Undergraduate Catalog 2023-2024

Mathematics, Bachelor of Arts (728P, 728)

Department website: http://www.wku.edu/math


Program Coordinator

Ngoc B. Nguyen, ngoc.nguyen@wku.edu, (000) 000-0000

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)
Admission Requirements

To be fully admitted to the majors in mathematics with reference numbers 728 or 528, students must complete the following admission requirements:

  • Earn a “C” or better in each of the following courses: MATH 136MATH 137, and MATH 307 (or MATH 310).
  • Have an overall GPA of at least 2.4 in the mathematics program courses completed prior to admission (MATH 136MATH 137, and MATH 307 (or MATH 310)).
  • Note: If a course is repeated, then the second grade is used to compute the GPA. If a course is repeated multiple times, then the average of all grades after the first attempt is used to compute the GPA. Students can earn a grade in a course a maximum of three times.

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.

Students who wish to declare a 728 mathematics major will initially be designated as “seeking admission” until the following requirements have been satisfied:  

  • Complete MATH 136MATH 137, and MATH 307 or MATH 310, with a grade of “C” or better in each course.
  • Have an overall GPA of at least 2.4 in mathematics program courses (MATH 136 and above) completed prior to admission.

The general mathematics major (728) offers two options:

  1. Teacher Certifiable Option (Secondary Mathematics Teacher Certification)
  2. 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:

MATH 136Calculus I4
MATH 137Calculus II4
MATH 237Multivariable Calculus4
MATH 307Introduction to Linear Algebra3
MATH 310Introduction to Discrete Mathematics3
MATH 317Introduction to Algebraic Systems3
MATH 337Elements of Real Analysis3
MATH 498Senior Seminar3
Total Hours27

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: 

Required Courses: 3
MATH 304Functions, Applications and Explorations3
MATH 323Geometry I3
MATH 421Problem Solving for Secondary Teachers3
STAT 301Introductory Probability and Applied Statistics3
Total Hours12

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: 

Select six (6) hours from the following: 16
Numerical Analysis I
Numerical Analysis II
Algebra and Number Theory
Algebraic Systems
Geometry II
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: 16
Introduction to Mathematical Modeling
Theory of Numbers
Geometry I
Differential Equations
Applied Techniques in Mathematics
Advanced Computational Problem Solving
Probability and Statistics I
Seminar ((up to 3 hours))
Numerical Analysis I
Numerical Analysis II
Algebra and Number Theory
Algebraic Systems
Geometry II
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 Hours12

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.

3

Before the "professional semester," the student must complete MATH 136, MATH 137, and either MATH 307 or MATH 310 with a grade of "C" or better and achieve a GPA of at least 2.4 in all mathematics program courses.

Finish in Four Plans  

Teacher Certifiable Option (TCHR)

First Year
FallHoursSpringHours
MATH 1364MATH 1374
SMED 1013SMED 1023
CS 180 or CS 1703-4COMM 1453
ENG 1003HIST 101 or HIST 1023
Colonnade - Natural & Physical Sciences w/ lab3-5Colonnade - Social & Behavioral Science3
 16-19 16
Second Year
FallHoursSpringHours
MATH 3073MATH 3103
MATH 2374MATH 3043
SMED 3103SMED 3203
ENG 2003Colonnade - Arts & Humanities3
Colonnade - Natural & Physical Sciences w/ no lab3World Language Requirement or General Elective3
 16 15
Third Year
FallHoursSpringHours
MATH 3173MATH 3373
MATH 3233MATH 4213
SMED 3403STAT 3013
Colonnade - Writing in the Disciplines3SMED 3603
Colonnade - Local to Global3Colonnade - Systems3
 15 15
Fourth Year
FallHoursSpringHours
MATH 4983SMED 4893
SMED 4703SEC 49010
Colonnade - Social & Cultural3 
General Elective3 
General Elective2-3 
 14-15 13
Total Hours 120-124

General (Non-Teacher Certifiable) Option (MATN)

First Year
FallHoursSpringHours
MATH 1364MATH 1374
Computational Requirement3-4General Elective3
ENG 1003COMM 1453
Colonnade - Natural & Physical Sciences w/ lab3-5HIST 101 or HIST 1023
 Colonnade - Social & Behavioral Science3
 13-16 16
Second Year
FallHoursSpringHours
MATH 3073MATH 3103
MATH 2374Minor Elective3
Minor Course3Colonnade - Social & Cultural3
ENG 2003Colonnade - Arts & Humanities3
Colonnade - Natural & Physical Sciences w/ no lab3World Langauge Requirement or General Elective3
 16 15
Third Year
FallHoursSpringHours
MATH 3173MATH 3373
Math upper-division Elective3Math upper-division Elective3
Minor Course3Minor Course3
Colonnade - Local to Global3Colonnade - Systems3
Colonnade - Writing in the Disciplines3General Elective3
 15 15
Fourth Year
FallHoursSpringHours
Math upper-division Elective3MATH 4983
Minor Course3Math upper-division Elective3
Minor Course or General Elective3Minor Course3
General Elective3General Elective3
General Elective3General Elective3
 15 15
Total Hours 120-123