General Information

The Mathematics and Statistics Department offers a degree program in the discipline of mathematics, with an emphasis on either pure or applied mathematics. In addition, we offer minors in computer and computational mathematics and applied statistics.

A student wishing to major in Mathematics can choose to obtain either a Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) or a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Degree.

• Bachelor of Arts is obtained by satisfying the CASL distribution requirements as well as the mathematics prerequisites and concentration requirements.
• Bachelor of Science is usually granted to students majoring in biochemistry, biological sciences, chemistry, chemistry/instructional, earth science, environmental science, microbiology, or physics. However, a student who earns 60 or more credits hours (at least 20 of which are upper-level) in mathematics and the physical and biological sciences may, upon petition, be granted the B.S. degree.

The prerequisites include three semesters of calculus, introductory differential equations, and matrix/linear algebra. This sequence of courses is shared by many disciplines, including engineering and the natural sciences. These courses, while filled with many new ideas and concepts, are sometimes characterized by computations. In many respects this is natural since these courses serve not just potential theoreticians, but also future practitioners.

The core courses involve greater rigor and spend more time on concepts and proofs. To facilitate the transition from the prerequisites to the upper-level courses (300-level or higher), the department provides a bridge course, called Mathematical Proof and Structures. From the core courses, eight upper-level courses are required: two algebra, two analysis, two applied mathematics, and two electives. Everyone is required to have abstract algebra, while there is a bit more flexibility between linear algebra and matrix computations. Likewise, everyone is required to have one semester of advanced calculus. In addition, a second semester is recommended, but topology or complex variables are alternatives. The applied mathematics courses can be of a traditional sort, including Fourier Series and complex variables, or the less classical mathematical modeling and mathematical statistics.

Finally, there is the flexibility to choose from a host of other courses, including geometry, history of mathematics, and number theory. There are two auxiliary requirements: a programming language course and two upperlevel cognate courses. The introductory programming language for most students is likely to be C++. A cognate course of study is an area in which mathematics is used extensively, but the area is not itself mathematics.
Examples of cognate areas include physics, chemistry, and statistics.