biostatistics
• Epidemiology
• Public policy (eg, survey sampling)
• Economics (eg, econometrics)
• Machine Translation (Linguistics)
• Neurosciences
• Security studies
• Social network analysis
For the current and upcoming schedule of classes visit the University Registrar’s webpage at http://registrar.georgetown.edu/.
Practical Experience
Internships, consulting, and research experiences are integral parts of the program. Therefore, each student is encouraged to participate in such an activity. This can be fulfilled through an internship, a special project in a graduate course or a research collaboration with Georgetown faculty.
Organizations offering internship positions include the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Department of Energy, Department of Justice, Department of Agriculture, Controller of the Currency, Federal Reserve Board, Federal Aviation Administration, various financial consulting firms, DecisionQ Corp, NASA, Army National Guard, Center for Advanced Defense Studies, Insight Policy Research, Elder Research and Fannie Mae.
Other options
Since the program emphasizes a more applied and practical curriculum, some traditional topics such as algebra, topology, abstract real and complex analysis, and measure theory-based probability are not part of the curriculum. There are options in the form of tutorials and directed studies for students who have need for such courses. A limited number of graduate courses can be transferred from other institutions, with the primary criterion being that such courses cannot have counted towards a previous degree. Courses can also be taken through the DC Consortium of Universitie (www.consortium.org).
Prerequisites for Applying
To enter the program students need to have, at minimum, the equivalent of a mathematics minor, which for our purposes means three semesters of calculus, culminating in multivariable calculus, plus linear algebra. Other courses in mathematics and statistics will strengthen an application. The minimum grade point average for admission is 3.0. Students who do not satisfy all of the prerequisites but have a strong academic record in a field that draws significantly from mathematics and statistics (eg, economics, biology, computational social sciences) may consider taking the prerequisite courses and then applying. Applications from prospective students who are in the process of taking the last such prerequisite classes will be accepted and evaluated. It is important to understand that satisfying the prerequisites does not alone guarantee admission. Admission is competitive and is the result of a number of factors including academic record, letters of recommendation, breadth and depth of academic background and experience, and strength of academic institutions attended.
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Student Life
St. Mary’s Hall is home to the Math/Stat Department and graduate program. There are tables and desks available for studying, a Commons Room where students and faculty gather to both work and socialize, a computer lab, seminar and conference rooms. Classes are almost always held in the evenings, Mondays through Thursdays, and meeting once per week from 6:30 to 9:00 PM, in order to accommodate working professionals in the DC area. All classrooms are on the Georgetown campus. On most days the Commons Room is filled with graduate students working on homework and projects, checking email in the computer space and generally interacting with each other. The graduate program actively encourages social networking among the student body, believing that it will induce greater connectivity to the DC area math/stat community, help solidify contacts to the workforce and enlarge the world-view of the students.
We have students living in all three states in the DC area triad: Maryland, Virginia and DC. The campus is served by free shuttles that connect with the Dupont Circle and Rosslyn Metro (subway) stations, thus making the Metro system available. A large number of students live along the Metro Orange Line in Virginia and the Red Line in Maryland, as well as near campus in DC.
Tuition at Georgetown is charged on a credit basis, that is, the rate is the same independently of the number of courses taken. Current information on tuition can be found on the Graduate School website, http://grad.georgetown.edu/, under Admissions => Financial Support => Tuition and Fees.
The Math/Stat program has a modest and highly competitive tuition scholarship program. The largest scholarships provide tuition waivers for one course per semester for the first year for full time students, and similarly but on a prorated basis for part time students. Scholarships are potentially renewable but must be re-competed in years subsequent to the first. The scholarship program can support fewer than 20% of students. Any applicant, international or otherwise, may apply for scholarship consideration by checking the appropriate box on the electronic application.
Full time students are typically interested in finding internships in the summer after their first two semesters. Although internship positions can never be guaranteed, the program has been successful in placing students. It is important to keep in mind that internships are competitive and that good grades and strong resumes are factors in obtaining positions. A common paradigm is for full time students to obtain internships in the summer after the first year (although internships in the regular semesters are also possible) and to continue the position into the fall of the second year. In some cases the students then become part time in the second year as they continue taking classes. Internships can potentially convert to opportunities for full time employment. It is important to note that internships with the federal government and most of its contractors require US citizenship.
It is strongly urged that students have personally owned modern laptop computers for possible use in classrooms. There are a number of courses that run best in computer classrooms, or meeting rooms with computers available for all enrolled students, but occasionally we are unable to secure such rooms. Bringing laptops to class is the alternate solution, and this practice makes work easier to save, web links easier to archive, etc.
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