Looking for a cheap, online, regionally accredited Math Master's Degree...

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by The Governor, Apr 24, 2009.

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  1. The Governor

    The Governor New Member

    OK, I posted a few days ago about seeking a cheap, online, accredited DBA or PhD - Business. The reponses were VERY informative and helpful - THANK YOU!

    One of the responses really got me thinking. In a nutshell, it asked me to really think through WHY I wanted it, WHAT I intend to do with it, etc. Very sage counsel...

    While I DO intend on pursuing it, what I intend to do with it is (a) teach at the community college level, (b) write and (c) prepare myself for future opportunities.

    In my analysis, I realized I could reach my first goal without the DBA or PhD. While I have my MBA, I don't yet have the 18 additional concentration hours. I believe it shall be Economics. Economics, however, requires some math in which I have a deficiency.

    So....

    Since I have to take the math ANYWAY, it occurred to me that I MIGHT be able to find a cheap math degree (preferrably masters), since I had to take the classes anyway. Wishful thinking perhaps, but there you go...

    Any ideas? Thanks in advance - you folks have been great!
     
  2. Ian Anderson

    Ian Anderson Active Member

  3. Shawn Ambrose

    Shawn Ambrose New Member

    I teach with my MBA at a Community College:

    http://www.lco.edu/dir.html

    Disclaimer - yes I am a PhD candidate (ABD), but the MBA is all that I "needed." My school through a faculty development grant, is picking up the tab at Capella for the PhD.

    Shawn
     
  4. The Governor

    The Governor New Member

    It seems prudent to conclude that graduate-level math courses THAT COULD BE TRANSFERRED INTO a master's program would also be just fine. Thanks.
     
  5. edowave

    edowave Active Member

    Most math graduate degrees will require you have completed undergrad calculus and differential equations. So, if you are deficient in those, then you most likely will not be able to take these courses at the graduate level.

    So to get 18 graduate hours in Math would be a long road. (18 graduate hours, plus taking undergrad prereqs.) Penn State's Certificate in Applied Statitics might be a better compliment to your MBA, you could rack up your 18 credits to teach stats, and would be a good prep for a doctorate program. See http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/AppliedStatisticsCertificate_AppliedStatistics.shtml . It is not cheap though.
     
  6. stephenmberns

    stephenmberns New Member

    Math masters

    You usually need a math undergrad major to pursue this option, one heavy with advanced classes such as Analysis, Abstract Algebra, and Topology.
     
  7. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    Well, you've asked for a lot. A cheap, DL, RA, Masters in Math. Most of the Masters degrees I'm aware of are for people who want to teach Math in Middle School or High School. They are really Education programs that specialize in Math. I don't know if that would work for you but while you're thinking about it you can look at this one,

    http://math.nicholls.edu/math/masters.asp

    Oh yeah, there are not a lot of these programs around and so the whole "cheap" thing starts to go out the window. If this works I can give you a longer list. Let me know.
     
  8. Shawn Ambrose

    Shawn Ambrose New Member

    According to my Academic Dean, who is also an evaluator for the Higher Learning Commission this program would work:

    http://www.csc.edu/graduate/degree/sciencemath.csc

    Provided that 18 of the graduate hours were Math credits.

    Shawn
     
  9. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    Yeah, so that's cool. There is a handfull of programs like this and so we can gather them up and make a list. I'm kinda in the middle of something right now but it seems to me that one of them was in Montana (Billings).
     
  10. SPandalai

    SPandalai New Member

    See if this program is ok. Its from University of Washington.
     
  11. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    John Bear's Guide to Earning Degrees by Distance Learning lists the following possibilities.

    University of Calicut http://collegeskerala.com/calicut_university
    Madurai Kamaraj University www.mkuniversityorg
    University of New England www.une.edu.au
    Open University (England) www.open.ac.uk
    University of South Africa www.unisa.ac.za

    And if we add mathematics education to the mix:

    Florida State University www.fsu.edu
    University of Idaho www.uidaho.edu
    University of Melbourne www.unimelb.edu.au
    Montana State University www.montana.edu
    Napier University www.napier.ac.uk
     
  12. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    Thanks Ted, I thought that Montana was on the list. I'd also bet that there is at least one additional Australian school that could be added as well.
     
  13. Sleestack

    Sleestack New Member

    §53406. Requirement for Accredited Degrees and Units; Definition of Accredited Institution.

    All degrees and units used to satisfy minimum qualifications shall be from accredited institutions, unless otherwise specified in this Article. For purposes of this Subchapter, “accredited institution” shall mean a postsecondary institution accredited by an accreditation agency recognized by either the U.S. Department of Education or the Council on Postsecondary Accreditation. It shall not mean an institution “approved” by the California Department of Education or by the California Council for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education. Determination of equivalency of foreign degrees shall be according to district rule.

    Does this mean an NA degree would work?
     
  14. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    I'm guessing that it all depends on who's doing the hiring.
     
  15. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

  16. GeneralSnus

    GeneralSnus Member

    As that section is written, it seems that a degree from an institution accredited by a national accreditor would meet that qualification. A DETC-accredited school is "a postsecondary institution accredited by an accreditation agency recognized by. . .the U.S. Department of Education. . ."

    Of course a degree from a RA school would have maximum utility since there has never been a professional qualification that can only be met by obtaining a degree from a NA institution. Conversely, there are many occasions where only a degree from a RA institution will meet a particular qualification.
     
  17. Orson

    Orson New Member

  18. Orson

    Orson New Member

    CSU v Penn State Stat Certificate

    Checking out the seeminglky similar Penn State Cert in stats and data analysis, I find specific info - like cost anb curriculum - hard to ferret out.
    CSUs is much simpler and more direct.

    Similarly on admission. For Penn State :"For admission to the Graduate School, an applicant must have received, from an accredited institution, a bachelor's degree (3.0 GPA* preferred on a 4.0 scale) with requirements substantially equivalent to those at Penn State"

    For CSU, just take the courses...Then apply to get the cert. Simple.
     
  19. Tom57

    Tom57 Member

    There are no distance learning pure math masters out there. Having said that, there are 2 US-based, masters in applied math that you can do via distance learning. Columbia offers one through their cvn program. It will cost you $40,000+. The other is the University of Washington. That one will set you back about $23,000. Colorado State and Texas A&M both offer a MS in Statistics. Texas A&M also offers a MS in computational math, which is really an applied math option again.

    All the other distance learning options that I've seen are MS in math (with teaching). These range from nearly a full-on masters in math with a few education courses (see Texas A&M's other option in math/teaching, not computational math), to very watered down programs (math-wise) that are really more education based.

    All that said, others on this thread are correct in that true masters level math will require either an undergrad in math, or a very strong undergrad math background, such that you might find in an engineering or physics program.
     
  20. The Governor

    The Governor New Member

    Thanks very much...

    for all of your thought-provoking replies. You guys are great.

    I'm one of those analytical types that needs to know all the possibilities before taking the plunge. Some call it "paralysis by analysis." LOL

    Just wanted to take a moment to convey appreciation...
     

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