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| Handbook for Math Majors |
Table of ContentsClicking on section headings will bring you back to the Table of Contents.
INTRODUCTIONMathematics majors and minors at the University of Richmond enjoy a talented and enthusiastic faculty who provide an excellent curriculum and are supportive of many co-curricular and extra-curricular activities. Their fellow students are motivated, capable, and friendly whether pursuing a program of study geared toward actuarial science, scientific applications of mathematics, primary or secondary education, or graduate study (to name a few of the available options). Information about programs and activities is contained in this handbook, though students are also urged to keep current by talking frequently with faculty about their educational goals.If you need help declaring a major or minor and obtaining a departmental advisor, ask your professor or see the department secretary. UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHParticipating in an undergraduate research project adds a unique perspective to students' mathematical education and training. In the course of a research project, student learning is directed toward developing a deeper understanding of a particular area of mathematics with the goal of using this understanding to solve an unsolved problem, to prove a new theorem, or to develop a new application. Research problems challenge your perseverance and resourcefulness and reward you with a piece of mathematics to call your own.Among the avenues available for pursuing undergraduate research are the University's Undergraduate Research Committee, which funds student summer research projects on campus and, at the national level, the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) programs funded through the National Science Foundation at various sites each summer. Consult your professors about how to develop a project and apply for funding. HONORS PROGRAMOutstanding students who wish to pursue mathematics in great depth may do so through the University's Honors Program. A mathematics student accepted to the program will do honors level work in two courses within the department, followed by a project culminating in an honors thesis. To give you a better idea of what's involved, here is a brief summary of the honors work completed by a recent graduate: the student received honors credit for Complex Analysis and Special Topics: Coding Theory; completed a Directed Independent Study for Honors; and completed an honors thesis entitled "Topics in Cyclotomic and Quadratic Fields", under the direction of Dr. James A. Davis.To qualify for the Honors Program, a student should have completed 65 or more hours of University work with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.30, and should have completed 12 or more hours in mathematics beyond Calculus II (Math 212). Students must apply to the program, working in conjunction with a faculty member to describe a topic and plan for completing the thesis. As such, it is important for students to indicate interest in Honors early --- talk to your instructor, your advisor, or to the department chairman. TEACHER CERTIFICATIONStudents interested in either Early Education or Middle/Secondary Education certification in conjunction with a major in mathematics must complete both the mathematics major and a specified set of education courses as listed in the catalog. Probability and Statistics (Math 329) must be part of the math major and Modern Geometry (Math 315) is highly recommended. The certification process requires that each student practice-teach in the fall semester of his/her senior year, so that only education courses may be taken during that semester. Since several courses within the major are only offered during the fall semester, a student who pursues teacher certification must plan his/her program carefully. He/she should inform his/her advisor as soon as possible. For maximum flexibility, a student should try to take prerequisite courses for two-course sequences early (even as early as the sophomore year).Free memberships in the Greater Richmond Council of Teachers of Mathematics (GRCTM) and the Virginia Council of Teachers of Mathematics (VCTM) are available to interested students. Each of these organizations holds regular conferences where students planning to teach mathematics can meet elementary-level through high-school-level mathematics teachers from the Richmond area. The VCTM also offers a scholarship, awarded on a competitive basis, to students who plan to teach in Virginia upon graduation. Applications for this scholarship are available to students in the fall of their junior year. SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIESUniversity Scholarships
Community Scholarships
Other Scholarship OpportunitiesPlease talk to your advisor to learn the importance of applying for financial aid and the need to declare the major as soon as you are sure.STUDENT ORGANIZATIONSPi Mu EpsilonThe Society of Pi Mu Epsilon is a national mathematics organization and currently consists of over 260 chapters. The Society was founded in 914 at Syracuse University in New York. In 1948, the University of Richmond became the forty-seventh chapter and was chartered as the Virginia Alpha Chapter, which currently consists of over 240 members. Membership in the society is honorary, and is conferred as a reward for scholarly attainment in mathematics. All members of the society are pledged to pursue mathematical excellence and to use their influence to maintain the high standards of Pi Mu Epsilon. The activities of our chapter include tutoring, conducting review sessions, and hosting talks throughout the academic year.Mathematical Association of AmericaThe Mathematical Association of America (MAA) is another national mathematics organization whose members come from across the mathematical spectrum. Its national office is located in Washington D.C., and unlike Pi Mu Epsilon, membership is open to all individuals who are interested in mathematics, and is not limited to math majors or to those with a career in mathematics. The MAA publishes several journals, such as the American Mathematical Monthly, and also provides graduate study and career information on a regular basis. Opportunities are also available to attend and participate in sectional and national meetings. A chapter is currently being formed on campus.COMPETITIONSThere are two mathematical contests in which students from the University participate annually.The William Lowell Putnam Examination consists of two problem sets given to students on a Saturday morning and afternoon. The exam is open to any college student in the United States or Canada, with some exceptional high school participants. Scoring is based on technical ability and originality. Scholarships are awarded to the five highest-scoring teams and individuals with the five highest ranked individual participants designated as Putnam Fellows by the Mathematical Association of America (MAA). The Mathematical Contest in Modeling (MCM) involves students from all over the world. Over the course of a weekend, a team from each participating school solves one of the two problems offered and submits the solution by mail to a national judging committee. Winning papers and solutions are published in the UMAP Journal; and student teams may also present their solutions at sectional meetings of the MAA. Each participant receives a certificate, and the winners receive various awards from donations made by participating corporations or research institutions. COLLOQUIAColloquium talks allow students and faculty to hear about research progress in mathematics and computer science from the researchers themselves. Roughly five colloquium speakers are invited each semester. Although some talks require substantial background, at least half of the colloquium talks are specifically geared toward students.The first colloquium of the school year concerns student research. Those students who have participated in research programs during the semester or over the summer present and discuss their accomplishments and personal experiences. Another regular topic involves possible careers in the mathematical sciences. Talks on this topic are often given by mathematicians from industry. A recent speaker, for example, discussed the use he makes of his mathematical training as an employee of the National Security Agency. Speakers come from national and international research centers. Recent speakers include Alexandru Aleman from the University of Hagen in Germany who spoke about his work in Complex Analysis, and Jessica Hodgins from the College of Computing at Georgia Institute of Technology who came to speak about the work she's done in the Animation of Human Motion. Each colloquium is preceded by a social hour during which students may meet the speaker and enjoy refreshments along with faculty. Colloquia serve to bring the University's mathematical community closer together. AWARDSUniversity Awards
Departmental Awards
SOME RECENT GRADUATES AND WHERE THEY ARE NOW
MEET THE FACULTY(Academic Specialty / Non-academic Interests)
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Last Modified: June 13, 2001 | Contact Name: Lewis Barnett |