Mathematics | SUNY Potsdam

M.A. in Mathematics

The Master of Arts program in Mathematics is designed to develop the student’s ability to work independently and to obtain basic knowledge in algebra, real and complex variables, and topology so that mathematics literature can be read with understanding and enjoyment. The successful completion of this program should prepare a student to enter a second-year doctoral program in mathematics, to begin a career as an industrial mathematician or as a faculty member at a junior or community college. For educators with initial certification in mathematics, this degree will also satisfy the requirements for professional certification in New York State. Program start dates: Fall or Spring (in certain cases).

B.A./M.A. in Mathematics
Note: Students who have been highly successful in Set Theory and Logic, and Linear Algebra during the Fall semester of their Sophomore year are also considered promising candidates for the B.A./M.A. program. The mathematics faculty will recommend these promising candidates to the chair of the Mathematics Department. Interested candidates should consult with the Department of Mathematics faculty on the details of the program. It is possible in four years (without overloads) to complete the combined Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts program in mathematics.

Apply Now Program Info Faculty

Outcomes

M.A. students will be able to:

use the language of graduate mathematics effectively in written communication.
use the language of graduate mathematics effectively in oral communication.
develop a specialized knowledge of mathematics consistent with the core graduate-level courses.
establish a solid foundation in an advanced area of graduate mathematics.

B.A./M.A. students will be able to:

construct sound proofs and use the language of graduate mathematics effectively in written communication.
use the language of graduate mathematics effectively in oral communication.
have a strong fundamental knowledge of graduate algebra, analysis and topology.
establish a solid foundation in an advanced area of graduate mathematics.

Career Outlook

"All the professors in the mathematics department really are out of this world! They’re all understanding, especially with the BA / MA students who are really pushing themselves.”
Paul Dougall ’20

Jeanne Kimmich Roberts '80

After only three and a half years at SUNY Potsdam, Jeanne Kimmich Roberts '80 earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mathematics, along with a minor in economics and a grade 7-12 teaching certificate. Despite her initial plan to teach, Jeanne accepted a software engineering job after college, which propelled her into a distinguished career in software systems and national security. In 1994, she established her own firm, Kimmich Software Systems, Inc. Jeanne recognized that her success would not have been possible without her education at SUNY Potsdam. In 2013, she and her husband, Ray, endowed the Jeanne Kimmich Roberts Scholarship to support academically talented female students pursuing a degree in math or computer science at SUNY Potsdam.

Laura Wessing '15

In four years, alumna Laura Wessing graduated summa cum laude with a double major in computer science and mathematics, as well as getting a master’s degree in math through the BA / MA program. In that time, she completed three internships, two of which were with the U.S. Air Force. Now she leads the quantum algorithms team at the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory in Rome, N.Y.—overseeing complex research on quantum bits.

Paul Dougall ’20

Paul Dougall ’20 is a true Renaissance man. Now in his last year at SUNY Potsdam, he is completing not only a degree in music business, but two separate degrees in mathematics as part of the Department of Mathematics’ BA / MA program—a unique opportunity for highly motivated students to graduate with both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mathematics at the same time. Over the summer he landed an internship at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center where he was able to incorporate all of those disciplines.