2003-2005 - Graduate School - The University of Alabama

168 The University of Alabamageneral test of the Graduate Record Examination; the advanced portion is de sir ablebut not required.Degree RequirementsMaster of arts. Each student’s program for the master’s degree must be approvedby the department. A total of 30 graduate hours is required to obtain a master’s degreein mathematics.Candidates for the master’s degree may choose either of two plans. One plan (Plan I)requires successful completion of 24 semester hours of coursework, plus a thesis. Theother plan (Plan II) requires no thesis, but requires successful completion of 27 semesterhours of coursework plus 3 hours of work devoted to a project supervised by a memberof the graduate faculty in mathematics. At least 21 of the course hours must be taken inmathematics; courses in related areas, such as physics, fi nance, or computer science,may be taken with the approval of the graduate advisory committee. An oral examinationis required for completion of the degree. Candidates for the master’s degree mustcomplete three of the following four core courses: MATH 510 Numerical Linear Algebra,MATH 532 Graph Theory and Applications, MATH 580 Real Analysis I, and MATH 585Introduction to Complex Calculus.Doctor of philosophy. The student’s program for the Ph.D. degree in mathematicsmust be approved by the department. Ph.D. students in mathematics normally take threetwo-course sequences in mathematics/applied mathematics. A total of at least 48 hoursof course work is required. Dis ser ta tions for the Ph.D. degree in math e mat ics may bewritten in any one of several areas approved by the department. A total of at least 24hours of dissertation research must be taken. Before offi cially be com ing a Ph.D. candidate,the student must pass qualifying ex am i na tions in two areas within three years ofbecoming a full-time graduate student. One of the passes obtained should normally bein the area of the dissertation.Joint Ph.D. program in applied mathematicsis a program with the UA Systemcampuses in Birmingham and Huntsville. Admission to the program is obtained by passingthe joint program examination in linear algebra, numerical linear algebra, and realanalysis. Each program of study requires a minimum of 54 semester hours of courseworkapproved by the student’s joint graduate study supervisory committee. Those hours mustinclude a major area concentration consisting of at least six courses in addition to thecourses needed to prepare for the joint program examination, and an application minorconsisting of at least four related graduate courses in some area outside the department.Before offi cially becoming a Ph.D. candidate in this program, a student must pass thecomprehensive qualifying examination that covers the entire program of study. Neitherthe joint program examination nor the comprehensive qualifying ex am i na tion can betaken more than twice.Course DescriptionsMATH 500 Mathematical Methods of Physics I. Three hours.Prerequisite: MATH 238.Vector calculus, tensors and matrices, functions of a complex variable, and specialfunc tions.MATH 501 Mathematical Methods of Physics II. Three hours.Prerequisite: MATH 500.Special functions, Fourier series and integral transforms, Green’s functions, and grouptheory.MATH 502 History of Mathematics. Three hours.Prerequisite: Permission of the department.Designed to increase awareness of the historical roots of the subject and its universalapplications in a variety of settings, showing how mathematics has played a critical rolein the evolution of cultures over both time and space.MATH 504 Topics in Modern Mathematics for Teachers. Three hours.Prerequisite: Permission of the department.Diverse mathematical topics designed to enhance skills and broaden knowledge inmathematics for secondary mathematics teachers.