2011-2012 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Mathematics, BS
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 Return to: College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences
The Department of Mathematics offers a curriculum leading to the degree of Bachelor of Science in Mathematics. The Bachelor of Science Degree in Mathematics is well-suited for those students aiming toward a career in applied mathematics or planning for graduate school in applied mathematics. This program is also appropriate for those mathematics students who have not yet decided between a teaching career or a career in industry.
Modern industrial and scientific enterprises are so dependent on advanced mathematical concepts that applied mathematicians are needed today by almost all concerns that are engaged in such work. The undergraduate curriculum is designed to give training in mathematics and in engineering and science. The use of numerical methods and computers is included.
Normally, a graduate of mathematics who accepts a position in the private or public sector will be working as part of a team to solve applied problems outside of mathematics. Seldom is this problem purely one in mathematics. Because of this, an applied mathematician needs a working knowledge of another discipline, and so each graduate of the BS in Mathematics program must complete a secondary area requirement. This secondary emphasis area is in a specific engineering, computer science, or applied science department. The choice of a secondary area must be approved by the student’s faculty advisor.
Foreign languages are encouraged for students interested in research. A maximum of 8 hours of foreign languages may be taken and applied to the approved electives requirements. German, French and Russian are the approved languages.
Departmental Goal
- Prepare students for employment or graduate study in a mathematically related area
Learning Outcomes, Mathematics, BA
- Be able to analyze problems and formulate appropriate mathematical models
- Understand mathematical techniques and how they apply
- Recognize phenomena and be able to abstract; generalize and specialize these patterns in order to analyze them mathematically
- Be able to express oneself in writing and orally in an articulate, sound and well-organized fashion
- Be able to use, verify, and check well-known techniques of calculation
General Requirements
- 42 semester hours in Mathematics
- 18 semester hours in Basic Science and Technology
- 18 semester hours in Secondary Area Requirements, of which 9 hours must be 3000 level or higher
- A minimum 2.0 on each required mathematics course
- A CU minimum GPA of 2.0
- An Exit Interview with the Mathematics department is required prior to graduation.
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LAS General Education Requirements for Math BS Students
Humanities:
Math BS students should select as part of their LAS Humanities general education area requirements. Natural Sciences:
Natural Science Area Requirement: The required courses , , and apply to this requirement. An additional three hours are needed. Social Sciences:
Mathematics BS students should select from the LAS Social Sciences area general education courses; BS Secondary Teaching Options Candidates should include as part of the requirements. Writing Requirements:
Mathematics BS students should complete and . Free Electives:
Mathematics BS students should take a number of courses in computer science to prepare them for the various career options in mathematics. Foreign languages are encouraged for students interested in research. Mathematics (42 semester hours)
One of the following two Restricted Mathematics Elective Sequences (6 Credits)
Applied Mathematics:
Two of these five courses: Statistics:
Two courses from: AND Mathematics electives number 3100 or higher (6 credits)
Basic Science and Technology (18 Semester Hours)
Note:
Nine (9) hours of the LAS Natural Science Area Requirement may be satisfied by taking PES 1110, 1120 and 1160. BS Secondary Area Requirements
Secondary area requirements may be done in any one of the following ways:
Departmental Course Work: Select classes from one of the following departments: Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Economics, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Physics, or Psychology. Courses used for general education requirements may be counted towards this requirement.
Interdisciplinary Secondary Areas: Complete one of the interdisciplinary secondary area programs that have been approved by the department. At present, there are two such programs: System Science and Engineering and Actuarial Science (see Below).
Personalized Secondary Program: Design a personalized secondary area program that may include courses from departments other than those listed in above, and/or may be interdisciplinary in nature. Such a program MUST have the approval of the faculty advisor from the Mathematics Department. BS Concentrations and Minors
Concentration in Systems Science and Engineering
Systems science is an approach that views an entire system of components as an entity rather than simply an assembly of individual parts; each component is designed to fit properly with the other components rather than to function by itself. The engineering and mathematics of systems is a rapidly developing field. It is one of the most modern segments of applied mathematics, as well as an engineering discipline. It is concerned with the identification, modeling, analysis, design, and control of systems that are potentially as large and complex as the U.S. economy or as precise and vital as a space voyage. Its interests run from fundamental theoretical questions to the implementation of operational systems. In its mathematical aspects it draws on the most modern and advanced areas of mathematics. At the application end of the spectrum, the systems scientist is a scientist/engineer with a unique and indispensable viewpoint. For example, in the aerospace industry, the systems engineer devises the control and guidance laws, navigational systems, trajectory tracking, and estimating algorithms—indeed the total coordinated structure of complex aerospace undertakings.
Required courses for a Systems Science & Engineering Concentration: See Math Advisor. Concentration in Actuarial Science
Actuarial Science is a professionally oriented program combining business, economics, and mathematics, and is designed to prepare students to begin careers as actuaries. Actuaries are experts in risk management. Graduates of this program are prepared for the first three professional actuary exams and have a solid base of preparation for further exams. See the Society of Actuaries Web page, http://www.soa.org, for additional information concerning these exams and a career in Actuarial Science. Program Requirements
To provide a solid foundation for this career and prepare for these three exams, the student should complete the following program: Secondary Area Requirements
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Return to: College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences
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