2018-2019 Undergraduate Studies Bulletin [Archived Catalog]
Mathematics, B.S.
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Learning Outcomes
- Graduates with a B.S. in Mathematics will have a solid basic understanding of core areas of mathematics, including linear algebra, abstract algebra, and analysis, as well as a broader range of mathematics and its applications.
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- Graduates with a B.S. in Mathematics will be able to formulate mathematical concepts, frame mathematical proofs, and communicate mathematics clearly.
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- Graduates with a B.S. in Mathematics will be skilled in the use of statistics.
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Basic Degree Requirements for Bachelor of Science Degrees (120 Hours)
Note: Bachelor of Science degrees with majors in Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Economics, Geography, Geological Sciences, Interdisciplinary Studies, Mathematics, Physics, Psychology, Sociology or Statistics, and the Bachelor of Science in Chemistry with a major in Chemistry require 120 hours. All other Bachelor of Science degrees require a minimum of 128 hours.
- Carolina Core Plus General Education Requirements
- Major
- Cognate or Minor Requirements (optional for BSIS majors)
- Electives
1. Carolina Core Plus General Education Requirements
CMW: Carolina Core Effective, Engaged and Persuasive Communication: Writing (6 Hours)
- Must be passed with a grade of C or higher.
ARP: Carolina Core Analytical Reasoning and Problem-Solving (A Minimum of 12 Hours)
Specified or additional College of Arts and Sciences Requirement:
Bachelor of Science degrees require a minimum of 12 hours, as specified by the major program, to include:
SCI: Carolina Core Scientific Literacy (8 Hours)
Specified or additional College of Arts and Sciences Requirement:
- Two 4-credit hour laboratory science courses.
GFL: Carolina Core Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Communicate Effectively in More than One Language (0-9 Hours)
Specified or additional College of Arts and Sciences Requirement:
- Demonstration of proficiency in one foreign language equivalent to the minimal passing grade on the exit examination in the 122 course is required for all baccalaureate degrees. Students can demonstrate this proficiency by successfully completing Phase II of the Proficiency Test or by successfully completing the 122 course, including the exit exam administered as part of that course.
It is strongly recommended that students continuing the study of a foreign language begin college-level study of that language in their first semester and continue in that language until their particular foreign language requirement is completed.
GHS: Carolina Core Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Historical Thinking (6 Hours)
Specified or additional College of Arts and Sciences Requirement:
- One Carolina Core GHS-approved course primarily focused on U.S. History: HIST 111, 112, 214, or another GHS approved course determined by the College of Arts and Sciences to fit this geographic category and
- One Carolina Core GHS-approved course primarily focused on non-U.S. History: HIST 101, 102, 104, 105, 106, 108, 109, GERM 280, FAMS 300, or another GHS-approved course determined by the College of Arts and Sciences to fit this geographic category.
GSS: Carolina Core Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Social Sciences (6 Hours)
Specified or additional College of Arts and Sciences Requirement:
AIU: Carolina Core Aesthetic and Interpretive Understanding (3 Hours)
Carolina Core Stand Alone or Overlay Eligible Requirements:
- Up to two of these requirements may be met in overlay courses. At least one of these requirements must be satisfied by a course not applied elsewhere in general education. (3-9 hours)
CMS: Carolina Core Effective, Engaged, and Persuasive Communication: Speech (3 Hours)
INF: Carolina Core Information Literacy (0-3 Hours)
VSR: Carolina Core Values, Ethics, and Social Responsibility (3 Hours)
Other Required General Education Courses for the College of Arts and Sciences
Fine Arts and Humanities Requirements (3 Hours)
- Bachelor of Science degrees require 3 Hours in the fine arts. (May be taken as Carolina Core Aesthetic and Interpretive Understanding.)
- Bachelor of Science degrees require an additional 3 Hours in the fine arts or humanities.
Major Prerequisites
The following courses fulfill some of the general education requirements, as well as some of the requirements of certain cognates and minors. These courses must be completed for the B.S. degree in mathematics:
One of the following programming courses:
One of the following statistics courses:
Retention and Other Details
- A grade of C or better is required in each MATH course.
- A student may enroll in each MATH course a maximum of two times. (Enrolled in a course is interpreted to mean that a grade, including W or WF, has been recorded.)
- A student may repeat a maximum of three MATH courses. (Receiving a grade of W is not to be considered a repeat.)
Transfer Requirement
In addition to the minimum University and College of Arts and Sciences requirements, a student seeking to transfer to the mathematics major from another program within the University, or from another accredited college or university, is required to have earned a grade of “B” or higher in at least one of the following courses, or their USC equivalent:
Note:
An AP or IB exam score that provides credit for MATH 142 also satisfies this requirement.
Major Requirements
The base degree is the B.S. in Mathematics; students wishing to participate in significant research with a faculty mentor can enhance their experience by completing the additional requirements for the B.S. with Distinction in Mathematics.
B.S. in Mathematics (24 Hours)
At least one of the following:
B.S. with Distinction in Mathematics (39 Hours)
Prerequisite
A minimum GPA of 3.60 in upper division (500 and above) major courses and 3.30 overall when the student applies to enter the B.S. with Distinction in Mathematics track.
Requirements
The student should apply to enter the B.S. with Distinction in Mathematics track and choose the members of the thesis committee as early as possible, but in all cases at least one year before completion of the degree. The committee will consist of a thesis advisor, who must be a tenure-track faculty member in Mathematics, and one or two other tenure-track or research faculty members in Mathematics or any other department, as approved by the Undergraduate Advisory Council. The senior thesis consists of either significant original work or a synthesis of known material beyond the scope of ordinary undergraduate coursework. The student may use their senior thesis to simultaneously fulfill other requirements as well (e.g., Magellan Scholarship, Honors College Thesis, etc.), at the discretion of the thesis advisor.
By the end of the semester in which the student is admitted into the B.S. with Distinction in Mathematics track, a brief research plan must be agreed upon by the thesis committee and the student, and filed in the Department of Mathematics and College of Arts and Sciences. Before submitting and defending the thesis, the student must have completed three credit hours of MATH 499 (Undergraduate Research) under the supervision of the thesis advisor, and at least 12 hours of upper-level (500 and above) MATH credit approved by the Undergraduate Director beyond the 24 credit hours of 500-level MATH courses required for the B.S. in Mathematics.
By the end of the student’s last semester, the student must present and defend the senior thesis before the thesis committee. The defense must be announced at least one week in advance and be open to the general public. A certificate attesting to a successful defense, signed by the committee, must be placed on file with both the Department of Mathematics and the College of Arts and Sciences. In addition, prior to graduation the student must have either (a) presented the research at a meeting of a professional society, at Discovery Day at USC, or at a comparable venue; or (b) submitted the work for publication in an undergraduate or professional journal.
Students who successfully fulfill all of these requirements with a GPA of at least 3.60 in upper division (500 and above) major courses and 3.30 overall, will be awarded their degree with “Distinction in Mathematics” upon graduation.
Math Electives
The courses listed below are available for MATH elective credit. (As MATH 544 , MATH 546 , and MATH 554 are required of all majors, these are not listed.) Undergraduate students interested in taking 700-level MATH courses as MATH elective credit should consult the Graduate Bulletin.
Differential Equations and Modeling
Financial Mathematics and Probability
Optimization and Computation
General Guidelines for Selecting 500-level MATH Electives
Graduate School in Mathematics
Students planning to go to graduate school in mathematics should complete at least one of the two-semester sequences in algebra or analysis.
Note:
Completing both two-semester sequences provides the strongest foundation for graduate study in mathematics. Students completing this combination of courses are well on their way towards completing the B.S. with Distinction in Mathematics.
Mathematics Teachers at the Secondary (Grades 9-12) Level
Students planning to become mathematics teachers at the secondary (grades 9-12) level should choose:
In addition, as a cognate, these students should take:
Note:
With two additional Education courses, students complete a minor in Education. This selection of MATH electives and of the education cognate positions students to complete, after completing a B.S. in Mathematics, a one-year graduate Master of Teaching degree from the College of Education and apply for grades 9-12 mathematics licensure in South Carolina.
Pursue a Career in Actuarial Science
Students planning to pursue a career in actuarial science should declare a Risk Management and Insurance Minor and complete their MATH electives with the following courses:
Note:
Risk Management and Insurance Minor is completed by taking ACCT 225 , ECON 221 and ECON 222 , and FINA 363 , FINA 469 , FINA 471 , and FINA 475 .
To develop a strong basis for success in the initial actuarial examinations (Exam P and Exam F), and to qualify for the Society of Actuaries’ Validation through Educational Experience (VEE) in Applied Statistics, Economics, and Corporate Finance, students should complete the following collection of 30 semester hours in the Department of Statistics and the Darla Moore School of Business. For detailed information about the VEE program, see https://www.soa.org/Education/Exam-Req/edu-vee.aspx.
Mathematical Statistics and Statistical Models (9 Hours)
Economics and Corporate Finance (12 Hours)
Risk Management and Insurance (0-3 Hours)
Finance and Stochastic Processes (3-6 Hours) from
Applied Mathematics or Mathematical Careers in the Private or Public
Students planning to undertake further study in applied mathematics or who intend to start mathematical careers in the private or public sectors after graduation, should consider MATH 520 and other courses in Differential Equations and Modeling, in Discrete Mathematics, in Financial Mathematics, and in Optimization and Computation, including 9 credit hours from two of the following categories.
Differential Equations and Modeling
Financial Mathematics and Probability
Optimization and Computation
Cognate or Minor Requirements (12-18 Hours) for B.S. Degrees
Cognate
The cognate is intended to support the course work in the major. The cognate must consist of twelve (12) hours of courses at the advanced level, outside of but related to the major. The cognate may be taken in one or more departments or programs, depending on the interests of the student and the judgment of the advisor.
Courses offered by departments and programs that are acceptable for cognate credit are outlined in the section titled Courses Acceptable for Cognate Credit in Degree Programs in the College of Arts and Sciences .
For cognate course offerings in other colleges, consult the appropriate sections of this bulletin. Some major programs have specific cognate requirements.
It should be emphasized that the cognate is not a second set of elective courses to be chosen at random by the student. The cognate must be approved by the major advisor as being related to the major field of study. Students are urged to consult their major advisors for specific requirements in their major.
Courses applied toward general education requirements cannot be counted toward the cognate.
For Bachelor of Science degrees, grades of D are acceptable for completion of the cognate requirement, except where restricted by the major program.
Minor
In place of the cognate a student in the College of Arts and Sciences may choose a minor consisting of at least 18 credit hours of prescribed courses. (Some minors in the sciences require a minimum of16 hours.) The subject area of the minor may be related to the major. Students pursuing interdisciplinary minors who wish to use courses in their major department for minor credit must petition the College Committee on Scholastic Standards and Petitions for permission to do so.
The minor is intended to develop a coherent basic preparation in a second area of study. It differs from the cognate inasmuch as the courses must be concentrated in one area and must follow a structured sequence. Interdisciplinary minors can be designed with the approval of the assistant dean for academic affairs and advising.
Courses applied toward general education requirements cannot be counted toward the minor. No course may satisfy both major and minor requirements. All minor courses must be passed with a grade of C or higher. At least half of the courses in the minor must be completed in residence at the University
A list of minor programs of study can be found at Programs A-Z .
4. Electives for B.S. Degrees
No courses of a remedial, developmental, skill-acquiring, or vocational nature may apply as credit toward degrees in the College of Arts and Sciences. The College of Arts and Sciences allows the use of the Pass-Fail option on elective courses. Further clarification of inapplicable courses can be obtained from the College of Arts and Sciences.
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