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The department offers two degree programs for students who wish to emphasize secondary and junior college mathematics education—the M.A.T. and the M.M. degrees. Courses at the 700-level specifically designed for these programs are designated by the letter I adjoined to the course number. These courses are generally offered in the late afternoon during the academic year and during the summer to provide area teachers the opportunity to work toward a degree on a part-time basis.

The M.A.T. in mathematics is offered by the Department of Mathematics jointly with the College of Education. This degree program is designed specifically for students who wish to obtain teaching certification in mathematics at the secondary level.

Degree Requirements (48 Hours)

The M.A.T. degree requires 30 approved semester hours of graduate-level course work in mathematics and education (exclusive of directed teaching), no less than 6 and no more than 15 of which may be in education, and at least 15 of which must be in mathematics or statistics. The individual student’s program is planned according to that student’s background and goals. At least half of the student’s course work must be numbered 700 or higher.

Each student’s program of study must include at least one course in geometry (chosen from MATH 531  or MATH 736I ), algebraic structures (MATH 701I ), real analysis (MATH 703I ), statistics (STAT 509  or STAT 515  -STAT 516 ), and number theory (MATH 780I ). If equivalent courses have already been taken, then appropriate substitutions will be made.

Unless previously taken, the student must also take upper division courses in linear algebra (MATH 526  or MATH 544 ) and discrete mathematics (MATH 574 ). Normally theses two courses are taken prior to full admission to the program.

Course work in education must include human growth and development (EDPY 705 ), foundations of education (EDFI 749 ), a curriculum course (EDSE 770 ), a reading course (EDRD 518  or EDRD 730 ), and methods of teaching (EDSE 764 ).

The student must also complete an 18- semester-hour program of methods and internship in mathematics (EDSE 550 , EDSE 584 , EDSE 778A  and EDSE 778B ). Students must apply for admission to the professional program and internship through the College of Education’s Office of Student Affairs early in the fall or spring semester prior to the semester of Internship B.

Upon admission to the M.A.T. program, the student is assigned a faculty advisor in mathematics to assist in the development of the mathematics portion of the program. Approval of the candidate’s program will be granted by a committee of three faculty members, consisting of the faculty advisor in mathematics, the faculty advisor in education, and a faculty member from either mathematics or education.

Each student must maintain a B average on all graduate-level course work in mathematics and a B average on all graduate-level course work in education.

Candidates for the M.A.T. degree are required to pass a written Comprehensive Examination covering their program of study and emphasizing the theoretical underpinnings of calculus, the basic forms of mathematical reasoning, argumentation, and proof, a repertoire of fundamental examples and counter-examples, problem solving, and insight into how these can inform the teaching of secondary mathematics. Geometric and statistical reasoning will frequently be called upon; students will generally be free to draw on their knowledge of any of analysis, algebra, discrete mathematics, or number theory as they see fit to demonstrate forms of mathematical argumentation and proof.