<p>Is anyone here familiar with Stanford math department for grad students? I wonder if the department offers a MS degree in mathematics. On the department site, it says: </p>
<p>"Does the Math Department offer a Master's Degree?
The Mathematics Department does not offer a Masters of Science (MS) Degree to non-matriculated students. For outside (non-Stanford) applicants, the Mathematics Department offers admission to the PhD program only. The Financial Mathematics and Scientific Computing and Computational Mathematics (SCCM) programs offer MS Degrees. Contact the respective departments for program and admission information. "</p>
<p>Does this mean that if someone says he/she got a MS in mathematics from Stanford, he/she is probably lying? Anyone knows if Stanford does offer MS degree to their PhD students if they can't finish their PhDs and switch to MS track.</p>
<p>passionate, if someone says he holds an MS in math from Stanford, the logical supposition would be that he earned it either co-terminally with his bachelor’s degree (which is not unusual at Stanford), or immediately after completing his bachelor’s degree at Stanford–not that he is lying. Also, judging from the statement posted on the department’s site, outside grad students are only admitted to a PhD program in math, which almost certainly wouldn’t involve a “drop-down” option to an MS when no MS is offered to outside students to begin with.</p>
<p>It is also helpful to understand the rationale behind the different graduate offerings amongst these departments. Financial Mathematics and Scientific Computing/Computational Mathematics are applied math degrees that prepare students to work as quantitative analysts in various industries. For those studying “pure” mathematics at the graduate level, a PhD is really the only viable terminal degree because the great majority of pure mathematicians will be academicians and/or research mathematicians, positions requiring a doctorate.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot for your answer, zenkoan. I know my supposition isn’t logical. However, I was on some forum and this person was bragging about how many degrees he got. I stepped in and asked him some questions regarding some real analysis, which most people major in math should know. He wasn’t able to answer it, so I kinda suspected he was just lying. Anyway, I now know it’s possible for Stanford undergrad students to earn an MS in math.</p>