Mathematics Education
Overview
The primary mission of the Ph.D. program in Mathematics Education at Illinois State University is to prepare individuals for careers as college or university professors in Schools of Education or in Departments of Mathematics where the primary responsibilities will be to conduct and direct basic research on the teaching and learning of school mathematics and to teach courses to prospective and in-service mathematics teachers. Graduates will also be qualified to assume positions as mathematics curriculum consultants in school districts, researchers in educational laboratories, or staff members in educational publishing companies.
The Ph.D. program is designed to produce individuals who have the knowledge, competencies, and skills which enable them to
- conduct, direct, and evaluate research related to the teaching and learning of school mathematics,
- educate prospective and in-service teachers on the principles of teaching and learning mathematics, and
- develop and evaluate mathematics curricula.
Students in the program will acquire these skills through
(1) a combination of coursework in mathematics education, mathematics, and a cognate area;
(2) the completion of a professional project;
(3) the acquisition of research tool skills;
(4) the completion of a dissertation; and
(5) the demonstration of competence in teaching prospective or practicing mathematics teachers.
Point of Pride
The Department of Mathematics is one of Top 5 largest producers of Mathematics Education Ph.D. degrees in the nation. Graduates will also be qualified to assume positions as mathematics curriculum consultants in school districts, researchers in educational laboratories, or staff members in educational publishing companies. See where our graduates are working.
Graduate Advisor
Dr. Craig Cullen
(309) 438-7867
Stevenson 331C
Schedule a Visit
Discover what life as an Illinois State graduate student is like.
How to Apply
University Admission Requirements
Official Exam Scores
Institution Code: 1319
Admission to Graduate School
Illinois State welcomes applicants from all across the world. The Graduate School reviews U.S./Domestic Applicants and International Admissions reviews international applicants. View more information about International Student Admission Requirements .
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U.S./Domestic Applicants
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International Applicants
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For the complete information about the Graduate School Admissions Requirements visit the admissions website.
Additional Program Admission Requirements
A student applying to this program must:
- Submit a current resume
- Submit an academic writing sample that demonstrates your ability to analyze or synthesize literature relevant to mathematics education
- Submit three letters of recommendation
- Read the Overview of the PhD program and the review the Mathematics Education research groups at ISU. Upload an essay that addresses the following topics:
- (e.g., a course paper, published article, conference paper)
- At least one of these letters should come from a university faculty member who can comment on your academic work and potential as a PhD student.
- Goals – What are your professional and academic goals? And how will the Mathematics Education PhD program at ISU prepare you to reach those goals?
- Teaching – Our program focuses on preparing you to teach future mathematics educators. With this in mind, we expect that you will have prior mathematics teaching experience at the PreK-12 level. Briefly tell us about a prior teaching experience at this level that will help us get to know you as a teacher.
- Research – Although you do not need to pre-select a research group to work with, your work in the PhD program will require you to engage in mathematics education research. Explain how your potential research interests would align with at least one of the research groups existing in our department.
English Proficiency
Non-Native English-Speaking Countries
If your country of origin is a non-native English-speaking country, you must submit either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or Duolingo English scores that you’ve taken within the past two years.
We require the following minimum scores:
- TOEFL internet-based (iBT): 100
- TOEFL Essentials: 10
- IELTS overall band score: 7.5
- Duolingo: 130
Please visit https://illinoisstate.edu/academics/mathematics-education-doctorate/ for assistantship minimum requirements.
English Proficiency for Graduate Teaching Assistantships
The State of Illinois requires non-native English speaking teaching assistants to show proof of English Proficiency. The minimum criteria for English proficiency are:
- TOEFL iBT minimum speaking score of 26
- TOEFL Essentials minimum speaking score of 9
- IELTS score of 8.0 overall
- Duolingo English Test minimum Conversation score of 140
Optional GRE
The GRE is optional for admission to the PhD program in mathematics education. Our typically admitted students’ GRE scores are around the 50% percentile for the verbal and quantitative sections and a 3 – 4.5 for the writing section.
Application Deadlines
- Fall (August) Term — June 15
- Spring (January) Term — October 1
- Summer (May/June) Term — April 1
Graduate Assistantships
The University provides graduate assistantships as a means of financial support. They are intended as a way to facilitate a student's progress to degree while providing important professional development.
Eligibility
To be eligible for an assistantship a student must, generally,
- be admitted unconditionally as a degree-seeking student into a graduate academic program, or have a minimum of 120 undergraduate hours if in an integrated degree program
- be in good-standing
- be enrolled full-time (typically at least 9 credit hours during the fall or spring semesters, or at least 6 hours during the summer session).
Benefits
Graduate assistants receive
- monthly wages paid in the form of either a stipend or an hourly wage
- a waiver for 100% of tuition during a semester of appointment
- a waiver for up to 12 credit hours of tuition for the summer term immediately following a fall or spring appointment
Costs & Funding
See Student Accounts for information on tuition and fees. Funding for graduate students is available from several different sources. Students who have been admitted from contiguous states including Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, and Wisconsin will receive in-state tuition.
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