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Master's Degrees
in Mathematics

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GRADUATE FACULTY
GRADUATE STUDIES:  Programs FLYER   ||   BROCHURE
GRADUATE STUDENTS

Select any of the below listed Hypertext Links to learn more about the Graduate Studies Programs offered by the Department of Mathematics at WKU.
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For further information ,

please contact the department's
Director of Graduate Studies.

Dr. Claus Ernst                (270) 745-6224


Questions or comments
about this Web page should be directed to the Departmental Webmaster

Copyright © 2003 Western Kentucky University.  Last updated on March 20, 2008 .













 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 



Master's Degrees in Mathematics

The Department of Mathematics offers the Master of Science (M.S.) degree and the Master of Arts (M.A.) degree.  Both degrees have thesis and non-thesis options, and both require 30 semester hours of graduate-level courses.

The M.S. degree requires traditional courses in analysis, algebra, topology, and applied mathematics;  the M.S. degree is recommended for students planning to pursue a Ph.D. degree or technical industrial employment.

The M.A. degree is designed for secondary teachers and includes courses that will help them become more knowledgeable about the mathematics they teach in high school and the connections and extensions of that knowledge to college and higher mathematics.

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Master of Science Admission Requirements

1.  A GAP score of 3000.

2.  Completion of the following undergraduate courses:
  1. a calculus sequence through multivariable calculus
  2. linear algebra
  3. discrete mathematics
  4. an applied mathematics course (i.e., differential equations, probability, calculus-based statistics, numerical analysis)
  5. abstract algebra
3.  A cumulative grade point average of a least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) in at least one of the following:
  1. all mathematics courses that are applicable to the undergraduate mathematics major; or,
  2. courses specified in (b) through (e) of Item 2 listed above.
Admission may be granted to a student having at most one deficiency in the undergraduate courses listed in Item 2.

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Master of Arts Admission Requirements

1.  A GAP score of 3000.

2.  Secondary teacher certification.

3.  A bachelors degree in mathematics, or completion of the following undergraduate courses:
  1. a calculus sequence through multivariable calculus
  2. linear algebra
  3. discrete mathematics
  4. probability or calculus based statistics
  5. abstract algebra
  6. geometry
Admission may be granted to a student having at most one deficiency in the undergraduate courses listed in Item 3.

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Requirements for the Master of Science in Mathematics

The M.S. in Mathematics requires a minimum of 30 semester hours of graduate-level mathematics courses. The following are required:

1.  Algebra:    MATH 417G -- Algebraic Systems
     Analysis:   MATH 431G -- Intermediate Analysis
     Topology:  MATH 439G -- (point-set) Topology
     Computer Applications (3 hours): MATH 504 - Computer Applications to Problems in Mathematics.

     If equivalent courses were taken at the undergraduate level, then the student must substitute appropriate graduate      mathematics courses selected in consultation with a Mathematics Department graduate advisor.

2.  An applied Mathematics course selected from MATH 529, 531, 535, 536, 540, 541, 542, 550, 570, STAT 549,
     or as approved by the Departmental Graduate Committee.

3.  MATH 532

4.  One of the following two-course sequences:  MATH 417G-517, 439G-539, 450G-550, 405G-406G, 435G-535,
     MATH 470G-570, 529-540, 435G-531, or 535-536.

Students who choose to write a thesis are required to complete 6 hours of MATH 599 (Thesis Research and Writing) and to give an oral defense of the thesis.  

The remaining mathematics courses in the student's program must be chosen from:  MATH 405G, 406G, 415G, 432G, 435G, 450G, 470G, 504, 517, 523, 529, 531, 535, 536, 539, 540, 541, 542, 550, 560, 570, 590, or STAT 549.

A maximum of 12 hours at the 400G-level may be included in the entire program. 

A research tool is required and may entail coursework beyond the 30 hours of mathematics.  The research too must be completed during the first 15 hours of coursework and may be fulfilled by a mathematics reading course, a computer science course, a foreign language examination, or another option approved by the Mathematics Department graduate advisor.  In addition, all students in the M.S. program must have a working knowledge of a high-level programming language or computer algebra system.

With prior approval of the Mathematics Department Graduate Committee, a student may include (toward the M.S. in Mathematics) a maximum of 6 hours of coursework chosen from a related discipline.

Comprehensive Exams:  A student electing to write a thesis is required to present an oral defense of the thesis and to complete comprehensive written exams over four courses (normally including on year-long sequence) approved by the departmental Graduate Committee. Non-thesis students must complete comprehensive written exams based on six courses (normally including two year-long sequences) approved by the departmental Graduate Committee.


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Requirements for the Master of Arts in Mathematics

The M.A. in Mathematics requires a minimum of 30 semester hours of graduate-level mathematics courses. The following are required:

CORE:

Mathematics:  (4 of the following 5 courses)
MATH 501 -- Introduction to Probability and Statistics I
MATH 503 -- Introduction to Analysis
MATH 511 -- Secondary Mathematics from an Advanced Perspective
MATH options:  MATH 512 -- Secondary Mathematics from an Advanced Perspective II, or
                          MATH 423G -- Geometry II, or
                          MATH 523 -- Topic from Geometry
MATH 514 -- Modeling and Applications fro Secondary Teachers

Education Courses:
PSY 510 -- Advanced Ed. Psychology, or PSY 511 Psychology of Learning
SEC 580 -- The Curriculum
EDU 544 -- Classroom Teaching Strategies
SEC 534 -- Seminar in Mathematics Education

Elective Courses:
Six hours of mathematics courses chosen from those listed above, or chosen from the following list:
MATH 405G, 406G, 409G, 415G, 421G,423G, 429G, 431G, 432G, 435G, 439G, 450G, 470G, 475G,
MATH 500, 504, 509, 517, 531, 532, 535, 536, 539, 540, 541, 542, 550, 560, 590, 599.

A maximum of 9 hours at the 400G level may be included in the entire program.

A thesis student is required to complete 6 hours of MATH 599 (Thesis Research and Writing) and to give an oral defense of the thesis.

Comprehensive exam are required.  Students must develop and submit a professional portfolio to demonstrate mastery of the Kentucky Experienced Teacher Standards.

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Rank II Certification

A student may receive Rank II Certification from the Kentucky Department of Education by earning a Master of Arts in Mathematics or a Master of Science in Mathematics.  In addition to satisfying the degree requirements, such a student must develop and submit a professional portfolio consistent with the Experience Teacher Standards.  A teaching component of at least one semester (either in a secondary school or as a graduate teaching assistant) is also required.



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Graduate Assistantships

Assistantship Application Deadlines

For Fall: March 30
For Spring: October 15
For Summer: April 1

NOTICE:  Applications for assistantship must be accompanied or preceded by the application for admission. New students applying for both admission and assistantship must observe the above displayed deadlines.

Deadlines for Admission Only

FOREIGN STUDENTS

April - 01
September - 01
March - 01

U.S. CITIZENS

August - 01
December - 15
May - 15

Graduate assistantships are available, on a competitive basis, from the Department of Mathematics.  A tiered system that consists of three levels, and which focuses on the student's readiness to assume primary teaching responsibility for a section of Math 096 (Intermediate Algebra), is described below.  Graduate assistants are reviewed each semester and may be reappointed at a different level.  All graduate assistants pay tuition at the resident rate of $3260/semester.  Non-resident graduate students not on assistantship pay tuition of $3570/semester; and, international graduate students not on assistantship pay tuition of $4040/semester.  (Tuition rates given are for the Fall 2006 semester.  Increases may occur for the 2007-2008 academic year.)

Level I Teaching Assistant:  This level is for students who have removed all undergraduate deficiencies (if any) and are prepared to assume primary teaching responsibility for a section of the developmental course Math 096 (Intermediate Algebra).  A student may demonstrate eligibility by successfully completing a teacher certification program (including student teaching) as an undergraduate or by serving at least one semester as a student assistant in a section of Math 116 (College Algebra).  Holding primary teaching responsibilities for one section of Math 096 each semester (4 semester hours each semester), a Level I Teaching Assistant will be awarded a stipend of $12,500 for the academic year.

Level II Teaching Assistant:  This level is for students who have removed all undergraduate deficiencies (if any) and will be prepared to assume primary teaching responsibilities for a section of Math 096 after one semester of supervised service as a student assistant in section of Math 116.  Serving as a student assistant during the first semester and holding primary teaching responsibilities for one section of Math 096 during the second semester, a Level II Teaching Assistant will be awarded a stipend of $10,750 for the academic year.

Level III Graduate Assistant:  This level is for students who have demonstrated appropriate potential for graduate study in mathematics but have a deficiency that may be removed by a single undergraduate course, or, for another reason, are not adequately prepared to serve as a student assistant in a section of Math 116.  During the first semester, such a student will be assigned duties in the department's computer lab and/or tutoring laboratory (Math Lab) while removing the deficiency and becoming prepared for supervised service in a section of Math 116.  A Level III Graduate Assistant will be awarded a stipend of $9,000 for the academic year.

Summer Graduate Assistantships of up to $2120 may be available to continuing or graduating assistants.

Students should submit applications for assistantships and for admission to the Graduate School directly to the Office of Graduate Studies and Research.  There is a $35 processing fee assessment for submitting an application for graduate studies.  Information regarding application procedures and forms are available at:  http://www.wku.edu/graduate .

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