Math Department PhD Orientation

The Rice University Department of Mathematics holds a departmental PhD orientation for its incoming graduate cohort each fall. This event on August 21, 2026 (4:00–6:00 p.m. UTC / 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. Central) is separate from the university-wide orientation events and is tailored specifically to new math doctoral students. The department's graduate handbook describes itself as prepared "for the purpose of orienting new students and providing information and assistance to all students in the Department of Mathematics." The orientation introduces students to departmental structure, the Graduate Committee, academic requirements, and teaching assistant responsibilities. The broader Rice PhD program context: incoming math PhD students must eventually pass three written qualifying exams in algebra, analysis, and topology, and complete an advanced oral exam. The department also expects all students to take on roughly eight hours per week of teaching or instructional duties as part of their training. For questions, incoming students can contact the department at mathgradchair@rice.edu or (713) 348-2544. The department is located in Herman Brown Hall for Mathematical Sciences, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005.