Mathematical Sciences
Program Description
The Department of Mathematical Science, in the College of Arts and Sciences, has about 60 undergraduate majors and 35 graduate students. Its graduate program is large enough for the highest aspirations and personal enough to appreciate students' individualities. It provides a great education in the beautiful setting of a friendly small-town atmosphere.
As a compact department with diverse interests, it has well-rounded program and considerable interaction among faculty and students. Its graduates take positions around the world. Both masters and doctoral degrees are offered.
The M.A. program Option I: Traditional Mathematics aims to provide students with a broad background in mathematics and the opportunity to concentrate in an area of special interest. The program is design to be completed in two years. Students have to pass the the comprehensive examination by the beginning of their fourth semester in the program. Students may apply up to 10-credit hours of research towards the degree. The professional presentation for the non-thesis option consists of at least 2-credit hours of research on advanced-level material, culminating in an oral presentation by the student. The program of study requires courses chosen from algebra, analysis, applied mathematics, mathematics education, combinatorics and optimization, statistics and topology. The M.A. program Option II: Mathematics Education is also available for secondary mathematics teachers.
The Ph.D. program Option I: Traditional Mathematics Research prepares research specialists in mathematics. The department offers research training in algebra, analysis, applied mathematics, combinatorics and optimization, computer science, and statistics.
Option II: College Teaching and General Practitioner of the Ph.D. program has given the department a national identity. It prepares college mathematics teachers and other general users of mathematics. This option emphasizes greater breadth in coursework and less specialization than the research option. A specialization in mathematics education is also available under Option II.
| Program |
Degree Offered |
| Mathematics |
M.A. |
| Mathematics (Mathematics Education Option) |
M.A. |
| Mathematics (College Teaching and General Practitioner Option) |
Ph.D. |
| Mathematics (Traditional Mathematics Research Option) |
Ph.D. |
| Teaching Middle School Mathematics |
M.A. |
Degrees Offered
M.A. Mathematics
Current research areas of the department are algebra, analysis, applied mathematics, combinatorics and optimization, mathematics education, and statistics.
M.A. Mathematics
Optional Option I:
Mathematical Sciences
Optional Option II:
Mathematics Education for Secondary Teachers
Requirements
Ph.D. Mathematics
Option I:
Traditional Mathematics Research
Option II:
College Teaching and General Practitioner
Current research areas of the department are algebra, analysis, applied mathematics, mathematics education (Option II only), combinatorics and optimization, computer science and statistics.
Requirements
M.A. Teaching Middle School Mathematics
The Master of Arts in Teaching Middle School Mathematics degree addresses the specific need for highly qualified teachers of mathematics at the middle grades level. Students in this program learn mathematics content and pedagogy to provide them with skills and expertise to teach middle school students appropriate mathematics. The program is available mostly online, with a two-summer on-campus requirement.
Students can begin the program in any summer. C&I 588 Action Research in Classrooms should be taken early in the program. During and following the course, students will work on their final project during the school year with their advisor and committee, then present their results in the final term.
Middle school teachers in MATMSM Program will learn mathematics content and pedagogy to provide them with skills and expertise to teach appropriate mathematics. One course is specific to mathematics pedagogy (C&I 542). Another course (C&I 588) focuses on classroom research. In addition, appropriate pedagogy and technology will be modeled in all courses. Components of this program are offered online with two summer sessions, each consisting of two or three courses. Summer courses typically involve one week of face-to-face (FTF) sessions on campus with online assignments completed later.
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Admissions
1. Application Materials and Deadline
Applications are processed on a rolling basis. Review of applications for teaching assistantships for fall semester will start February 1 (received by) and continue until all positions have been filled. Applicants are strongly encouraged to complete their applications by February 1.
Instructions for applying to the Graduate School are in the Applying for Admission section on this web site.
In addition to the application materials required by the Graduate School, the Department of Mathematical Sciences also requires:
2. Program Requirements for Admission
3. Assistantship Application and Deadline
Applications are processed on a rolling basis; review of applications for Fall semester will start February 1 and continue until all positions have been filled; applicants are strongly encouraged to complete their applications by February 1.
Applicants may apply for a teaching assistantship by indicating their interest on the Graduate School application form.
4. International Students
Financial Assistance
For additional information about financial assistance, see the Financial Information section on this web site.
Teaching and Research Assistantships
The Department of Mathematical Sciences has several teaching assistantships available each year. Graduate students in these positions deliver lectures and grade assignments. A teaching assistant normally has duties equivalent to teaching an average of 4 to 5 hours per week. Teaching assistants are selected according to their suitability of background in mathematics courses for which teaching assistants are needed. Only applicants admitted under full status to the graduate program are eligible for teaching assistantships.
The stipend is $10,000 for graduate teaching assistants in our M.A. program and $14,800 for graduate teaching assistants in our Ph.D. program. Assistantships include a tuition waiver (in-state or out-of-state) and a waiver of the registration fee. Other fees charged by the University of about $1200 per semester (including health insurance) are not waived. Fee waivers without an assistantship are not provided. Teaching assistants are required to register for 9 credits each semester.
Applications are processed on a rolling basis; review of applications for Teaching Assistantships will start February 1 and continue until all positions have been filled; applicants are strongly encouraged to complete their applications by February 1.
A limited number of summer teaching assistantships are available.
The Department of Mathematical Sciences participates in the Montana EPSCoR program and the recently awarded IGERT (Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship) program, both funded through the National Science Foundation. The research and educational focus of the IGERT program is the ecology of infectious diseases. Well-qualified applicants in applied specializations may be qualified for IGERT or EPSCoR Fellowships.
Scholarships and Awards
Graduate Summer Research Scholarships: Each summer the department may award a number of Graduate Summer Research Scholarships of up to $3,200 each. These awards are given by the department on a competitive basis.
Bertha Morton Fellowships and Scholarships: Annually, the department nominates 2 graduate students for Bertha Morton Fellowships and Scholarships. The Graduate School awards these scholarships on a competitive basis.
Distinguished Teaching Award: Annually, two graduate teaching assistants are given distinguished teaching awards.
Membership Awards: Every year, the department awards graduate students with free memberships in professional organizations including the American Mathematical Society, the Association for Women in Mathematics, the Mathematical Association of America, and National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics.
Department website
Campus Location
Mathematics Building 105
Federal Express Delivery - Street Address
32 Campus Drive #0864
Missoula, MT 59812-0864
(406) 243-5312
Fax: (406) 243-2674
Associate Chair - Graduate Program
Jim Hirstein
gradmath@umontana.edu
Program information last updated 7/08
