The Department of Mathematics (MATH)
The Department of Mathematics offers a major in mathematics that culminates in a bachelor of science (BS) degree. The department also offers minors in mathematics and mathematical statistics, as well as mathematics education in the College of Education.
Department of Mathematics, 345 Gordon Palmer Hall
www.as.ua.edu/math
mathematics@as.ua.edu
Degree requirements. Students earning the bachelor of science (BS) degree with a major in mathematics must complete all University, college (see p. 50-52), and departmental degree requirements. These include the general education requirements, the following major requirements, all requirements for an approved minor, and sufficient other credits to total a minimum of 120 applicable semester hours.
Admission into the major. Students are expected to formally declare a major no later than the fourth semester of full-time enrollment (or at 61 semester hours for transfer students). With the assistance of an advisor in the major department, students should complete the “Declaration of Major” form.
Grade point average. A 2.0 grade point average in the major is required for completion of the degree. The major GPA is calculated based on all courses applicable to the major that the student has attempted at UA and all work attempted applicable to the major throughout the entire higher education career.
Major courses. The major in mathematics requires the successful completion of 36 semester hours in one of the following five tracks:
| Courses | Hours |
| MATH 125 or MATH 145 | 4 |
| MATH 126 or MATH 146 | 4 |
| MATH 227 or MATH 247 | 4 |
| MATH 257 (or MATH 237)1 | 3 |
| MATH 238 | 3 |
| MATH 371 | 3 |
| MATH 470 | 3 |
| MATH 486 | 3 |
| MATH 465, MATH 471, or MATH 487 | 3 |
| MATH electives 300 and 400 level2 | 6 |
| Total | 36 |
2The following mathematics courses do not fulfill the requirement for MATH electives: MATH 303, MATH 309, MATH 402, MATH 405, MATH 406, MATH 445, and MATH 467.
Ancillary courses. Grades in ancillary courses are not computed into the major GPA. The major in mathematics for all tracks requires the successful completion of the following courses outside the major:
| Courses | Hours |
| CS 114:116 | 4 |
| CS 124 or ST 260 | 3 |
Applied Mathematics—Numerical Track
| Courses | Hours |
| MATH 125 or MATH 145 | 4 |
| MATH 126 or MATH 146 | 4 |
| MATH 227 or MATH 247 | 4 |
| MATH 237 or MATH 257 | 3 |
| MATH 238 | 3 |
| MATH 343 | 3 |
| MATH 410 | 3 |
| MATH 411 | 3 |
| MATH 441 | 3 |
| MATH electives 300 and 400 level* | 6 |
| Total | 36 |
Ancillary courses. Grades in ancillary courses are not computed into the major GPA. The major in mathematics for all tracks requires the successful completion of the following courses outside the major:
| Courses | Hours |
| CS 114:116 | 4 |
| CS 124 or ST 260 | 3 |
Applied Mathematics—Classical Track
| Courses | Hours |
| MATH 125 or MATH 145 | 4 |
| MATH 126 or MATH 146 | 4 |
| MATH 227 or MATH 247 | 4 |
| MATH 237 or MATH 257 | 3 |
| MATH 238 | 3 |
| MATH 300 or MATH 411 | 3 |
| MATH 343 | 3 |
| MATH 441 | 3 |
| MATH 442 | 3 |
| MATH 485 | 3 |
| MATH electives 300 and 400 level* | 3 |
| Total | 36 |
Ancillary courses. Grades in ancillary courses are not computed into the major GPA. The major in mathematics classical track requires the successful completion of the following courses outside the major:
| Courses | Hours |
| CS 114:116 | 4 |
| CS 124 or ST 260 | 3 |
| PH 105 or PH 125 | 4 |
| PH 106 or PH 126 | 4 |
Applied Mathematics—Optimization Track
| Courses | Hours |
| MATH 125 or MATH 145 | 4 |
| MATH 126 or MATH 146 | 4 |
| MATH 227 or MATH 247 | 4 |
| MATH 237 or MATH 257 | 3 |
| MATH 238, MATH 301, or MATH 382 | 3 |
| MATH 300 or MATH 411 | 3 |
| MATH 355 and MATH 410 | 6 |
| MATH 419, MATH 420, MATH 421, or MATH 428 | 6 |
| MATH electives 300 and 400 level* | 3 |
| Total | 36 |
Ancillary courses. Grades in ancillary courses are not computed into the major GPA. The major in mathematics for all tracks requires the successful completion of the following courses outside the major:
| Courses | Hours |
| CS 114:116 | 4 |
| CS 124 or ST 260 | 3 |
| Courses | Hours |
| MATH 125 or MATH 145 | 4 |
| MATH 126 or MATH 146 | 4 |
| MATH 227 or MATH 247 | 4 |
| MATH 237 or MATH 257 | 3 |
| MATH 238 | 3 |
| MATH 300, MATH 301, MATH 382, or MATH 411 | 3 |
| MATH 355 | 3 |
| MATH 451 | 3 |
| MATH 452 | 3 |
| MATH elective 300 and 400 level* OR | |
| ST 450, ST 451, ST 465, or ST 475 | 6 |
| Total | 36 |
Ancillary courses. Grades in ancillary courses are not computed into the major GPA. The major in mathematics for all tracks requires the successful completion of the following courses outside the major:
| Courses | Hours |
| CS 114:116 | 4 |
| CS 124 or ST 260 | 3 |
This track should only be followed by students planning to enter the teaching profession. Students are advised also to incorporate MATH 486 into the program of study.
| Courses | Hours |
| MATH 125 or MATH 145 | 4 |
| MATH 126 or MATH 146 | 4 |
| MATH 227 or MATH 247 | 4 |
| MATH 257 | 3 |
| MATH 301 | 3 |
| MATH 355 | 3 |
| MATH 470 | 3 |
| MATH 402 | 3 |
| MATH 405 | 3 |
| MATH electives 300 and 400 level* | 6 |
| Total | 36 |
Ancillary courses. Grades in ancillary courses are not computed into the major GPA. The major in mathematics for all tracks requires the successful completion of the following courses outside the major:
| Courses | Hours |
| CS 114:116 | 4 |
| CS 124 or ST 260 | 3 |
Upper-level residency. A minimum of 12 hours of 300- or 400-level courses in the major must be earned on this campus.
Required minor. The mathematics major requires the completion of a minor.
Additional major requirements. Students are responsible for ensuring that they have met all University, college, major, and minor requirements. However, each student must meet with an advisor in the major department for academic planning and to be cleared for registration each semester.
Special opportunities. Mathematics majors can complete a second major in computer science. On campus employment as a math tutor in the Mathematics Technology Learning Center is available to qualified undergraduate mathematics majors. Research experiences are possible for advanced undergraduate students. The University of Alabama also has a chapter of Pi Mu Epsilon, a national mathematics honor society.