Mathematics MS

Overview

The master’s program is designed for students to develop a working background in mathematics. Moreover, students interested in applied mathematics can build the foundation to continue in a doctoral program in applied and computational mathematics. Thus, the master’s program provides flexibility to accommodate a wide range of interests, as well as the opportunity to specialize in applied mathematics.

Admission Requirements

In addition to complying with the Academic Requirements and Procedures prescribed by the Graduate School, applicants must provide a general GRE score, resume, statement of purpose, and three letters of recommendation. Applicants whose native language is not English must earn a TOEFL score of at least 550 (TOEFL PBT), 217 (TOEFL CBT), or 80 (TOEFL iBT), or an IELTS score of at least 6.5.

Program Requirements and Academic Policies

In addition to meeting the requirements stated in General Degree Requirements  and General Academic Information , the following requirements must be satisfied:

1. Of the 30 required graduate hours, at least 18 hours must be in mathematics courses numbered above 600. For students choosing the thesis option, up to 6 hours of MAT 698 count toward this requirement. For students who choose the non-thesis option, MAT 698 will not count towards their degree.
2. Subject to approval of the school director and the student’s graduate committee, up to nine (9) semester hours of non-mathematics courses may be used as a portion of the 30 required graduate hours. Said nine hours should be taken from the following list of non-mathematics courses, or should comprise a minor in another discipline.

• BSC 747, Multivariate Applications in Ecology (3)
• CSC 513, Algorithms (3 hrs)
• CSC 630/730, Parallel Programming Techniques (3 hrs)
• PHY 601, Mechanics (3 hrs)
• PHY 603, Statistical Physics (3 hrs)
• PHY 650, Quantum Mechanics I (3 hrs)
• PHY 710, Computational Methods for Physical Systems I (3 hrs)
• PHY 711, Computational Methods for Physical Systems II (3 hrs)

Each candidate for the master’s degree will be expected to demonstrate subject matter mastery on the required written master’s comprehensive examination.

For the non-thesis student, the comprehensive examination will consist of three written exams, with each exam covering one of the four areas indicated in the course requirements below. The areas are selected by the student.

Students choosing the thesis option must satisfy the following requirements:

• Completion and successful defense of a thesis under the direction of a thesis director. The thesis director must be selected from the graduate faculty by the second semester. The thesis prospectus must be approved by the graduate committee by the end of the third semester. Prospectus approval and thesis defense cannot take place during the same semester.
• A written comprehensive examination consisting of two written exams, with each exam covering one of the four areas indicated in the course requirements below. The areas are selected by the student.

Course Requirements (30 hours)

The student, with the help of his or her academic adviser, must select courses from at least three of the following areas, with the option of additional electives.