Mathematics, B.A.

Universal Curriculum Requirements

To be awarded a degree from the College of Arts and Sciences, students are required to complete universal curriculum requirements in addition to the program requirements provided below. The school universal curriculum requirements can be found on the school Degree Programs page . 

Prerequisite

To declare the major, students must demonstrate proficiency in single and multivariable calculus at the grade level of C or better. Select one of the following options to meet this prerequisite: 

• MATH 2310 - Calculus III Credits: 4

• Note: Students may need to complete one or both of MATH 1310 -Calculus I and MATH 1320 -Calculus II prior to enrolling in Calculus III. Students should determine their appropriate starting placement in the calculus sequence by consulting with advisors and placement resources on the Department of Mathematics website. 

• MATH 2315 - Advanced Calculus and Linear Algebra I Credits: 4
• APMA 2120 - Multivariable Calculus Credits: 4
• Complete a course of study at another university or program that the Director of Undergraduate Programs determines is equivalent to one of the above options.

Notes: 

1. The sequence MATH 1210, 1220 (Survey of Calculus I and II) is insufficient preparation for continuing to Calculus lll and should therefore not be taken by students who might want to major/minor in mathematics or any other field requiring Calculus lll or beyond.
2. The above prerequisite is not part of the major itself. Prerequisite courses do not, factor into the major GPA, are not subject to restrictions on transfer credit, double counting, or other rules pertaining to credit applied to the major.

Program Requirements

To complete the major, students must complete the requirements for one of the Concentra­tions or General Option below.

• Each concentration and the general option requires four core courses (the standard or the advanced core), and a set of required and/or elective courses.
• At least 6 courses offered for the major must have a MATH prefix.
• All classes used to complete the major must be taken for a letter grade and passed with a C or better, except that two of these may be passed with a C- or better. 

Restrictions & Exceptions

• No more than two courses taken from outside the University can be applied to the major or minor.
• For transfer students, more may be approved by the Director of the Undergraduate Program and transfer credit advisor.

Distinguished Majors Program

In order to complete the Distinguished Majors Program, students must have completed all prerequisites, apply, and be admitted to the program by the May prior to the last two semesters of undergraduate study.

Learning Objectives

A student who completes the major will have a solid foundation in the core topics of modern mathematics, more extensive knowledge in a chosen concentration, familiarity of appropriate adjacent fields, and familiarity with computing. The math major will be proficient in each of the following 4 areas: 

1. Communication - read, interpret, write about, and talk about mathematics, in a manner appropriate to the audience and purpose; recognize and construct logical ar- guments and rigorous proofs; understand the differences between proofs and other less formal arguments;
2. Problem solving and computation - devise problem solving strategies; carry out computations and derivations accurately and efficiently; assess the correctness of solutions; create and explore examples; carry out mathematical experiments, and devise and test conjectures;
3. Abstraction - work with abstract mathematical structures, generalize from the concrete to the abstract, deduce general principles from particular instances;
4. Mathematical maturity - absorb new mathematical ideas efficiently; link theory with examples and applications; exhibit independence and perseverance; approach open- ended inquiry with curiosity and creativity.