Flexible Option Masters degree

The flexible option masters degree is designed as an alternative pure mathematics masters program, and is mainly aimed at preparing students for a teaching position in a high school or two-year community college. Unlike the regular masters degree program in pure math, a student aiming for the flexoption masters degree would take a combination of undergraduate and graduate courses and will not be required to complete the entire core course sequence required for the regular masters degree. The flexoption degree program usually takes 2 academic years to complete. Checklist for Flexible Option Masters Degree: Committee: A committee of three faculty members will supervise and must approve the courses. Early planning is recommended. For a non-thesis program, the master's comprehensive examination will be based on the program of courses as approved. (If one area for the comprehensive is outside mathematics, it is helpful to have one faculty member on the committee from that discipline.) Advanced Calculus Requirement: MAA 5306-5307 if equivalent not already completed. Total hours: 32 semester hours are required. 5xxx level courses: At least 30 hours should be at the 5xxx level. Any course below 5xxx level would have to be OUTSIDE math. No 4000-level course in mathematics may count toward the degree. Dual listed Courses: At least 12 hours should be in courses which are not dual-listed at the 4xxx level not counting in the 12 thesis, DIS and seminar. (These need not all be mathematics.) In Subject Courses: At least 18 hours should be in mathematics courses other than thesis, DIS, seminar, at or above the 5xxx level. (Some of these may be dual listed.) Regular Coursework: At most 3 of the 32 hours may be in DIS and seminar, and none in Supervised Research or Teaching. Depth: At least two of the following courses should be taken: MAA 5407, MAA 5506, MAA 5617, MAD 5407 (successor is MAD 5738), MAS 5308, MAP 5346, MAP 5423, MHF 5307 and MTG 5326. Coherence of Purpose: The student should pass at least one qualifier (see qualifiers) or do a written project that shows mastery of a subject area chosen by the committee.

(latest update: 7/21/09)