<p>Hello everyone.</p>
<p>I currently am starting to think about graduate school and had a question regarding getting an online masters degree. I would like to pursue a MS in Applied Mathematics. However, there are not really any colleges within my state that offer such a program. However, after researching a bit I saw that the University of Washington offers a fully online MS Applied Mathematics degree. My question is how credible is a degree such as this compared to getting a on-campus degree? Also, would it be very hard to get into a PHD program with this degree? </p>
<p>Thank you!</p>
<p>If you want a Ph.D in math, you should be applying directly to Ph.D programs in the field.</p>
<p>Why do you want a master’s degree in applied math? The first question you need to ask yourself before applying to graduate school is what do you want to do and how will the degree help you achieve those goals?</p>
<p>Really? Rather than getting a masters degree first before applying for a phd?</p>
<p>Yes. In the vast majority of academic and professional fields, you do not need a master’s before applying to a doctoral program.</p>
<p>The thing is though is I would like to work part time teaching in a highschool while working in a masters instead of just jumping into the phd.</p>
<p>If you want to work part-time teaching in a high school, then work part-time teaching in a high school. Just take a few graduate-level math classes, and then when the time comes apply for the PhD. You don’t have to earn a full master’s in order to apply for the PhD program.</p>
<p>Generally speaking, the way that an MA prepares you for a PhD is far more than the classes themselves. If you want a PhD in math, you would use the MA time to get to know some professors who could write you recommendations, to do some research, and to start to understand how academic mathematics as a field operates. None of those things are achievable in an online program, which is why it’s not necessarily the best prep for a PhD program.</p>
<p>An online MS at a brick and mortar school, especially one as good as University of Washington, is not a bad choice. But online MS programs in applied mathematics are really aimed towards people who want to take that MS into industry and do some kind of applied mathematics work like finance or risk management or something. Not to mention that you would be OOS, so I’m not sure that it would be the best use of your $40-60K.</p>
<p>Math is such an ubiquitous field, I find it hard to believe there are no brick and mortar MS programs in math (even if it’s not applied) or some related field nearby. What state do you live in?</p>
<p>Online education is certainly not the trend for people interested in earning qualify mathematics PhD’s. </p>
<p>oops, flagged the shill</p>