Departments & Majors

Math & Computer Sciences

McCutchan Hall
Julie Letellier, chair
Mathematical & Computer
Sciences Department
McCutchan Hall 305
(262) 472-5684
letellij@uww.edu

Web site

About the Program

The Mathematical and Computer Sciences Department offers a liberal arts major, leading to a bachelor of science or bachelor of arts in mathematics from the College of Letters and Sciences; or a teaching major, leading to a bachelor of science in education from the College of Education. Students can choose among five different emphases:

Each emphasis of the major requires 37-39 units in mathematics consisting of 7 core courses and an additional 3-4 specialized courses in the student's area of concentration. Both BA and BS degree choices provide students with a strong background for advanced study at the graduate level.

In addition, the department offers several minors/emphases for students who would like a stronger background in mathematics to complement their chosen major.

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Accreditation

The College of Letters and Sciences is fully accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. This accreditation applies to both undergraduate and graduate programs.

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Career Opportunities

Mathematics majors have a wide variety of courses to choose from to design a program of study that meets their particular career paths. Careers may be found in the following areas:

  • Management, operations research, quality control, research and development, computer-related activities in business, industry, banking and government
  • Entry-level positions in statistics or actuarial departments of insurance companies; business or governmental agencies, space science research and applications
  • Mathematics teaching in secondary education, technical and vocational schools, colleges and universities
  • Graduate study in mathematics or mathematics education

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Faculty

The department has more than 30 faculty members. They incorporate new ideas and technology into the classroom, drawing from their own research, which has resulted in presentations at state, national, and international conferences.

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High School Preparation

Students preparing for a mathematics degree should take four years of high school mathematics and will ideally be ready to take calculus upon entering the university. Algebra skills and familiarity with the trigonometric, exponential and logarithmic functions are preferred. The Mathematics and Computer Science Department is engaged in early testing programs at area high schools. The department also offers placement credit for students who demonstrate mastery of the first or second calculus courses. This is usually done by scoring a three or better on the College Entrance Examination Board’s Advanced Placement Tests. Based on ACT math scores, requirements for math courses below calculus may be waived without credit.

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Honors and Awards

Two department faculty have been honored with the W.P. Roseman Award, the highest university award for teaching, and two are winners of the UW-Whitewater Research Award. In addition, many faculty have won grants from NASA and the Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium.

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Internship Opportunities

Both internships and alumni mentorship opportunities are available through the department.

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Placement

Mathematics graduates from UW-Whitewater enter a number of fields, including applied mathematics, physics; as actuaries in insurance agencies, staff members in research firms and as teachers.

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Student Organizations

The department sponsors a student chapter of the Mathematics Association of America (MAA). Students may join the Student Math Association (SMA) and have the option of becoming student members of the MAA. They participate in such activities as sponsoring visiting actuarial speakers and bowling and softball socials.

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Suggested Course of Study

Required Mathematics Courses
Calculus and Analytic Geometry I, II and III
Discrete Mathematics
Linear Algebra
Introduction to Analysis
Introduction to Abstract Algebra

Emphases (Choose one sequence)
Pure Mathematics
Secondary Education
Statistics
Computer Mathematics
Applied Mathematics

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