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To be eligible for the degree, an M.S. candidate (including 4+1 B.S./M.S. students) must complete 30 credits of coursework beyond the Bachelor's degree. These credits can come from the following sources:
- Any 600 or 800 level MATH course, for a minimum of 24 credits (or 18 credits for students who select the thesis option)
- Any 600 or 800 level non-MATH course, up to a maximum of 3 credits
- The reading course MATH 870, up to a maximum of 3 credits
For students who select the thesis option for the M. S., their 30 credit total must include:
- 6 credits of MATH 869 (“Master's Thesis")
The Master's thesis must be successfully defended. Credit hours for which the grade is below C-minus do not count toward a graduate degree.
Thesis Option
The purpose of this option is to assess the student's ability to conduct and report original research on a particular area within the field of specialization and/or synthesize and critically analyze important issues. The student will determine the particular form of the thesis project (e.g., report of original research or critical review of and exposition on the literature) in consultation with his or her thesis advisor and the Thesis Committee.
The Thesis Committee shall consist of three faculty members and is chaired by the advisor. A member of this committee is not required to be from outside the department. After the topic(s) and project format have been determined, the student will have a maximum of one year to complete the written thesis (typically 50 to 60 pages).
The student is responsible for following the Graduate College deadlines and procedures relating to the thesis, defense, and application for the degree. An oral defense will be scheduled following the Thesis 5 Committee's evaluation of the thesis. This defense will be open to the academic community.