Mathematics

Our MS in Mathematics program is interdisciplinary and innovative in nature and offers a flexible schedule with highly qualified faculty.  The program is a result of cooperation between mathematics, computer science, and physics faculty and is designed to address the global need for people with advanced mathematical, analytical, and computational skills.  Students are provided with a strong background in mathematics and its applications as well as skills necessary to conduct independent research. The program incorporates interdisciplinary applications such as bioinformatics, actuarial sciences, cryptography, security, image recognition, artificial intelligence, mathematics education, and the philosophy of mathematics.  Students’ specializations depend on the electives chosen and on the final thesis/project conducted under the supervision of an advisor/mentor.  An individual study plan can be designed to meet entry requirements for Ph.D. programs in mathematics or the mathematical sciences.

Prerequisites for the program:

The majority of the students admitted into the MS program have a bachelor's degree in mathematics or a closely related discipline.  It is recommended that you have completed at least one semester in each of the following topics: real analysis, probability and statistics, and abstract algebra.  Students lacking recommended prerequisites may be admitted conditionally and advised to take undergraduate courses necessary to prepare fully for the program. 

Requirements for the Master of Science in Mathematics - 32 units

Core Courses - 11 units

       MATH 511 Functional Analysis (3)
       MATH 512 Probabilistic Methods and Measure Theory (3)
       MATH 513 Advanced Algebra (3)

And required two units of: 
MATH 599 Graduate Seminar (1)

Electives - 15 units*

Choose at least two electives from the following list:

MATH 570 Combinatorics (3)
MATH 582 Number Theory and Cryptography (3)
MATH 584 Algebraic Geometry and Coding Theory (3)
MATH 587 Markov Chains and Markov Processes (3)
MATH 588 Stochastic Analysis (3)
MATH 590 Graduate Topics in Mathematics

Choose at most three electives from the following list:

MATH 555 Actuarial Sciences (3)
MATH 565 Research in Mathematics Education (3)
PHYS 510 Advanced Image Analysis Techniques (3)
PHYS 546 Pattern Recognition (3)
COMP 554 Algorithms (3)
COMP 569 Artificial Intelligence (3)
COMP 571 Biologically Inspired Computing (3)
COMP 572 Neural Networks (3)
COMP 575 Multi-Agent Systems (3)
COMP 578 Data Mining (3)

*MATH 594 (Independent Study) and other graduate courses from mathematics or the mathematical sciences may be included with the graduate advisor’s approval.

Projects or Masters Thesis Concentration- 6 units

MATH 597 Master Thesis (1-6)
or 
MATH 598 Master Project (1-6) 

*Math 597/598 may be taken for a maximum of 9 units.  Before registering for the first unit of thesis (or project), full admission to the program must be obtained, at least one core course must be completed with a B- or better, a faculty thesis advisor arranged, and a thesis topic chosen for which the student is prepared to do research.  Students are strongly advised to obtain the proper background in a relevant area of graduate-level mathematics before registering for any thesis units.  A thesis committee of 2 to 3 faculty members must be formed before registering for the final unit of thesis.  A non-faculty scientist or professional with relevant expertise may serve in place of a faculty member on a thesis committee (but not as a thesis advisor), subject to both the Director’s and thesis advisor’s approvals.  A signed Thesis Units Request Form is required for registering for thesis units and is available on the Program webpage.  Successful completion of the thesis requirement also requires (1) an oral thesis defense to the thesis committee, (2) a presentation of the thesis results to the campus community, (3) a signature page with signatures of acceptance from all thesis committee members, and (4) electronic submission of the thesis to the University Library for archiving.

Graduate Writing Assessment Requirement

Writing proficiency prior to the awarding of the degree is demonstrated by successful completion of at least two credits of MATH 597 (Masters Thesis) or MATH 598 (Masters Project) with a grade of B or higher.

International (F-1) students may be accepted if they fulfill the following requirements:

Have earned a degree or diploma that CI considers to be the equivalent to a 4-year U.S. bachelor's degree from an accredited institution

If educated in the U.S., have attained a minimum GPA of 2.7 (A = 4.0) or more in the last 60 semester (90 quarter) units attempted. If educated in a non-U.S. university, have acceptable academic performance as determined by the Graduate Admissions Office. Certain programs have stricter requirements regarding academic preparation (please see program websites below for specific GPA requirements).

An official TOEFL score report with a minimum score of 550 paper, 213 computer, 80 iBT (Internet-Based Test) or an overall IELTS band score of 6.5 except where English is the official language of the country. Certain programs may require a higher TOEFL/IELTS score.