Dec 26, 2024

2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

Mathematics B.A., with General Mathematics Concentration

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TOTAL DEGREE HOURS: 120
Plans of Study

The mathematics program offers a diversity of courses designed not only to enable the student to pursue a profession in mathematics itself, but also to enhance the student’s competence in the fields of engineering, the physical sciences, the life sciences, and the social sciences. The program emphasizes the broad nature of modern mathematics and its close associations with the real world and prepares students for careers in industry or secondary education as well as entry into graduate school.

University Admissions - College of Arts and Sciences

Admission to the University is based on the University’s Undergraduate Admission Requirements that may be found by clicking on the following urls:

Freshman: https://www.usf.edu/admissions/freshmen/admission-information/requirements-deadlines.aspx
Transfer: https://www.usf.edu/admissions/transfer/admission-information/index.aspx
International: https://www.usf.edu/admissions/international/admission-information/index.aspx

For Admission information specific to the College of Arts and Sciences, see the information at College of Arts and Sciences .

Graduation Requirements - College of Arts and Sciences

Satisfactory completion of the following requirements:

Students must complete all State and University level graduation requirements.
Maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 in USF coursework. Note: Some Departments/program/major require a higher GPA. Students should refer to Department/program/major specific catalog requirements.
- The College may approve an exception when a student has successfully earned the minimum grade required for all courses applied in the major but does not have a major GPA of 2.0.
Physical Education coursework is limited to two (2) semester hours.
ROTC courses that are primarily physical training and field experiences will not be applied to College of Arts and Sciences degree programs. All other military Science coursework will apply, in particular, coursework utilized toward completing an established ROTC minor will be applied to the total hours toward degree.
When earning a second degree, double major or concurrent degree, the Major Core and Major Elective/Concentration areas of the degree audit must not overlap for both degrees. All other areas of the degree audit may have overlapping credit hours applied.
Maximum of 20 hours of S/U option. S/U contracts must be negotiated in writing within the first three (3) weeks of the term. None of the 20 credits may be taken in the student’s major unless S/U is the only grading option. Coursework fulfilling the General Education Core Curriculum Requirements and the State Communication Requirement (formerly known as Gordon Rule Writing) and State Computation Requirement (formerly known as Gordon Rule Math) may not be taken S/U.
The Audit option is available only during the first 5 days of classes.
Complete all major course requirements.
College of Arts and Sciences students are expected to complete a minimum of 50% of their major and/or minor coursework in residence at USF. Some College of Arts and Sciences Departments/programs/majors have established additional major course hours to be taken in residency at USF. See the major or program section of the catalog for these credit-hour requirements.

Mathematics B.A. Required Courses: (52 credit hours)

State Mandated Common Course Prerequisites - Mathematics B.A. (22 credit hours)

Following Florida BOG Regulation 8.010, state mandated common course prerequisites are lower-division courses that are required for progression into the upper division of a particular baccalaureate degree program.

Transfer students should complete the State Mandated Common Course Prerequisites at the lower level prior to entering the university. If these courses are not taken at a Florida College System institution, they must be completed before the degree is granted. Successful completion of the common prerequisites alone does not guarantee a student admission into the degree program.

Unless stated otherwise, a grade of C is the minimum acceptable grade in prerequisite courses.

MAC X311 Calculus I - 4 credit hours
MAC X312 Calculus II - 4 credit hours
MAC X313 Calculus III - 4 credit hours
(BSC X010 AND BSC X010L) OR (CHM X045 AND CHM X045L) OR (PHY X048 AND PHY X048L) OR (GLY X010 AND GLY X010L) OR BSC X010C OR CHM X045C OR PHY X048C OR GLY X010C - 4-5 credit hours
MAP X302 - 3 credit hours
COP X271C OR COP X210 OR COP X270 OR COP X272C OR COP X001 OR COP X500 OR COP X006 - 3-4 credit hours

NOTE: All universities require a ‘C’ grade or better for admission.

State Mathematics Pathway – Mathematics B.A. (7 Credit Hours)*

The Mathematics B.A. uses the Algebra through Calculus Mathematics Pathway with the following requirements:

MAC 1105 - College Algebra Credit(s): 3 **
MAC 2281 - Engineering Calculus I Credit(s): 4
OR MAC 2311 - Calculus I Credit(s): 4
* Mathematics Pathway courses count towards the State Common Prerequisite math courses and are not additional credits.
** Students may place out of MAC 1105 and begin at a higher-level math class.

Mathematics B.A. Foundation Courses: 5 courses; 15 credit hours

Mathematics Core Required Courses: 3 courses; 9 credit hours

Majors must complete the following three courses:

MAS 3105 - Linear Algebra Credit(s): 3
MAS 3156 - Vector Calculus Credit(s): 3
MGF 3301 - Bridge to Abstract Mathematics Credit(s): 3

Algebra Requirement Course: 1 course; 3 credit hours

Majors must complete the following course:

MAS 4301 - Elementary Abstract Algebra I Credit(s): 3

Symbolic Computations Requirement Course: 1 course; 3 credit hours

Majors must complete the following course:

COP 4313 - Symbolic Computations in Mathematics Credit(s): 3

Mathematics B.A. Major (Restricted) Electives: 5 courses; 15 credit hours

Students complete the general Mathematics B.A. program of study and one of the following three concentrations:

General Mathematics Concentration: 5 courses; 15 credit hours

This concentration is designed for students whose interests lie in both applications and theory. Students who complete this concentration will be exposed to a variety of topics to help prepare the student for future endeavors in either aspect.

Concentration Core Courses: 2 courses; 6 credit hours

Majors in this concentration must complete at least one (1) course in each of the following areas:

Applied Mathematics Requirement

Majors in this concentration must complete one (1) course from the list below.

MAD 4401 - Numerical Analysis I Credit(s): 3
MAD 4402 - Numerical Analysis II Credit(s): 3
MAD 4472 - Modern Cryptography Credit(s): 3
MAD 4504 - Theory of Computation Credit(s): 3
MAD 4605 - Introduction to Coding Theory Credit(s): 3
MAP 4202 - Optimization Credit(s): 3
MAP 4341 - Introduction to Partial Differential Equations Credit(s): 3
STA 4321 - Introduction to Mathematical Statistics I Credit(s): 3
STA 4442 - Introduction to Probability Credit(s): 3

Pure Mathematics Requirement

Majors in this concentration must complete one (1) course from the list below.

MAA 4211 - Intermediate Analysis I Credit(s): 3
MAA 4212 - Intermediate Analysis II Credit(s): 3
MAA 4402 - Complex Variables Credit(s): 3
MAD 4203 - Introduction to Combinatorics Credit(s): 3
MAD 4301 - Introduction to Graph Theory Credit(s): 3
MAS 4302 - Elementary Abstract Algebra II Credit(s): 3
MTG 4214 - Modern Geometry Credit(s): 3
MTG 4254 - Differential Geometry Credit(s): 3
MTG 4302 - Introduction to Topology Credit(s): 3

Concentration Elective Courses: 3 courses; 9 credit hours

Majors in this concentration must complete three (3) courses from the list below. These courses may NOT be used to fulfill any of the above requirements.

One course from another department that is of high mathematical content may also be taken as an elective, with the prior approval of the department chair.

MAA 4211 - Intermediate Analysis I Credit(s): 3
MAA 4212 - Intermediate Analysis II Credit(s): 3
MAA 4402 - Complex Variables Credit(s): 3
MAD 4203 - Introduction to Combinatorics Credit(s): 3
MAD 4301 - Introduction to Graph Theory Credit(s): 3
MAD 4401 - Numerical Analysis I Credit(s): 3
MAD 4402 - Numerical Analysis II Credit(s): 3
MAD 4472 - Modern Cryptography Credit(s): 3
MAD 4504 - Theory of Computation Credit(s): 3
MAD 4515 - Mathematics of Quantum Computing Credit(s): 3
MAD 4605 - Introduction to Coding Theory Credit(s): 3
MAP 4202 - Optimization Credit(s): 3
MAP 4341 - Introduction to Partial Differential Equations Credit(s): 3
MAS 4302 - Elementary Abstract Algebra II Credit(s): 3
MTG 4214 - Modern Geometry Credit(s): 3
MTG 4254 - Differential Geometry Credit(s): 3
MTG 4302 - Introduction to Topology Credit(s): 3
MAT 4930 - Selected Topics in Mathematics Credit(s): 1-3 (may be taken as an elective with the prior approval of the Department Chair)

Additional Information - Mathematics B.A.

GPA Requirements

Major GPA (All USF courses which are applied to major requirements): 2.0
General Education GPA (All USF courses which are applied to General Education requirements): 2.0
USF GPA: 2.0
Overall GPA: 2.0

Grading Requirements

A grade of C- or better is required for courses in the mathematics major and minor and in the statistics major.

However, C- is not an acceptable grade for any course that is being used as a prerequisite for a follow-on course. For these courses, a grade of C (2.0 grade points) or better is required. Will vary by area.

Note: Some USF courses have higher grade criteria to meet prerequisite knowledge necessary for progression into higher level courses.

Residency Requirements - College of Arts and Sciences

College of Arts and Sciences Major Academic Residency Requirement - 50% of major must be completed at USF

USF Academic Residency Requirement - 30 of the last 60 hours earned must be from USF

Other Program Information

Those interested in pursuing advanced degrees in Mathematics may also be interested in the Honors Program.

Optional Honors Program

HONORS PROGRAM IN MATHEMATICS

The program is designed for students who wish to obtain a B.A. degree that will indicate unusual strength in the field of mathematics. Successful completion of the program will be prominently displayed on the student’s diploma and will be recorded on the official USF transcript of the student’s work.

Students are eligible for admission to the program when they:

have completed MAS 4301 - Elementary Abstract Algebra I ;
have at least a 3.0 GPA for all college courses; and
have at least a 3.5 GPA for all Mathematics courses.

Applications are submitted to the Undergraduate Committee in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. The requirements for a B.A. degree in Mathematics with Honors are as follows:

Completion of the requirements of the major in Mathematics;
Completion of MAA 4211 - Intermediate Analysis I ;
Completion of MAT 4970 - Mathematics Senior Thesis ;
Completion of eight Mathematics courses at or above the 4000-level;
At least a 3.0 average for all college courses; and
At least a 3.5 average for all Mathematics courses.

At least 3 (and usually 6) credit hours of Mathematics Senior Thesis are required. There will be a thesis committee and the thesis will need to be successfully defended.

Research Opportunities - College of Arts and Sciences

Undergraduate students in any degree program are able to participate in undergraduate research. Several options exist to show mentored undergraduate research activity on a student’s official transcript. Those who wish to enroll in an undergraduate research course should consult with their academic advisor to understand how the credit will apply towards the degree requirements. If no credit is needed, students may be eligible to enroll in the 0-credit IDS 4914 course. This course will not impact degree credits or GPA but will show on an official transcript and document the experience. The Office of High Impact Practices and Undergraduate Research is able to assist with further inquiries.

Advising Information - College of Arts and Sciences

Undergraduate Advising Information

The College of Arts & Sciences (CAS) Advising Team provides students with support to create timely graduation plans that will integrate both their academic and professional goals. Each of our undergraduate programs has dedicated professional advisors with specialized knowledge and understanding of the major requirements, course offerings, undergraduate research, and career opportunities in their field. Additionally, we have dedicated pre-health and prelaw advisors to help students prepare for admission to professional graduate programs.

CAS Academic Advisor Contact information can be found here: CAS Advisors

To schedule an advising appointment: Advising Appointments

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