To earn a master’s degree at Washington University, a student must complete all courses required by their department; maintain satisfactory academic progress; pass certain examinations; fulfill all academic and residence requirements; and apply for program completion (graduation) via Workday Student.
For the details of master’s degree general requirements in Arts & Sciences, including an explanation of Satisfactory Academic Progress, students should review the Master’s Degree Academic Information page of the Arts & Sciences Bulletin.
Program Requirements
- Total Units Required: 36 credits (with or without thesis)
- Degree Length: Two additional semesters
- Note: Students must be enrolled in 9 graduate credits each semester to retain full-time status. As students complete their coursework, if enrolled in fewer than 9 graduate credits, they must enroll in a specific Arts & Sciences graduate course that will show 0 units but does count as full-time status. Students should connect with their department to ensure proper enrollment prior to Add/Drop.
- Grade Requirement:
- A grade point average of B (3.0) or better must be maintained in graduate coursework.
Mathematics, Accelerated BA/MA
General Information
The Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences, has an accelerated BA/Master's program in which highly qualified undergraduate majors can earn both the BA and MA degrees with two additional semesters of work (usually a total of five years).
This program is only for Washington University undergraduates who, if they participate, must do so in the academic year immediately following graduation (no deferments).
General Requirements
There are 36 units of coursework required and an optional thesis; 6 units may be for thesis research. The minimum residence requirement is one full academic year of graduate study. A GPA of B (3.0) or better must be maintained in the graduate courses.
Required Courses
The program allows participants to count up to 15 units of approved 4000-/5000-level coursework earned during the four years of undergraduate study (with grades of B or better) toward the MA course requirements. (The point of the 15-unit limit is to avoid having majors push so much specialized work into the BA years that they limit their opportunities to do the exploration outside of the major that an undergraduate should do.) Counting these 15 units makes it possible to finish the master's requirements in one additional year, but the program is still fast-paced and requires a lot of intense work and careful planning.
Careful course selection throughout the undergraduate program is required. Usually, the department will not recommend that the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences, admit a major to this program unless the 15 applicable units of 4000-/5000-level work will be completed by the time of graduation. In addition, the department expects applicants to have backgrounds comparable to students admitted to the regular master's programs.
Course Requirements
There are four basic graduate course sequences in pure mathematics:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 5121 | Complex Analysis I | 3 |
| MATH 5122 | Complex Analysis II | 3 |
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 5151 | Measure Theory and Functional Analysis I | 3 |
| MATH 5152 | Measure Theory and Functional Analysis II | 3 |
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 5221 | Geometry/Topology I: Algebraic Topology | 3 |
| MATH 5222 | Geometry/Topology II: Differential Topology | 3 |
| MATH 5223 | Geometry/Topology III: Differential Geometry | 3 |
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 5331 | Algebra I | 3 |
| MATH 5332 | Algebra II | 3 |
A candidate for the MA in Mathematics must include two of these sequences (12 units) in the required 36 units. (For the Geometry/Topology courses, a sequence consists of taking two of the following three courses: MATH 5221 Geometry/Topology I: Algebraic Topology, MATH 5222 Geometry/Topology II: Differential Topology, and MATH 5223 Geometry/Topology III: Differential Geometry.)
Each student, in consultation with their advisor, selects the remaining 24 units according to the student's interests and needs.
Thesis Requirements/Details
A maximum of 6 units may be used for thesis research.
- A Title, Scope, & Procedure form for the master’s thesis must be signed by the thesis committee members and by the program chair. It must be submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences, at least six months before the degree is expected to be conferred.
- A Master’s Thesis Guide and a Thesis Template that give instructions regarding the format of the thesis are available on the website of the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences. Both should be read carefully at every stage of thesis preparation.
Applying to the Program
Interested majors should consult with the Mathematics Director of Graduate Studies at the beginning of the fall semester of their senior year, before the add/drop deadline, to ensure that all necessary courses will be taken during the senior year. If accepted, they must begin the program in the fall semester immediately after graduation: no deferred admissions are allowed by the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences.
International Students
For students in the United States on a visa as undergraduates, staying on to complete an MA creates a change in visa status, which will involve reapplication paperwork. Interested students should check on the details with an international student advisor at the Office for International Students and Scholars.
Contact Info
| Phone: | 314-935-6760 |
| Website: | https://math.wustl.edu/graduate |