Master of Science in Mathematics

About this programme

The MSc program is 24 months for full-time students and 48 months for part-time students. The format for the degree consists of at least 3 graduate level courses and a thesis. All students will take Algebra (Math 5405), Analysis (Math 5505), and a third course. In some cases, a student may be required to include undergraduate courses as well, if additional background preparation is required. The thesis is the most significant component of work towards the degree and usually involves original research. The first step for any prospective student is to select a potential supervisor and in consultation with the supervisor, organise a research plan including possible thesis topic, before admission to the program. Faculty research interests are a critical factor in this preliminary decision. The department is attempting to expand and strengthen its research activities and graduate students will play an important role in this endeavour. Almost all faculty members in the department receive external or internal funding to support their research programs. Graduate degrees traditionally have been awarded for the successful completion of a satisfactory thesis. The thesis route expresses the fundamental tradition of academic scholarship. It also relates to the University's undergraduate programs, because the creation of a thesis in any discipline calls for a range of skills which are central to the liberal education tradition, including analysis and synthesis of ideas, empirical investigations, the construction and articulation of arguments, and writing skills. Students with a BSc ma