Graduate Programs
The department is committed to the idea that pure and applied mathematics are two faces of the same subject. The research of the faculty and the training of the students cover a wide variety of topics in pure mathematics, as well as probability and statistics. The department offers a lively research atmosphere. Students are encouraged to take a broad range of courses. Teaching assistants are given varied assignments intended to increase their experience and employability.
The department has a tradition of developing intellectual independence in its graduate students. Much time is given to the education of graduate students, both individually and in small classes.
The distinguished research faculty offers considerable personal attention to graduate students.
The department offers degrees in Master of Arts (MA) in Statistics, Master of Arts (MA) in Mathematics and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Mathematical Sciences. Research areas of faculty expertise include algebra, analysis, combinatorics, dynamical systems, geometry/topology, graph theory, number theory, probability and statistics.
The MA in mathematics program is intended to give the student a solid professional basis either for proceeding to the PhD program or for work in government, industry or teaching at the community college level. The PhD degree prepares a student for university or college teaching and for higher-level employment in government and industry. Entering students having substantial graduate-level training may enter the PhD program, skipping the MA.
The Master of Arts in Statistics program provides students with a solid foundation of practical knowledge to work with applied statistics in depth, preparing them for future careers in the public and private sectors as data scientists, consultants and engineers who manage and analyze data. This program leads to an MA degree.
The department is noted for its method of graduate education. In first-year courses, the emphasis is on training the student to do mathematics in depth. Many students report that these courses are the formative experiences of their professional lives.
Teaching assistantships are available. They provide not only financial support but also valuable experience, either in teaching a variety of courses or assisting faculty in special courses. The aim is to enhance students’ training with actual experience helpful in obtaining employment.
Department members assist students in obtaining suitable employment and offer advice for career development.
The department cooperates with the Department of Teaching, Learning and Educational Leadership, which offers both the MAT (Master of Arts in Teaching) degree in mathematics adolescence education and the MSEd (Master of Science in Education) degree in adolescence education in mathematics. Details about these programs and requirements for the degrees are listed in the Department of Teaching, Learning and Educational Leadership section of this Bulletin.
Within the MA and PhD programs, there is a choice of two areas of emphasis. The flavors of these areas are indicated as follows:
- Mathematics
The mathematics component provides students both with breadth and depth of higher-level pure mathematics. In pure mathematics, the department has special emphasis in algebra, analysis, combinatorics - geometry/topology, graph theory, number theory and probability. In addition, students are encouraged to be acquainted with some applications and to take some courses in statistics and/or computer science. - Statistics
The statistics component gives broad training. The master’s degree prepares students for jobs as statisticians and data analysts in government and industry. The PhD degree prepares students for university teaching and research, as well as consulting and research roles in industry and government. Students are given training in many diverse statistical methods used to analyze data, as well as the mathematical, statistical and probabilistic foundation.
Admission
For admission to regular standing, a student should have a bachelor’s degree and have completed (with an average of at least 3.0 in general) a set of mathematics courses approximately equivalent to those required for a bachelor’s degree at Harpur College with a specialization in mathematics. The department requires submission of Graduate Record Examination scores for the general test and, if possible, the subject test in mathematics.
Master of Arts Program
The official requirement for a master’s degree is a minimum of 32 credits at the graduate level and satisfactory performance on an oral examination or the completion and defense of a master’s thesis. The credit requirement may technically be satisfied in three semesters. However, the 32-credit requirement is regarded as minimal, and most students take four semesters to complete the master’s degree. Each student’s program is worked out in consultation with an advisor, under the general supervision of the graduate committee.
The official requirement for a master's degree with the statistics track is satisfactory completion of 42 credits at the graduate level, including 10 four-credit courses and two one-credit capstone seminars, to be finished in four semesters. The program grants Master of Arts in Statistics.
A detailed explanation of the requirements for the master's degrees can be found in the Graduate Handbook of the department.
Doctor of Philosophy Program
Twenty-four credits of coursework beyond those presented for the master’s degree are required for the PhD. These 24 credits may not include MATH 591, 599, 698, 699, 700 or 707. A total of five or six years of full-time graduate study (including study toward the MA) are normally required to complete the doctorate.
A student should be admitted to PhD candidacy before the start of the fifth year. The student must do research and write a dissertation under the supervision of an advisor. The dissertation must be defended in an oral examination.
A detailed explanation of the requirements can be found in the Graduate Handbook of the department.