Masters of Science (MS) in Mathematics

The Master of Science (MS) in Mathematics provides students with basic graduate training in mathematics, with options to complete a thesis or an internship. As an MS student, you'll choose from a wide ranging program of study that may focus on pure or applied mathematics. The program's flexible coursework is designed to prepare you for employment in areas such as academia, government, business, industry, or for further graduate study, including our PhD in Mathematics program. 

Please see the MS Handbook for additional information about the program.

Admissions

Masters applications are accepted on a rolling basis. If admitted, MS students are expected to matriculate in the upcoming Fall term. If you already have an MS in a math-related field, consider applying to our PhD program instead.

Residency

The Tufts MS in Math program is an in-resident program. The vast majority of our graduate courses are offered in-person on our campus in Medford, MA; a few graduate courses are offered online during the summer semester. A very limited amount of graduate housing is available via lottery. Most of our graduate students live off-campus.

Advising

Beginning Master's students are expected to consult with their academic advisers to develop a course of study that aligns with their academic and career goals. They should continue to consult with their advisers regularly when selecting courses throughout the program.

Program Requirements

• A minimum of 9 courses, a total of at least 30 credits, are required to complete the MS in Mathematics.
• A course must be worth at least 3 credits to count toward the 9 course requirement.
• At least three of the courses must be Math courses numbered above 200.
• All courses must be completed with grades of grades of B- or better to count towards the degree.
• If the 9 courses do not add up to 30 credits, a student may take any Math course above 120, or mathematically-significant related fields course toward the degree to reach the credit limit. Unless otherwise stated, the following courses are excluded from counting towards the course requirements: Math 192, 193, 195-196, 291-292, 294-298. However, these courses may be counted toward the total 30 credit requirement.
• A maximum of two reading courses (Math 293) may be used for the 9 required courses, while only up to 3 credits worth of reading courses may satisfy one of the three 200-level course requirements. All Math 293 courses must be approved prior to the start of the semester they will be completed. The student must request a syllabus from the instructor that is sent to the Graduate Committee for approval.

Course Requirements

The course requirements are broken down into three categories plus a thesis option.

1. Mathematical Breadth:
   • 3 regularly offered Math courses above 120.
   • 1 course must be at the 200 level, not including Math 293 or a Special Topics course.
   • Each course must be in a separate discipline, indicated by the 2nd digit of the course numbering. 
2. Electives:
   • 2 courses, which can be any Math course numbered above 100 or "related fields" courses.
   • This may include upper level, mathematically significant courses in Computer Science, Physics, Economics, or other departments. Please see the list of courses that have already been approved and disapproved in this category. If a course is not listed there, then a student can ask the Graduate Committee to approve it as an elective course.
   • Special topics courses in a given area must be approved by the Graduate Committee.
      
3. Master's Thesis Option:
   • Equivalent to 1 concentration course and 1 elective course.
   • Satisfies 1 of the 3 200-level overall course requirements.
   • A student fulfills this requirement by writing an expository paper on a specific topic in mathematics under the direction of a member of the department, and upon completion, presenting it before a committee of three or more faculty members. Please see MS Handbook for more details.
   • Students must enroll in courses Math 295 and 296 in their final year of study, which account for 5 credits each toward the 30 credits, but not toward the 7 other total courses needed.

Extracurricular Activities

The Math Department offers many opportunities for social activities, such as: summer softball league, sports practice (soccer, running), an art wall, peer-mentoring for research, and graduate student groups.

Funding

Please note:

• Teaching Assistantships and Research Assistantships are only available to PhD students. 
• For questions regarding financial aid, contact GSAS admissions. 
• For student employment opportunities, review this page.

Post-Graduation

After graduating, our MS students go on to jobs in industry (including statistics, quant, finance, data analysis, and teaching) or apply to PhD programs, such as our Math PhD Program. Tufts Career Services assists graduate students with finding internships and jobs and also hosts on-campus career fairs.

Questions?

Kindly note, for questions about the admissions process, how to fill out the admissions applications, financial aid, ** application fee waivers **, English Proficiency waivers, and the application software, please reach out to the Graduate Admissions team at our School of Arts and Science. Their email address and information about fee waivers and the application process can be found on their FAQ. The Math Department does not control the process for waiving application fees and cannot request them for you.