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COURSES OF STUDY
Birmingham-Southern College Catalog 2014-2015
Mathematics (MA)
Bachelor of Science
Jeffrey Barton, Bernadette Mullins, Douglas Riley, Maria Stadnik, Anne Yust
Students often encounter mathematics as a finished product laid out
neatly in a textbook. At Birmingham-Southern College students experience
mathematics in a fuller sense – as a process that relies on curiosity,
intuition, critical thinking, and effective communication to produce
important and useful results. Through taking both theoretical and applied
courses and working closely with faculty, students develop their skills as
questioners, critical thinkers, and communicators of technical material –
skills that are valued by employers in a variety of fields.
The mathematics major welcomes and attracts students with diverse
interests and career goals, and mathematics majors find that they have
many options available to them once they graduate. Many continue
their education by attending medical school, law school, or mathematics
graduate school. Some have pursued graduate degrees in fields ranging
from engineering to business administration to biostatistics, while others
have begun their careers in fields including engineering, actuarial studies,
and education with employers such as NASA, Blue Cross Blue Shield,
Alabama Power, and many others.
Upon completion of the mathematics major, students will be able to
•
use mathematical methods to solve quantitative problems,
•
write a valid proof of a mathematical statement,
•
present a coherent explanation of mathematical work to a group of
peers.
Major Requirements
The following courses are required (13 units):
MA 231
MA 232
MA 310
MA 311
MA 335
MA 451 or 455
MA 458 or 461
four additional units from CS 170, MA 207, 240, 250, 317, 321, 422,
441, 451, 452, 454, 455, 458, 461, 462, PH 121 or 122, at least three
of which must be in MA, at least one of which must be at the 300
level or above
MA 470
MA 499
A student may be exempt from MA 207, MA 231, and MA 232 by
placement, AP credit, or IB credit.
