Graduate Certificate in Mathematics
Prepare to Teach Postsecondary Learners With a Graduate Certificate in Mathematics
The Graduate Certificate in Mathematics at Grand Canyon University (GCU) can prepare students for career advancement in education at the postsecondary level. Graduate students with a passion for mathematics will have the opportunity to deepen their knowledge and build upon their skills to teach undergraduate math courses at a two-year or four-year institution.
Through continuing education as a mathematics educator, you have the potential to elevate your career by transitioning into undergraduate learning environments. You can also play an important role in providing STEM education and preparing students for a future career in these critical areas.
This math certificate graduate program offers a pathway toward obtaining advanced training in the fields of mathematics and education, while meeting the requirements for ongoing professional development. Graduates of this program will be able to fulfill the graduate course requirements necessary for opportunities in teaching at the postsecondary level. Teachers seeking the 22 credits needed to pursue a career in education with a mathematics specialty can benefit from earning this certificate.
Take the Graduate Math Certificate Program in the Evening at GCU
This evening cohort graduate certificate in math program is offered one night a week on GCU’s campus. Students can benefit from learning as part of a traditional classroom where they can collaborate with peers and receive face-to-face individualized attention from instructors. Since classes only meet once a week, working professionals will be able to continue working full-time and maintain balance between work, life and school. Evening cohort students have access to a wide range of student support resources, as well as the opportunity to become a part of the unique GCU campus community.
Coursework Covered in the Graduate Certificate in Mathematics Program
The math certificate curriculum focuses on theory and practical application, as well as mathematics content balanced with pedagogy and classroom techniques. You will explore the following:
- How to utilize tools for success in mathematics while engaging in math concepts
- Algebraic structures, matrices, linear transformations and their numeric applications
- The evolution of mathematics throughout history as it represents and provides an understanding of the world around us
- Evidence-based analysis and statistical descriptors
- Mathematical modeling, applications and computational methods
- Ordinary differential equations, geometric representation of ODE solutions, autonomous systems, flows on the line, linear systems and other concepts
The goal of the graduate certificate in mathematics program is to position you at the intersection of advanced mathematical knowledge and effective teaching practices, so you have the opportunity to successfully lead classrooms and create positive student outcomes.
Skills Acquired by Math Certificate Program Graduates
In the graduate math certificate program, you will learn teacher leadership skills as you develop further knowledge in teaching mathematics and pedagogical content. You will also learn how to:
- Create and implement mathematics programs that work in various school environments
- Develop strategies to help schools improve their efforts in mathematics teaching and learning
Advance Your Teaching Career With a Graduate Certificate in Math
With a graduate certificate in math, you can elevate your career by moving into a postsecondary role in education teaching math at the collegiate level. As a math certificate graduate, you can gain more in-depth knowledge of mathematical concepts and theories, which provides the foundation to teach at colleges and universities, trade, technical and vocational schools, as well as educational research and publishing companies.
Graduate Certificate in Mathematics Program FAQs
If you are interested in advancing your mathematics teaching career with a graduate certificate in math, please read our answers to these frequently asked questions
Earning a graduate certificate in math is a great way to gain advanced mathematics teaching skills without the time commitment of a full master’s degree program. Additionally, postsecondary mathematical science teachers, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), have a median annual wage of $77,420 as of May 2022.1
Both a graduate certificate in math and a master’s degree in math are designed to provide working professionals with advanced skills in teaching math at the postsecondary level. While both programs at GCU offer a few of the same courses, the master’s in math program offers a few additional courses specific to higher education teaching. The graduate certificate in math requires 22 credits and the master’s in math requires 34 credits to completion.
The courses in the graduate certificate in math are created to be challenging in order to prepare you for teaching advanced mathematical skills and concepts at the college level. Courses are offered once a week in the evenings for scheduling flexibility.
1 The earnings referenced were reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary as of May 2021, retrieved on April 28, 2023. Due to COVID-19, data from 2020 and 2021 may be atypical compared to prior years. The pandemic may also impact the predicted future workforce outcomes indicated by the BLS. BLS calculates the median using salaries of workers from across the country with varying levels of education and experience and does not reflect the earnings of GCU graduates as mathematical science teachers, postsecondary. It does not reflect earnings of workers in one city or region of the country. It also does not reflect a typical entry-level salary. Median income is the statistical midpoint for the range of salaries in a specific occupation. It represents what you would earn if you were paid more money than half the workers in an occupation, and less than half the workers in an occupation. It may give you a basis to estimate what you might earn at some point if you enter this career. You may also wish to compare median salaries if you are considering more than one career path. Grand Canyon University can make no guarantees on individual graduates’ salaries as the employer the graduate chooses to apply to, and accept employment from, determines salary not only based on education, but also individual characteristics and skills and fit to that organization (among other categories) against a pool of candidates.
Core Courses
Course Description
This course prepares students for the graduate learning experience at Grand Canyon University. It provides students with opportunities to develop and strengthen the skills necessary to succeed as graduate students. Emphasis is placed on utilizing the tools for graduate success in mathematics. Mathematics concepts, such as logic, mathematical notation and definitions, methods of proof, and mathematics software, are covered.
Course Description
This course covers essential topics in graduate-level abstract algebra to prepare learners in their profession and to succeed in fulfilling future programmatic requirements. Prerequisite: MAT-512.
Course Description
The student is asked to use techniques of mathematical proof to trace the development of important foundations of thought and advances in mathematical thinking. This course follows the evolution of mathematics through history in its attempt to represent and understand the world around us. Topics covered include induction, logic, discrete analysis, calculus, and linear programming. Emphasis is placed on how a mathematical topic originated within its historical context and the theory used to support it.
Course Description
This course looks at evidence-based data analysis from a discrete mathematics perspective. Emphasis is placed on fundamental understanding of statistical descriptors. The theoretical framework is developed through applications in cognition and instruction. Prerequisite: MAT-513.
Course Description
The student is introduced to the techniques and examination of graduate-level mathematical modeling, including formulation, application, and analysis of a mathematical model. Topics covered include differential equations, computational methods, regression, and stochastic models. Emphasis is placed on applications and computational methods. Prerequisites: MAT-513, MAT-571, and MAT-574.
Course Description
This course provides a brief overview of ordinary differential equations, geometric representation of ODE solutions, autonomous systems, flows on the line, linear systems and phase portraits, nonlinear systems, local and global behavior, linearization, stability, and bifurcations. Applications include models extracted from population biology, ecology, and neurophysiology. Prerequisites: MAT-513 and MAT-550.
- GCU cannot and will not promise job placement, a job, graduate school placement, transfer of GCU program credits to another institution, promotion, salary, or salary increase. Please see the Career Services Policy in the University Policy Handbook.
- Please note that this list may contain programs and courses not presently offered, as availability may vary depending on class size, enrollment and other contributing factors. If you are interested in a program or course listed herein please first contact your University Counselor for the most current information regarding availability.
- Please refer to the Academic Catalog for more information. Programs or courses subject to change
Grand Canyon University’s evening programs cater to the demands of working professionals who prefer an in-person learning environment. Our night classes meet just once per week and offer the interaction and discussion of a typical college classroom.