Mathematics, Bachelor of Arts (728)
Department website: http://www.wku.edu/math
Program Coordinator
Molly Dunkum, molly.dunkum@wku.edu, (270) 745-6235
This major is intended for students that are pursuing a basic math major for employment purposes and/or are interested in mathematics as part of a degree with two majors. Students pursuing teacher certification will also major in Science and Mathematics Education (774).
Concentrations
- Teacher Education (TCHR)
- General (Non-Teacher Certifiable) (MATN)
Program Requirements (39 hours)
A baccalaureate degree requires a minimum of 120 unduplicated semester hours. More information can be found at www.wku.edu/registrar/degree_certification.php.
Students who began WKU in the Fall 2014 and thereafter should review the Colonnade requirements located at: https://www.wku.edu/colonnade/colonnaderequirements.php.
A major in mathematics provides a Bachelor of Arts degree and require a minimum of 39 semester hours for a general major with a minor or second major. Note: All mathematics courses listed as prerequisites for other mathematics courses must have been completed with a grade of “C” or better.
The general mathematics major (728) offers two options:
- Teacher Certifiable Option (Secondary Mathematics Teacher Certification)
- General (Non-teacher Certifiable) Option
Students in the general mathematics major (728) are required to satisfy a computational requirement as detailed within the options below.
Students must complete a minimum of 39 hours of mathematics with a minor or second major giving a total of at least 59 hours (53 unduplicated) with the following requirements.²
Core Mathematics Courses
All students in the general mathematics (728) major must complete the following core mathematics courses:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 136 | Calculus I | 4 |
| MATH 137 | Calculus II | 4 |
| MATH 237 | Multivariable Calculus | 4 |
| MATH 307 | Introduction to Linear Algebra | 3 |
| MATH 310 | Introduction to Discrete Mathematics | 3 |
| MATH 317 | Introduction to Algebraic Systems | 3 |
| MATH 337 | Elements of Real Analysis | 3 |
| MATH 498 | Senior Seminar | 3 |
| Total Hours | 27 | |
Teacher Certifiable Option (TCHR)
Students in the Teacher Certifiable Option must complete a second major in Science and Mathematics Education (774).
In addition to the Core Mathematics Courses, students must complete 12 additional hours as follows:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses: 3 | ||
| MATH 304 | Functions, Applications and Explorations | 3 |
| MATH 323 | Geometry I | 3 |
| MATH 421 | Problem Solving for Secondary Teachers | 3 |
| STAT 301 | Introductory Probability and Applied Statistics | 3 |
| Total Hours | 12 | |
Students in the Teacher Certifiable Option must satisfy a computational requirement by completing either CS 170 or CS 180.
General (Non-Teacher Certifiable) Option (MATN)
Students in the Non-Teacher Certifiable Option must complete a minor or second major giving a total of at least 59 hours (53 unduplicated).
In addition to the Core Mathematics Courses, students must complete 12 additional hours as follows:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select six (6) hours from the following: 1 | 6 | |
| Numerical Analysis I | ||
| Numerical Analysis II | ||
| Algebra and Number Theory | ||
| Algebraic Systems | ||
| Intermediate Analysis I | ||
| Partial Differential Equations | ||
| Topology I | ||
| Complex Variables | ||
| Introduction to Operations Research | ||
| Introduction to Graph Theory | ||
| Probability and Statistics II | ||
| Select six (6) hours from the following: 1 | 6 | |
| Introduction to Mathematical Modeling | ||
| Geometry I | ||
| Differential Equations | ||
| Applied Techniques in Mathematics | ||
| Probability and Statistics I | ||
| Seminar ((up to 3 hours)) | ||
| Numerical Analysis I | ||
| Numerical Analysis II | ||
| Algebra and Number Theory | ||
| Algebraic Systems | ||
| Partial Differential Equations | ||
| Topology I | ||
| Complex Variables | ||
| Introduction to Operations Research | ||
| Selected Topics in Mathematics ((up to 3 hours)) | ||
| Probability and Statistics II | ||
| Introductory Probability and Applied Statistics | ||
| Total Hours | 12 | |
Students in the General Option must satisfy a computational requirement by completing either CS 180, PHYS 316, PHYS 318 or STAT 330.
- 1
Students may take certain 500-level mathematics courses for undergraduate credit with the approval of the Department Chair in place of courses listed in the elective sections of the General Option.
- 2
Note: This major is not intended to prepare students adequately for graduate mathematics. Students intending to seek a graduate degree in mathematics should pursue major 528.
The Department of Mathematics offers a Joint Undergraduate Master's Program (JUMP) which provides academically outstanding students the opportunity to complete both an undergraduate Bachelor of Arts degree and a graduate Master of Science degree in an accelerated timeframe. The MS in Mathematics prepares students to be competitive applicants for admission into a Ph.D. program and/or for positions where strong research skills are needed. Contact the graduate program coordinator for additional information, see https://catalog.wku.edu/graduate/science-engineering/mathematics/mathematics-ms/
This JUMP program allows students to start working toward their MS in Mathematics with a concentration in General Mathematics, Computational Mathematics, or Mathematical Economics (Ref: 085) while completing their Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics (Ref: 528 and 728) or a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematical Economics (Ref: 731). Undergraduate students admitted into JUMP may take graduate courses that count toward both undergraduate and graduate degrees. Up to 12 credit hours can be double-counted toward both degrees, and up to 15 hours of graduate courses can be taken while a student is completing the undergraduate degree. The key benefit of the JUMP program is that it allows students to earn a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in an accelerated timeframe. For more information, see https://www.wku.edu/math/.
To be considered for admission to the JUMP program to earn a BA in Mathematics (or a BS in Mathematical Economics) and a MS in Mathematics in an accelerated timeframe, a student must meet the following requirements:
- Be a Mathematics or a Mathematical Economics major (includes programs with reference numbers 528, 728, and 731);
- Have completed at least 60 hours total, with at least 24 hours earned at WKU;
- Have at least 15 or more credit hours remaining to complete the bachelor’s degree;
- Have completed or be enrolled in 15 credit hours in Mathematics;
- Have a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.25;
- And have one of the following:
- 3.25 GPA in the Mathematics or Mathematical Economics major AND a grade of B or higher in at least one of the courses: MATH 307, MATH 310, MATH 317, MATH 337, MATH 439;
- 3.0 GPA in the Mathematics or Mathematical Economics major AND a grade of B or higher in at least two of the courses: MATH 307, MATH 310, MATH 317, MATH 337, MATH 439.
Finish in Four Plans
Teacher Certifiable Option (TCHR)
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| MATH 136 | 4 | MATH 137 | 4 |
| SMED 101 | 3 | SMED 102 | 3 |
| CS 180 or CS 170 | 3-4 | COMM 145 | 3 |
| ENG 100 | 3 | HIST 101 or HIST 102 | 3 |
| Colonnade - Natural & Physical Sciences w/ lab | 3-5 | Colonnade - Social & Behavioral Science | 3 |
| 16-19 | 16 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| MATH 307 | 3 | MATH 310 | 3 |
| MATH 237 | 4 | MATH 304 | 3 |
| SMED 310 | 3 | SMED 320 | 3 |
| ENG 200 | 3 | Colonnade - Arts & Humanities | 3 |
| Colonnade - Natural & Physical Sciences w/ no lab | 3 | World Language Requirement or General Elective | 3 |
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| MATH 317 | 3 | MATH 337 | 3 |
| MATH 323 | 3 | MATH 421 | 3 |
| SMED 340 | 3 | STAT 301 | 3 |
| Colonnade - Writing in the Disciplines | 3 | SMED 360 | 3 |
| Colonnade - Local to Global | 3 | Colonnade - Systems | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| MATH 498 | 3 | SMED 489 | 3 |
| SMED 470 | 3 | SEC 490 | 10 |
| Colonnade - Social & Cultural | 3 | ||
| General Elective | 3 | ||
| General Elective | 2-3 | ||
| 14-15 | 13 | ||
| Total Hours 120-124 | |||
General (Non-Teacher Certifiable) Option (MATN)
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| MATH 136 | 4 | MATH 137 | 4 |
| Computational Requirement | 3-4 | General Elective | 3 |
| ENG 100 | 3 | COMM 145 | 3 |
| Colonnade - Natural & Physical Sciences w/ lab | 3-5 | HIST 101 or HIST 102 | 3 |
| Colonnade - Social & Behavioral Science | 3 | ||
| 13-16 | 16 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| MATH 307 | 3 | MATH 310 | 3 |
| MATH 237 | 4 | Minor Elective | 3 |
| Minor Course | 3 | Colonnade - Social & Cultural | 3 |
| ENG 200 | 3 | Colonnade - Arts & Humanities | 3 |
| Colonnade - Natural & Physical Sciences w/ no lab | 3 | World Langauge Requirement or General Elective | 3 |
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| MATH 317 | 3 | MATH 337 | 3 |
| Math upper-division Elective | 3 | Math upper-division Elective | 3 |
| Minor Course | 3 | Minor Course | 3 |
| Colonnade - Local to Global | 3 | Colonnade - Systems | 3 |
| Colonnade - Writing in the Disciplines | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| Math upper-division Elective | 3 | MATH 498 | 3 |
| Minor Course | 3 | Math upper-division Elective | 3 |
| Minor Course or General Elective | 3 | Minor Course | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Hours 120-123 | |||