DA – Education
The DA in Mathematics is designed to train educators for undergraduate instruction in post-secondary institutions. DA students conduct research in the methodology and techniques that lead to successful teaching in mathematics. The degree requirements reflect a broad selection of the department's courses to expose students to the full variety of topics taught at the undergraduate level.
The focus of this program is the production of a thesis of publishable quality that investigates a topic in mathematics or mathematics education. The student must fulfill the Graduate College requirements specified in the Graduate College catalog as well as departmental requirements detailed in the MSCS Graduate Handbook, which includes:
- Provide proof of an equivalent MS degree or earn a high pass on the Department's Master's Examination or write a master's thesis and pass an oral defense. The MST degree is not sufficient equivalency. This requirement must be satisfied within one year of completion of 24 semester hours of credit.
- Fulfill the doctoral written examination and minor requirement
- Submit a thesis proposal along with nominations for a thesis committee
- Produce and defend a thesis consisting of an original, creative and scholarly contribution to the teaching of college mathematics.
- Earn 96 semester hours of graduate credit including:
- Breadth in Mathematics (48 semester hours of graduate level MSCS courses) - At least 24 semester hours of 500-level courses selected from at least 3 different prelim exam clusters.
- Education and Mathematics Education (12 semester hours) - At least 12 credit hours of advisor-approved 500 level courses selected from a list outlined in the MSCS Graduate Handbook which includes Math 591 (Seminar on Mathematics Curricula), Math 592 (Seminar on Mathematics: Philosophy and Methodology), Learning Sciences courses, and Curriculum and Instruction courses.
- Electives (8 semester hours) - At least 8 credit hours of advisor-approved courses selected from mathematics, science, economics, or statistical methods in psychology and education.
- Teaching Practicum (8 semester hours of Math 596) on topics concerning the teaching of mathematics. A one to two page practicum proposal must be approved in advance by the advisor and the DA Committee.
- Thesis Research (20 semester hours of Math 599) - A two-page thesis proposal and proposed thesis committee members must be approved by the DA Committee before thesis research can begin.