The AIM M.S. program requires only coursework, but the interdisciplinary nature of the training offered requires more courses than a typical master's program. AIM M.S. students also participate alongside the AIM Ph.D. students in the AIM Student Seminar (Math 501) for the first two semesters of study.
Counseling
AIM M.S. students will receive course counseling from the AIM Director. The Graduate Program Coordinator will process departmental and Rackham paperwork. Information about minimum credits, cross-listed courses, etc. can be found in this Course Enrollment section of the Graduate Student Handbook.
Course Comments
At the end of the Fall and Winter semesters, the Graduate Office will send this Google Form requesting course comments from the graduate students’ course instructors. Students will receive a report with the instructors’ course comments.
Basic Requirements
The AIM M.S. degree requires a total of 31 credits: nine regular courses (3 credits each) and 2 credits of the AIM Student Seminar (Math 501, to be taken in the first two semesters), with the remaining credits being composed of other approved graduate courses. Among the nine regular courses, the AIM M.S. program additionally requires:
All courses must be at the graduate level (400 level and above), and with the exception of Math 501 must be graded courses completed with a grade of at least B, with an overall average of B+. The AIM Program Director will supervise coursework selection for AIM M.S. students who do not have other mentors.
Additional Requirements
AIM M.S. Students accepted into the Marjorie Lee Browne Scholars Program will have additional requirements related to the enhanced content of that degree program:
- Students may participate in the RMF Connection, a summer program that focuses on successful transition to graduate study, access to campus resources, building personal networks, and developing research and scholarly expertise.
- From among the courses to be taken from the enhanced list of AIM core courses (see below), the study program must include at least three 500-level courses. The study program must also include
- MATH 404 (Intermediate Differential Equations),
- MATH 419 (Linear Spaces and Matrix Theory), and
- MATH 451 (Advanced Calculus I),
unless similar courses have been satisfactorily completed as part of the undergraduate degree.
- Students must participate in a research project with a faculty advisor. This research experience will culminate in an MLB scholars capstone course and minisymposium by students registering for 3 credits of Independent Study / Directed Reading and Research with their faculty advisor in the fourth term of the program. As a part of this course, students will work with their faculty advisors to finalize their research projects, produce a written summary of the work, and prepare an oral presentation of their results for the capstone minisymposium. Students will also meet as a group with the MLB Scholars program director once per month to discuss progress towards the completing the research component of the degree.
For students in the Marjorie Lee Browne Scholars Program, the list of AIM core courses from which at least five courses are required is enhanced to include in addition:
- MATH 404 (Intermediate Differential Equations)
- MATH 419 (Linear Spaces and Matrix Theory)
- MATH 451 (Advanced Calculus I)
- MATH 454 (Boundary Value Problems for Partial Differential Equations)
Program Learning Goals
- Learning Goal > Mathematical Proficiency: Developing a thorough understanding of advanced mathematical concepts and techniques used in applied mathematics, such as differential equations, numerical analysis, and statistical methods.
- Assessment > Successful completion of coursework in applied mathematics; problem sets requiring application of specific techniques; projects involving theoretical analysis of mathematical models; presentations of advanced mathematical topics.
- Learning Goal > To give students opportunities to learn about the full range of subjects in mathematics through course work, seminars, and research.
- Assessment > Performance in core and elective courses, attendance in weekly seminars, regular engagement with faculty research mentor.
- Learning Goal > Communication Skills: Improving the ability to effectively communicate complex mathematical ideas and findings to both technical and non-technical audiences.
- Assessment > The program culminates in a thesis project. MLB students will work closely with a research mentor to study applied and interdisciplinary mathematics topics of mutual interest. All finishing MLB scholars will participate in the MLB Symposium, where they will present their MLB thesis work to the wider departmental community.
- Learning Goal > Collaboration: Cultivating the ability to work collaboratively in interdisciplinary teams, leveraging mathematical expertise to contribute to joint projects.
- Assessment > Group projects with clearly defined individual and team responsibilities; peer evaluations of team members' contributions; observation of group dynamics during in-class activities; reflective essays on collaborative experiences.
- Learning Goal > Research Readiness: Develop foundational research skills in applied and interdisciplinary mathematics, including problem formulation, literature review, mathematical modeling, analysis, and computational exploration.
- Assessment > Engagement in a mentored research project culminating in a written technical report, regular research meetings and progress updates with faculty mentor, demonstration of independent thinking and mathematical maturity through the formulation and exploration of research questions, oral presentation of results at the MLB Symposium.
- Learning Goal > Prepare students to enroll in one of Michigan's Ph.D. programs in the mathematical sciences.
- Assessment > Successful completion of MS and acceptance into a Ph.D. program.
