Mathematical Sciences Department

Department Chairperson: Dan D. Van Peursem, Ph.D.
Graduate Program Director: Nan Jiang, Ph.D. 

Department of Mathematical Sciences
Dakota Hall, Room 319
414 East Clark Street
Vermillion, SD 57069
Phone: (605) 677-5262
math@usd.edu
www.usd.edu/math 

FACULTY

Professors:

José Flores, Ph.D., University of Iowa. Specialization: Numerical Analysis.
Yuhlong Lio, Ph.D., University of South Carolina. Specialization: Stochastic Processes, Non-parametric Function Estimation, Reliability, Iterative Processes, Survival Analysis.
Dan D. Van Peursem, Ph.D., University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Specialization: Applied Mathematics. 

Associate Professors:

Catalin Georgescu, Ph.D., State University of New York-Buffalo. Specialization: Dynamical Systems.
Nan Jiang, Ph.D., Kansas State University. Specialization: Numerical Analysis.

Assistant Professor:

Gabriel Picioroaga, Ph.D., University of Iowa. Specialization: Operator Algebras and Wavelets. 

DEGREE

Master of Arts in Mathematics, Plan B  
Master of Science in Mathematics, Plan A and Plan B  

Program Description

Graduate students desiring to work toward a Master’s degree in mathematics should have completed an undergraduate major in mathematics equivalent to the one offered by USD. Students who do not have a sufficient background in mathematics may be required to complete coursework that will not apply towards a Master’s degree (e.g., linear algebra and differential equations). 

The department offers non-thesis M.A. (Plan B) and thesis and non-thesis M.S. programs (Plan A and Plan B, respectively). The M.A. supports growth and professional development for high school teachers and exposure to additional math content for people who seek employment in other fields, but do not have an interest in a terminal degree. The M.S. programs are intended for students who plan to pursue doctoral studies in mathematics and cover advanced topics that will prepare graduates to take qualifying exams in Math Ph.D. programs without the need for additional coursework.

ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS

• An undergraduate degree from an accredited institution with a GPA of at least 2.7 or graduate GPA of at least 3.0 is required.
• Completion of a baccalaureate degree in Mathematics or its equivalent is required.
• Additional requirements exist for international students and applicants with degrees from other countries.

-Subject to faculty approval, those who do not meet all of the criteria above may be admitted on a provisional basis.  

SCHOLARSHIPS

• Nelontine Maxwell Larsen Award (available to graduate students majoring in the mathematical sciences)
• Wallace Raab Memorial Scholarship (provides student memberships in the Mathematical Association of America for graduate students working toward an advanced degree in the mathematical sciences during their years of graduate study at USD. Excess earnings can be used for scholarships for selected graduate students.) 
• L. Fred and Rose E. Hart Scholarship (benefits graduate students pursuing an MS degree in mathematics, including funding research assistantship for students interested in MS Plan A [thesis] option)