Math

If you see yourself as a middle or high school mathematics teacher, the dual degree 4+1 program is the way to get there. Major in mathematics and minor in education to reach your teaching goals.

Mathematics is the language of science, providing a framework for analyzing the world by abstracting from our observations that which is essential to the question at hand. An understanding of mathematics gives its owner a powerful approach to solving problems through organization, simplification and abstraction. This approach often leads to solutions and techniques of great beauty, independent of their application, and it is the aim of the Department of Mathematics to furnish its majors with some of this understanding and an appreciation of this beauty. These learned skills will serve students interested in careers in academia, as well as those pursuing careers in fields ranging from medicine to national security to actuarial studies.

The mathematics minor is designed to allow students to build on their interest in mathematics while focusing on a major area of study in another field. Students in fields such as computer science, chemistry, biology and economics, will complete some of the minor requirements as support courses for their major, making this additional credential that much easier to attain. The mathematics minor sends a strong signal of technical sophistication and greatly enhances the technical skills that will be particularly advantageous to those looking towards advanced degrees in such areas as medicine, business and law.

Develop the knowledge and skills needed to confidently teach mathematics with a deep focus on the underpinnings of algebra, calculus, geometry, statistics and number systems so students learn to think like mathematicians.

This program consists of coursework in middle school mathematics, mathematics education, advanced pedagogy and a capstone course. The degree program satisfies the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) requirements for a master's degree to be used for a professional license in Math (5-8).

Our master of arts in teaching middle school mathematics is designed for current or aspiring high school mathematics teachers who want to obtain an initial license to teach middle school mathematics (grades 5-8) in conjunction with their master’s degree. This track includes advanced pedagogy coursework and middle school mathematics content courses.

The master of science in mathematics degree can serve many needs. It is intended to provide a sound foundation for further graduate study at the doctoral level and to provide additional education for teachers at the secondary school level or beyond. It can also serve those who have or who are looking for careers in industry, research and commerce (including insurance, financial planning, software development and as statisticians working on studies by companies such as pharmaceutical companies).

The program is designed to be especially convenient for students wanting to pursue a graduate degree in mathematics on a part-time basis. Courses are generally offered in the evening in the fall, spring and summer semesters.

Our mathematics licensure program is a certificate program leading to initial licensure in either middle school mathematics (math 5-8) or high school mathematics (math 8-12). It is intended for students with a background in mathematics who already teach with a provisional license and need pedagogy and methods coursework and a practicum to earn an initial license.