Master of Education in Mathematics
The M.Ed. degree in Mathematics Education with a concentration in mathematics leads to A-5 certification in Mathematics. A student enrolling in this program is expected to hold baccalaureate-level certification and have a four-year degree in the field of mathematics or mathematics education. A student with insufficient undergraduate preparation in mathematics is required to take undergraduate mathematics courses as a prerequisite for admission to the mathematics education program. This program requires a minimum of 36 semester hours of graduate work and passing of a comprehensive examination in the area of mathematics.
The Master of Education with concentration in mathematics requires a minimum of 36 semester hours of graduate course work which includes at least 18 semester hours of mathematics courses at the graduate level, a minimum of 9 semester hours of graduate level courses in professional studies and 9 semester hours of electives.
Regular admission to the M.Ed. program with concentration in mathematics requires that an applicant has an undergraduate education in mathematics or mathematics education, initial certification for teaching secondary mathematics and have satisfied the regular general admission requirements for admissions set by the School of Education at Albany State University. The student must have a 2.5 minimum overall undergraduate grade point average and a minimum standardized test score of 800 on the aptitude portion of the GRE, or 44 on the Miller Analogies Test. Besides the above requirements, a student who lacks preparation in mathematics is required, as a prerequisite to graduate admission, to take undergraduate mathematics courses as determined by the graduate committee in the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science (See application for admission in the appendix).
The student is admitted provisionally if some conditions are placed on his (her) status because of grade point average, standardized test scores or lack of academic preparation in the subject area. A student who lacks preparation in mathematics is required as a prerequisite specific undergraduate mathematics courses as determined by the graduate committee in the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science. No graduate credit is given for the courses at the undergraduate level. A minimum of 3.00 grade point average is required for satisfactory completion of the prerequisite courses. Additionally, the student must complete 9 semester hours of study at the graduate level with an average of B or above before he (she) is granted full admission to the program.
Students may enroll with this status to complete course work for either certification renewal or add-on certification purposes or personal enrichment provided they satisfy the prerequisite requirements for the courses. No more than 9 semester hours of credit earned in this category may subsequently be applied toward meeting the requirements of the masters degree.
The graduate committee in the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science uses NCATE Curriculum Guidelines, the standards set by the American Mathematical Society (AMS), the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) to periodically review the mathematics program and make recommendations for improvement. In recent years, the use of technology in the classroom has been incorporated as an essential part of instruction and research in mathematics courses. The Department of Mathematics and Computer Science has two up-to-date multimedia computer laboratories and one tutorial laboratory. The Department has licenses for mathematics software such as Maple, Mathematical, Geometric Sketchpad and Cabri Geometry. The department also has several graphing calculators such as HP48G and TI-83 plus and TI 89. Every attempt is made to provide the students with training in the use of technology in the classroom.
Every student in the Master of Education in Mathematics Education must pass a comprehensive examination. A student who fails the comprehensive examination may be allowed to retake the examination on the recommendation of the graduate committee in mathematics.
All courses taken in the Master of Education Program must be approved in advance by a graduate advisor who serves as an academic advisor in the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science. Students regularly meet with the academic advisor to develop a strategy for completion of the degree requirements. Other graduate faculties are also involved in the advisement process. Every student follows a planned program of study. Students, whom the department has evaluated to be lacking preparation for the graduate courses in mathematics, are required to take the necessary prerequisites as determined by the Graduate Committee in the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science.