Member
An applicant must meet the academic qualifications and professional experience requirements detailed below.
Academic Qualifications
Applicants must hold one of the following qualifications:
- a degree in mathematics,
- a degree in mathematics in combination with another subject,
- a joint degree in mathematics with another subject, or
- a degree with a sufficient mathematical component such as would be the case in some physics and engineering programmes.
Degrees listed in number 2, 3 and 4 would need to contain a minimum of 50% of mathematics at undergraduate level.
Initial applications should normally be accompanied by qualification transcript(s). Applications from any person who has obtained an academic position in the UK or Eire requiring graduate level mathematics do not need to be accompanied by qualification transcripts.
Professional Experience
Applicants will be required to show that they have three years postgraduate experience for which their mathematical training is relevant, and that they have an appropriate level of professional standing.
The level of acceptable professional experience/standing cannot be precisely defined. Generally, an applicant would be expected to have reached the appropriate level of skill and competence once they have completed the equivalent of three years full-time employment. Postgraduate doctoral studies can be used to meet the professional experience requirement providing the doctorate has been successfully passed.
How to Apply
To apply for Member you must supply all the information requested, either on the application form or on myIMA, and indicate your agreement to the declaration. This agreement constitutes a contract to abide by the rules of the Institute. A properly completed application will not be processed until the appropriate fees are received. See the Membership Rates Page for the current fees.
The application must include a detailed statement outlining current and previous professional activities. The statement is an important part of the application and should make the case for acceptance by the Membership Committee. Additional information may be enclosed.
Category 1 – Standard Applications
Applications for Member should be supported by a referee. The referee should have detailed knowledge of your work and should be more senior than yourself or of equal seniority but working for a different department or organisation. Your nominated referee should not be a family member.
The ideal arrangement is for the referee to be your manager or employer and to be an Advanced member of the Institute. If this is not possible then the referee should be able to provide authoritative comment on your mathematical background and current work.
Reference request will be sent to your nominated referee at time of application submission.
Category 2 – Academic or Corporate Affiliate employee (salaried position requiring graduate level mathematics)
If you have:
- obtained an academic position in a Mathematics/Mathematical Science Department in the UK or Eire requiring graduate level mathematics (academic position being defined as Professor, Reader, Lecturer, including assistant, but not including seminar leader or graduate teaching assistant), or
- a salaried position requiring graduate level mathematics in an institution that is an IMA Corporate Affiliate
you are not required to nominate a referee. However, the Membership Committee shall retain the right to ask for a reference should serious doubts be expressed concerning the applicant’s suitability for the Member grade.
Applications for Member are considered by the Membership Committee. Applications usually take two to three months to process from receipt at Catherine Richards House.
Post nominals
Members may use the letters MIMA after their name.
Further Information
Should you have obtain your degree after or during a period of employment you may be eligible for Member. Differentiation is required between qualifications that enhance and formalise mathematics knowledge already acquired through professional experience, and qualifications that are the starting point of a career in mathematics.
Should you have taken a career break for any reason (for example health, family, redundancy) this does not prevent progression to Member, provided they have at some stage gained the qualifications, training and professional experience required.
Applying Online
To apply for this or any IMA membership grade, please visit myIMA
If you’re unable to apply via myIMA and require printable forms please request these by completing the form below.