Oct 03, 2024  
2022-2023 Catalog 
    
2022-2023 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Mathematics, Thesis, MS


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College of Science and Engineering

Graduate Faculty

Amiran, Edoh Y., PhD, differential geometry, smooth dynamical systems.
Anderson, Amy D., PhD, statistical genetics.
Barnard, Richard C., PhD, numerical optimization, nonsmooth analysis.
Benyi, Arpad, PhD, harmonic analysis, partial differential equations.
Berget, Andrew S., PhD, algebraic and geometric combinatorics.
Borowski, Rebecca, PhD, elementary and middle grades mathematics education.
Chan, Victor, PhD, reliability, applied statistics.
Cohen, Jessica, PhD, secondary mathematics education.
Curgus, Branko, PhD, differential equations, operator theory.
Glimm, Tilmann, PhD, mathematical biology, geometric optics.
Hartenstine, David A., PhD, partial differential equations.
McDowall, Stephen R., PhD, inverse problems.
Meier, Jeffrey, PhD, low-dimensional topology, knot theory.
Nimtz, Jen, PhD, mathematics education introductory college mathematics teaching and learning.
Noguchi, Kimihiro, PhD, nonparametric statistics.
Nyman, Adam, PhD, algebraic geometry, ring theory.
Parshall, Hans, PhD, combinatorics, discrete geometry, applications to data science.
Pei, Yuan, PhD, partial differential equations, numerical analysis, fluid dynamics, mathematical biology.
Piyadi Gamage, Ramadha, PhD, nonparametric statistics.​
Rupe, Kathryn M., PhD, elementary and middle grades mathematics education.
Sarkar, Amites, PhD, combinatorics, probability theory, graph theory.
Smit Vega Garcia, Mariana, PhD, analysis, partial differential equations.
Treneer, Stephanie, PhD, modular forms, number theory.
Ypma, Tjalling J., DPhil, numerical analysis.
Zhang, Jianying, PhD, numerical partial differential equations.

Program Advisor: Dr. Edoh Amiran, Bond Hall 220, 360-650-3487

Program Description

The graduate program in mathematics is designed to meet the requirements of subsequent professional and academic work in advanced mathematics. Students are prepared to continue to further graduate studies or for professional employment in industry or in college teaching. The focus is on providing a strong and broad analytical foundation, together with sufficient flexibility to pursue particular interests and areas of application in greater depth.

Goals

The program prepares students for:

  • Continuing further graduate studies, or
  • Professional employment in industry, or
  • College teaching.

Prerequisites/Qualification Examination

To be eligible for admission to the MS program in mathematics, a student should have completed at least the following courses or the equivalent with grades of B or better: Math 224, 304, 312, 331, CS 141 or Math 307, and two math courses at the 400 level.

A student who has not completed all of these courses but who can demonstrate strong promise of the ability to succeed in the program may be admitted with special stipulations. In such cases, the graduate advisor will, in consultation with the student, specify the conditions to be satisfied by the student in order to fully qualify for the program.

Program Application/Admission Requirements

Deadline: Please see Graduate School deadlines.

TA Deadline: Preferred consideration will be given to applicants who have completed files by March 1.

Contact the mathematics department, 360-650-3785, or see its website at mathematics.wwu.edu/graduate-program for specifics.

Graduate School Admission Link  

Program Requirements (45 credits minimum)


In most cases the student’s program must include at least 45 credits (thesis option). At most 10 credits at the 400 level can be included in this total.

Students who have taken a significant number of graduate math courses as undergraduates at WWU may complete the graduate program with only 36 additional 500-level credits (details of this program are available from the Department of Mathematics).

The following mathematics courses or their equivalents must be completed before graduation: Math 504, 521, 522, 691 and 690 (for thesis) and at least one course or its equivalent from each of the following four lists
 

Other Requirements


Qualifying Examination for Candidacy

Each student must pass a qualifying exam before being advanced to candidacy.

Advancement to Candidacy

Students are advanced to candidacy when they have completed at least 12 hours of approved course work with a B or better GPA, including at least one course numbered 500 or above, and have passed the qualifying exam.

Project

Every student is required to complete a project (MATH 691). The project will involve both an oral exam on the subject of the project and a colloquium presentation to the mathematical community. The project must be completed before a student may elect the thesis option. See the departmental graduate handbook for additional details.

Further Information and Advice

Students are urged to prepare a program of courses in consultation with their advisor as soon as possible after beginning work toward a degree. Deviations from the requirements above may be approved by the department’s Graduate Committee upon request of the student’s advisor. For the student’s protection, such approval should be obtained before any deviations are made.

Students who wish to include a course numbered 400, 499, 500 or 599 as part of their graduate degree program must obtain approval in advance from the Graduate Committee. The Graduate Committee will consider approval on the basis of a detailed written description submitted by the student not later than three weeks before the date of registration. If the course is approved for graduate credit, the description will be retained in the student’s file.

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