The purpose of the MAMS (Master in Applied Mathematical Sciences) program is to mathematically train students who wish to work in business, government, or industry. It is designed to produce applied mathematical scientists who can solve quantitative and qualitative problems arising in practical applications, (for example, in areas such as computer aided industrial design, operations research, engineering or systems analysis). The MAMS program is intended for people who wish to sharpen their mathematical skills for use in applied situations. The MAMS degree offered in the Mathematics Department is inherently interdisciplinary in nature. A principal feature of the MAMS program is that the student works on an individual problem. This problem can come from any applied area of study, (for example, physics, agricultural engineering, ecology, marine sciences, or finance). Some upper-level course work in that area may be included in the student's program of study. The project results are written up by the student in a substantial technical report. The student also gives an oral presentation of the report to the faculty. The technical report should clearly describe the problem, detail the mathematical analysis and results, and interpret the results in terms of the original problem.
To be admitted to the MAMS program, a student must have taken courses in multivariate calculus, linear algebra, and ordinary differential equations. Students should also have had some experience with computers.