DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS

Undergraduate Department of Mathematics

COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES

Chair: Ettore Aldrovandi; Associate Chair for Academic Affairs: Hurdal; Associate Chair for Graduate Studies: Ökten; Director for Undergraduate Studies: P. Bowers; Director of Pure Mathematics: Ballas; Director of Applied and Computational Mathematics: Musslimani; Director of Financial Mathematics: Kercheval; Director of Biomathematics: Bertram; Coordinator of Graduate Teaching Assistants: Kirby; Coordinator of Actuarial Science: Paris; Professors: Aldrovandi, Aluffi, Bertram, P. Bowers, Cogan, Fenley, Gallivan, Heil, Huckaba, Hurdal, Kercheval, Kim, Klassen, Mio, Musslimani, Nolder, Ökten, Sussman, Tam, van Hoeij; Associate Professors: Agashe, Ballas, Bao, Bauer, Fahim, Lee, R. Oberlin, Reznikov, Zhu; Assistant Professors: Asllani, Banerjee, Farhat, Feng, Karamched, Morsky, Needham, Nguyen, Ozanski, Usatine, Zhang; Teaching Professors: Kirby, Paris; Research Associate in Mathematics: Boyd; Teaching Faculty III: Ewald, Harris; Teaching Faculty II: K. Bowers, Hollingsworth; Teaching Faculty I: Acar, Budkie, Simmons, Valdes, Wilk; Professors Emeriti: Bellenot, Blumsack, Bryant, Case, Hironaka, Kopriva, Kreimer, Mesterton-Gibbons, Mott, Nichols, D. Oberlin, Quine, Sumners, Wright; Courtesy Professors: Absil, Goldberg, Henry De Frahan, Hironaka, Huang, Marchand, Marcolli, van Dooren

The Department of Mathematics (https://www.math.fsu.edu ) offers programs of study leading to the Bachelor of Science (BS) and Bachelor of Arts (BA) degrees, the Master of Science (MS) and Master of Arts (MA) degrees, and the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree. (For details of the master's and doctoral degrees, see the Graduate Bulletin.) A combined bachelor's/master's pathway may be developed for a strong undergraduate, especially one entering with advanced credit. This allows a student to earn both a bachelor's and a master's degree in about five years. A degree in mathematics can be regarded as the central component of a liberal education, or as preparation for graduate study in mathematics or another field. Students can pursue careers in industry, finance, government, or teaching in a secondary, college, or university institution. The Actuarial Science program is professionally oriented toward the insurance and financial sectors.

The department has a widely recognized research faculty, all of whom teach undergraduate students. Under the direction of a faculty member, selected students may choose to pursue an individual research project under Honors in the Major. The department operates its own network of computers and computer labs. Faculty and students in the department have access to a variety of mathematical software, which is used in courses and in research. For additional information, see the departmental website.

The department offers opportunities for its majors to participate in learning activities outside the classroom. The Society of Undergraduate Mathematics Students provides a venue in which undergraduate students meet monthly to share interests and collaborate. Future Seminole Actuaries benefits from a first-rate professional relationship with actuarial employers; actuaries from government, insurance, and consulting firms often visit the department to describe the field and interview students for summer internships and employment. The students share experiences about summer internships and prepare for actuarial examinations and well-placed graduates of the program help current students. The department fields a team for the William Lowell Putnam Examination, a nationwide competition among mathematics students conducted annually by the Mathematical Association of America. A Fall seminar is held for students to become familiar with Putnam-style problems and to hone their skills.

Departmental Programs

There are four majors leading to the bachelor's degree: applied and computational mathematics, pure mathematics, biomathematics, and actuarial science.

Combined BS/MS Pathways

There are two approved mathematics BS/MS pathways which allow a student to get both a BS and an MS by double-counting up to 12 graduate credit hours. The two pathways are the Pure Mathematics pathway and the Applied and Computational Mathematics pathway.

Applicants are eligible to apply for admission when they have at least 60 undergraduate hours completed, at least 24 of which at FSU. The minimum GPA is 3.0, with at least a 3.2 in mathematics courses above MAC 2311. Note that satisfying these requirements does not guarantee admission. Early planning is advised. Consult with the mathematics graduate advisor or the mathematics Associate Chair of Graduate Studies if interested.

Digital Literacy Requirement

Students must complete at least one course designated as meeting the Digital Literacy Requirement with a grade of “C–” or higher. Courses fulfilling the Digital Literacy Requirement must accomplish at least three of the following outcomes:

Evaluate and interpret the accuracy, credibility, and relevance of digital information
Evaluate and interpret digital data and their implications
Discuss the ways in which society and/or culture interact with digital technology
Discuss digital technology trends and their professional implications
Demonstrate the ability to use digital technology effectively
Demonstrate the knowledge to use digital technology safely and ethically

Each academic major has determined the courses that fulfill the Digital Literacy requirement for that major. Students should contact their major department(s) to determine which courses will fulfill their Digital Literacy requirement. Undergraduate majors in actuarial science, applied mathematics, biomathematics, and mathematics satisfy this requirement by earning a grade of “C–” or higher in COP 3014 or ISC 3313.

Admission Statement

All State Common Program Prerequisites listed as Term 1–4 Milestones must be completed with a “C” range (C–, C, C+) grade or better. Students earning less than the necessary grade in any of these courses will be required to retake those courses until the standard is met. Note: retaking a course may delay graduation and incur increased fee liability (i.e., repeat course surcharge and excess credit surcharge).

State of Florida Common Program Prerequisites for Mathematics

The Florida Virtual Campus (FLVC) houses the statewide, internet-based catalog of distance learning courses, degree programs, and resources offered by Florida's public colleges and universities, and they have developed operational procedures and technical guidelines for the catalog that all institutions must follow. The statute governing this policy can be reviewed by visiting https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2021/1006.73.

FLVC has identified common program prerequisites for the degree program in Mathematics. To obtain the most up-to-date, state-approved prerequisites for this degree, visit: https://cpm.flvc.org/programs/67/202.

Specific prerequisites are required for admission into the upper-division program and must be completed by the student at either a community college or a state university prior to being admitted to this program. Students may be admitted into the University without completing the prerequisites but may not be admitted into the program.

Academic Performance

A grade of “C–” or better is required in all courses to be counted toward these degrees. Upon formal admission to the major, a student must not accumulate more than 2 unsatisfactory grades (grades below a “C–” or grades of “U”) in courses required for the major, excluding State Common Program Prerequisites listed as Term 1–4 Milestones, taken after enrolling in FSU. In addition, Actuarial Science majors must also maintain a GPA of 2.5 for all major and collateral courses and State Common Program Prerequisites listed as Term 5–8 Milestones. For all math majors, collateral courses include COP 3014 or ISC 3313, PHY 2048C, STA 3032 or 4322. For biomathematics, it includes the collateral biology, chemistry, and physics courses. For actuarial science, it includes the collateral courses with prefixes ACG, ECO, FIN, RMI, or STA. Exceptions to this policy require a petition to the department.

Requirements

Please review all college-wide degree requirements summarized in the “College of Arts and Sciences” chapter. The student should also obtain, from the departmental office and Website, revisions to the degree guidelines since this publication.

The Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in mathematics or actuarial science can be obtained by completion of the Bachelor of Science (BS) degree requirements plus additional courses required by the University. Please review all college-wide degree requirements summarized on the Undergraduate Review page of the College of Arts & Sciences chapter.

Students should complete the state of Florida common program prerequisites, including the physics (all Mathematics majors) or the economics (Actuarial Science majors) requirements, during the first two college years. Actuarial Science majors should also complete the accounting course during the first two college years. Note that all majors have a computing requirement that can be used as the computing prerequisite course, but not vice versa.

A student who expects to continue on to doctoral work in mathematics is encouraged to complete the foreign language requirement in French, German, or Russian.

Mathematics courses at the 4000-level applied toward any departmental major must be taken at Florida State University unless specifically exempted by the chair on written request.

Honors in the Major

The Department of Mathematics offers honors in the major designed to introduce the student to the process of independent and original research. For additional information, please see the “Discipline-Specific Honor Societies” tab of the Honors chapter.

Requirements for a Minor in Mathematics

A minor in mathematics consists of 12 credit hours in courses with prefixes MAA, MAC, MAD, MAP, MAS, MAT, MGF, MHF, and MTG, but not including any of the courses numbered 1XXX, or MAC 2233. A grade of “C–” or better must be earned in each course counted toward the minor.

Prerequisite Courses

Before taking any mathematics course, the student must complete with a grade of “C–” or better the listed prerequisites to that course. Moreover, a student who earns a “C–” or better in a course with one or more stated or implied prerequisites may not subsequently earn credit in the prerequisite course(s). For example, a student who has earned a “C–” or better in MAC 2312 may not subsequently enroll in MAC 1105, 1114, 1140, or 2311.

Credit Note 1. In exception to the preceding paragraph, a transfer student may take MAC 1105 for credit even though the student has a “C–” or better in a transfer course that has been equated to a course for which MAC 1105 is prerequisite, provided the student has taken an approved placement test and has not yet satisfied the CoreFSU Curriculum requirement in mathematics.

Credit Note 2. In cases in which a student has earned a “D+”, “D”, or “D–” in a course and subsequently takes a similar course at the same level, the hours toward graduation for the first course will be disallowed as soon as the student passes the second course. These cases are: MAC 2233 after MAC 2311; MAC 2311 after MAC 2233.

Baccalaureate Degree in Mathematics

Courses required for each of the three degree options in mathematics are MAC 2313, MAP 2302, MAS 3105, and MGF 3301 or MAD 2104. The student must exhibit proficiency in a scientific computer programming language and must also satisfy the University's digital literacy requirement. Students will normally complete COP 3014 or ISC 3313 to satisfy both those requirements, although the former may be shown by courses in C, C++, FORTRAN, Java, or another approved higher-level language. STA 3032 is required for all majors but may be substituted by taking the sequence of STA 4321 and 4322. Representative requirements for the three mathematics major-options follow. Students should refer to the departmental website (https://www.math.fsu.edu) or the departmental advisor (advisor@math.fsu.edu) for the most current information.

Major in Mathematics. In addition to the state of Florida common program prerequisites and the courses above, the student will complete PHY 2048C, STA 3032, and will complete the courses MGF 3301; MAS 4302; MAA 4224 or 4226; and three of the following, of which at least two must be at the 4000 level: MAA 4227, 4402; MAD 3105, 3703, 4300, 4704; MAP 4103, 4153, 4180, 4202, 4216, 4341, 4342; MAS 4106, 4203, 4303; MAT 4934; MHF 4302; MTG 4212, 4302, 4303. At least one of the sequences following, or an approved substitution, must be included: MAA 4226–4227, MAA 4402 and MTG 4302, MAD 3703–4704, and 4303, MAP 4341–4342, or MAS 4302–4303. Additional computer languages are recommended. The required collateral courses of PHY 2048C, COP 3014 or ISC 3313, STA 3032, and a State Common Prerequisite science course, chosen from BSC 2010, CHM 1045, GLY 2010, or PHY 2049C, constitute an acceptable interdisciplinary collateral minor for students in this major. No additional minor is required.

A student intending to do graduate work in pure mathematics should take MAA 4226–4227 and MAS 4302–4303 as well as MAA 4402 and MTG 4302.

Major in Applied Mathematics. In addition to the state of Florida common program prerequisites and the courses above, the student will complete PHY 2048C (PHY 2049C is highly recommended) and the courses MAD 3703; MAP 4103; MAP 4341; and MAD 2104 or MGF 3301; and two of the following: MAA 4224 or 4226, 4227, 4402; MAD 4300, 4704; MAP 4153, 4180, 4202, 4216, 4342; MAS 4106; MAT 4934; MTG 4212. The required collateral courses of PHY 2048C, COP 3014 or ISC 3313, STA 3032, and a State Common Prerequisite science course, chosen from BSC 2010, CHM 1045, GLY 2010, or PHY 2049C, constitute an acceptable interdisciplinary collateral minor for students in this major. No additional minor is required.

Major in Biomathematics. This modern major can lead to employment in the area of biological applications, to medical school, or to graduate school in mathematical biology or the sciences. In addition to the state of Florida common program prerequisites, the student will complete collateral science courses including BSC 2010, 2010L, 2011, 2011L; CHM 1045, 1045L, 1046, 1046L; PCB 3063; and PHY 2048C. No additional minor is required. MAD 2104 or MGF 3301, MAP 4481 and STA 3032 are required, along with additional elective requirements; students should consult the departmental office or the Mathematics Department Website for exact elective requirements.

Baccalaureate Degree in Actuarial Science

In addition to the state of Florida common program prerequisites, there are interdisciplinary degree requirements. Representative requirements include: MAP 4170, 4175, COP 3014 or ISC 3313; and four repetitions of actuarial tutorial MAP 4174r. STA 4321 is required.

The student must also take the following courses in business and economics: ACG 2021; ECO 2013 and ECO 2023; FIN 3403 and 4504; RMI 3011. These courses satisfy the requirements for a minor in business. No additional minor is required.

Note: For the most recent information concerning course requirements for this program, please refer to https://www.math.fsu.edu.

Additional requirements include a total of six courses from three course groups. Students must complete:
At least two of the following courses: MAP 2302, MAP 4176, and MAS 3105
At least one of the following courses: MAA 4224 or MAA 4226; MAD 3703; MAP 4341; MAS 4106; STA 4203, 4322, 4853
At least one of the following courses: ECO 3101, 3203, 4401, 4421; FIN 4514; RMI 4115, 4135, 4224, 4292

Minors and Second Majors

Students may double major in actuarial science and any of the three mathematics majors (pure, applied/computational, or biomathematics) by completing all of the prerequisite and degree requirements for each selected program. A student may also complete a second major in another department. Mathematics has no restrictions on the number of hours that can overlap with another major.

Information concerning acceptable minors and second majors for students majoring in a department program is available from the departmental office. The required collateral courses for the Actuarial Science, Applied Computational Mathematics, Biomathematics, and Mathematics majors constitute an acceptable interdisciplinary collateral minor.