College of Science
Department of Mathematics and Statistics
INDUSTRIAL MATHEMATICS MS – PLAN B
The Industrial Mathematics Program teaches students modeling, simulation, mathematical and statistical analysis for careers in industry and mathematical sciences. Students are prepared to work at a variety of government and industrial research jobs, teaching careers at community colleges as well as for entry to doctoral programs in applied mathematics or statistics. Research project topics are suggested by industrial and scientific internship partners; recent research has developed Bayesian optimization tools for use in quantitative Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbant Assay (ELISA) to detect bio-pathogens, used path planning algorithms to govern robotic devices in complicated environments, or developed mathematical models and dynamical systems approaches to optimize genetic amplification technology for industrial pathogen detection. Applicants are welcomed from any undergraduate technical major, including computer science, chemistry, engineering, math, physics and statistics. Undergraduate linear algebra, multivariate calculus and differential equations is prerequisite, as is computer programming experience.
This degree requires 36 credits at or above the 5000 level – 30 credits in coursework, 3 credits for research (MATH 6970 ), and 3 credits for internship (MATH 6250 ) At least 15 of the coursework credits must be completed in MATH/STAT courses at the 6000 level or above (including the 3 credits of required internship). The internship could be a formal paid or unpaid summer internship at a tech company, NGO or national lab, but could also be a less formal ‘imbedding’ experience in another discipline requiring the student to assist with field or lab experiments and data collection. The governing notion is to be completely out of Math & Stats for at least a month, seeing another discipline from the inside and figuring out how Math & Stats could be usefully applied.
Additionally, students must complete a total of 9 graduate-level credits outside of the Department, complementing their internship and final project. A maximum of 3 of these credits may be taken at the 5000-level (i.e., one 3-credit course in another department). To build a foundation in applied mathematics, students are required to take four 5000-level classes in their first year (or receive approval from their Supervisory Committee for substitutes):
• STAT 5100 , Linear Regression and Time Series analysis
• one of MATH 5410 , Methods of Applied Mathematics, or MATH 5420 Partial Differential Equations,
• one of MATH 5610 , Computational Linear Algebra, or MATH 5620 Numerical Solution of Differential Equations, and
• one additional course from the five above or MATH 5760 (Stochastic Processes), 5460 (Nonlinear Dynamics), 5270 (Complex Variables) or an approved substitute.
The qualifying requirement is B or above performance in all four core classes. If students have had core classes (or clear equivalents) as part of an undergraduate degree and the supervising committee agrees, then they need not re-take the classes, but they must still meet the overall credit requirements for the degree.
Students are also required to complete a final project based on work done during an internship, either with a company or possibly with another department on campus. The project will include a technical write-up suitable to the industry/field, and presentation to the involved faculty and students in the program, following the Plan B option.
Plan B option:
A Plan B option requires the production and defense of a project. Students are required to complete 3 semester credits of thesis research (MATH 6970 ). Successful defense and submission of the project to the library is required. Approval of academic forms required for master’s students by the School of Graduate Studies.
There are no Plan A or Plan C options for this program.
General Graduate Program Requirements:
Degree Verification
A bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. college or university or a similarly recognized international university is required for admission to and completion of a graduate program.
Overall Graduate GPA at least 3.0 and no grades of C- or lower;
Graduate students are required to maintain at least a 3.0 GPA for degree-program courses. Grades of C- or lower will not be accepted for a graduate degree.
Course Number Acceptability
The Program of Study for a master’s degree or a doctoral degree, if the student has a master’s degree, must include at least 15 semester credits at the level of 6000 or above.
Credits in the following areas are not acceptable in a degree program: foreign languages (unless included in an approved Program of Study), continuing graduate advisement, individual home study, military science, and courses numbered below 3000.
Matriculation Start Semester
A master’s degree must be completed within six years of entering the degree program. Additional time may be requested by the student’s committee and submitted to the Vice Provost of Graduate Studies for review.
Coursework Validity
Coursework over eight years old at the time of degree completion may not be used for a graduate degree unless it is revalidated.
USU Residency Requirement
At least 24-semester credits for a master’s degree must be from a committee-approved and a School of Graduate Studies-approved Program of Study from Utah State University.
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