MSc with Mathematics Emphasis

Program Description

The Master of Sciences (MSc) with Mathematics Emphasis Program is a cross-disciplinary program leading to the Master of Sciences degree. It provides an opportunity to extend and broaden training in the natural sciences, physical sciences, and mathematics. For more information on this graduate program, please contact the department's Graduate Chair. All courses credited toward the degree after admission must be taken at the University of Colorado, at the Colorado Springs, Denver, Health Sciences, or Boulder campuses, over a maximum of five years or six successive summers.

Requirements for Admission

The admission criteria include but are NOT limited to the following requirements. Any decision regarding admission is made by the Graduate Committee on an individual basis, after taking into consideration the application material and supporting documents.

• Must hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited university.
• Must have completed at least 40 semester hours in the natural sciences and mathematics, including one year of calculus. Students may be admitted to the program with a deficiency in mathematics, but must remedy the deficiency within one year after admission, with a grade of B or better.
• Must have a GPA of 3.00 or higher, on a 4.00 scale. A student with an undergraduate grade point average below 3.00 may be considered for admission, subject to approval by the Graduate Committee.
• Must submit GRE General Test scores, from the most recent test, taken within the last 2 years. A percentile of 80 or higher is recommended on the Quantitative Reasoning portion.
• International applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency and submit additional documentation, as specified on the Applications page.

See also the admission requirements of the Graduate School.

Please visit the Applications page to apply.

Requirements for Master of Sciences Degree

General regulations of the Graduate School governing the award of a Master’s degree apply, except as modified below.

• 30-36 semester hours of science or mathematics courses are required.
• All courses must be taken from approved Graduate School faculty members.
• 24 or more hours in science or mathematics must be from courses numbered 5000 or above.
• Because not all courses will be appropriate for all programs, students should first consult with their advisor before enrolling. An academic plan should be completed during the student's first semester.
• Courses at the 3000 and 4000 levels will be accepted toward the degree only with grades of A or B. Courses at the 5000 and 6000 levels will be accepted toward the degree with grades of A, B, or C. Students must have a B average in all courses taken subsequent to admission to the program, including courses not actually required for the degree.
• Students must select either the Thesis or the Non-Thesis option.
• Thesis Option: 30 semester hours, including a minimum of 6 hours of thesis credit. At least 15 semester hours must be at the graduate level in the primary department. A minimum of three credit hours must be taken from a secondary department. Student must write a thesis on their research, give a presentation, and defend their thesis before a thesis defense committee. Please consult the Graduate Chair and the Graduate School for the Thesis and Dissertation Guidelines and Manual.
• Non-Thesis Option: 30 semester hours. At least 15 semester hours must be at the graduate level in the primary department. A minimum of three credit hours must be taken from a secondary department. Student must complete a paper describing a project on a mathematical topic, approved by the Graduate Committee. The final paper must be approved by the Graduate Committee.

Mathematics Program Requirements

• Students must complete a minimum of 24 semester hours of 5000 level (or above) courses, 15 of which must be courses offered by the Mathematics Department.
• Students must complete (with a grade of B or better) the following courses (or equivalent ones): MATH 4140 - Modern Algebra I and MATH 4310 - Modern Analysis I. 
• Students who took MATH 4140 and MATH 4310 (or equivalent courses) for their undergraduate degrees, and passed them with a grade of B or better, must take two other mathematics courses at the 4000 level or above, which have not been previously applied toward another degree. The minimum GPA requirements for the MSc degree apply to these courses.
• Students must complete a minimum of 3 credit hours at the 3000-level (or above) from a secondary department.
• Students must arrange for faculty advisor during the first or second semester after admission. The student, together with the advisor, will decide on the details for the paper or thesis. For the thesis option, the student should form a thesis committee that should be approved by the Graduate Committee. For the non-thesis option, the faculty advisor will oversee the student's progress on the paper and approve the final version, which will have to be approved by the Graduate Committee. To formally arrange for the advisor, the student should contact the Graduate Chair of the Mathematics Department.
• The paper should be submitted to the Graduate Committee for final approval by: (I) the week before Thanksgiving break during Fall semesters, or (II) the week before Spring break during Spring semesters.