There are opportunities for obtaining financial support for graduate studies and the job market for students with graduate degrees seems to be good in both academic and non-academic areas. In particular there is an increasing demand for mathematics Ph.D.'s for academic positions at the college level. If you are contemplating graduate study in mathematics, we strongly urge you to discuss your plans with your advisor before the end of your junior year. A master's degree in a mathematical science usually leads to a career in industry or in secondary school teaching. Among the most commonly available areas of specialization for masters study are pure mathematics, applied mathematics, operations research, and statistics.
Some financial aid is available to qualified masters students.
A Ph.D. prepares you to do research in either pure or applied mathematics. This degree typically leads to a career as a university educator or as a research scientist in industry. For entry into a strong doctoral program, we recommend that you elect as many upper-level courses as possible in order to reach the level of sophistication expected of an incoming Ph.D. student. We also suggest that you consider electing a special projects course to supplement the material taught in the regularly offered courses. Financial support in the form of a fellowship or teaching assistantship usually is available to qualified Ph.D. students.