About Applied + Computational Mathematics in California Institute of Technology

Caltech’s Computing & Mathematical Sciences department offers an interdisciplinary program of graduate study in applied and computational mathematics leading to the Ph.D. degree. This program is designed to give students a thorough training in fundamental computational and applied mathematics and to develop their research ability in a specific application field. The fields of application include a wide range of areas such as fluid mechanics, materials science, and mathematical biology, engineering applications, image processing, and mathematical finance. The training essential for future careers in applied mathematics in academia, national laboratories, or in industry is provided by completion of the requirements for a Ph.D. degree in applied and computational mathematics.

The research areas and interests of the applied and computational mathematics faculty cover a broad spectrum, including nonlinear dynamics, computational biology, numerical analysis and scientific computing, computational and theoretical fluid mechanics, theoretical materials science, multiscale computations and homogenization theory, computational methods for electromagnetics and acoustics, statistics, signal and image processing, probability theory and stochastic analysis, and dynamical systems and geometric mechanics. As reflected by the faculty research activities, there is a strong emphasis on computational methods for solving challenging problems arising from engineering and scientific applications.

Reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of the program, several different groups, in addition to the applied and computational mathematics faculty, contribute to the teaching and supervision of research. Students in applied and computational mathematics are expected to combine their basic mathematical studies with deep involvement in some field of application. Basic general courses are listed specifically under applied and computational mathematics, and these are to be supplemented, according to the student’s interest, from the whole range of Institute courses in specific areas of physics, biology, engineering, etc.

Academic qualification equivalents

•  Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree

English language requirements

• Minimum scores for admissions are 80 TOEFL ibt, 6.5 IELTS, 53 PTE, or 105 Duolingo for undergraduates and 100 TOEFL ibt, 7 IELTS, 63 PTE, or 120 Duolingo for graduates. The TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, or Duolingo score must be received by the Regular Application Deadline.

California Institute of Technology Annual Cost to Attend