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Master's Degree Programs
The Master's degree programs in Mathematics can be completed in one to two years. There are no language requirements, and a master's thesis is optional. No comprehensive examinations are required. Students are advised to consult the Director of Graduate Studies to plan their programs.General Regulations
Students entering the program should have completed at least six courses in mathematics at the junior-senior level (beyond calculus). More specific recommendations for undergraduate preparation are listed under the various programs.A master's degree in Mathematics requires at least 32 credit hours of work in 400- and 500-level courses. (See section on Actuarial Science for an exception.) The following courses do not count towards these required hours, but can be taken by the student as preparation for higher-level courses:
At least 12 credit hours must be in 500-level courses, and, depending on the program, at least 8 or 12 of these credit hours must be in Mathematics. A master's thesis may be added to any of the degrees in addition to the required 32 credit hours. The final GPA must be at least 3.0 (out of 4.0), and no course with a grade of D and at most one course with a grade below B- (B minus) may be applied to the degree. The student's course of study is subject to approval by the Director of Graduate Studies.
There are three Master's degree programs, one of them having four options:
- The Master of Science (or Master of Arts) in Mathematics
- The Master of Science in Applied Mathematics:
- The Master of Science in the Teaching of Mathematics
Information for Current Graduate Students in Other Departments
This information is intended for students who are- currently enrolled at UIUC in a graduate program in a department other than Mathematics and
- are interested in pursuing a Master's degree in Mathematics in addition to the degree in their home department.
- You have to be enrolled as a Mathematics graduate student for at least one semester or a summer session with a full load of 12 credit hours. These 12 credit hours do not necessarily have to be in Mathematics. This can be done at any time during your studies. In order to transfer from your home department to the Mathematics department you have to submit a petition; you do NOT have to go through the application process. Please contact the Mathematics Graduate Office (257 Altgeld Hall) for assistance.
- If you currently hold an assistantship position in your home department and are concerned about transferring, contact the graduate office in your home department. There usually is not a problem in keeping your assistantship.
- You have to complete 32 credit hours of course work as outlined in the A Guide for Graduate Students in Mathematics. These 32 credit hours used towards the fulfillment of the Mathematics Master's degree cannot be used towards any other degree. However, courses you have taken while enrolled in a department other than mathematics can be counted towards the degree in mathematics as long as they are not needed for any other degree.
- Otherwise the same general regulations apply as outlined in the A Guide for Graduate Students in Mathematics.
- Master's degrees are awarded in May, August, October and December. Please contact the mathematics graduate office at least three months prior to your planned graduation date.
If you have any further questions, please contact the Mathematics Graduate Office (257 Altgeld Hall, 333-5749) or the Mathematics Master's degree advisor Karen Mortensen kmortens@math.uiuc.edu.
Thesis Option for all Master's Degrees
A thesis option is available for all Master's degrees in Mathematics. The thesis is in addition to the required 32 credit hours of course work. Students wishing to pursue this option should register for 4 credit hours of Math 599 for one semester. The thesis may consist of one of the following:- A paper (20+ pages) describing and synthesizing material from one or several papers on a topic in mathematics or applied mathematics.
- A historical account of the development of some branch of mathematics, applied mathematics, or the philosophy of mathematics.
- A paper concerning some mathematical procedure, one component of which is a computer program implementing the procedure.
- A paper representing original research.
The student should find a thesis advisor who, together with a second reader appointed by the Director of Graduate Studies, will be responsible for the suitability of the material chosen and the approval of the thesis.
The Master of Science (or Master of Arts) in Mathematics
This program is appropriate for students who want a flexible general education in mathematics, including students pursuing the Ph.D. degree.Recommended Undergraduate Preparation
It is strongly recommended that the entering student has taken courses that cover the syllabi of the following:- Math 417 - Introduction to Abstract Algebra
- Math 418 - Advanced Linear Algebra
- Math 447 - Real Variables
- A course in computer programming
- Math 418 - Advanced Linear Algebra
Degree Requirements
A student may earn the degree by completing 32 credit hours of graduate study, with at least 24 credit hours in Mathematics (Math 405, 406, 415, 444, 499 cannot be counted). At least 12 credit hours must be in 500-level courses in Mathematics. In addition, the courses submitted for the degree must include:A rigorous course in algebra at least at the level of one of the following:
A rigorous course in analysis at least at the level of one of the following:
Students are advised to take at least one course in real analysis and at least one course in complex analysis if these were not covered in their undergraduate preparation.
At most 8 credit hours in courses from other departments that are not cross-listed with Mathematics can be counted toward the required 32 credit hours of course work. These courses should have significant mathematical content and are subject to approval by the Director of Graduate Studies.
The Master of Science in Applied Mathematics: Optimization and Algorithms
This option is appropriate for students interested in acquiring a background in mathematics applicable to computer science or operations research, including students pursuing a Ph.D. degree.Recommended Undergraduate Preparation
It is strongly recommended that the entering student has taken at least one course in each of linear algebra, real analysis, and probability or statistics and has taken a course in theoretical computer science other than a programming course.Degree Requirements
A student may earn the degree by completing 32 credit hours of graduate study, with at least 24 credit hours in Mathematics (Math 405, 406, 415, 444, 499 cannot be counted). At least 12 credit hours must be in 500-level courses, and at least 8 credit hours of these must be in Mathematics. In addition, the following requirements must be satisfied:Four of the following seven core courses (or their equivalent) must be among the courses submitted for the degree or taken earlier. More advanced courses may be substituted for these.
At least 20 credit hours must be in the following areas, with at least three areas represented. Core courses count toward these area requirements when taken for the degree. The list of courses used to satisfy this requirement is subject to approval by the Director of Graduate Studies. A number of courses appropriate for these areas are taught in other departments.
The Master of Science in Applied Mathematics: Applications to the Sciences
This option is appropriate for students interested in advanced training in differential equations and classical methods of applied mathematics, including students pursuing a Ph.D. degree. Students in this option will study the foundations of the theory of differential equations as well as explore its applications in other fields.Recommended Undergraduate Preparation
It is strongly recommended that the entering student has taken at least one course in each of linear algebra, real analysis, probability or statistics, and differential equations and has training in computer programming.Degree Requirements
A student may earn the degree by completing 32 credit hours of graduate study, with at least 20 credit hours in Mathematics (Math 405, 406, 415, 444, 499 cannot be counted). At least 12 credit hours must be in 500-level courses. At least 8 credit hours must be in a department other than Mathematics. In addition, the following requirements must be satisfied:Three of the following four core courses (or their equivalent) must be among the courses submitted for the degree or taken earlier. More advanced courses may be substituted for these.
A course in complex analysis at least at the level of one of the following must also be submitted for the degree or taken earlier.
The 8 credit hours in departments other than Mathematics should provide substantive applications of differential equations and applied mathematics and are subject to approval by the Director of Graduate Studies. These credit hours may come from a broad range of fields, including but not restricted to material science, mathematical physics, engineering, economics, and the biological sciences.
The Master of Science in Applied Mathematics: Computational Science and Engineering (CSE)
This option is appropriate for students interested in areas of mathematics involving computational applications to science and engineering, including numerical methods for differential equations, simulations, symbolic algebra, computational geometry, and mathematical graphics. The program emphasizes both the underlying mathematics and the use of computers in exploring and solving applied problems.Recommended Undergraduate Preparation
Same as for the Master of Science in Applied Mathematics with Applications to the Sciences.Degree Requirements
A student may earn the degree by completing 32 credit hours of graduate study, with at least 20 credit hours in Mathematics (Math 405, 406, 415, 444, 499 cannot be counted). At least 12 credit hours must be in 500-level courses, and at least 8 credit hours must be in Mathematics. In addition, courses submitted for the degree must include:An advanced course in differential equations, such as
An advanced course in algebra or analysis, such as
12 credit hours from CSE courses. Of these, at least 4 credit hours must be from courses cross-listed in both Mathematics and CSE, and at least 4 credit hours must be from CSE courses not cross-listed in Mathematics.
More information about the CSE program and its participating departments can be found at www.cse.uiuc.edu.
The Master of Science in Applied Mathematics: Actuarial Science
This option is appropriate for students preparing for actuarial careers; it provides background for most of the material on the basic professional actuarial examinations. Admission to this program does not require an undergraduate degree in actuarial mathematics, but students who have not already passed the first actuarial exam (calculus and probability) should be prepared to sit for it during their first semester. A student who enters with a significant actuarial background will have the opportunity to do more advanced work in mathematics, statistics, finance and economics, including possibly independent study under the direction of a faculty member.A student finishing the program will have mastered the material covered on the jointly-administered actuarial exams (Courses 1 through 4) and have a solid understanding of the principles of finance and some of its particular applications in actuarial work. This includes developing the deeper understanding that will allow students to continue to learn, to apply the methods of professional work, and possibly to do research. Since students' backgrounds are different, each student will be assigned a faculty advisor to help develop a plan of study to achieve this ideal.
Recommended Undergraduate Preparation
It is strongly recommended that the entering student has taken at least one course in each of linear algebra and in probability or statistics and has training in computer programming.Degree Requirements
A student may earn the degree by completing 32 credit hours of graduate study (Math 405, 406, 408, 415, 444, 461, 463, 499 cannot be counted). Six hours may be in Finance 300 and 301; students who have not covered this material in undergraduate studies are strongly encouraged to include them in their graduate program. At least 12 credit hours must be in approved 500-level courses, and 8 of these credit hours must be in Mathematics. Students should consult an advisor to plan a program. The following specific requirements must be satisfied: 8 credit hours must be chosen fromDifferent units of these courses are available each academic year, and both courses are repeatable once for credit, with approval. The remaining 24 credit hours (or more) will be chosen through consultation with the faculty advisors. They are subject to approval by the academic advisor and the Director of Graduate Studies.
The following courses (or their equivalents) are strongly recommended. They should be covered by some combination of undergraduate and graduate work or by passing actuarial examinations on the material. (There is no Graduate College credit for passing actuarial examinations.)
Additional recommended courses include
Additional 500-level courses may include approved special topics courses in Mathematics, Statistics, Finance or Economics.
The Master of Science in the Teaching of Mathematics
This program is appropriate for students who want a broad background in mathematics as a preparation for teaching in a community college or in the first two years of a college program. It is also aimed at high-school teachers who would like to expand their mathematics background and improve their credentials. This program does not confer any state certification as a teacher. Students who want to be certified as a high school teacher should consult the College of Education about the requirements for certification.Recommended Undergraduate Preparation
It is strongly recommended that the entering student has taken courses which cover the syllabi of the following:Degree Requirements
A student may earn the degree by completing 32 credit hours of graduate study, with at least 24 credit hours in Mathematics (Math 405, 406, 415, 444, 499 cannot be counted). At least 12 credit hours must be in 500-level courses, and at least 8 of these credit hours must be in Mathematics. In addition, the courses submitted for the degree must include: A rigorous course in algebra such asA rigorous course in analysis such as
Students are strongly recommended to complete at least one course from four of the following six areas:
The following two courses from Curriculum and Instruction are required:
In addition, this program requires two semesters of teaching under the supervision of a mentor in two of the categories below. This requirement may be waived or reduced by the Director of Graduate Studies based on sufficient previous teaching experience:
The student will be compensated as a regular teaching assistant while satisfying this requirement.
For each of the two semesters students are expected to write a summary paper about their teaching experience and are encouraged to fulfill the requirements for the Graduate Teacher Certificate (note that this does not provide state certification as a teacher.)
| Department
of Mathematics 273 Altgeld Hall, MC-382 1409 W. Green Street, Urbana, IL 61801 USA Telephone: (217) 333-3350 Fax: (217) 333-9576 Email: office@math.uiuc.edu |
College of Liberal Arts and
Sciences Last modified June 5, 2007 |