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College of Sciences
Department of Mathematics

M.S. Programs

Requirements

The Masters degree programs in Mathematics and Applied Mathematics can be completed in one to two years. Our programs are non-thesis Option B which means that:

  • a comprehensive exam is not required,
  • a thesis is not required,
  • students have a single advisor,
  • the degrees cannot carry an official minor.

To graduate, students in the MS program must complete the following course requirements.

  • The student must accumulate at least 30 credit hours of course work. If desired by the student, one of these ten courses can be replaced by a one-semester Master’s Project (MA 676); students interested in this option should consult with the Director of the programs before signing up for MA 676.
  •  At least one course in each of continuous, discrete and computational mathematics as described in Table 2.1 must be passed.
  •  At least 18 credit hours must be graduate MA course credits at the 500 level and above and must have been earned while the student is enrolled in the graduate program. Up to three courses at the 500 level and above in mathematics-related disciplines are allowed.
  • Students who have not had the equivalent of MA 405 (Introduction to Linear Algebra and Matrices), MA 407 (Introduction to Modern Algebra), or MA 425-426 (Mathematical Analysis I and II) must make up these courses. Students who have not had the equivalent of MA 426 may take it for graduate credit by registering for MA 591M. No more than six credit hours of 400-level courses may be counted toward the degree, however those credits must not be math courses.

In addition, students must fulfill an in-depth requirement of two two-course sequences or a group of three related courses (to be discussed in consultation with the student’s advisor).

MS students interested in taking PhD qualifying exams should consult with the Director of the programs. Being authorized to take such an exam and passing it does not imply by itself any guarantee of being admitted to the PhD program.

Support

Most of our MS students are self-supported. There may however be possibilities of finding hourly positions within the Department. Please, consult with the Graduate Services Coordinator.

Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program

The Accelerated Bachelors/Master’s (ABM) degree program allows exceptional undergraduate students in Mathematics or Applied Mathematics at NC State an opportunity to complete the requirements for both the Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at an accelerated pace. These undergraduate students may double count up to 12 credits and obtain a Master’s degree in Mathematics or Applied Mathematics within 12 months of completing the Bachelor’s degree.

Eligibility requirements

  • Students may apply once they have completed a minimum of seventy-five (75) credit hours in their undergraduate programs, including credits earned from advanced placement, but they must apply before completion of the undergraduate degree.
  • Transfer students must have completed a minimum of two semesters as a full-time student at NC State, a minimum of 24 hours.
  • Students must have a minimum accumulated grade point average (GPA) of 3.500 at NC State at the time of admission into the ABM degree program.

Application to the ABM program

  1. Interested students that meet the GPA requirement should schedule a meeting with their Directors of Undergraduate and Graduate Programs to develop tentative academic plans for the ABM program. The Graduate School requires an approved ABM Plan of Work form to admit a student into an ABM program. The ABM Plan of Graduate Work should clearly indicate:
    •  the courses (a maximum of 12 graduate credit hours, 500 or 700 level) that will be double counted for both bachelor’s and master’s degrees,
    •  the courses that will be taken after matriculating into the graduate program,
    •  the graduation date for the master’s degree that meets the time limit for the ABM program.
      Approval to pursue an ABM degree program does not guarantee an admission to the Graduate School.
  2. While still an undergraduate, students must submit the standard application for admission to the Graduate School (MS program in either MA or AMA) with the following differences
    • the GRE test is not required,
    • students do not need to upload their NC State transcript,
    • students do need to upload the ABM Plan of Work.
    As with other applicants, three letters of reference are required as well as an application fee.
  3. Any deviations from the approved ABM Plan of Work form, require that the updates be approved by the Directors of Undergraduate and Graduate Programs as well as the Graduate School.

Affiliated Interdisciplinary Programs

Biomathematics
Financial Math
Foundations of Data Science