<p>I know that most Math PhD programs probably require foreign languages.</p>
<p>But what about applied math PhD programs? Is it different depending on whether the applied math dept is subordinate to the math dept, or if the applied math dept is its own department?</p>
<p>What about statistics PhD programs?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Math programs and statistics programs generally do not require knowledge of a foreign language.</p>
<p>Hmm, I’m not so sure about that. The majority of Math PhD programs seem to require one (although a few don’t). See <a href=“Foreign language requirements for math grad programs?”>Foreign language requirements for math grad programs?;
<p>And as for statistics,
[Rutgers</a> Statistics Doctoral Program Description](<a href=“Page cannot be found”>http://stat.rutgers.edu/~kolassa/Graduate/phdinfo.html)
[Biostatistics</a> PhD Program | Biostatistics](<a href=“http://sph.bu.edu/index.php/menu-id-388.html?task=view]Biostatistics”>http://sph.bu.edu/index.php/menu-id-388.html?task=view)</p>
<p>I’m just wondering whether it’s the exception or the norm for statistics and amath PhD programs. It seems to be the norm for math phd (with some exceptions)</p>
<p>Hm, apparently I was mistaken about the mathematics program (I thought ours didn’t, but it does) I know that our biostatistics program doesn’t:</p>
<p>[Course</a> Requirements | Doctoral Program | Biostatistics | Mailman School](<a href=“http://www.mailman.hs.columbia.edu/academic-departments/biostatistics/academics/doctoral-program/phd/course-requirements]Course”>http://www.mailman.hs.columbia.edu/academic-departments/biostatistics/academics/doctoral-program/phd/course-requirements)</p>
<p>And our statistics program doesn’t seem to either:</p>
<p>[url=<a href=“GSAS”>GSAS]Statistics[/url</a>]</p>
<p>I can’t tell about our applied math program because the requirements seem ambiguous; it’s an interdisciplinary program here.</p>
<p>I cannot answer your question, but I would like to reassure you that the foreign language requirement for math PhD programs are not nearly as bad as they sound. You are not expected to be fluent in another language, and most programs don’t even want you to take a single language class. They just want you to know the language well enough that you can decipher a technical piece of writing with the help of a dictionary. Our graduate students might spend 4 weeks (max) studying a foreign language from scratch before they take (and pass!) the language exams.</p>
<p>It all depends upon the particular program. Some schools do require “proficiency” in a foreign language (which is usually French, Russian, or German for math/statistics students), some require only a very basic knowledge (as b@r!um mentioned), and others have no requirement at all.</p>