Ph.D. in Engineering and Industrial Applied Mathematics

 Program Director:

  • Dr. Ellis Cumberbatch, School of Mathematical Sciences, Claremont Graduate Univresity.
  • Dr. Mahyar Amouzegar, Associate Dean for Research and Adminstration, College of Engineering, California State University, Long Beach.

 Application Deadlines:

  • Fall Semester: April 1
  • Spring Semester: October 1

 Contact: 

  • Kim Truesdelle, Assistant to the Associate Deans, College of Engineering, California State University, Long Beach.
  • Susan N. Townzen, Program Coordinator, School of Mathematical Sciences, Claremont Graduate University.

The doctoral program in Engineering and Industrial Applied Mathematics is a joint program between the College of Engineering (COE) at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB), and the School of Mathematical Sciences at Claremont Graduate University (CGU).  This program was approved by the CSULB Senate in 1987 and granted its first doctoral degree in 1995. 

The Joint Doctoral Program was created with two educational goals that continue to be pertinent today:

  • Develop a doctoral program that seeks to judiciously combine the applied mathematics field with one or more branches of engineering at both the academic and research level.
     
  • Draw upon the synergistic expertise of the research faculty at both institutions to offer an interdisciplinary degree that integrates advanced techniques of mathematical analysis with advanced engineering coursework and research.

The program’s key objective is to facilitate an individually designed program for each student in an interdisciplinary setting for advanced study and research. The College of Engineering at CSULB has the primary responsibility for the engineering portion of the program; the School of Mathematical Sciences at CGU has the primary responsibility for the applied mathematics portion. The program of study for each Ph.D. candidate is carefully integrated to ensure the interdisciplinary nature of each student’s research.
 

Degree
Designation
  

The degree shall be designated as the Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering and Industrial Applied Mathematics and shall be granted at the Claremont Graduate University in the name of the two universities in accordance with an agreement between CGU and CSULB. The diploma shall indicate the dual nature of the degree and shall specify that it is being granted only when requirements have been satisfied in both subject areas as specified by the collaborating institutions.
Program Supervision  

Overall program supervision will be the responsibility of a committee (The Program Committee) consisting of two faculty members from the Mathematics Department at CGU and two faculty members from the CSULB College of Engineering. The Dean at CGU and the Dean of Engineering at CSULB will serve as ex-officio members of the Program Committee. The Chair of this committee shall be elected each year and shall alternate between CGU and CSULB committee members. Students must be admitted to both institutions jointly.
 
Admission Requirements  

Admission will be granted to a limited number of qualified students, and therefore application should be made as early as possible. Applications are encouraged from both men and women, and particularly from members of minority and handicapped groups. Completed applications are due preferably by Feburary 1 for the Fall semester and by November 1 for the Spring semester, although later applications may be allowed at the discretion of the Program Committee. Students shall be jointly admitted to the two campuses. The Program Committee has the responsibility of deciding admissions, consistent with campus regulations.


To be admitted to the Joint Ph.D. Program, an applicant must have received a bachelor¡¯s or a master¡¯s degree in science,engineering, or mathematics from an accredited institution. He or she must, moreover, have attained such a scholastic record and present such confidential recommendations as to indicate that he or she is well qualified to pursue, with distinction, advanced study and research. Admission sometimes may have to be refused solely on the basis of limited facilities in the option desired. GRE General is a requirement before admission. Applicants,whose first or native language is not English, are required to have a minimum score of 550 in the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). However, this requirement is waived for students with a bachelor¡¯s or master¡¯s degree from an accredited U.S. university. 
 
Program Planning and Supervision  

Within a semester of beginning study in the Joint Doctoral Program, the student arranges with the Program Committee for an advisor in Mathematics at CGU and an advisor in Engineering at CSULB. The student¡¯s program of study will be arranged individually by each student in collaboration with the advisors. However, the student¡¯s overall performance will be monitored by the Program Committee. The two advisors on the two campuses will confer periodically regarding the student¡¯s progress.
 
Plan of Study  

After consultation with the advisors, the student must prepare and file with the Program Committee before the end of the first semester a Plan of Study for completing the course requirements for the degree. The purpose of the Plan is to ensure that the student is aware of the requirements for the degree. The Plan of Study must indicate the areas of study that the student will be taking in preparation for the preliminary examinations. In exceptional circumstances, a Plan of Study may be altered at a subsequent time by petition to the Program Committee.
 

A minimum of 72 units of course work, independent study, and research (including transfer credit) must be completed. Transfer credits of up to 24 units of related courses at the master¡¯s level is permissible on approval of the Program Committee; this course work must have been completed with at least a grade of ¡°B¡± or its equivalent at an accredited institution and must be directly related to the joint program and to the student¡¯s Ph.D. goals. Of the 72 units, a minimum of 24 units must normally be completed in the graduate engineering program at CSULB and a minimum of 24 in the graduate mathematics program at CGU. Both sets of 24 units must conform to the area requirements of the relevant institution and must be approved by the Program Committee. All degree requirements must be completed within seven years (or six with the transfer of 24 units according to CGU regulations) from the time a student begins graduate study. If a student withdraws from the program after completing a substantial portion of the course work, a master¡¯s degree at either or both institutions is still possible by satisfaction of the appropriate requirements. Both CGU and CSULB require 30 semester units of course work for master¡¯s degrees.
 

Preliminary Examinations

  

The student is required to pass written preliminary examinations.  These examinations shall consist of four examination areas: two in engineering and two in mathematics.  In each area there will be a three-hour examination.  These examinations are usually taken after completion of the relevant course work at each institution.  These examinations will be given two or three times a year at the discretion and under the control of the Program Committee.  Should a student fail an exam, one retake will be allowed, after petition to the Program Committee.

Before taking the first preliminary examination, the student is required to complete the Preliminary Examination Permission Form.  This form requires the student to specify the four areas of the Preliminary Examination, and, it must be signed by the student¡¯s intended dissertation advisor.  The purpose of this form is to certify that the student and dissertation advisor are in agreement on the set of examinations.  If, in the course of time, this set of examinations and/or the advisor, are amended, the form must be resubmitted.  The preliminary examinations will be considered as completed only when the four examinations specified on the student¡¯s form have been duly taken and passed.  This form is available HERE in pdf format.
 
Research Tool   A student in the Joint Ph.D. Program must demonstrate proficiency in problem-solving ability using computer programs. This demonstration may take different forms depending on the student¡¯s engineering sub-discipline, but it must include evidence that the student has used an appropriate computer language and an algorithmic method to solve a problem from an engineering discipline.
 

Doctoral Committee

  

During entry to the program and through the period of the main body of course work at CGU and CSULB, a student¡¯s progress will be monitored by the Program Committee. On successful completion of the preliminary examinations, the student may petition the Program Committee to constitute the Doctoral Committee. This committee is chosen by the student with advice from the faculty and with approval of the Program Committee, and must include at least two faculty members from each of CGU and CSULB and must provide both breadth and depth in mathematics and engineering in the faculty chosen. The Doctoral Committee supervises the student¡¯s progress through research preparation and Dissertation writing, and administers the qualifying and oral examinations for the degree. The Chair of the Doctoral Committee is the Dissertation supervisor.
 
Research Preparation   On completion of at least 48 units of course work (including transfer units) and completion of the preliminary examinations and research tool test, a student embarks on the research phase of the Joint Doctoral Program. In preparation for the research phase, the student is expected to spend at least a semester in advanced graduate courses, seminars, or directed reading courses, where exposure to research material is emphasized. From these and other sources the student gains the ability to understand the motivation for research in engineering and applied mathematics, and learns to apply research techniques. 
 

Research Proposal and Qualifying Examination

   With these advanced courses as background, and with the guidance of the Doctoral Committee, the student shall define an area of proposed research and prepare a written Dissertation Proposal containing an outline of the research to be undertaken and references to relevant source materials. The Dissertation Proposal is presented to the Doctoral Committee at least two weeks prior to the qualifying examination. The qualifying examination is an oral presentation to the Doctoral Committee by the student describing the research planned. The student shall be expected to present evidence both as to the mathematical content and to the engineering application of the proposed research, supporting such evidence with references to previous research work in both areas. The Doctoral Committee judges the fitness and quality of the Dissertation Proposal from this presentation and from the written proposal, and subsequently communicates its recommendations to the Program Committee; only upon a positive recommendation may the student embark on a Dissertation. In the event of failure, the qualifying examination may be retaken once, after petition to the Program Committee. (See CGU Math Department or the Registrar¡¯s Office at CGU for forms required to initiate these processes.)
  

ADVANCEMENT TO CANDIDACY

  

After successful completion of the Qualifying Examination and certification that all other requirements are fulfilled, the student is Advanced to Candidacy.  The appropriate form under Doctoral Degree Forms may be obtained from the CGU website.  This must occur at least six months before the Final Oral Defense.
 

Dissertation and Final Oral Examination   On completion of the research, the student will prepare the Dissertation in accordance with CGU regulations. A final draft of the Dissertation will be presented to each member of the Doctoral Committee at least three weeks prior to the final oral examination. The oral defense will be held on the campus of the Dissertation supervisor.
  
Residency Requirements  

Doctoral students must complete their programs in a period of seven years. (or six with the transfer of 24 units according to CGU regulations, see below. During this time, a minimum of 72 units of course work, independent study, and research, including transfer credit, must be completed. Normally no more than 12 units per semester or per summer session may be credited toward the degree.


All degree requirements must be completed within seven years from the time a student begins graduate study. Work for which transfer credit is granted will be counted as part of the seven years, e.g., if transfer credit of 24 units (one year) is granted, the time limit will be six years. The Program Committee will consider petitions for extensions.


The residency requirements for the Ph.D. degree may be met either by two semesters of full-time study in a 24-month period or by the completion of 48 units of course work within a 48-month period, including work in the Summer Session, on either or both campuses.


Students who receive transfer credit for 12 units or less may meet the residence requirement either by completing two full-time semesters of course work within a 24-month period or by completing 36 units within a 48-month period. Those receiving transfer credit for 13 to 24 units may meet the residence requirement by completing 24 units within a 36-month period. The seven-year maximum time period for the Ph.D. degree is reduced by six months for 12 units or less of transfer credit and by 12 months for 13 to 24 units of transfer credit.
 

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Joint Doctoral Program in Engineering and Industrial Applied Mathematics, Claremont Graduate University (CGU) and California State University Long Beach (CSULB)

1. Throughout their entire program of study, unit-taking students must be registered at either CGU or CSULB. Students who intend not to take course units at either institution, including those who have finished their course units, must take the necessary steps to maintain continuous enrollment. This is achieved by registering for M499 Doctoral Study at Claremont Graduate University. Requests for leaves of absence must be submitted to each Registrar's Office and approved by both institutions according to the standards of each, and upon approval of leave should advise the Math Office at CGU and their epartment of study at CSULB. Contact each Registrar's Office for leave of absence policies.


2. International students registered for units at CSULB must provide the CGU International Student Advisor with proof of registration within two weeks of the beginning of the semester at CGU. Proof of full-time registration is required to maintain immigration status.


3. Students should arrange for advisors, one in math at CGU and one in engineering at CSULB, at the earliest opportunity. The program committee will help provide advisors.


4. After consultation with their advisors, students must submit a plan of study, including a petition for transfer of credits, if applicable, during their first year of study. The plan of study must be approved and transfer of units recommended to the Registrar by the program committee.


5. Students admitted to provisional status must provide the materials needed to complete their files before the end of their first semester of enrollment. Official scores for the GRE General Test are required of all students before admission to full graduate standing. An official score for the GRE engineering subject examination is recommended for applicants with an engineering B.S., and for the mathematics subject examination for applicants with a mathematics B.S. The joint faculty program committee will review completed files for change of status.


6. The academic progress of students admitted to conditional status will be reviewed by the program committee prior to a decision about change of status.

PROCEDURES FOR STUDENT ADMISSION

1. Students must complete application forms for both CGU and CSULB. In addition they must supply transcripts, at least 3 letters of reference (preferably on the forms supplied in the CGU package), and pay fees for both applications. Current and official GRE scores (on Q,A and V) are required, but if the exam has not been taken at the time of admission it must be taken within the first semester of enrollment.

2. Completed applications (and fees for both CGU and CSULB) are to be submitted to the CGU Admissions Office, 170 E. Tenth Street, Claremont, CA 91711-6163. (Do not send application materials to CSULB, as it will result in considerable delay.)


3. A complete file is reviewed by the CGU members of the Joint Ph.D. Program Committee. In the event of a negative review, a rejection letter is issued by CGU.


4. A positive review sets up the following steps. The LB application form and check, and copies of the transcripts and letters are sent to the CSULB Program Director, Dr. Mahyar Amouzegar. Associate Dean for Research and Administration, College of Engineering. The CSULB members of the Joint Ph.D. Program Committee then review the application in consultation with professors in the appropriate discipline. Results of this review are transmitted to CGU Math. Upon a positive review the application and fee are sent to the CSULB Admissions Office to be processed. A negative review initiates a rejection letter from CGU.

5. A positive review (now from both CGU and CSULB) generates an Admission letter from CGU.

Notes:

A. The CGU Admissions office, regularly and routinely, informs students of the status of their application by letter. Missing items are noted.


B. Since only complete files are transmitted from CGU to LB, information on the status of a file is available only from CGU's Admissions Office, 909-621-8069, email - admiss@cgu.edu.

C. For any information relating to the Joint Doctoral Program, please contact Kim Truesdelle at 562-985-8032. Teaching Practicum Students who have completed coursework equivalent to a master's degree and who intend to pursue a career in university education may enroll in a Teaching Practicum for three units of credit. The student will receive instruction in teaching techniques and, under the supervision of a senior faculty member, will teach an undergraduate class in engineering or mathematics. In addition, opportunities are available for qualified Ph.D. candidates to teach undergraduate courses as part-time.

Updated 08/03/06