George Mason University > University Catalog > College of Arts and Sciences
2003-04 University Catalog George Mason University


Mathematical Sciences

Faculty

Professors: Alligood, Colonna, Fischer, Kulesza, B. Lawrence, J. Lawrence, Levy, Morris, Polyak, Sachs (chair), Saperstone, Sauer (CAS Distinguished Scholar), Shapiro, Struppa, Walnut

Associate professors: Gabel, Kiley, Lim, Lin, Singman, Soltan, Zoltek

Assistant professors: Anderson, Goldin, Lamba, Sander, Wanner

Adjuncts: Ailes, Chubb, Lieberman, Lightbourne, Perencevich, Shaw, Soltan, Wallace, Zampedro

Visiting instructors: McNulty, Nuttall, O'Beirne, O'Brien, Orlova-Shokry, Pilley,

Affiliates: Loustaunau, Peterson

The degree programs in mathematics serve the needs of students with various interests and career goals from business, industry, and research to graduate and professional school. Students may pursue the standard program or pursue a program focused on either actuarial mathematics or applied mathematics. Students may complement other interests by taking a double major in mathematics and a related field, such as finance, economics, physics, computer science, or engineering.

Graduating seniors are required to have an exit interview and take an assessment exam.

Course Work

The Mathematical Sciences Department offers all course work designated MATH in the Course Descriptions chapter of this catalog.

Undergraduate Programs

Mathematics, B.A.

In addition to satisfying the university-wide general education requirements and the requirements for the B.A. degree in the College of Arts and Sciences, candidates for the degree in mathematics must present the following. (Through the course work below, math majors satisfy the university-wide requirement in quantitative reasoning.)

1. 26 credits of required MATH courses: MATH 113, 114, 125, 203, 213 or 215, 216, 290, and 322

2. 12 credits of electives in MATH numbered above 300. CS 112 is recommended and may substitute for 3 credits of MATH.

Mathematics, B.S.

In addition to satisfying the university-wide general education requirements for the B.S. degree, students majoring in mathematics must present the following. (Through the course work below, math majors satisfy the university-wide requirement in quantitative reasoning and natural sciences.)

Students may pursue a traditional mathematics program or a concentration in actuarial mathematics or applied mathematics.

1. Mathematics core requirements: 23 credits of required MATH courses from MATH 113, 114, 203, 213 or 215, 216, 290, and 322

2. Science, accounting, and economics requirements:

a. For all students, 8 credits of a laboratory science sequence selected from one of the following:

  • BIOL 213 and 303 or 304
  • CHEM 211 and 212
  • GEOL 101 and 102
  • PHYS 160, 260, 261

b. For students in the traditional mathematics program and the applied mathematics concentration, a second year of science selected from one of the following three options:

A second course sequence from the list above

Credits from more advanced courses in biology, chemistry, geology, and physics (but only courses acceptable for credit toward a natural science major)

PHYS 262, 263

c. For students in the concentration in actuarial mathematics, 3 credits of ACCT 203 and 6 credits of economics, including ECON 103 (three credits) and either ECON 306, 310, or FNAN 321. (The Economics Department has agreed to waive ECON 104 as a prerequisite for ECON 306 for mathematics majors.)

3. Computational requirement:

a. For all students, four credits of CS 112

b. For students in the actuarial concentration, 3 credits of STAT 362

4. Program and concentration-specific requirements:

a. For students in traditional mathematics, 24 credits of MATH (MATH 125, 315, 316, either 321 or 431) and 12 credits of course work above MATH 300

b. For students in the actuarial mathematics concentration, 24 credits of MATH (MATH 351, 352, 551, 554, 555, 556) and 6 credits from MATH 441, 442, or 446

c. For students in the applied mathematics concentration, 24 credits of MATH 125, 315, 351, 413, 414, 446, and 6 credits of course work above MATH 300

The department recommends that a two-year proficiency in French, German, or Russian be demonstrated.

For math majors:

1. MATH 105, 106, 108, 110, 111, 271, and 272 do not satisfy the requirements for a major in mathematics.

2. MATH 214 is not recommended for mathematics majors. In special circumstances, a student may substitute MATH 214 for MATH 216.

For non-math majors:

1. MATH 108, 110, and 111 are designed for students in the social and behavioral sciences.

2. Liberal arts majors are advised to take MATH 106, MATH 110, or MATH 111.

3. Students in the natural sciences who plan to do graduate work are advised to add to their basic calculus sequence courses from MATH 313, 314, 351, 352, 382, 441, 442, 446, and 447.

For majors and non-math majors:

1. The following math courses have as a prerequisite a specified score on the Math Placement Test: MATH 105, 106, 108, 110, 111, 113. The Math Placement Test is given frequently. Visit cas.gmu.edu/math_placement online for the schedule.

2. Students who do not achieve the necessary test score to take the math course they need may go to the Math Literacy Center (see below) or may study and retake the test on their own. If they do not complete the relevant program in the center or do not achieve the necessary score after re-taking the test, they will be dropped from the course. Depending on their test scores, students who do not place into MATH 113 will be advised to take MATH 105 or go to the Math Literacy Center to prepare for MATH 105.

3. MATH 105 does not fulfill the university quantitative reasoning requirement.

4. Students may not receive credit for both MATH 214 and 216; both MATH 213 and 215; both MATH 351 and STAT 344; and both MATH 352 and STAT 354.

5. After receiving a grade ofC or better in one of the courses listed below on the left, students may not receive credit for the corresponding course on the right:

  • MATH 113 MATH 105 or 108
  • MATH 351 or STAT 344 MATH 110
  • MATH 441 MATH 111

Writing-Intensive Requirement

The university requires all students to complete at least one course designated as writing intensive in their majors at the 300 level or above. Students majoring in mathematics fulfill this requirement by successfully completing MATH 290.

Minor in Mathematics

To receive a minor in mathematics, students must complete 21 credits distributed as follows:

1. 5 required courses (15 credits): MATH 125, 203, 213 or 215, 214 or 216, and 290

2. 3 credits from any math course that requires MATH 290 as a prerequisite, and

3. 1 elective course in math at the 300 or 400 level, or STAT 344

Students must earn a 2.000 or better in MATH 290 and the courses chosen to fulfill requirement 2.

Minor in Mathematics for Undergraduates in the School of Management

To receive this minor, students must complete 20 credits, including MATH 113, 114, 203, 213, and 351 and one course chosen from MATH 352, 441, and 554.

The Math Tutoring Center

The department manages the Math Tutoring Center, which offers free tutoring for first- and second-year math courses. The tutoring is given by faculty and mathematics majors and is available on a drop-in basis with daytime and evening hours throughout the term.

The Math Learning Center

For a small fee, the Math Learning Center offers self-paced and classroom noncredit tutorial programs for students who do not place into the math course they need. Special tutors and tutorial software are available to those enrolled in the program. Successful completion of the relevant program will enable the student to enroll in MATH 105, 106, 108, 110, or 111.

Teacher Licensure

Students who wish to become teachers should consult the Professional Licensure section in the Graduate School of Education chapter and attend an information session during their sophomore year. Information sessions for teacher licensure are offered every month. Call (703) 993-2892/4648, e-mail gseinfo@gmu.edu, or consult the web site at gse.gmu.edu for more information.

Graduate Program

Mathematics, M.S.

The Department of Mathematical Sciences offers courses in pure and applied mathematics leading to the M.S. in Mathematics. The program offers a standard mathematics program and an emphasis in computational and applied mathematics.

Assistantships

The Department of Mathematical Sciences offers a limited number of merit-based teaching assistantships to students taking at least 6 graduate credits each semester. Other sources of support, such as research assistantships, are available as funding permits. Graduate students also have the opportunity to work in the Math Tutoring Center and the Math Learning Center.

Admission Requirements

In addition to fulfilling the admission requirements for graduate study, applicants must submit three letters of recommendation. GRE scores are recommended but are not required.

Students intending to pursue a certificate in the actuarial sciences must have three semesters of calculus, a course in linear algebra (equivalent to MATH 322), a calculus-based course in probability (equivalent to MATH 351), and statistics (equivalent to MATH 352). Completion of the Society of Actuaries Course I is also sufficient preparation for the certificate program.

All other students must have a course in linear algebra (equivalent to MATH 322) and a course in advanced calculus (equivalent to MATH 315). Students intending to go into the computational and applied mathematics emphasis must have some computer knowledge.

Degree Requirements

Standard Program

In addition to fulfilling the degree requirements for graduate study, the candidate must complete 30 credits distributed as follows.

1. 6 credits of MATH 621 and 675

2. 6 approved graduate courses (18 credits), at least 4 of which are MATH (All six courses must be approved by the student's advisor. Courses not listed as MATH courses must be approved by the Graduate Committee.)

3. The research/creative component (see below)

Emphasis in Computational and Applied Mathematics

The emphasis in computational and applied mathematics provides students with the analytical skills and background in computational techniques most relevant to the needs of business, industry, and government. The large number of high-tech firms, telecommunications firms, and government laboratories in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area gives students an opportunity to gain practical experience and secure employment after graduation. The emphasis in computational and applied mathematics also provides the background necessary for advanced graduate work, in particular for the Ph.D. in Computational Sciences and Informatics.

In addition to fulfilling the degree requirements for graduate study, the candidate must complete 30 credits distributed as follows.

1. 12 credits of MATH 621;675; 677 or 678; and MATH 685/CSI 717

2. 4 approved graduate courses (12 credits), at least 2 of which are MATH courses (All four courses must be approved by the student's advisor. Courses not listed as MATH courses must be approved by the Graduate Committee.)

3. The research/creative component (see below)

Research/Creative Component

Students receiving the master's degree in mathematics are required to write a thesis or present a paper. In preparation for either option, they form a committee comprising a chair and two other faculty members. The chair and at least one other member must be from the department; one member may be from a related field.

Students choosing the thesis option complete a thesis under the direction of the committee chair. The thesis work is typically completed while students are registered for 6 credits of MATH 799. A thesis proposal and thesis are submitted in accordance with university rules, and students must give an oral thesis defense.

Students choosing the paper presentation option, give an oral presentation of a paper (or series of papers or book chapter) agreed to in advance by the committee. The chosen material must be distinct from work done in fulfillment of course requirements. Students choosing this option take 6 additional credits of electives.

In the thesis defense or paper presentation, the student gives an oral defense/presentation of the thesis or paper to the committee and the George Mason community at large. Students are expected to respond to questions on the thesis or paper and related material. The committee determines whether the defense/presentation is satisfactory.

Certificate in the Actuarial Sciences

The certificate in the actuarial sciences is designed to serve students and professionals in the Washington, D.C., area who are interested in pursuing careers as actuaries. The course content provides students specific training related to the first four courses offered by the Society of Actuaries.

Requirements

Students must complete 6 courses (18 credits): MATH 551, 554, 555, 556, and two courses chosen from MATH 653, 654, or 655.

MATH 655 is recommended only for students who wish to pursue a career as a pension actuary. Substitutions for the elective courses may be made with the approval of the student's advisor.