Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics

Program Introduction

  • Duration of Study

    The normal duration of this course is 3 year,and the maximum duration is 6 years.

  • Teaching Approach

    Face-to-face Teaching

  • Teaching Language

    Chinese/English

  • Course Introduction

    The objective of the PhD Program in Mathematics is to cultivate comprehensive scientific researchers and well-rounded professional talents in pure mathematics or applied mathematics and its related disciplines.

    Candidates with a master's degree in mathematics or a related field are eligible to apply for this program. The curriculum covers research directions and content in areas such as pure mathematics, applied mathematics, computational mathematics, and statistics, etc.

    During their studies, students are required to participate in academic activities and keep up-to-date with the current academic research. They need to select a research topic. Give field literature briefings, and complete reports of their study areas, gaining a better understanding of the latest developments of their study area both domestically and internationally.

    Students will carry out the research program in accordance with the research proposal under the pre-selected supervisor’s guidance. The Ph.D. thesis should describe the research findings and innovative ideas. The thesis must be written by the student under the supervisor’s guidance and defended before the Thesis Defense Committee.


Study Plan

I. Program Duration

The normal study duration of Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics program is 3 years.

The maximum study duration is 6 years. 

II. Study Mode

Lectures

III. Medium of Instruction

Chinese or English

IV. Academic Field

Mathematics 

V. Admission Requirements

Master degree in mathematics or related fields, with english proficiency requirements.

VI. Majors

  1. Pure Mathematics

  2. Applied Mathematics

  3. Computational Mathematics

  4. Statistics

  5. Data Science

VII. Course Structure

Table 1: Core Courses (9 Credits)

Course Code

Course Title

Credits

DIMZ01

Literature Survey and Thesis Planning

3

DIMZ02

Topics in Frontier Mathematics

3

DIMZ03

Advanced Specialized Reading Course

3


Table 2: Elective Courses (Students are required to take three of the following courses according to the major of study, 9 Credits)

Course Code

Course Title

Credits

DIME01

Harmonic Analysis in Euclidean Spaces

3

DIME02

Hypercomplex Analysis

3

DIME03

Matrix Theory

3

DIME04

Theory of Dynamical System

3

DIME05

Analytic Number Theory

3

DIME06

Graph Theory 

3

DIME07

Combinatorial Optimization

3

DIME08

Advanced Statistics

3

DIME09

Advanced Numerical Analysis

3


Table 3: Dissertation

Course Code

Course Title

Type

Credits

DIMZ10

Dissertation

Compulsory

18


Course Description

Basic Core Courses

DIMZ11 Literature Survey and Thesis Planning(3 credits)

The objective of this course is to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the current research landscape in the field of mathematics. Through the means of literature review, it seeks to elucidate the unresolved issues within this domain and explore potential avenues for their resolution. The course aims to equip students with the requisite knowledge and skills to make choices regarding their research direction and to conduct a thorough selection of their doctoral research topic.

DIMZ01 Topics in Frontier Mathematics(3 credits)

This course is delivered by instructors who specialize in various research domains within mathematics. They will present the content and methodologies pertaining to their respective areas of research. The primary aim is to provide students with not only a comprehensive understanding of their specific field of study, but also to acquaint them with advanced topics from other research domains. This approach serves to broaden their knowledge within the realm of mathematics and its related disciplines.

DIMZ02 Advanced Specialized Reading Course(3 credits)

This course involves teachers guiding students to read and study books or papers in the research field, and explaining the research content and methods to the students. Through their studies, students will acquire the foundational knowledge, cutting-edge theories, and research methods necessary to conduct mathematics-related research.

DIMZ00 Thesis(18 credits)

This course provides students one-to-one guidance of writing an academic thesis from the instructor, with the contents including basic steps of writing thesis, exploring research topics, literature review, research design, conclusions and future works. With the help of the instructor, students can select their research topic and finally complete a professional thesis, confirmed by the instructor.

Elective Courses

DIME01 Harmonic Analysis in Euclidean Spaces(3 credits)

This course primarily focuses on introducing the fundamental concepts, theories, and methodologies of modern harmonic analysis, while also highlighting the latest research advancements and relevant cutting-edge issues. The specific course content encompasses classical theories of Fourier transforms, Fourier transform theories of generalized functions, general theories of harmonic functions in R^n spaces, as well as the boundedness of singular integral operators. Furthermore, we will explore the applications of Fourier transform theory and harmonic analysis in signal analysis, image processing, and present the latest research outcomes in these fields.

DIME02Hypercomplex Analysis(3 credits)

This course aims to explore the extension of complex analysis theory into higher dimensions, including quaternion analysis, Clifford analysis, and multivariable complex analysis. The course will cover the fundamental properties and related results of analytic functions theory in various settings, such as Hardy spaces and Bergman spaces in different configurations. Additionally, we will delve into the applications of hypercomplex analysis theory in signal analysis and image processing, as well as present the latest research findings in these domains.

DIME03 Matrix Theory(3 credits)

This course provides a systematic introduction to the principal concepts and methods of matrix theory. The content encompasses topics such as linear spaces, inner product spaces, linear transformations, matrix decomposition, norms of vectors and matrices, as well as matrix functions and function matrices.

DIME04 Theory of Dynamical System(3 credits)

Fractal theory is an emerging interdisciplinary field that encompasses scientific theories and methods for studying irregular and complex phenomena in the natural world. This course provides a comprehensive introduction to fractal geometry, covering fundamental concepts, computation of fractal dimensions, generation of fractal patterns, fractal growth models and simulations, fractal interpolation and simulation, stochastic fractals, and the fundamental principles of chaos theory closely related to fractals. Building upon this foundation, the course explores the application of fractal concepts, such as fractal patterns, fractal dimensions, fractal simulation techniques, and fractal image encoding and compression techniques, in various domains including natural sciences, engineering, technology, socioeconomics, and cultural arts. The course highlights the practical achievements and applications of fractal theory by examining real-world examples of fractal behavior in the natural world.

DIME05 Analytic Number Theory(3 credits)

This course primarily focuses on the research methodologies and cutting-edge theories of analytic number theory. It provides a detailed exploration of various aspects within analytic number theory, including circle methods, sieves methods, Diophantine equations, and automorphic forms, etc. Zeros of Riemann zeta, the Goldbach conjecture, and the twin prime conjecture will also be introduced. Additionally, the course will delve into the applications of analytic number theory in cryptography.

DIME06 Graph Theory(3 credits)

Graph theory studies graphs composed of vertices and edges that represent relationships between concrete entities. Graphs provide an abstract representation of the structural relationships among numerous entities. With the rapid development of computer science, graph theory, closely associated with it, has demonstrated vast application prospects. Apart from its significant role in classical problems such as data structures, communication networks, and circuit design, graph theory has gained increasing importance in emerging fields like big data and artificial intelligence. Novel technologies like complex network analysis, graph neural networks, and knowledge graphs rely on graph theory as their theoretical foundation. Many classical methods and theories in graph theory have shown immense value in these application domains.

Therefore, learning graph theory plays a vital role in fostering innovative talents in computer science, information technology, and other related fields to thrive in the new wave of technology. This course will primarily focus on the following topics and their relevant applications:

  1. Basic concepts and theorems of graph theory

  2. Connectivity problems

  3. Coloring problems

  4. Matching problems

  5. Eulerian and Hamiltonian problems

  6. Fundamental algorithms in graph theory

DIME07 Combinatorial Optimization(3 credits)

The exploration of discrete research objects is an important branch in mathematics. In fields such as computer science, control theory, information theory, artificial intelligence, large-scale circuit design, economics, molecular physics, biology, and engineering, there are numerous problems that involve finding optimal solutions under complex constraints in a discrete background. Combinatorial optimization, as a discipline, uses discrete optimization methods and algorithms to provide optimal or approximate optimal solutions to such problems.

 

This project aims to systematically cultivate students’ ability to solve complex problems from the perspective and technical approach of combinatorial optimization, focusing specifically on the prominent challenges present in artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, and complex networks. The core content of this project includes:

  1. Optimal trees and optimal paths

  2. Maximum flow problems

  3. Minimum-cost flow problems

  4. Optimal matching problems

  5. Traveling salesperson problem

  6. Optimization problems in matroids.

By developing a deep understanding of these topics, students will enhance their ability to apply combinatorial optimization principles and techniques to address complex problem-solving scenarios in various domains.

DIME08 Advanced Statistics(3 credits)

This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the fundamental principles of statistics and related mathematical tools. It covers essential topics such as mathematical statistics, linear models, non-parametric statistics, multivariate statistical analysis, time series analysis, advanced inference methods, machine learning, and the application of statistics in various domains. 

DIME09 Advanced Numerical Analysis(3 credits)

This course is centered on the comprehensive study of a range of numerical methods, including direct methods for solving linear systems of equations, iterative algorithms for solving linear systems of equations, root-finding algorithms for nonlinear equations, interpolation and approximation techniques, numerical integration and differentiation methods, and numerical approaches for solving ordinary differential equations. The theoretical instruction in numerical analysis primarily relies on classroom-based teaching, emphasizing the fundamental principles and ideologies of numerical analysis, with significant attention given to error analysis, convergence properties, and stability theories. The integration of numerical experiments constitutes a pivotal component within the course, as it provides a vital platform for bridging the gap between theory and application. Through practical implementations, students not only deepen their comprehension of the course contents, but also enhance their analytical and problem-solving abilities, and foster their innovative thinking acumen.


Degree Requirements

1. Students are required to complete three core courses from Table 1 and three elective courses from Table2 during the first two semesters to gain 18 credits. 2. In general, each student should publish at least two SCI journal papers, one of which must be the first author. 3. After completing required courses, students can start writing the thesis proposal. Students can continue their dissertation research and writing upon completion of thesis proposal defense. 4. The dissertation should pass the assessment and be defended successfully.

Learning Time

1. The duration for taking all courses is 12 months. 2. The duration for dissertation composition is 24 months. The writing time should not be less than 12 months. 3. In general, classes will be arranged from Monday to Friday night.

Qualifications of Graduation

Upon approval from the Senate of the University, the Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics Degree will be conferred on a student when he or she has: 1. Completed and met the requirements prescribed in the study plan of his or her program within the specific study period, and achieved a cumulative GPA of 2.50 or above (excluding dissertation). 2. Abided by the regulations of the University. 3. Cleared all fees and charges and returned all University’s property and equipment borrowed. Note: All curriculums and study plans are based on the newest announcement of the Boletim Oficial da Região Administrativa Especial de Macau. Note: In case of any discrepancy, the Chinese version shall prevail.