Bachelor of Science

Students are encouraged to declare a mathematics major in the freshman year so they can receive proper academic advising. A grade point average of 2.5 with no failing grades in mathematics courses through MATH 351 is a minimum indication of success in this major.

Degree Requirements

Area I No additional requirements. The second semester of English composition may be satisfied by ENG W132 (or ENG W150), ENG W231, or TCM 320.

Area II All degree options require 5 credit hours in a modern foreign language.

Area III The following apply to all degree options:

1. Mathematics courses below MATH 163 and those mathematics courses in which the student has received grades below C– do not count toward the degree.
2. Certain courses, such as CHEM C101, C102; PHYS 010, 100, 200, 218, 219, P201, P202; and AST A100 and A105 may not be used to fulfill the science requirement, Area IIIC, of the School of Science. If in doubt about a particular course, the student should consult a mathematics department advisor.
3. The Area IIID computer science requirement must be in a higher-level programming course (not BASIC). A grade of C (2.0) or better is required.

Area IV Mathematics courses in which a student has received grades below C (2.0) do not count in area IV. The Area IV requirements for the secondary area of concentration and the major for the three degree options—pure mathematics, applied mathematics, and secondary teaching—are described in the following sections. There is no single semester-by-semester plan of study for any of the options because flexibility is encouraged within the various programs. However, a sample program that shows one possible sequence of courses is given for each option. Variations from the sample program should be made in consultation with the student’s advisor. Because of the complexity of the requirements, and because certain courses are not offered every semester, it is important that each student consult the assigned advisor as soon as possible in order to proceed through a proper plan of study for the chosen degree program. A minimum grade point average of 2.5 is required in all mathematics courses that count toward the major.

Area IV Secondary Area of Concentration Requirements

Courses may be used for the double purpose of fulfilling the general requirements and also for fulfilling the secondary area of concentration requirements of the Department of Mathematical Sciences. For students in the Pure Mathematics Option or the Applied Mathematics Option, a secondary area in one of the physical sciences or in a subject that makes serious use of mathematics, such as computer science, engineering, or economics, is desirable. Students in the Secondary School Teaching Option satisfy the requirements for a secondary area by the courses they take to meet the professional education requirement.

The requirement of 18 credit hours in a secondary area of concentration does not, by itself, constitute an official minor that would be acknowledged on the student’s transcript. A minor must be offered through the department or school in which the minor is taken. One such minor, which is designed to be of particular interest to students choosing a career in actuarial sciences, is offered by the School of Business in conjunction with the Department of Mathematical Sciences. Students interested in the business minor for mathematics majors should contact the Department of Mathematical Sciences or the School of Business for exact requirements.

Area IV Major Requirements