USM Math Department: http://www.usm.edu/math

Undergraduate Program
UNDERGRADUATE MATHEMATICS MAJOR REQUIREMENTS

Preparation and Background The usual high school background possessed by our students includes four years of mathematics, normally Algebra I, Algebra II, Plane Geometry, and Senior Math. This fourth year of mathematics is ordinarily Trigonometry, Analysis, Algebra III, or Calculus. Of course, not all students who enter Southern Miss and plan to major in mathematics have this background, and we offer College Algebra (MAT 101), Plane Trigonometry (MAT 103) and Precalculus Mathematics (MAT 128) for them.

Required Mathematics Courses, Nonteaching Degree Students who have completed a college preparatory program in mathematics such as that described above should begin their university mathematics programs with MAT 167, which is the first of a four-course sequence in the calculus. In a nutshell, the mathematics required of our students includes:

(1) the calculus sequence. MAT 167, MAT 168, MAT 169, MAT 280. These are four three-hour courses.

(2) MAT 340, MAT 326, MAT 285, MAT 305. These courses, Discrete Mathematics, Linear Algebra, Differential Equations and Mathematical Computing, form what we refer to as the "mathematics core" and should be taken concurrently with the calculus sequence. Our students must first take MAT 340 and then MAT 326. Advanced mathematics elective credit can be earned only after having passed these two courses with a grade of "C" or better. MAT 285 and MAT 305 may be taken concurrently with MAT 280.

(3) computer science. You must take one programming course selected from among FORTRAN (CSS 240), C⁺⁺ (CSC 101 & 101L); C( CSS 333), PASCAL (CSS 330), COBOL (CSS 242),or BASIC (CSS 331; CSS 402). The department recommends that students take CSC 101 & 101L.

(4) five advanced mathematics electives. We typically offer three of these courses each semester. You are required to take MAT 320, MAT 423, and the Senior Capstone Experience, MAT 481. Thus you must select two upper-level mathematics electives. You may not choose among MAT 308, MAT 309, MAT 310, MAT 312, MAT 314, MAT 370, MAT 410, MAT 430, MAT 431, MAT 457, or MAT 481. In addition, you must include MAT 420, MAT 415, MAT 424, or MAT 426; or one of the sequences: MAT 418-419, MAT 441-442, or MAT 460-461. Graduate mathematics classes may sometimes be taken, with permission of the instructor, as Special Problems (MAT 492). Your adviser will help you select the electives most compatible with your career goals.

The courses in groups (1)-(3) are offered every semester. A four-year plan of advanced undergraduate and graduate course offerings may be found under Class Schedules..

Required Mathematics Courses, Teaching Degree The normal route for those students who wish to teach mathematics in grades 7-12 is to obtain a major in mathematics and complete the education curriculum courses for secondary licensure. Preservice secondary school teachers are required to take the courses specified in groups (1)-(3) above. Preservice secondary school teachers are required to take MAT 220 (Explorations in the Mathematics Classroom), MAT 320 (Probability and Mathematical Statistics I), MAT 370 (Introductory Geometry), MAT 420 (Probability and Mathematical Statistics II), MAT 423 (Modern Algebra I), and MAT 481 (History of Mathematics). Lastly, one additional advanced mathematics elective must be taken; this elective is subject to the strictures delineated in group (4) above. The courses MAT 457 and 457L (Methods in Mathematics - Secondary) and MAT 489 and 490 (Student Teaching in Mathematics I & II) are included with the professional courses.

General Degree Requirements All the courses you will take at Southern Miss fall into four categories:

(1) the general education core. These are the writing and oral communication, basic science, global history and culture, aesthetic values, and decision making and responsibility courses that all students take, regardless of major, in order to become well‑rounded, literate members of society. The course requirements which constitute the College of Science & Technology (CoST) core include the courses required by the University core. The department has mandated that PHY 201 and 201L (General Physics with Calculus and Laboratory) be taken as one of your lab sciences. Speech communication is also a departmentally mandated add-on to the core.

(2) the mathematics major. The 43-44 semester hours of mathematics and computer science described above compose this group of courses.

(3) the minor. The most common minors for mathematics majors are computer science, one of the sciences, general business, psychology, economics, and general science. Those majors who complete the education curriculum courses for secondary licensure earn, for all practical purposes, a minor in secondary education. In general, any 18 hours of courses that count toward the major in a discipline will make up a minor, but the minor department is the authority responsible for specifying exactly which courses and how many courses constitute the minor. The prevailing philosophy is that the minor should enhance and complement the major. In any event, your academic adviser will help you decide upon an appropriate minor field.

(4) electives. These are any (non-remedial) courses that you wish to take. At the end of four years, after completing your electives and all the courses in the college core, in mathematics, and in your minor field, you will have completed at least 124 semester hours of coursework. Thus, the "normal" academic load is 15.5 semester hours (15.5 hrs./sem. x 8 sem. = 124 sem. hrs.). Note that if you "spend" your electives on minor courses, you can expand your minor into a second major. Thus, one can easily obtain a "double major" within the four-year time frame. This is decidedly not the case if you persue secondary licensure to teach. The education curriculum courses for secondary licensure total 33 semester hours. Thus, preservice secondary school mathematics teachers have virtually no electives.

Academic Advisement A member of the faculty will be assigned as your academic adviser. You should use this valuable resource to help you plan your degree program, which includes the selection of electives and a minor. However, do not lose sight of the fact that, in the final analysis, it is YOUR responsibility to read the Undergraduate Bulletin and to make certain that you satisfy all degree requirements. A faculty adviser cannot waive or vary degree requirements as they appear in the Bulletin. You may graduate under any catalog that has been in effect since you entered your first postsecondary institution, as long as the catalog is not more than six years old. Signs indicating that it is time to meet with your adviser to select your courses for the new semester will be posted on the doors throughout the department. If you do not know who your adviser is, just ask Cindy Hodge, administrative assistant, in SH 319-C.

Cautionary Admonition If you must work to support yourself while studying for a mathematics degree, you should be aware of a tried and true rule of thumb: If you work 15 hours per week, then you should attempt no more than a 12 semester hour class load. An increase in your work committment should be accompanied by a decrease in your study load. When you begin your mathematics study, you should be making some As and Bs after taking five mathematics courses (counting repeats). If you are not performing at this level, then you should consider a different major. Mathematics can be a rewarding and versatile major, but it does require a serious time investment by the student in its study.