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Mathematics
First Year Advising 2008-2009
The Department of Mathematics offers three majors: a Teaching major which leads to certification in Early Adolescence through Adolescence (grades 6-12), a Comprehensive Actuarial Science major which prepares a student for actuarial careers, and a Liberal Arts major. The Liberal Arts major has three emphases: Liberal Arts, Applied and Statistical. The Liberal Arts major allow students to prepare for a variety of careers in government, business, industry, research or graduate school.
The courses in the program are sequential. The major starts with the calculus sequence -- Math 114, 215 and 216 (Calculus and Analytic Geometry I, II and III). Math 324 (Linear Algebra and Matrix Theory), which has a prerequisite of Math 215, should be taken as early as possible. Other required courses depend upon the choice of major or emphasis.
COURSE SELECTION
UW-Eau Claire respects individual differences. This guide complements rather than substitutes for individual advising.
ESSENTIAL COURSES
The following is a list of courses students should take during their
first year to graduate in four years:
Math
114 and Math
215
PROGRAM READINESS
Students who take AP calculus and are given credit for Math
114 can start with Math
215. It should be noted that students who have been given credit
for Math
114 via AP calculus but do not feel ready for Math
215 may still take
Math 114. In that case, their AP credit would not apply.
Students must take the course indicated by their Math Placement Test. A solid foundation in algebra and trigonometry is required for success in Math 114.
PROGRAM ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Students interested in education must be admitted into the College of Education and Human Sciences. See the Early Adolescence through Adolescence First Year Advising Sheet, the Middle Childhood through Early Adolescence First Year Advising Sheet, or the University Catalogue for requirements.
COURSES TO BE AVOIDED
For students majoring in mathematics, courses at the 100 and 200 level cannot be counted towards the major, with the exception of the calculus sequence 114, 215, 216, 184 (Honors Calculus I) and 285 (Honors Calculus II). Students majoring in mathematics should avoid taking Math 111 (A Short Course in Calculus).
GENERAL EDUCATION
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Students in the Teaching major should follow the General Education requirements outlined on the Early Adolescence through Adolescence advising sheet. They should avoid Psyc 100 (Introduction to Psychology) and any political science course except 110 (Introduction to American Government) and 203 (State and Local Supplement to 110).
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Students in the Comprehensive Actuarial Science Major should consider taking Econ 103 (Principles of Microeconomics) and Econ 104 (Principles of Macroeconomics) in their first year. In order to receive actuarial validation by educational experience credit, a grade of B- or higher in these courses is required.
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Students in the Liberal Arts major may choose a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree within the College of Arts and Science. The General Education requirements differ, so the student should check the University Catalogue.
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Students generally take one math course per semester during their freshman year and fill the remainder of the schedule with General Education courses. During those semesters when two or more mathematics courses are taken, students need to remember that such courses will place heavy demands on their time and plan their schedule accordingly.
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Students are encouraged to take a variety of General Education courses in different fields. Math majors and minors automatically fulfill Category IB.
MESSAGES FOR NEW MAJORS
- Because of the sequential nature of mathematics knowledge that is reflected in the courses, it is important to be adequately prepared for a given course by making sure a student has a good understanding of the prerequisite material. It would be unwise for a student to go on to the next course with any grade lower than a C in the prerequisite course.
- Students majoring in Mathematics are strongly encouraged to get involved in collaborative work with professors and to take advantage of the internship program provided. They also should be aware of the Mathematics Honor Society, Kappa Mu Epsilon and the Actuarial Network. Many students enjoy tutoring in the Math Lab, or grading papers for lower division mathematics classes. Information on these work-study options is available in the Mathematics Department office. Mathematics experiences outside the classroom are as important as the standard classroom experiences.
MINORS
- A Liberal Arts minor in Mathematics can be combined with a variety of other majors from other departments.
- An Actuarial Science minor in mathematics provides undergraduates majoring in Finance, Accounting, Economics and other fields additional academic and career options that utilize tools from the field of actuarial science. This program will also enable participants to sit for the first two actuarial examinations.
- Two Teaching minors are available for students who are seeking a degree in the College of Education and Human Sciences. One is for future teachers of grades 1-9 and the other is for future teachers of grades 6-12.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Dr. Andrew Balas
Hibbard Humanities Hall 509
UW-Eau Claire
Eau Claire, WI 54702-4004
(715) 836-3301
abalas@uwec.edu
To learn how to declare this major, visit http://www.uwec.edu/registrar/chgofmajor/procedures/index.htm
Academic requirements change every year. For the most current information, refer to your catalogue and degree audit.