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Fall 2013 New Student Information

If your permanent address, phone number, or email address has changed since you were admitted, you must update https://www.ursa.ucla.edu/ and notify Maggie Albert. Email is an official form of communication in UCLA Mathematics and most communications to students from the Graduate Office use this medium. Please check your Math email account daily.

Orientation

New Student Mini-Orientation will be held the first day of the "Boot Camp" Summer Program, Monday, August 12, 9:00-10:00 AM in Math Sciences 6620.  Breakfast will be served. Students who arrive late or do not attend the Boot Camp should meet with Maggie Albert and/or Martha Contreras in MS 6356 when they arrive on campus. 

Enrollment & Registration

Enrollment

Students will be assigned a faculty advisor to assist with course selection. Course enrollment typically occurs mid-to-late September. Enrollment is on-line through URSA. Advisers must approve the study plan by signing a form that will be provided. Students are expected to follow the guidelines for first year study given in the Graduate Handbook. In particular first year students have to take two of the core sequences, unless the number is reduced by passing one or more of the Area Exams on entry.

Registration
Billing statements will be ready on September 1. Please log in to your BAR account to view your statement. Your statement should show fees due (approximate amounts are $4,936.40 for in-state fees plus $5,034 non-resident tuition), and if your fees are paid by the department also credit for these amounts. If there are any discrepancies please let Maggie know immediately. Fall fees are due on Tuesday, September 17, and your fees will then be subtracted from the credits on your statement.

Qualifying Exams

It is highly recommended that incoming Ph.D students take the Basic Examination on Friday, September 20. Students participating in the summer “boot camp” are required to take the exam. This is an exam on undergraduate material and is normally taken and passed on entry. You may also take Area Qualifying Exams, to be given Monday, September 16 - Friday, September 20, but should only do so if you have prepared adequately for the exams. To sign-up for a qualifying exam, please see Martha in MS 6356 or email her by Friday, September 13. If you have questions regarding qualifying exams, please contact the Graduate Vice-Chair, Paul Balmer.

Information on the Basic exam and other qualifying exams can be found on the math department website - www.math.ucla.edu/grad/handbook/hbqex.html.  Old exams can be downloaded via this link.

University and Department Training in Fall
All incoming student must take the university’s academic integrity and harassment prevention training in the fall quarter of their first year. Information on the dates and sign-up procedure will be given in the summer.

In addition participation in fall quarter TA training is mandatory for all incoming PhD students who will be teaching at any period in 2013-2014. This applies to even those not TA-ing in the fall quarter, and those with prior teaching experience. There are no exceptions. This training is offered in the fall quarter only.  

TA training includes:  

• The university’s TA Conference, tentatively scheduled for Monday, September 23. See http://www.oid.ucla.edu/units/tatp/conference/afterconf for information and registration.
• The department’s intensive training for TAs, on Tuesday, September 24, 10AM-5PM and Wednesday, September 25, 2PM-5PM. Lunch, cookies, plus coffee/tea will be served on Tuesday, and cookies plus coffee/tea will be served on Wednesday. 
• Enrollment and attendance in Math 495, Teaching College Mathematics, in the fall quarter, which continues the training throughout the quarter. 

All three components are mandatory. Students who do not complete TA training are ineligible for Math Department TA-ships. 

Master degree students who want to TA must also participate in the TA training. 

Summer Program (August 12 - September 20, 2013)

The Mathematics Department offers a summer program for all entering graduate students:  summer “boot camp” courses are taught August 12 through September 13, followed by a week of exam preparation and study, leading to the Basic Exam which is given on Thursday September 19.

The boot camp covers the material for the Basic Exam. It consists of two main courses, linear algebra and analysis, which are carefully coordinated. Topics in Applied Math relevant to the Basic syllabus may also be presented. The lectures are Monday-Friday 10:00-12:00 and 1:30-3:30, with analysis in the morning and linear algebra in the afternoon.  Discussion sessions with the teaching assistant are on Fridays and include problem solving and practice exams.  

The instructors for 2013 are Professors Peter Petersen (Analysis) and William Duke (Linear Algebra).

All students who attend the program must take the Basic Exam. 

Texts for Summer 2013 Boot Camp:

Analysis:  

Analysis I and Analysis II, by T. Tao

Linear Algebra:  

Linear Algebra, by P. Petersen

http://www.springerlink.com/content/978-1-4614-3611-9/#section=1080576&page=1

Books are available at the UCLA Bookstore.

Housing

Graduate housing is available in limited numbers.  If this is your preference, you should submit the on-line housing application, available on the UCLA housing website, as soon as possible, and let Maggie Albert know so that the department can put you on the housing priority list. Assignments are then made on a first come first serve basis. Students who are not assigned housing immediately may be put on a wait-list.

If you apply for a two bedroom apartment the housing office may select a roommate for you. If you have a specific roommate in mind, both you and the roommate must indicate this on the application.

The UCLA community housing office maintains a listing of non-university owned rentals.