For admission into any of the MS, MA, or Ph.D. degree programs in mathematics, applicants must have a bachelor's degree from an approved institution and should have an undergraduate foundation in mathematics equivalent to that of a major in mathematics at the University of South Carolina. At a minimum, the preparation should include a course in abstract algebra, advanced calculus (real analysis), linear algebra, and discrete mathematics. A minimum "B" average in all college-level math courses is required for full admission. Application to the Ph.D. program does not require a Master's degree; as the MS and MA are normally terminal degrees, it is not customary to obtain one on the way to a Ph.D.
For admission to the MM or MAT degree programs, applicants must have a bachelor's degree from an approved institution and are expected to have completed a minimum of six credit hours beyond multivariable calculus. Applicants with background deficiencies may be admitted on a probationary basis and placed in certain undergraduate courses to strengthen their foundation. Such course work may not be used toward the degree.
Applicants should submit an official transcript from each school or college previously attended, at least two letters of recommendation from persons familiar with their abilities in mathematics, and a report of scores achieved on the Graduate Record Examination. We generally expect to see a score of at least 700 on the Quantitative portion. The Subject GRE in Mathematics is recommended for applicants to the Ph.D. program, especially for those who wish to be considered for fellowships (stipends not tied to teaching).
International applicants are also required to submit a report of scores on the TOEFL examination. A minimum score of 570 on the paper-based test (or 88 on the iBT) is required for admission to the program, and a minimum score of 610 on the paper-based test (or 100 on the iBT with at least 22 in listening and 21 in speaking) is generally expected for consideration for a teaching assistantship.
Begin your application by visiting the graduate school site; once you have initiated an application, a quick return is possible.
Official direct electronic score reports of the GRE & TOEFL should be requested from the testing agencies, but photocopies of the unofficial (student) reports suffice at the time of application. Our institution code is 5818. Paper materials should be sent to:
The Graduate School
University of South Carolina
Columbia, SC 29208
There are no strict deadlines for admission and award of financial support to the graduate program. However, we begin to read applications in January, and we award most of our assistantships and all of our fellowships by mid-March, with an acceptance deadline of April 15 for the applicants. At that point if any assistantships remain unclaimed, or open up because of the early departure of some current students, we continue to award assistantships. Because of the time needed to process US visa requests, we do not offer any assistantships to international applicants after May 15.