Description

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Mathematics is a postgraduate specialization degree that aims at enhancing and expanding the knowledge and expertise in the mathematics field, and to advance the student’s capacity to carry out supervised research at a highly advanced level in at least one sub‐discipline of Mathematics. It is a programme intended to enable students to develop new mathematical theories. Techniques and models to solve convoluted mathematical related problems. Students may develop and apply these in the specialised areas such as Optimisation (including Operations Research), Fluid Dynamics (to address water and energy problems), Computational Methods, Biomathematics, Mathematical Ecology, Dynamical Systems, Cryptography, Game Theory, and Mathematical Modelling (including Financial Mathematics) that will help to model financial problems and many others that face the public and private sectors. It focuses on the broad research‐based learning in the area of Mathematics.

The knowledge acquired from the programme will enable students to participate in research projects involving endemic problems faced in the sub‐region such as water, energy, finance, and health and resource management. In addition, students are expected to explore and conduct independent research, with a focus on special research questions, apply and/or develop new advanced methods and techniques to deal with sophisticated problems connected to the topic of interest, resulting in an originals contribution to knowledge.

Overall, the PhD in Mathematics specifically aims at:

• Providing candidates with deepened, comprehensive and niche, theoretical and problem‐solving techniques in Mathematics and its applications.
• Strengthening candidates research capacity towards innovation and creativity in Mathematics; and
• Developing and sharpening the critical thinking, analytical and problem‐solving skills of candidates in the Mathematics discipline and its ever‐growing multi‐disciplinary applications.
• Members of the Programme Advisory Committee (PAC) have endorsed the programme while academic peers at higher learning institutions were also consulted for purposes of international benchmarking.

Admission Requirements

Applicants will be considered for admission into the PhD in Mathematics if they have a Master of Science in Mathematics from NUST or equivalent qualification in a related discipline from a recognised institution at NQF Level 9 with evidence of a supervised research.

Applications will be required to submit a concept paper on their proposed research areas and may be required to attend a preselection interview at the discretion of the Faculty Research Committee (FRC) to ascertain their competencies for independent research in a specialised area of Mathematics and its applications.

The Higher Degrees Committee (HDC) will approve the final selection and admission of the selected candidates in accordance with the regulations as specified by the Rules for Postgraduate Studies of the NUST Yearbook. Hence, registration prior to the approval by the HDC. These procedures will be fully explained to each prospective student during his or her personal interview.