MATHEMATICS
Office:
Craven Hall, Sixth Floor
Department Chair:
David Chien, Ph.D.
Telephone:
(760) 750-4153
Faculty:
Wayne Aitken, Ph.D.
David Chien, Ph.D.
Ricardo D. Fierro, Ph.D.
Farshid Hajir, Ph.D.
Linda Holt, Ph.D.
Andre
Kundgen, Ph.D.
Tejinder
Neelon, Ph.D.
Amber Puha, Ph.D.
K. Brooks Reid, Ph.D.
Programs Offered:
• Bachelor of Science in
Mathematics
• Single Subject Preparation
Program in Mathematics
• Minor in Mathematics
• Master of Science in
Mathematics
Mathematics offers to the
undergraduate and graduate students a rich mix of pure and modern applied
courses. Common to these offerings are the power, beauty, and utility of
mathematical thought. Mathematics is a living, vital subject with a long,
distinguished tradition. A student who selects the mathematics major will
develop the ability to explore, to conjecture, and to reason logically, as well
as the ability to use effectively a variety of mathematical methods to solve
problems.
Opportunities for graduates
in mathematics are as diverse as they are plentiful. Mathematicians are sought
by universities, governmental agencies, and private industry and they
contribute in direct and fundamental ways to human activity. Mathematics majors
can pursue a career in the teaching of mathematics at the college, high school,
or middle school levels. Medical schools, law schools, graduate schools, and
employers in fields such as economics, accounting, management sciences,
mathematics, natural sciences, social sciences, computer science, statistics,
and communication seek graduates in mathematics. The degree program at CSU San
Marcos prepares its mathematics majors to meet any of these challenges.
Preparation
High school students are encouraged
to take four years of English, four years of mathematics including
trigonometry, one year of biological science, and one year of physical science.
Courses in calculus, physics, and computer programming are recommended.
Experience in clear, concise, careful writing is valuable for success in all
courses.
Transfer Credits
A maximum of thirteen (13)
lower-division units in mathematics may be applied toward the lower-division
calculus requirement for the mathematics major. These units must be for courses
which appropriately match the description of this catalog for MATH 160, 162,
and 260.
A maximum of seventeen (17)
lower-division units may be transferred towards the non-mathematics supporting courses
for the major in mathematics. Up to eight (8) of these units may be for courses
which appropriately match the description of this catalog for CS 111 and PHYS
201.
Up to nine (9) units may be
for courses which appropriately match the description of this catalog for other
courses listed in the non-mathematics supporting course requirement. The Office
of Admissions should be consulted to ascertain the campus’ articulation
agreements with the local community colleges.
Special Requirements for the
Bachelor of Science and Minor in Mathematics
Students may not use a
mathematics course for the required three (3) units of upper-division General
Education, area B (Mathematical or Natural Sciences).
Each course submitted toward
either the mathematics major or minor must be completed with a grade of C (2.0)
or better. No more than a total of three (3) units of either MATH 498 or MATH
499 may be applied. No more than three (3) units of MATH 495 may be applied.
For the major, a minimum of fifteen (15) upper-division units in mathematics
must have been completed at CSU San Marcos. For the minor, a minimum of six (6)
upper-division units in mathematics must have been completed at CSU San Marcos.
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN MATHEMATICS
Units
General Education* 51 units
Preparation for the Major* 27-30 units
Major Requirements 34 units
General Electives 15-18 units
Total Required 124 units
* Six (6) units of
lower-division General Education units in area B (Math and Science) are
automatically satisfied in the course taken in Preparation for the Major.
Preparation for the Major
Lower-Division Calculus
Requirement (13 units)
Units
MATH 160 5
units
MATH 162 4
units
MATH 260 4
units
Non-Mathematics Supporting
Course Requirements (14-17
units)
CS 111 or equivalent 3-4 units
PHYS 201 4 units
And Choose two of the
following courses:
BIOL 210 or 211 4 units
CHEM 150 5
units
PHYS 202 4
units
CS 211 or equivalent 3-4 units
Major Requirements
Upper-division (34 units)
Units
MATH 350 3
units
MATH 360 3 units
MATH 372** or 472 or 474 3 units
MATH 374 3
units
MATH 440 4
units
MATH 470 3 units
MATH 490, or 491 or approved
500 level course 3 units
**MATH 522, 523, and
540 can also be used to satisfy this requirement.
Twelve (12) elective units chosen
from the following courses: 12 units
MATH 330 MATH 362
MATH 372***
Any mathematics course
numbered
410 through 599.
*** If not used to satisfy a
requirement above
SINGLE-SUBJECT PREPARATION
PROGRAM IN MATHEMATICS
Students interested in
teaching mathematics at the secondary level may wish to complete the
Single-Subject Preparation Program (SSPP) in Mathematics. A prospective teacher
qualifies for the Single Subject Teaching Credential in Mathematics by completing
the SSPP and earning a Bachelor’s degree. Students interested in the SSPP
should consult either their mathematics advisor or the mathematics SSPP
Coordinator as soon as possible to obtain detailed information on GPA requirements
and the portfolio of work which must be compiled, as well as advice on how to
best coordinate completion of the SSPP and the Bachelor of Science in
Mathematics.
Coursework Requirements:
MATH 160 5
units
MATH 162 4
units
MATH 260 4
units
MATH 330 3
units
MATH 350 3 units
MATH 360 3
units
MATH 374 3
units
MATH 410 3
units
MATH 440 4
units
MATH 470 3 units
Choose one of the following courses:
3 units
MATH 262 MATH 362
Choose one of the following courses:
3 units
MATH 372 MATH 522
Choose one of the following courses:
3 units
MATH 464/CS 464
MATH 480
Choose one of the following courses:
3 units
MATH 472 MATH 474
Any mathematics course numbered
410 Through 599 approved for
the
mathematical science majors,
and not
already used to satisfy a requirement
above, 3
units
EDUC 350 3
units
Total Units 53
units
MINOR IN MATHEMATICS
Lower-division (9 units)
Units
MATH 160 5
units
MATH 162 4
units
Upper-division (15 units)
Units
MATH 350 or 370 3
units
MATH 374^ 3 units
^MATH 260 (4 units)
may be substituted for MATH 374 if MATH 260 is not used as an upper-division
elective.
***If not used to
satisfy a requirement above.
Nine (9) elective units
chosen from
the following courses+: 9 units
MATH 330 MATH 372
MATH 360 MATH 362
Any mathematics course
numbered
410 through 599.
Total Units 24-25 units
MASTER OF SCIENCE IN MATHEMATICS
The Master of Science Program
in mathematics at CSUSM is designed to provide breadth of exposure in the
mathematics and to enhance the intellectual attitudes and the analytic skills
needed for comprehension, appreciation, creation, and application of
mathematics. There is a deliberate, applicable emphasis in the courses in the
program, and many courses are delivered in a computerized environment. The
program will provide students opportunity for computer enhancement of many
mathematical concepts, for learning connections between various areas of
mathematics, for developing good mathematical communication skills, for
developing independent learning skills, and for cooperative group problem
solving.
Graduates will be prepared
for a wide range of career opportunities, as the skills and attitudes fostered
in the program are in demand in academé, business, government, and industry. In
particular, graduates will be well-prepared to teach in secondary schools,
community colleges, and some four-year colleges. They will be prepared to enter
a doctoral program in mathematics or mathematics education. The computational and
applicable orientation of the program will offer graduates significant training
for careers as mathematical scientists in business, government, and industry.
There will be opportunity, on a limited scale, for students to serve as student
assistants for the undergraduate mathematics program or to assist faculty in
their scholarly activity.
Admission
Admission to the program
requires an undergraduate major in mathematics or related field (such as
computer science), which includes the equivalent of MATH 360 and MATH 470.
Admission also requires a 2.5 grade point average in the last sixty (60) units
attempted at the undergraduate level, and a 3.0 grade point average in the last
thirty (30) units of the undergraduate major. Students who have deficiencies in
admission requirements that can be removed by specified additional preparation
may be admitted with conditionally classified graduate status, but the units
earned to remove these deficiencies may not be used towards the CSUSM Master of
Science.
All applicants, regardless of
citizenship, who do not possess a Bachelor’s Degree from a post-secondary
institution or a country where English is the principal language, must take the
combined Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and the Test of Written English
(TWE) examination. A minimum score of 550 on the TOEFL and a minimum 4.5 on the
TWE is required. Applications, including verification of English proficiency,
should be received in the department by April 15. However, applications will be
accepted as long as space allows. An application consists of:
• A completed application for
University admission;
• A request for entry to the
M.S. program via letter, which also includes an expository description of the
student’s educational preparation and career aspirations;
• Two sets of official
transcripts from all colleges and universities attended and official indication
of graduation (if not in English, certified English translations must be
included); and
• At least two letters of
recommendation from individuals who can comment on the mathematical
capabilities of the applicant.
Degree Requirements
The Master of Science in
Mathematics requires thirty-six (36) units of coursework with an overall of at
least 3.0 grade point average. At least twenty-seven (27) of these units must
be at the 500-level or above, and any 400-level courses must be approved by the
department. No course, or equivalent, which is required for a Bachelor of
Science in Mathematics at CSUSM can be used to satisfy these requirements. At
least thirty (30) units towards the degree must be earned at CSUSM; any units
not earned in residence at CSUSM must be approved by the department. All requirements
should be satisfied within five years of initial acceptance into the program.
Two options are available:
• Thirty (30) units of
non-thesis coursework, six (6) units of MATH 699, and a Masters Thesis, or
• Thirty-six (36) units of
non-thesis coursework [at least fifteen (15) units of which comprise a
concentration in some specialty within mathematics], a masters project, and a
comprehensive examination.
Continuation
Students must earn a 3.0
overall average in graduate coursework in order to graduate. Students are
limited to a total of three (3) C’s in their graduate coursework. Any student
earning four (4) or more C’s will be dropped from the program.
Advancement to Candidacy
Upon the completion of at
least nine (9) units towards the degree, but prior to the completion of
eighteen (18) units towards the degree, the student should meet with the
program advisor in order to develop a formal program of study for the degree.
This formal program is an agreement between the student and the University on
the specific plan to be followed in order to fulfill the requirements for the
degree. If the student opts for the thesis, then it is the responsibility of
the student to obtain the permission of a tenured or tenure-track mathematics faculty
member to act as the student’s thesis advisor and chair of the student’s thesis
committee.
The student and thesis
advisor should recommend to the program advisor the names of two other tenured
or tenure-track mathematics faculty to fill out the thesis committee. The plan
of study should include courses remaining to be taken, the names of three
faculty composing the thesis committee (if opting for the thesis), and the
general subject of the thesis or project. The student is advanced to candidacy for
the Master of Science degree upon completion of this plan and completion of
eighteen (18) units towards the degree with at least a 3.0 grade point average.
Changes in the study plan must be approved by the program advisor and the
student’s thesis advisor. No student may enroll for MATH 699, initiate a project,
or sit for a comprehensive exam before being advanced to candidacy.
Thesis or Project Requirements
A thesis is the written
result of a systematic study of a significant mathematical problem. It defines,
develops, and executes an investigation into a chosen problem area. The
motivation, approach, and results of the investigation are communicated in a
clear and logical fashion; it is grammatically correct, logically organized,
and mathematically sound. The finished product evidences originality, critical
and independent thinking, and thorough documentation. The thesis must be
planned, organized, executed, and completed while enrolled in the masters
program. It must be a coherent, substantial document, appropriate for six (6)
units of graduate coursework. Midway during the thesis work, the student shall
make an oral presentation to his or her thesis committee on progress to date.
Guidelines for preparing and
officially submitting the thesis can be obtained from the Department Chair’s
Office. The final copies of the thesis are to be in the hands of the members of
the thesis committee at least two weeks prior to a required oral, public
defense of the thesis which must be held at least one week prior to the end of
a regular semester.
A project is the written
result of a comprehensive analysis of a particular mathematical problem
encountered during the coursework of the student. The composite elements are as
for a thesis, but the scope is more narrow; much like a term paper. The faculty
member in the course in which the problem arose will act as the project
advisor, and the project must be approved by the program advisor. Examples of
projects are expository reports on one or more existing papers in the
literature on some topic, the design and implementation of a solution algorithm
for a specific problem, or modest research efforts on a suitable topic. A
project must be completed at least four weeks prior to the end of a regular
semester. An oral presentation of the project to the faculty of the department
is required. The presentation should summarize the analysis in a clear and
concise manner.
Both the thesis and the
project must demonstrate mathematical skills and general scholarship at a level
expected of a professional mathematician. Mathematical skills can be
demonstrated by the development of new mathematics, critical evaluation of
existing mathematics, application of existing mathematics to non-mathematical
contexts, or development of mathematical models. General scholarship refers to understanding,
organizing, and communicating knowledge relevant to the undertaking in a
conventionally acceptable format.
Comprehensive Exam
A comprehensive examination
is a written examination administered during the final semester of the student.
It is intended as a culminating experience for the masters degree, and it is
used to assess the student’s ability to integrate his or her knowledge of
mathematics, to think critically and independently, and to demonstrate mastery
of the coursework. The problems will reflect the coursework of the student, and
the student’s responses will be evaluated both on the basis of logical correctness
as well as on written presentation. The examination will be offered as needed
at most once each regular semester, at least four weeks prior to the end of the
semester. Students intending to write the exam during a given semester must notify
the program advisor before the end of the fourth week of that semester.
Graduation
A student planning to
graduate at the end of a given regular semester must meet with the program
advisor by the end of the student’s previous regular semester in order to evaluate
those plans. All pertinent requirements described above concerning courses, the
thesis, the project, and the comprehensive exam must be evaluated during this meeting.
Candidates for the degree who attain a grade point average (calculated on work
at CSUSM only) of 3.75 or greater may, upon recommendation of the mathematics
faculty, graduate with distinction.