Department of Mathematics
Chairperson: Professor Tiwari
Associate Chairperson: Associate Professor Royster
Coordinator of Graduate Program: Professor Avrin
Coordinator of Undergraduate Program: Associate Professor Anderson
Coordinator of Mathematics Education: Assistant Professor Cifarelli
Director of the Office of Statistics and Applied Mathematics: Senior Lecturer
Schoeps
Professors: Houston, Klibanov, Lambert, T. R. Lucas, Molchanov, Oh, Papadopoulos,
Quinn, Shafer, Sonin, Stavrakas, Vainberg, Weinstock, Wihstutz, Yushkevich, Zhu
Associate Professors: Burnap, Wei Cai, Chen, Dai, Diao, Johnson, Kazemi, T. G.
Lucas, Prichard, Reiter, Rothe, Wichnoski, Zhang
Assistant Professors: Zongwu Cai, Cifarelli, Kawczak, Sáenz-Ludlow, Sun
Assistant Professors Bonnie E. Cone Distinguished Professor in Teaching Emerita: Leiva
Professors Emeritus: Goodrum, Nixon
Emeritus: Roth, Wright, Stewart
Mathematics has important applications to numerous areas ranging from economics and other social sciences to physics and engineering. It is a challenging and interesting area to study in its own right with a broad and varied curriculum.
The Department offers majors leading to the B.S. and B.A. degrees as well as a minor in mathematics. Students considering a major in mathematics should take at least four years of high school mathematics, including at least one year beyond Algebra II. (Only well-prepared students will be permitted to enroll in MATH 1241 without first taking MATH 1103.) While excessive specialization at the undergraduate level is not encouraged, students may choose their upper-division mathematics electives to emphasize statistics, operations research or applied mathematics. Students graduating with a bachelor's degree in mathematics should find themselves well prepared for a career in business or industry, especially if they have chosen to concentrate on some of the more applied areas in the program and have selected related work in an area of application such as economics, business or computer science. Students preparing for careers in industry or business should consider participating in the Department's Cooperative Education Program. Students completing the B.S. curriculum will be well prepared for graduate work in the mathematical sciences.
At the graduate level, the Department offers programs leading to the M.A. degree in Mathematics and in Mathematics Education, the M.S. degree in Applied Mathematics and in Applied Statistics, and the Ph.D. degree in Applied Mathematics. The M.A. degree in Mathematics develops breadth and depth in the field and provides preparation for careers in industry and teaching at junior or community colleges and for further study at the doctoral level. The M.A. degree in Mathematics Education provides career advancement opportunities for teachers, preparation for junior or community college teaching, or further work at the doctoral level in Mathematics Education. The M.S. degrees in Applied Mathematics and in Applied Statistics provide advanced work in the techniques of mathematical analysis and in statistics and applied probability and their application to the problems of industry and technology. The Ph.D. degree enables the student to master a significant body of mathematical knowledge, to relate this knowledge to a coherent area of science or engineering, and to carry on fundamental research in applied mathematics. This degree provides preparation for careers in industry, commerce, or government agencies and laboratories as well as college or university teaching. (See the Graduate Section of this Catalog.)
Teacher Licensure in Mathematics.
Students preparing for licensure to teach mathematics in secondary school (grades 9-12)
must major in Mathematics. They may select either the B.A. or the B.S. degree track, but
their coursework must include MATH 3125, 3181, and 4109. They must also take MAED 3103,
3105, 3252, and a number of education related courses. Before the end of the sophomore
year, students should obtain an application for formal admission to the teacher education
program in the Department of Middle, Secondary, and K-12 Education. Detailed information
is available in the Mathematics Department office. Licensure applications are the
responsibility of the student and the Office of Student Academic Services in the College
of Education.
BACHELOR OF ARTS
A major in mathematics for the B.A. degree consists of a minimum of 34 hours of approved mathematics, operations research or statistics courses, including MATH 1241, 1242, 2241, 2242, 2164, 2171, 3163, and 3688; 12 additional hours of approved courses numbered 3000 or above) and MATH 3689 or 3791.
A major in mathematics also requires CSCI 1214 and related work consisting of 18 hours of approved courses in an area outside the Mathematics Department. All students must meet the general education requirements of the University.
Concentration in Actuarial Science
A Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics with an option in Actuarial Science consists of a minimum of 34 hours of mathematics and statistics courses including MATH 1241, 1242, 2241, 2242, 2164, 2171, 3163, 3688, and 3689. Upper division courses must include MATH 3122, 3123, 3128, and 3129. It is strongly recommended that students also take STAT 3126.
The program also requires CSCI 1214 and at least 18 hours
of related work consisting of ACCT 2121, 2122, ECON 1201, 1202, FINN 3120, and 3271. In
addition, it is strongly recommended that students take FINN 3272 or 3273. All students
must meet the general education requirement of the University.
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
A major in mathematics for the B.S. degree consists of a minimum of 40 semester hours of approved MATH, STAT or OPRS courses. In addition to the requirements for the B.A. degree, the major in mathematics for the B.S. degree requires the completion of six additional hours of approved mathematics, operations research or statistics courses numbered 3000 or above (exclusive of MATH 3163) as well as a minimum of 11 hours of science courses. Upper division courses must include MATH 3141, 3142, and at least one course from among STAT 3123 and MATH 4163, 4164, 4181 and 5143.
Note: Students applying for either the B.A. or B.S. degree in mathematics must have a grade point average of at least 2.0 in each of the following categories: (1) all MATH, STAT, or OPRS courses taken, and (2) all 2000 level and above MATH, STAT, or OPRS courses taken.
MATHEMATICS MINOR
A minor in mathematics requires 18 semester hours
including MATH 1241, 1242, and 2164; one course chosen from MATH 2241, 2242, 2171, STAT
2122, or any three-hour MATH, STAT, or OPRS course numbered 3000 or above; two three-hour
MATH, STAT, or OPRS courses numbered 3000 or above; and an average GPA of at least 2.0 in
these courses.
MINOR IN ACTUARIAL MATHEMATICS
A minor in actuarial mathematics requires MATH 1241, 1242, 2241, 2164, STAT 3122, and STAT 3123; and a minimum average GPA of 2.0 in these courses.
Completion of these courses will help prepare the student
for the first two actuarial examinations administered by the Society of Actuaries and the
Casualty Actuarial Society. The first actuarial exam should be taken as soon as possible
after completing Calculus I, II, III and Linear Algebra, and the second examination after
completing Probability and Statistics II. Further examinations cover material contained in
MATH 3176, OPRS 3111, 3113, and STAT 5123, 5124.
HONORS PROGRAM IN MATHEMATICS
The purpose of the Honors Program in mathematics is to stimulate the imagination and deepen the understanding of students by encouraging independent study, and to provide recognition of exceptional achievements in mathematics. Students who complete the requirements of the program graduate with honors in mathematics.
Admission. Entrance to the Mathematics Department Honors Program is granted by the Mathematics Department, based on the following minimum requirements: (1) junior or senior standing; (2) at least 20 hours in mathematics, including MATH 1241, 1242, 2241, 2242, 2171, 2164 and 3163; and (3) a grade point average of not less than 3.0 in mathematics courses and in all University courses.
Students must apply to the Mathematics Department for admission to the program, and if admitted, must select a mathematics faculty member who is willing to serve as an honors adviser. The Department recommends students admitted to the program to the University Honors Council for formal admission to honors candidacy. (In order to graduate with honors the University requires that students be admitted to honors candidacy at least two semesters before graduation.)
Courses. A Junior Honors Seminar (MATH 3790) and a Senior Honors Tutorial (MATH 3791) are offered, both of which may be repeated for credit.
Certification Requirements. The requirements for graduation with honors are: (1) completion of all requirements for a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics with a grade point average of 3.00 or better; (2) a grade point average of 3.25 or better in all mathematics, operations research or statistics courses, and a GPA of 3.5 or better in all mathematics honors courses; (3) completion of at least six hours of Senior Honors Tutorial (MATH 3791) with a GPA of 3.5 or better, culminating in an honors thesis approved by the Mathematics Department; and (4) recommendation by the Mathematics Department to the University Honors Council that the student graduate with honors.
Either the student or the Department may withdraw the
student from the Department Honors Program. If the date for dropping courses has passed
when the student leaves the program, the student must complete any courses currently in
progress in order to receive passing grades in the courses.
COOPERATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAM
A student may participate in the Mathematics Cooperative
Education Program in either the parallel or alternate track. The parallel track combines
academic study and cooperative experience during the same semester while the alternate
track alternates semesters totally devoted to work with semesters totally devoted to
academic study. Students in the Mathematics Cooperative Education Program must participate
in a minimum of two semesters in the program. Students interested in participating in the
program should contact the Coordinator of Undergraduate Programs in the Department of
Mathematics, for further information.
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