The Master of Science (Mathematics for Educators) is designed to cater to the professional needs of mathematics educators.

The programme emphasises the acquisition of wide and in-depth content knowledge in mathematics as well as its linkage to mathematics teaching. You will have the opportunity to study courses in different areas of mathematics, conducted by active working mathematicians, many of them holding a qualification in teaching of mathematics.

Level 1 courses will deal with the teaching of selected topics in tandem with the mathematics content. Level 2 courses enable you to develop further expertise in a number of areas of your choice. The core course, Mathematics Inquiry, will provide you with the opportunity to examine the current research in an area of modern mathematics.

The programme is open to graduates in Mathematics as well as graduates in non-Mathematics disciplines, who have a strong mathematics background to pursue a study of mathematics at the Master's level.

Curious to know what our faculty and students think about our programmes? Click here to find out!

Unique Feature

A strong mastery of mathematics will enable educators to teach better and to promote higher order thinking among students in the learning of mathematics. Mathematics specialists in education institutes will also benefit from this programme because a good understanding of mathematics is crucial for handling various tasks related to mathematics education, such as the design of contemporary and rigorous curriculum, assessment of mathematics learning, and development of teaching resources.

Admission Requirements

A good Bachelor of Science degree, or equivalent, with strong mathematics background.
Interviews may be conducted to determine applicants’ suitability for the programme.

See detailed requirements for competency in English Language here.

There are generally two intakes a year (January and August). You are advised to visit the website and look out for NIE’s announcements in May/June and November/December to confirm if the programme will be open for application at any particular intake.

Applicants who are currently working with sponsors, donors or financial institutions to fund their studies, are encouraged to submit their applications early to NIE so as not to miss out on our application period.

Applications are to be made online. Click here to sign up for an ISAAC (Integrated Student and Academic Administration System) account to apply with us. For those with an existing account, login to apply.

More information on application details can be found here.

Programme Structure & Duration

Participants are required to complete eight (8) courses with total of 30 AUs, comprising:

Two (2) core courses (each worth 3 AU)

MSM901	Fundamentals of Postgraduate Mathematics	3 AU
MSM902	Selected Topics in Mathematics	3 AU

Six (6) elective courses (each worth 4 AU) from the following

MSM903	Algebra	4 AU
MSM904	Analysis	4 AU
MSM905	Data Science	4 AU
MSM906	Discrete Mathematics	4 AU
MSM907	Geometry	4 AU
MSM908	Number Theory	4 AU
MSM971	Advanced Topics in Functional Analysis	4 AU
MSM972	Advanced Topics in Algebra	4 AU

Important note for matriculated students:
Please refer to the ISAAC system for the programme structure relevant to your intake during Course Registration or consult Asst Prof Zhu Tianming, your programme leader if you need clarifications.

The degree of Master of Science (Mathematics for Educators) is offered on both full-time and part-time basis. The candidature period is as follows:

Full-time

Minimum

1 year

Maximum

3 years

Part-time

Minimum

2 years

Maximum

4 years

Curriculum

Course Descriptors

MSM901 Fundamentals of Postgraduate Mathematics (3 AUs)
This course aims to bring you up to speed with regard to the fundamentals of postgraduate mathematics. It involves process skills such as reading mathematics texts and writing mathematics reports, mathematical problem solving, and computational thinking via coding. It is anchored in advanced mathematics content that will allow you, as Felix Klein proposed, to view school mathematics from a higher standpoint. Content includes proof techniques, set theory and logic, and various aspects of infinity. This course is intended for educators, especially secondary and post-secondary school teachers, to help them to have an in-depth conceptual understanding of some topics in school mathematics such as number systems, calculus, and computational thinking from an advanced perspective of mathematical theory building and processes. This course will also lay a foundation for students in the Master of Science(Mathematics for Educators) programme.

MSM902 Selected Topics in Mathematics (3 AUs)
This course aims to expose you to some selected contemporary topics in mathematics.

MSM903 Algebra (4 AUs)
This course in abstract algebra aims to introduce you to rings, groups, and possibly other algebraic structures such as modules, and to present a range of examples to facilitate the understanding of the abstract theory so that you have a good grasp of the fundamental concepts in abstract algebra. This course is intended for educators, especially secondary and post-secondary school teachers, to help them to have an in-depth conceptual understanding of some topics in school mathematics such as number systems, polynomials, from an advanced and structural perspective of abstract algebraic systems. This course will also lay a foundation for students who plan to pursue a PhD in areas related to abstract algebra.

MSM904 Analysis (4 AUs)
This course in real analysis aims to introduce you to the order-theoretic, algebraic and geometrical structures of the real line, and the relationships between them. In particular, you will be introduced to the concepts of sequences and convergence first, for real number sequences, and next, for sequences of real-valued functions. This course is intended for educators, especially secondary and post-secondary school teachers, to help them gain an in-depth understanding of some topics in school mathematics such as limits of sequences, continuous functions such as polynomials, exponential function, trigonometric functions, the link between differential and integral calculi, through the lens of real analysis. This course will provide the foundation for students who reads analysis at the postgraduate level.

MSM905 Data Science (4 AUs)
This course is designed to introduce you the basics of data science methodology and let you be able to apply such methodology to real problems. This course is intended for educators, to empower them to perform data visualization, data preparation and prediction tasks. This course will also lay a foundation for students who plan to pursue a PhD in areas related to data science/statistics.

MSM906 Discrete Mathematics (4 AUs)
This course aims to expose mathematics educators to counting principles which will enhance their content knowledge of teaching permutations and combinations, as well as elementary probability. Additionally, this course introduces a useful branch of discrete mathematics called graph theory which has many applications in modelling real-life contexts. This course also lays a foundation for students who plan to pursue a PhD in the area of discrete mathematics.

MSM907 Geometry (4 AUs)
Geometry is one of the foundational topics in mathematics. This course presents a complete axiomatic system for Euclidean geometry and related geometry topics. By completing this course, you will gain a clear picture of the whole hierarchical structure of geometry. You will learn the rigorous definitions of the fundamental geometry concepts, such as angles, triangles, rays, congruent/similar triangles. You will also learn the formal proofs of the fundamental results in geometry, such as the equivalence of various different triangle congruency (similarity)
tests, Angle Sum Theorem and Exterior Angle Theorem as well as the Midpoint theorem. The course will also cover some advanced topics in geometry such as the non-Euclidean geometries, projective geometry or differential geometry. These advanced topics will widen and deepen students knowledge in geometry and help those who want to pursue higher degree study.

MSM908 Number Theory (4 AUs)
This course in number theory aims to introduce you to fundamental concepts in elementary number theory, including divisibility and primes, unique factorization, congruences and quadratic reciprocity. This course is intended for educators, especially secondary and post-secondary school teachers, to help them develop in-depth conceptual understanding of some topics in school mathematics such as number systems, greatest common divisor, and the Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic. Real world applications of number theory will also be discussed. Examples include the use of check digits for error detection in our National Registration Identity Card (NRIC) numbers and the RSA encryption system for secure online transactions. This course will also lay a foundation for students who plan to learn more advanced mathematics in areas related to algebra and number theory.

MSM971 Advanced Topics in Functional Analysis (4 AUs)
This course aims to expose students who are strong in mathematics to advanced topics in functional analysis.

MSM972 Advanced Topics in Algebra (4 AUs)
This course aims to expose students who are strong in mathematics to some advanced topics in algebra.

Additional Information

For tuition fees, please click here.

For more information on scholarships, please click here.

For programme-related matters, please consult the programme leader, Asst Prof Zhu Tianming for more information.

Related Programmes

Master of Education (Mathematics)

Master of Science (Mathematics for Educators)