General Admissions Requirements

• Applicants without a BS in Mathematics must have taken the following "keystone" undergraduate courses:
  MAA 4200 Modern Analysis, STA 4442 Probability and Statistics I, MAS 4301 Modern Algebra (or equivalent courses).
• GRE: a verbal-plus-quantitative score of at least 1000 for MS programs, and 1100 for the PhD program, is required.
• GPA: 3.0 or better, in all upper division courses.
• International students: TOEFL: 550 (CBT - 213)

General Degree Requirements

• At least one-half of the credits included in any master's degree program shall be designated as 6000-level courses or above.
• A minimum grade point average of 3.0 is required,
• For more details see the degree requirements in the University Graduate Catalog, and some special departmental requirements listed together with the program descriptions below.

Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics

Dissertations by our former students

The Ph.D. Program is for those students who have the desire and ability to eventually carry out independent and original research in mathematics. For details of the application process please see the application forms.

Admission to Doctoral Program
An applicant must meet the general admissions requirements, and have a very strong record of work in mathematics, as evidenced by transcripts and letters of recommendation (preferably three). A verbal-plus-quantitative score of at least 1100 is required for the GRE.

Admission to Doctoral Candidacy
A student may not register for dissertation credits until formal admission to candidacy is granted. This requires the following.
1. The student must pass a set of qualifying examinations in analysis and algebra. This should be done within two years of admission to doctoral study. Three attempts are allowed, and if just one part is not passing, the student is allowed to retake that portion only.
2. The student must secure a research advisor and a supervisory committee consisting of three others, at least two of which are from the Department Graduate Faculty. The research advisor and the Department Graduate Committee must approve the student's plan of course work.
3. A dissertation topic must be approved by the supervisory committee and the Graduate Committee.

A stricter time table applies to students receiving a teaching assistantship: Pass one of the two qualifying exams at the Ph.D. level in 18 months, and pass both within 24 month of receiving the assistantship.

Degree Requirements
To finish the degree the student must do the following.
1. Pass a second set of exams consisting of two oral or written tests on advanced topics approved by the Graduate Committee. A student may take this exam twice, and must pass it by the end of his/her fourth year of study to stay in the Ph.D. program.
2. Complete University requirements, including at least 18 credits at FAU, beyond the masters level. (Eighty credits are required. Up to 36 credits may come from previous graduate work.)
3. Present a dissertation and an oral defense of it.

A stricter time table applies to students receiving a teaching assistantship: Pass the second set of exams within 3 years of candidacy, and finish the Ph.D. within 4 years of candidacy.

Master of Science in Mathematics

This program is designed to provide a foundation for mathematical work in scientific or technical fields as well as for doctoral study in mathematics. It should normally take a full-time student two years to complete. The program may be completed with or without a thesis. In addition to meeting the University graduate admission requirements, applicants must have a Bachelor's degree in mathematics, or equivalent coursework. This should include a year each of analysis and algebra. Three letters of recommendation are requested. There are currently no assitantships for the MS program. For details of the application process please see the application forms.
The department also offers a combined Bachelor and Master of Science degree to exceptional Students.

Degree Requirements - Thesis Option
This version of the program requires 32 approved credits, and a thesis. At least three semesters total of Introductory Analysis (MAA 5226-7) and Introductory Abstract Algebra (MAD 5302-3), or approved equivalents, must be completed with grades of B or better.
At least 16 credits must be at the 6000 level. At least 9 of those 16 credits must be in 6000-level mathematics courses (excluding MST-designated courses and thesis). Six thesis credits are required.
Up to 9 credits may be taken at other departments at FAU, when approved by the graduate coordinator. However, only 7 of the 9 credits can be used to fulfill the 16-credits at the 6000 level rule.
The student's plan of study is subject to the approval of a supervisory committee. A successful oral defense of the thesis is required.
Special rules apply to the  joint program in Mathematics and Electrical Engineering

Degree Requirements - Non-Thesis Option
The non-thesis version of the program requires 36 approved credits, and the successful completion of the Master's Examination. Both two semester sequences of Introductory Analysis (MAA 5226-7) and Introductory Abstract Algebra (MAD 5302-3), or approved equivalents, must be completed with grades of B or better (excluding MST-designated courses).
At least 18 credits must be at the 6000 level. At least 12 credits must be in 6000-level mathematics courses.
Up to 12 credits of the required 36 may consist of courses from outside the Department of Mathematical Sciences if approved by the graduate coordinator. However, only 6 of the 12 credits can be used to fulfill the 18-credits at the 6000 level rule. The student's plan of study is subject to the approval of a supervisory committee.

Masters of Science in Applied Mathematics and Statistics

Build around a common core of applied and pure mathematics, the program has tracks in continuous modeling, cryptology, biostatistics, and financial mathematics.  In addition to meeting the University graduate admission requirements, applicants must have a Bachelor's degree in mathematics, or equivalent coursework. This should include a year each of analysis and algebra. Three letters of recommendation are requested. There are currently no assitantships for the MS program. For details of the application process please see the application forms.
The MS program in Applied Mathematics and Statistics will require students to complete 30 credit hours of required courses and an additional 6 credit hours of industrial internship or thesis.

At least 18 credits must be at the 6000 level, excluding thesis credits.
Up to 12 credits can be taken at other departments at FAU, if approved by the graduate coordinator.

• Common Core (6 credits): Choose two courses from Introductory Analysis (MAA 5226), Introductory Abstract Algebra I (MAD 5302), or Mathematical Probability (STA 6444)
• Continuous Modeling Track (30 credits): Common core,  four required courses (in Analysis and Industrial Mathematics) and four electives.
• Cryptology Track (30 credits): Common core,  five required courses (Cryptology, Coding, Number Theory, ...) and three electives.
• Biostatistics Track (30 credits): Common core,  five required courses (Statistics, Linear Models, ...) and three electives.
• Financial Mathematics Track (30 credits): Common core, four required courses (Stochastic Calculus, Financial Mathematics ...) and four electives.
• [in planning: Scientific Visualization Track (30 credits): Common core,  four required courses (Advanced Computer Graphics,  Digital Image Processing ...) and four electives.]

For more details click here.

Master of Science in Teaching (Mathematics)

MS  --  MST  --  Ph.D.

This is a graduate mathematics degree program with emphasis on issues of teaching. It provides both post-baccalaureate education for certified secondary school teachers and preparation for teaching at the community college level. The program does not provide secondary teaching certification.

Admission Requirements

In addition to meeting the University admission requirements for graduate study, applicants should have completed an undergraduate mathematics degree. Applicants without an undergraduate mathematics degree will be expected to complete (in addition to the MST degree requirements) the equivalent of the calculus sequence, Matrix Theory, Discrete Mathematics, Modern Analysis, Modern Algebra, and Probability and Statistics 1.

Degree Requirements

The program requires 24 credits of graduate mathematics classes and 6 credits of education classes at or above the 4000-level. (Candidates without a valid secondary teaching certificate or less than two years of teaching experience may be required to complete a 6-credit internship.) Each semester (including summers) the mathematics department offers one or two 6000-level classes specifically designed for the MST program. Candidates may complete 6 of the 24 credits in mathematics by writing a master's thesis.

Application Forms for MST program

University graduate application forms can be filled out online or downloaded from graduate.fau.edu/GradApp/. You can also obtain application forms by email, gradadm@fau.edu, or by phone, 1-561-297-2618. You will need to fill in our departmental application form  (.doc ,.html).
For more information click here, or write to the MST graduate advisor Paul Yiu, Yiu@fau.edu.

Application Forms

University graduate application forms can be filled out online or downloaded from graduate.fau.edu/GradApp/. You can also obtain application forms by e-mail, gradadm@fau.edu, or by phone, 1-561-297-2618. You will need to fill in our departmental application form  (.doc ,.html)  especially if you wish to be considered for an assistantship. We prefer if you apply online at the graduate admissions office, and send all supporting documents (original transcripts, letters of references, vitae, department application form, copy of GRE and TOEFL (for foreign students only)) to the graduate director, Department of Mathematical Sciences, Florida Atlantic University , Boca Raton , FL 33431. We make a copy, and forward the transcripts to graduate admissions. Please request from ETS that the original GRE (TOELF) score is send to graduate admissions.
For more information contact the graduate advisor W. Kalies, wkalies@fau.edu.

Qualifying Examination

All doctoral students must pass a two-stage qualifying examination before officially starting their dissertation work.

The First Exam (Qualifying Exams)

The first exam is designed to ensure that the students know some basic mathematics. It should normally be taken in the end of a student's first year of study. A student must pass the exam at the Ph.D. level by the end of his/her second year to stay in the Ph.D. program. A masters student pursuing the non-thesis option must pass the first exam at the masters level.
The first exam consists of two three-hour written tests covering 5000-level Algebra and Analysis. Each test may be taken separately, and may be attempted a maximum of three times. The exam will be given twice a year, in January and August. More information and sample exams are available here.

The Second Exam (Preliminary)

The second exam is designed to test whether a student is ready to start dissertation-related reading and work, and should normally be taken by the end of his/her third year of study.
The second exam consists of two oral or written tests on advanced topics approved by the Graduate Committee. A student may take this exam twice, and must pass it by the end of his/her fourth year of study to stay in the Ph.D. program. 

Transfer Credit

General Rules: All transfer credits must be approved by the graduate coordinator. Up to one third of the required credits for a degree program can be taken as non-degree seeking at FAU (catalog p. 48/04).
1. Ph.D. Program: Up to 36 graduate credits from other institutions. Up to 6 of those can be non-degree seeking.
2. Masters Program: Up to 6 graduate credits from other institutions.