The department offers a Master of Arts in Mathematics and a Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics.
The M.A. program prepares students for further study toward the Ph.D. or for careers in teaching or industry. The Ph.D. program prepares students for research and/or teaching careers in colleges, universities or industry.
SLU graduate mathematics is unique!
Our location in the beautiful and culturally rich Midtown area of St. Louis is one thing that makes us unique, but there is a combination of qualities that we think distinguishes our mathematics graduate program in a more substantial way.
- We are a small program with a great student/faculty ratio. We typically have more faculty than graduate students!
- We provide a nurturing yet rigorous and challenging environment.
- The master's program prepares candidates for Ph.D. study or for work in teaching or industry.
- The department is engaged in undergraduate curriculum reform using leading-edge technology, and graduate students participate in this.
- We have a record of recruiting, graduating, and placing minority students.
Application Information
Students must apply through the Graduate School. For the upcoming Spring 2021 and Fall 2021 semesters we are not requiring the GRE general exam. Students will need to provide:
- Transcripts
- 3 Letters of Recommendation
- Resume
- Professional Goal Statement
We do not require any specific undergraduate course of study, but students should have a deep mathematics background beyond calculus.
Financial assistance
Students who are awarded teaching assistantships normally teach one course per semester. This allows graduate students maximum freedom to pursue graduate study while gaining valuable teaching experience. The nine month stipend amount is approximately $22,500 (as of 2023), including full tuition remission and medical benefits. Students at both the M.A. and the Ph.D. level are elligable for these assistantships. In addition, each year the department can nominate outstanding candidates for Minority Fellowships and Presidential Fellowships.
Required course work
Ten courses (30 hours) at the 5000 level are required for the M.A. The graduate level courses are centered around algebra, analysis, statistics, and topology. M.A. students must complete at least two core courses in two of these areas. Ph.D. students must complete a total of eight core courses from these areas. There are 50xx level courses in these areas which prepare the student for the core graduate level courses. Courses at the advanced graduate level allow the student to proceed beyond the standard graduate curriculum into areas of research represented by the faculty. Additional course work and a dissertation consisting of original research are required for the Ph.D.
The faculty
SLU has an internationally recognized faculty in the research areas of geometric and algebraic topology, differential geometry, relativity theory, group theory, group representation theory, functional analysis, geometric analysis, and statistics. A high faculty-to-student ratio allows for creative, individual instruction within a framework of rigorous training.
The students
SLU graduate math students come from many backgrounds. Some have just finished their undergraduate degrees, others have already been in the workforce for years. Some enter the Master's program as a terminal degree, others plan to continue towards the Ph.D. either at SLU or another institution. Our students career goals vary widely: Many plan to teach mathematics at some level, some are heading for financial careers such as actuarial work, and others plan to work in industry.