Master of Mathematics for Educators
The Master's of Mathematics for Educators (MME) program at WPI is designed to give primary, secondary or junior college instructors of mathematics the opportunity to get an advanced degree which truly relates to their career, while still retaining their teaching position. Coursework takes place in the evenings, allowing teachers to still retain their positions while in graduate school.
The demands of teaching mathematics today are substantially different than they were as recently as 10 or 15 years ago. The latest state requirements, changing needs of students, AP exams, technology and NCTM are all potential factors in this change. Teachers today must consider new methods, including group learning, projects, laboratories, computer-assisted work, as well as mathematical topics not previously found at the secondary level. These new topics might be discrete math, graph theory, linear algebra, fractals, statistics or mathematical models. Since many of these topics were not part of the instructor's original background, appropriate coursework is a way to update that background.
Courses offer a solid foundation in areas such as geometry, algebra, modeling, discrete math, and statistics, while also including the study of modern applications. Additionally, students develop materials, based on coursework, which may be used in their classes. Technology is introduced when possible to give students exposure for future consideration. Examples include Geometer’s Sketchpad; Maple for algebra, calculus and graphics; Matlab for analysis of sound and music; and the TI CBL for motion and heat.
Massachusetts Licensing
Under current Massachusetts teacher license laws (603 CMR 7.00), teachers are required to have a master's degree with at least 15 of the credits being in their area of instruction and at the graduate level. The MME degree of WPI satisfies this and thus leads directly to a Professional License for people holding an Initial License. (It does not take care of the Initial License, however. That is a separate endeavor.)
Schedule & Requirements
The MME schedule is based upon a three-semester year with two courses per semester. All but two of the courses are two credits, and the project is six credits. Classes run from 4 pm to 6 pm and then 6:30 pm until 8:30 pm in the case of 2 credit courses, one evening a week (Tuesday). Currently, the calendar is:
| Fall '13 semester (14 weeks): | September 3 until Dec 10 |
|---|---|
| Winter '14 semester (14 weeks): | January 7 until April 15 |
| Summer '14 (14 meetings): | April 29 until July 1 |
The first class in fall of 2012 will be on Tuesday, September 4. Classes do not meet on those weeks when there are high school vacations. Thus in a given year, a student could take as many as 6 courses. Every attempt has been made to make the schedule as convenient as possible for the participants relative to their own schedules and needs.
Tuition
We recognize that a program for teachers must be economical. Toward that end, we offer a 40% discount off of our normal graduate tuition to teachers.
Questions?
Please feel free to call Dr. John Goulet at +1-508-831-5036 or email to goulet@wpi.edu. You are encouraged to visit the campus and talk about the program at any time, as well.
