Master of Science in Mathematics (MS)
Our Master of Science in Mathematics is designed for students who would like to have an advanced degree in the area of pure mathematics and/or intend to enter a PhD program after completing the program. A well prepared full time student can complete this degree in two academic years.
Admission Requirements
The minimum admission requirements for the Master of Science in Mathematics (MS) program are:
- An equivalent of an undergraduate major in Mathematics as defined by this University.
- A GPA of 3.0 or higher over the last 60 credit hours of coursework.
For students uncertain of their preparation, the following courses (some of which may count for elective credit) are strongly recommended: MATH 6312-6313 (for any Analysis courses); Algebra (6000 level); Topology (6000 level); MATH 6308-6309 (for all advanced subjects).
*The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is waived for all Masters programs within the Department of Mathematics.
IMPORTANT: The MS program is primarily an in-person course of study, and it cannot be completed entirely online. In addition, University and Federal regulations prohibit international students from taking more than one online course per semester.
Degree Requirements
There are two options available for obtaining an MS in Mathematics (link to current catalog):
Option I - Thesis
- A minimum of 30 semester hours with a GPA 3.0 or higher is required.
- These hours include 6 credit hours of Master’s Thesis (MATH 6399 followed by 7399, in the final two semesters of the program) and a minimum of 24 credit hours in graduate course work (5000 level or above).
- At least 18 credit hours must be at MATH 6000 level or above, excluding MATH 6308, 6309, 6312, or 6313. Also see requirement * below.
- No more than 3 credit hours in special problems.
- It is a responsibility of the student to find a faculty member to supervise their Master’s Thesis.
- An oral and/or written examination over the thesis material will be conducted by the thesis committee. Questions for this examination may be drawn from the thesis background material and the thesis itself.
- Once the thesis has been accepted by the committee, a final corrected version must be submitted to the College by the student.
Option II - Tutorial
- A minimum of 36 semester hours with a GPA 3.0 or higher is required.
- These hours must include 6 credit hours in MATH 6315 and 7315 Master’s Tutorial and a minimum of 30 credit hours in graduate course work (5000 level or above).
- At least 21 credit hours must be at MATH 6000 level or above, excluding MATH 6308, 6309, 6312, or 6313. Also see requirement * below.
- Not more than 6 credit hours in special problems.
- It is a responsibility of the student to find a faculty member to supervise their Master’s Tutorial.
- A formal defense of Master’s Tutorial and submission to the College are not required.
- The tutorial requirement may be satisfied by participating in regularly scheduled classes, if this is the decision of the student and advisor.
- Master’s Tutorial requires a written approval by advisor that is submitted to the Director of Graduate Studies.
*In addition, for both of the above options, at least two one-year sequences from the following different areas must be completed:
- Area I
MATH 6320;6321: Functions of a Real Variable
MATH 6322;6323: Complex Analysis
MATH 7320;7321: Functional Analysis - Area II
MATH 6302;6303:Modern Algebra
MATH 6342;7350:Topology/Geometry - Area III
MATH 6324;6325: Differential Equations
MATH 6326;6327: Partial Differential Equations
MATH 6370;6371: Numerical Analysis
MATH 6382;6383: Probability Models and Mathematical Statistics
MATH 6360; 6361: Applicable Analysis
The designation for degrees on the transcript, will be denoted as: Mathematics, MS