Students beginning the program are expected to have an undergraduate degree in Mathematics, Mathematics Education, or a related field. Students, especially those with a degree in a related field other than Mathematics or Mathematics Education, may need to take doctoral leveling courses. This would be decided on a case by case basis by the appropriate Advisor and would be articulated at the time of admission.

_{^{Note: Your doctoral program studies may be modified as a result of a change of your research goals or performance in the qualifying exams.}}

A. Core Mathematics Education Courses: This 21 hour requirement has two components. The first is a four course (12 hour) requirement consisting of the following Mathematics Education courses:
MATH 7306: Current Research in Mathematics Education
MATH 7302: History of Mathematics/Mathematics Education
MATH 7324: Curriculum Design and Analysis
MATH 7328: Instructional Techniques and Assessments
The second part of the Mathematics Education core requirement is a set of three courses (9 hours) to prepare students to be successful in conducting Mathematics Education research. Note that one of these courses is taught in the College of Education.
MATH 7346: Quantitative Research
ED 7352: Beginning Qualitative Design and Analysis
MATH 7356: Advanced Topics in Research (students must choose one of the topics courses that is offered under this heading)

B. Core Mathematics Courses: The following five Mathematics courses are required of all students in the program.  This is a 15 hour requirement.
MATH 7303: Analysis I
MATH 7307: Algebra I
MATH 7309: Topology I
MATH 7325: Statistics I
Discrete Mathematics (choose one of the following)
MATH 7321: Graph Theory or MATH 7331: Combinatorics

C. Core Sequence Courses: Students will choose at least two of the following courses with the Mathematics Education Ph.D. Advisor's approval. This is a 6 hour requirement.
MATH 7313: Analysis II
MATH 7317: Algebra II
MATH 7319: Topology II: Algebraic Topology
MATH 7335: Statistics II: Linear Modeling
Discrete math not chosen above
or MATH 7321: Graph Theory or MATH 7331: Combinatorics

D. Prescribed Mathematics Education Electives: Each student in the Mathematics Education program will choose 12 hours of Mathematics Education electives. Notice that topics courses may be repeated if topics differ.
MATH 7111 Seminar in Teaching (up to 3)
MATH 7188 Seminar in Math Ed (up to 3)
MATH 7378: Topics in Standards
           MATH 7378A Problem Solving
           MATH 7378B Connecting/Communicating Math
           MATH 7378C Representing Math Ideas
           MATH 7378D Math Technologies
MATH 7366: Topics in Teaching
            MATH 7366A Teaching Post-secondary Students
            MATH 7366B Teaching K-12 Students
            MATH 7366C Teaching Teachers
           MATH 7366D Teaching Specialized Content
MATH 7386 Independent Study in Math Ed
MATH 7389 Internship
From Sam Houston State University:
STA 669 (SHSU) Research Consulting and Statistical Computing
Math 787 (SHSU) Foundations of Geometry with Applications
Math 784 (SHSU) Mathematics and Technology
Math 660 (SHSU) Special Topics: Research on Alternate Pathways for Mathematics Teachers
Math 660 (SHSU) Special Topics: Research Consulting and Statistical Computing

E. Prescribed Education Electives: Each student in the Mathematics Education program will choose 3 hours of Education electives from the College of Education. The selection of a course would require approval by the student's dissertation advisor in order to better complement and enhance the student's research interests. Normally, a student would take one of the courses focusing on the theory of learning, although a student with a strong education background and dissertation advisor's approval could select any course in the College of Education. Allowing the students some flexibility to tailor the coursework to their own interests would enhance the experience and allow the student to obtain more in-depth information in one of his or her identified strands.

F. Free Electives: Three hours of coursework for the Mathematics Education program are elected from graduate programs at Texas State, but the selection requires approval from the student's dissertation advisor. Possible electives include additional coursework selected from Mathematics and Mathematics Education as well as coursework from the College of Education or from other graduate programs at Texas State. In Mathematics Education, up to 9 hours of Ph.D. level coursework from other departments at Texas State (for example, Education) may be used to meet elective requirements if approved by the Doctoral Program Committee and the dissertation advisor.

G. Dissertation: A student must register for a minimum of 18 hours of Dissertation coursework. MATH 7398: Dissertation

Residency Requirement: The student is required to take at least 18 hours within one academic year, or to be full-time for at least two consecutive semesters (fall/spring). We expect most students to be in residence for more than one year.

Teaching Experience: Each student in the Mathematics Education program is expected to have two years of teaching experience. A student who has taught for two or more years at full-time status in the public or private school system will be considered to have met this requirement. A student who has not met this requirement upon admission will be required to gain practical teaching experience before graduation. If a student receives a Teaching Assistantship while in the program, each long semester during which the student has a two course assignment will count as one half of a year of experience. A student who teaches two summer sessions will be given credit for one long semester. In the event that a student has other forms of practical teaching experience, the Mathematics Education Advisor will determine the amount of credit received on an individual basis.

Qualifying Examination: Typically, after completion of the core courses or by the end of the second year in residence, each student will be required to take written qualifying examinations. To be eligible to take the qualifying examinations, the student normally will have a minimum grade point average of 3.5 on all the core courses including the transferred equivalent courses that the student has completed. A student will choose two of the following topics to be on his or her qualifying examinations: Algebra, Analysis, Topology, Statistics, and Discrete Mathematics. Mathematics Education will be the third topic.