Mathematics Program Requirements

Faculty

• Spencer Bagley
• Bill Bynum
• Jonas D’Andrea
• Sean Raleigh
• Bianca Thompson
• Janine Wittwer (Chair)

view Mathematics Courses

Program Goals

• Critical Thinking
  • To develop the cognitive and affective skills to address previously unsolved problems.
  • In all courses, to construct well-reasoned arguments with no gaps, and critique the arguments of others. In more advanced courses, to learn to read and construct valid mathematical proofs, and critique proofs constructed by others.
  • To learn appropriate uses of technology at all levels.
  • In all courses, to develop competencies in the core curriculum of mathematics that prepare students for success in a major program. For majors, to develop competencies in the core curriculum of mathematics that prepare students for success in a graduate program or mathematically-focused career.
• Creativity
  • To appreciate the sociocultural context of mathematics and its role in human cultures and societies.
  • To experience the beauty, creativity, and power of mathematics.
  • To develop students’ identity as mathematicians, doers of mathematics, and members of mathematical communities.
• Collaboration
  • To offer curricular and co-curricular opportunities for student leadership and collaboration.
  • To collaborate with others in posing and addressing problems.
• Communication
  • To learn how to effectively communicate one’s mathematical ideas in words, symbols, numbers, and diagrams, both orally and in writing.
  • To communicate mathematics at appropriate levels with others inside and outside of the mathematical community.
• Global Responsibility
  • To engage the community through applying mathematical knowledge, service learning, internships, and other opportunities.
  • To experience non-Western-European mathematics as equally valid forms of mathematical practice. 
  • To appreciate the contributions of mathematicians from historically minoritized, oppressed, and/or non-European backgrounds.
• Career Planning
  • To learn about career opportunities and internships in mathematics and related fields.

Objectives

The Mathematics Program offers an academic major, minor, and applied minor as well as an elementary teaching minor. The curriculum in mathematics at Westminster meets the needs of students preparing to teach mathematics, students planning on graduate studies, students desiring to pursue non-teaching degrees in mathematics, students majoring in other academic disciplines who need a mathematics foundation, and students desiring practice in the art of logical thinking.

Program Requirements

Students must maintain a minimum cumulative 2.5 GPA in courses (excluding the world language requirement) required for both the academic major and minors and the teaching minors. For students seeking a mathematics teaching Level 2 endorsement, each course grade must be at least C. No more than six (6) credit hours from May term courses may be applied to the elective upper division mathematics requirement for the academic major. Prerequisite courses must be satisfied with a grade of C- or better. Students enrolled in mathematics courses without the required prerequisites may be withdrawn by the instructor.

Students must meet the university-wide graduation requirements in addition to the Mathematics major:

• 124 total hours
• 30 upper division hours
• WCore or Honors College requirements

Mathematics Major

*Note: "Double-dipping" is allowed for the computational requirement. For example, a Computer Science major can use credit for CMPT 201 or CMPT 202 to meet this requirement. A Data Science minor can use DATA 360 to satisfy this requirement. However, a student cannot use DATA 360 both to satisfy this requirement and receive upper-division elective credit in Section IV above for the MATH major. 

Recommended Plan of Study

Listed below is a suggested plan of study for completing the mathematics course requirements. Students should check with their advisors at least once a year as course offerings may change from what is listed. Students must also meet university-wide requirements for graduation.

Mathematics Minor

Applied Minor

Students may count credit hours in sections I and II below toward this minor and toward completion of a major. In other words, this is an exception to the university policy that disallows double-counting of elective courses.

Elementary Teaching Minor (Level II)

Placement in Mathematics Courses

A member of the mathematics faculty should be consulted for any questions about placement in mathematics courses.

Proper placement in mathematics is critical, especially for students registering for a freshman-level mathematics course. Students with questions regarding placement should consult with their academic advisors.

Students receiving scores of 4 or 5 on one of the calculus advanced placement examinations receive the following Westminster credit: