University of Arkansas

Department of Mathematical Sciences

Graduate Student Handbook

Fall 2024

1
Table of Contents
Introduction 3
Welcome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Departmental Contacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
New and Prospective Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Other Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Academic Policies 5
Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Graduate Courses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Registration Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Annual Graduate Student Academic Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Written Exam Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Comprehensive Exam Policy (For MS students) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Qualifying Exam Policy (for PhD students) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Candidacy Exam (for PhD students) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Steps for Graduating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Special Programs 14
MS in Mathematics: Computational Mathematics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
STANMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
PhD in Mathematics: Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
PhD in Mathematics: Mathematics Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Workload Policies 16
Teaching Assistantships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Summer Workload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Doctoral Academy Fellowships/Distinguished Doctoral Fellowships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Absences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Workplace Etiquette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Miscellaneous 18
Academic Honesty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Participation in Departmental Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Administrative Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

2 Fall 2023
Introduction
Welcome
Welcome to the Department of Mathematical Sciences at the University of Arkansas! Whether you are
a new or returning student, we’re glad that you are joining us this year. Please feel free to contact me if
you have any questions.
Best regards,
Zachary Bradshaw
Graduate Coordinator

Departmental Contacts
Students with questions about their academic responsibilities should contact the Graduate Coordinator,
Zachary Bradshaw [email protected].
Students with questions about their teaching assignment should contact Matt Clay [email protected].

Faculty Contacts (off-campus, dial 57X-XXXX):

Department Chair: Matt Clay, SCEN 305, [email protected], 5-5195
Vice-Chair: Phillip Harrington, SCEN 336, [email protected], 5-3488
Graduate Coordinator: Zachary Bradshaw SCEN 347, zb002.edu, 5-3351
Director of Statistics: Giovanni Petris, SCEN 314, [email protected], 5-6324
Director of STAN: Mark Arnold, SCEN 418, [email protected], 5-7701
MRTC Co-Director: Joshua Girshner, [email protected], 5-3351
MRTC Co-Director: Audrey Kimball Kruse, [email protected], 5-7701

Staff Contacts (off-campus, dial 57X-XXXX):

Office Manager and Assistant to the Chair: Cedric Commodore, SCEN 309, [email protected], 5-3351
Media and Fiscal Support: Egan Meaux SCEN 309, [email protected], 5-5588
Software Support Specialist: Kapil Adhikari, CHPN 334, [email protected]

3 Fall 2023
New and Prospective Students
Prospective students should contact the Graduate Coordinator, Zachary Bradshaw, who will be happy
to answer any questions about the application process. Completed applications should be received by
February 1 to receive full consideration for financial aid. Applicants who are qualified for a Doctoral
Academy Fellowship (DAF) or Distinguished Doctoral Fellowship (DDF) should make sure that
their completed application is received by January 15 and that they are in contact with the Graduate
Coordinator before this date.
Admission to the graduate program requires the equivalent of a BS in mathematics, which should
include at least the calculus sequence through differential equations, linear algebra, abstract algebra,
and advanced calculus (which may be called real analysis). Applicants should have strong grades in
their core mathematics courses; the minimum graduate school GPA requirements will not suffice. The
Department of Mathematical Sciences does not require the GRE general test, but the requirements for a
DAF or DDF include a minimum score on the analytical writing component of the GRE. Three letters
of recommendation should include at least two letters by faculty who are familiar with the applicant’s
academic work. A statement of purpose should be included detailing the applicant’s motivation for
graduate studies in mathematics.
New students should plan on arriving in time for orientation week (the week before classes start).
Academic advising, class registration, new student orientation, class orientation meeting, and other
activities will all take place during this week. Students who arrive before orientation week should
check in with the main office to see if any paperwork can be completed early.
Paperwork for new students (e.g., employment paperwork, student ID cards, insurance, emergency
contact information) will be distributed in an informational packet at orientation.

Other Sources
This handbook has been written to be as consistent as possible with the Graduate Catalog and
Graduate School policies. When there is a conflict, the catalog and university policies will take
precedence. The current catalog can be found at:
Mathematics:
http://math.uark.edu/
Statistics and Analytics:
http://catalog.uark.edu/graduatecatalog/programsofstudy/statisticsandanalyticsstan/
The Graduate School provides information for current graduate students at:
https://graduate-and-international.uark.edu/graduate/current-students/index.php
Although every effort has been made to keep the department website up to date, if there is a conflict
with this handbook, then this handbook is more likely to be correct.
The department website can be found at: http://fulbright.uark.edu/departments/math/

4 Fall 2023
Academic Policies
Timeline
MS Mathematics:
Students who plan on graduating with an MS in Mathematics should plan on completing the program
in two years. A typical course load for a graduate assistant will look like the following:
First year:
Fall: 7 credits (two 3-credit courses and 1-credit seminar MATH 5100V)
Spring: 7 credits (two 3-credit courses and 1-credit seminar MATH 5100V)
Second year:
Fall: 9 credits (three 3-credit courses)
Spring: 9 credit (three 3-credit courses)
This course load will suffice for the 32 credits required for the degree. Students may take summer
courses to reduce their course load during the regular semester, although graduate assistants are
always required to enroll in at least 6 credit hours during the Fall and Spring. Non-graduate assistants
must enroll in at least 9 credit hours during the regular semester. Students should choose courses in
consultation with the Graduate Coordinator in order to complete 4 courses which can be used for the
comprehensive exam. Students should plan on completing the comprehensive exam by the end of the
second year. Additional retakes may be available after this, but not necessarily with financial assistance
from the department.
PhD Mathematics:
Students should plan on completing their written qualifying exam within 2.5 years (1.5 years for
those entering with a master’s degree). This will require the completion of three year-long sequences
of qualifying courses, so this should be a priority during the first 1.5–2.5 years. Students who have
not completed their qualifying exams on time may have additional retakes, but not necessarily with
financial assistance from the department.
After passing qualifying exams, students may choose to receive an MS in Mathematics at this point.
Students should find an adviser and begin preparing for the oral candidacy exam, which should be
completed within one year after passing the qualifying exams.
After passing the candidacy exam, students will begin their dissertation research. Only after passing
the candidacy exam may a student register for MATH 7000V, Doctoral Dissertation. A typical
course-load at this point should include 3 credit hours of MATH 7000V. Students who have passed
their candidacy exam must enroll in at least one credit hour every semester (including the summer)
until they have completed their degree. At least 18 credit hours of MATH 7000V are required for the
PhD degree. Students should plan on completing the PhD within 5 years.

5 Fall 2023
Graduate Courses
The MS in Mathematics requires a total of 32 credit-hours. Up to nine credit-hours of graduate work
can be taken outside the department, with the approval of the Graduate Coordinator. A maximum of
six credit-hours can be accepted as transfer credit.
The PhD in Mathematics requires 72 credit-hours beyond the bachelor’s degree, of which at least 18
must be dissertation hours (MATH 7000V).
All teaching assistants must take one credit hour of MATH 5100V in their first Fall semester. All
graduate students must take one credit hour of MATH 5100V in their first Spring semester.
Graduate students without credit in the following courses may be required to take these as deficiencies;
this will require an out-of-career registration form: MATH 31103 Introduction to Abstract Algebra I.
Graduate students without credit in MATH 52103 Advanced Calculus I should prioritize this course, as
it is a prerequisite for many of the comprehensive and qualifying exam courses.
Directed Readings (MATH 6100V) may be taken with a member of the graduate faculty, provided that
the faculty member is willing and able to supervise the course. The student should contact the faculty
member that they are interested in working with to make arrangements regarding the number of credit
hours and the format of the course.
The following courses may be taken for graduate credit in the Department of Mathematical Sciences.
If you would like to take courses outside of this list, please speak with the Graduate Coordinator.
MATH 51103 Introduction to Abstract Algebra II (formerly MATH 4113)
MATH 51603 Dynamic Models in Biology (formerly MATH 4163)
MATH 52603 Symbolic Logic I (formerly MATH 4253)
MATH 54403 Complex Variables (formerly MATH 4443)
MATH 56003 Differential Geometry (formerly MATH 4503)
MATH 51503 Advanced Linear Algebra
MATH 52103 Advanced Calculus I
MATH 52203 Advanced Calculus II
MATH 5990V Research Topics in Mathematics
MATH 5100V Mathematical Seminar
MATH 51203 Algebra I
MATH 51303 Algebra II
MATH 53103 Partial Differential Equations I
MATH 53203 Partial Differential Equations II
MATH 53603 Scientific Computation and Numerical Methods
MATH 53803 Numerical Analysis
MATH 53903 Numerical Linear Algebra
MATH 54003 Numerical Linear Algebra II
MATH 54503 Functional Analysis I
MATH 55003 Theory of Functions of a Real Variable I
MATH 55103 Theory of Functions of a Real Variable II
MATH 55203 Theory of Functions of a Complex Variable I
MATH 55303 Theory of Functions of a Complex Variable II

6 Fall 2023
MATH 57003 Topology I
MATH 57103 Topology II algebraic topology
MATH 57203 Differential Topology I
MATH 57303 Differential Topology II
MATH 6090V Topics in Math Education
MATH 6100V Directed Readings
MATH 6190V Topics in Algebra
MATH 6590V Topics in Analysis
MATH 6799V Topics in Topology
MATH 7000V Doctoral Dissertation
STAT 50131 Statistics Methods Laboratory
STAT 50133 Statistical Methods
STAT 50333 Nonparametric Statistical Methods
STAT 50433 Sampling Techniques
STAT 51231 Introduction to R
STAT 53733 Experimental Design
STAT 51033 Introduction to Probability Theory
STAT 51133 Statistical Inference
STAT 53133 Regression Analysis
STAT 53333 Analysis of Categorical Responses
STAT 5343 Stochastic Processes
STAT 53533 Methods of Multivariate Analysis
STAT 53833 Time Series Analysis
STAT 54133 Spatial Statistics
STAT 54433 Computational Statistics
STAT 5500V Statistical Consulting
STAT 6103V Research in Statistics
STAT 6393V Topics in Statistics

7 Fall 2023
Registration Procedures
Students registering for Dissertation hours (MATH 7000V) or Directed Reading Hours (MATH 6100V)
need to complete the form available in the literature rack in the main office. The student should com-
plete the form with the faculty member and number of hours needed and then get the signature of
the faculty member or have the faculty member email the Media and Fiscal Support, Egan Meaux,
affirming that they will supervise the number of hours specified. Upon receipt of the form, Egan will
enroll the student into the directed reading or dissertation hours.
If a graduate student needs to take an undergraduate course, they will need to complete an Out-
of-Career Registration Form. These forms are available in the office and can be completed by the
graduate student, signed, and returned to the office to be submitted to the Graduate School.
Registration for most other courses will occur through UAConnect. Students with an advising hold will
need to meet with the Graduate Coordinator to discuss their schedule before registration.
Students should register as early as possible, or graduate courses may not have the enrollment
necessary to run.
If a student needs to register for a course for which they have not met the prerequisites, then the student
will need to contact the Graduate Coordinator.

Annual Graduate Student Academic Review

Each graduate student will be reviewed on an annual basis to determine whether they are making
satisfactory progress towards their degree. This review will happen after grades for the Spring
semester are available and before June 30. Students who wish to meet with the Graduate Coordinator
to discuss their review may do so at any time within this time frame. Students who do not meet with
the Graduate Coordinator will be notified of their results by email.
Students will be evaluated based on whether they are meeting the timeline for graduation described in
this handbook while maintaining a 3.0 GPA in core courses (i.e., those courses which could be used
for a comprehensive or qualifying exam). Students who are not making satisfactory progress will be
notified of the reasons by the Graduate Coordinator, and are encouraged to meet with them to discuss
their progress.

8 Fall 2023
Written Exam Procedures
Past exams are available in the main office and may be requested at any time.
Students intending to take an exam must fill out the exam request form emailed to students by the
Graduate Coordinator. This will be done at least four weeks prior to the end of the semester.
After the deadline set by the Graduate Coordinator, the Graduate Coordinator will assign faculty
members to prepare and grade each exam. The Graduate Coordinator will also set a schedule for the
exams which will be announced to the graduate students in advance.
Unless the faculty member writing the exam has notified both the student and the Graduate Coordi-
nator in writing that another resource will be allowed, the student will not be allowed to bring any
materials to the exam except for a writing utensil and an eraser.
Exams will be graded by the faculty members chosen by the Graduate Coordinator. For PhD
Qualifying Exams, the graders will make a recommendation to the Graduate Committee. After
receiving all of the graders’ recommendations, the Graduate Committee will make a decision about the
results of the exam for each student. The entire graduate faculty of the math department will then have
an opportunity to review the Graduate Committee’s decision. At this point, the Graduate Coordinator
will notify the students of their results.
For students who have passed their comprehensive exams (or their qualifying exams at a level sufficient
to receive the Master’s degree), the Graduate Coordinator will complete a Record of Progress, signed
by the Graduate Committee, and submit it to the Graduate School.
Students may request copies of their comprehensive and qualifying exams from the main office. The
office (for now, the Media and Media and Fiscal Support, Egan Meaux) will provide the student with
a graded exam request form that will need to be completed. The copy will generally include only the
student’s work. At the discretion of the Graduate Coordinator, additional written comments from the
grader may be included, with comments for the graduate committee redacted.
Students who have any concerns about their exams should contact the Graduate Coordinator. Any
appeals will be decided by the graduate committee.

9 Fall 2023
Comprehensive Exam Policy (For MS students)
The master’s comprehensive exam will be given twice a year in the periods following the Fall and
Spring semester exams and preceding the start of the next term. The exam will be scheduled for as
many days as are needed to avoid conflicts, typically two or three.
The comprehensive exam will consist of four two-hour components, each covering a one-semester
course, which must all be taken at one sitting. All four courses under examination must be completed
before the student is allowed to sign up for the exam. Students who fail the exam will have up to two
attempts to retake all or part of the exam (at the discretion of the Graduate Committee). These retakes
must be taken in consecutive semesters. For the MS program in computational mathematics, additional
rules apply. See page 14
The comprehensive exam will consist of courses chosen from the following list. The exam must
include at least one course from each group. Courses outside of this list may be used only with the
permission of the course instructor and the Graduate Committee.
Group I:
52103 Advanced Calculus I
52203 Advanced Calculus II
53103 Partial Differential Equations I
53203 Partial Differential Equations II
55003 Theory of Functions of a Real Variable I
55103 Theory of Functions of a Real Variable II
55203 Theory of Functions of a Complex Variable I
55303 Theory of Functions of a Complex Variable II
Group II:
53803 Numerical Analysis
53903 Numerical Linear Algebra
51203 Algebra I
51303 Algebra II
57003 Topology I
57103 Topology II
57203 Differential Topology I
57303 Differential Topology II

10 Fall 2023
Qualifying Exam Policy (for PhD students)
The Qualifying Exams will be offered twice a year, in January and August, the week before each
semester begins.
The Qualifying Exams requirement is satisfied by either (a) passing two four-hour components, each
covering a year long sequence, with one sequence chosen from each of Group I and Group II and
receiving an A in the classes of another sequence from either group or (b) by passing three four-hour
components, each covering a year-long sequence with at least one sequence chosen from each of Group
I and Group II. Not all of these need to be taken in one attempt.
Each sequence may be passed at either the Master’s level or the PhD level. Passing two sequences at
the Master’s level is equivalent to passing the MS comprehensive exam, provided that one sequence is
from Group I and one is from Group II. If other requirements have been met, this will allow the student
to receive an MS in mathematics. Students who have passed only one sequence at the Master’s level
may also choose to take half of the Master’s Comprehensive Exam to complete the requirements for the
Master’s degree.
Passing either (a) two sequences at the PhD level and receiving an A in the classes of another sequence
or (b) passing three sequences at the PhD level, is necessary to enter the PhD program.
Students are expected to pass the Qualifying Exams within 2.5 years of entering the Ph.D. program.
A student is allowed to take Qualifying Exams during any Qualifying Exam period, including the
exam period immediately prior to their first semester in the program. If a student has not passed the
Qualifying Exams in the 2.5 year window but has made progress towards passing, then the student will
meet with the Graduate Coordinator to write a plan which details how the student plans to pass within
the next year. Making progress includes passing at least one exam and may include having an MASC
faculty member advocate for the student. If a student pauses their enrollment in the program, then their
time away does not count against the 2.5 year window for passing the Qualifying Exams.
Each sequence must be chosen from the following list, with at least one sequence chosen from each of
Group I and Group II:
Group I:
55003-55103 Theory of Functions of a Real Variable
55203-55303 Theory of Functions of a Complex Variable
53103-53203 Partial Differential Equations
Group II:
51203-51303 Algebra
57003-57103 Topology
57203-57303 Differential Topology

Candidacy Exam (for PhD students)

After completing the qualifying exams, students pursuing a PhD degree will need to take the candidacy
exam, an oral candidacy exam, covering the intended area of specialization. The committee will
consist of the student’s intended PhD dissertation adviser and two other graduate faculty members
chosen in consultation with the adviser. This committee will be recorded on the Doctoral Committee

11 Fall 2023
Form (available at http://graduate-and-international.uark.edu/graduate/current-students/forms.php).
The content of the exam will consist of material that is appropriate for a 60000-level course.
At the discretion of the adviser, the format may consist of either a presentation by the student followed
by a question and answer session, or an oral exam over the content of an advanced course. This exam
must be taken within a year of completing the qualifying exam. It may be repeated once, within 16
months of completing the qualifying exam. After passing this exam, the student will complete the
Candidacy Exam Notification Form (available at http://graduate-and-international.uark.edu/graduate/
current-students/forms.php)

12 Fall 2023
Steps for Graduating
Graduating with an MS in Mathematics:
Students completing an MS in Mathematics will receive their diplomas on the graduation date
following their exams (i.e., May graduation for January exams and August graduation for May exams).
Students may still register to attend commencement the weekend before comprehensive exams, but
after passing their exams they will need to contact the graduate school letting them know that they will
defer graduation until the following graduation date. Students can register for graduation in the Student
Center at https://uaconnect.uark.edu. The current deadlines are October 1 for Fall graduation, March
1 for Spring graduation, and July 1 for Summer graduation. All graduating students must schedule an
exit interview with the Department Chair. This can be scheduled with an Administrative Specialist in
the main office.
Graduating with a PhD in Mathematics:
[The forms, survey and guide mentioned in this section may be found at http://graduate-and-international.
uark.edu/graduate/current-students/forms.php under either Doctoral Student Forms or Graduation
Forms.]
After passing their qualifying exams and oral candidacy exams, PhD candidates will need to complete
a Candidacy Exam Notification Form, a Doctoral Committee Form∗ , and a Doctoral Dissertation Title
Form. These will need to be submitted to the Graduate School. Copies should be submitted to the
department.
At least 18 hours of dissertation research (MATH 7000V) must be completed before graduation.
The dissertation committee must receive copies of the dissertation three weeks prior to the defense.
Announcements of the defense should be submitted to the Graduate School two weeks prior to the
defense. After the defense and the dissertation has been approved by the committee, the Ph.D. Record
of Progress Form should be filled out.
The dissertation should be prepared to comply with the instructions in the Graduate School’s Guide
to Preparing Doctoral Dissertations. Two weeks prior to final submission the dissertation must be
submitted to the Graduate School for a mandatory pre-check to determine compliance.
The final submission should take place two weeks before the degree is to be conferred. The following
must be submitted to the Graduate School along with one unbound copy of the dissertation: the
Intellectual Property Disclosure Form, the Dissertation Submission Form, and the Research
Compliance Protocol Letter (if applicable). The Survey of Earned Doctorates must be completed. An
electronic copy of the dissertation (normally in PDF format) must also be submitted to UMI ProQuest.
The Graduate School can provide instructions how to complete the electronic submission.
One copy of the dissertation must be given to the math department, for the math library. All graduating
students must schedule an exit interview with the department chair; this can be scheduled with an
Administrative Specialist in the main office.

∗
This form has dual purpose, depending on the boxes checked. If both are checked, it only needs to be submitted once,
after the qualifying exam is passed.

13 Fall 2023
Special Programs
Unless explicitly stated otherwise, the policies for each of the following programs will be the same as
those for the MS in Mathematics or PhD in Mathematics. Students with questions about these special
programs should contact one of the following faculty members:
Computational Mathematics: Mark Arnold, SCEN 418, [email protected], 5-7701
Statistics: Giovanni Petris, SCEN 314, [email protected], 5-6324

MS in Mathematics: Computational Mathematics

This option is intended for students who plan to specialize in computational and applied mathematics
in preparation for professional employment in an interdisciplinary or computationally intensive
environment. The candidate for the computational mathematics option must include at least six but
not more than twelve semester hours of graduate work in approved courses outside of mathematics.
For this purpose, statistics courses are considered to be outside mathematics. A total of 32 hours
are required for this degree. Courses must include MATH 53803, 53903, 53103, 53203, and at least
two courses chosen from the following: MATH 55003, 55103, 55203, 55303 and STAT 51033. The
comprehensive examination for the computational mathematics option should cover MATH 53803,
53903, and two of the required 50000-level courses. Note: the permitted choices are the 50000-level
courses in Group I on page 10, as well as STAT 51033.

STANMS
There is no longer a MS in Statistics offered by the Department of Mathematical Sciences (MASC).
But there is an MS in “Statistics and Analytics” (STAN), which is an multidisciplinary program with
several tracks offered by different departments. One of those tracks is provided by the statistics group
in MASC. The statistics track of the STAN MS degree is intended to provide training for a professional
career, principally in applied statistics, or a gateway to a Ph.D. The University requires at least 30 hours
for a master’s degree. For more details see https://statistics-analytics.uark.edu/index.php.

14 Fall 2023
PhD in Mathematics: Statistics
Students interested in Statistics can pursue the Ph.D. in Mathematics, but in a program with
concentration in Statistics. The requirements are the same as for all Ph.D. students in Mathematics,
except that students in this program will take a Qualifying Examination in the areas of General
Statistics, Probability/Statistical Inference, and Real Analysis.

PhD in Mathematics: Mathematics Education

I. Graduate mathematics and statistics courses: 18 hours. Complete and pass the qualifying
examination requirement (see page 11, also the statistics qualifying exam maybe used).
II. Mathematics education independent study: 15 hours This study is to prepare for dissertation
research. The areas of this study are: K-12 curriculum; learning theory; art of teaching and teacher
education; and assessment and technology. The 15 hours must include a 3-hour research project that
will result in a research report. Passing a qualifying examination in mathematics education is required.
The Mathematics Education qualifying exam will consist of two parts: a written, in-class exam similar
to the mathematics qualifying exams, and a take-home exam that will provide a given length of time to
produce a paper that answers the given prompts.
III. Education graduate courses: 12 hours These four courses will study quantitative methods in
education research and qualitative methods in education research. The recommended courses are
ESRM 64103 – Experimental Design for Education*
ESRM 64203 – Multiple Regression Techniques for Education*
ESRM 65303 – Qualitative Research
ESRM 66503 – Measurement and Evaluation
*These may be altered if the student has completed STAT courses in experimental design or multiple
regression.
IV. Dissertation: 18 hours This requirement includes presentation of an acceptable research design for
dissertation research and production of results that merit publication in a peer-reviewed educational
research journal.

15 Fall 2023
Workload Policies
Teaching Assistantships
Students who are supported by the department with an assistantship are expected to remain in good
academic standing. This means making progress towards graduation consistent with the timeline
outlined in this document, while maintaining a 3.0 GPA in core courses (i.e., any course which could
be used for the comprehensive or qualifying exam). Students who do not meet these standards are not
guaranteed further financial support. Additionally, a performance review will influence future support
and job responsibilities.
Students who are not currently supported by the department but meet the standards described above
may submit a request in writing to the Graduate Coordinator and they will be considered for future
support. These requests will be evaluated competitively with applications from prospective new
students.
Students will receive their teaching assignment and job duties from the Chair. Any questions about
teaching assignments as well as special requests should be brought to the Chair.

Summer Workload
Students who are supported by the department during the summer will need to register for a course
during a summer session. Courses taught and taken do not have to be during the same session.
Students who intend to work in the department during the summer must register for their Fall courses
during early enrollment before they receive a summer assignment.

Doctoral Academy Fellowships/Distinguished Doctoral Fellowships

Information about these fellowships can be found at: http://grad.uark.edu/future/funding/fellowships.
php .
The DAF and DDF are 12-month awards. Recipients are expected to register for at least 3 credit-hours
during the summer. After passing the PhD qualifying and candidacy exams, the 3 credit-hours will
typically be dissertation research (MATH 7000V).

16 Fall 2023
Absences
Graduate Assistants who are going to miss classes for which they are the instructor or teaching
assistant need to notify the MASC Office and the instructor of record (for teaching assistants). It is the
responsibility of the student to make sure that their classes and other obligations are covered when they
are absent.

Benefits
Graduate Assistants should contact the main office if they have any questions about their benefits or
salary. They should not cancel their benefits during the summer without first contacting the main
office. Nine month employees pay for benefits for an entire year so that they have coverage during the
summer months. That means twelve months of coverage is deducted from nine months of pay. Without
an authorized change in employment status, money already paid for benefits or insurance cannot be
refunded, so it is important to check with the office before making any changes.

Workplace Etiquette
The Department of Mathematical Sciences is a workplace, and graduate assistants are expected to
exhibit professional conduct at all times in the math department. Faculty, staff, and other students
should be treated with courtesy and respect.

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Miscellaneous
Academic Honesty
Information about Academic Integrity at the University of Arkansas, including the Academic Integrity
Policy, can be found at http://honesty.uark.edu/ . Graduate students in the Department of Mathematical
Sciences will be held to the highest standards of integrity. Students should not assume that any
resource is allowed on work inside or outside of class without explicit permission from the professor.
Please consult with your professors if you have any questions about what is acceptable for each course
or exam.

Participation in Departmental Activities

All graduate students are encouraged to attend departmental colloquia, as well as departmental
seminars. The schedule can be found at:
http://fulbright.uark.edu/departments/math/research/colloquia/index.php . and at:
https://fulbright.uark.edu/departments/math/research/seminars/index.php .
The annual Spring Lecture Series is one of the highlights of the academic year, and typically includes
a luncheon for graduate students and a luncheon for AWSM members. Information about current and
previous Spring Lecture Series may be found at:
http://fulbright.uark.edu/departments/math/research/spring-lecture-series/index.php .

Travel
Departmental funds for graduate student travel are limited, so you should be aware of the following two
opportunities:
The American Mathematical Society offers travel grants for graduate students attending meetings of
the AMS. Details can be found at http://www.ams.org/student-travel .
The Graduate School has limited travel funds for conference participants available. Details can be
found at https://graduate-and-international.uark.edu/graduate/costs-and-funding/travel-and-research/
travel-grants.php .

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Administrative Procedures
Graduate students who need to reserve a room in the math department for any reason (e.g., dissertation
defenses, review sessions, study sessions) will need to complete a Room Reservation Request Form
(available in the literature rack in the main office) and submit it to the office (for now, the Media and
Department Support, Egan Meaux) at least one week prior to the needed date. Rooms SCEN 309,
320, 322, and 349 may not be used without a reservation. SCEN 350 (the math lounge) may be used
informally if it is not already reserved, but any planned activities will require a reservation.
Textbooks and other course materials are available for course instructors in the main office, or by
contacting the course team leader. Please return these before the end of finals week so that they are
available for other instructors in the following semester.
Copy code information will be included in the orientation folder that Graduate Assistants receive
during orientation week. The Media and Department Support, Egan Meaux, will assign new numbers
and remind returning students of their copy code numbers if necessary.
Tests or other class items can be photocopied by the main office. Graduate Assistants should submit a
master copy with the Copy Job Request Form (available in the literature rack in the main office) at least
two working days before they need the copies (earlier notice is always appreciated).
Graduate Assistants should never ask their students to hand in course materials to the main office or the
mail room (undergraduate students are never allowed in the mail room).
Graduate students who are leaving the program will need to complete an Exiting the University Form.

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