If you are an incoming freshman or a transfer student with questions on which courses you should start with in mathematics, please see Steve Culver, the Assistant to the Chair. You may contact him in person at 3322 Everett Tower, by phone at (269) 387-4517, or by e-mail at steven.culver@wmich.edu. If you are planning a major or a minor in the Mathematics Department, please contact the Department Office at (269) 387-4510, or stop by the Office in 3319 Everet Tower and make an appointment with a faculty advisor.

Transfer Students

If you transfer to Western from another college or university and wish to complete a major or minor in mathematics you should meet with a designated mathematics advisor as soon as possible. Contact the main math office at (269) 387-4510 and ask for an advisor for your chosen major. You and the advisor will develop a formal program which takes into consideration all the previous coursework as summarized on your Credit Evaluation Report from the Admissions Office.

If your Credit Evaluation Report indicates that some classes are eligible for transfer credit by departmental recommendation only or as math credit only, please bring your Credit Evaluation Report and a copy of the syllabus or a catalog description, listing topics covered in the course, to your advising appointment. Your credits generally can be evaluated within a week.

Requirements

The University requires a grade point average of at least 2.0 ("C") in any major or minor. Additionally, the Department of Mathematics permits at most one grade below a "C" in courses counting toward a mathematics major or minor. The Mathematics Department requires a grade point average of at least 2.5 in the Secondary Teaching Mathematics Major and the Secondary Teaching Mathematics Minor.

Students must earn a grade of C or better in any course that is to be used as a prerequisite for some other course.

Use of Technology in Courses

Click here to see information on graphing calculator requirements.

Please contact the Department Office at (269) 387-4510 for more information.

Class Structure and Size

Most classes in the Department of Mathematics are taught under the traditional classroom system. Under this system, you meet the same instructor in the same room on each assigned day. On a typical day the instructor might spend some time lecturing on new material and the remaining time answering questions on homework and lectures.

Even at the Freshman level, classes for majors and minors are generally taught by faculty members. Enrollment in freshman or sophomore classes typically ranges from 30 - 50 students. Junior and Senior classes are limited to 20-30 students.

In order to ensure that students are properly prepared for quality classroom interaction, the Department does enforce prerequisite requirements. In order to enroll in a course students must receive a grade of "C" or higher in the prerequisite course. Students who do not receive a "C" or higher must repeat the course to obtain a higher grade prior to enrolling in subsequent mathematics courses.

Receiving Help with Your Studies

In almost every mathematics class your instructor sets aside some class time to answer questions which you and your classmates might have. If you have additional questions, you are strongly encouraged to make use of your instructor's office hours, which will be announced shortly after the beginning of the semester. If you have another class which conflicts with your instructor's office hours you should schedule an appointment with him or her if you wish to ask additional questions.

A tutoring lab is available for students in Math 1090, 1100, 1110, 1140, 1160, 1180, 1220, 1230, 1700, 1710 and 2000. The times and location of the lab will be announced in these classes, and is posted here.

Special Programs and Courses

The Mathematics Department has an honors program for undergraduates who have a strong interest in mathematics and who wish to examine more thoeretical aspects.

For more advanced students with high interest in mathematics, one-hour undergraduate seminars are given. Here, students are exposed to a variety of mathematical topics not usually seen in undergraduate courses. Students ordinarily help present the material. Of particular interest is Math 390, a problem solving seminar. Here, under the direction of a faculty member, students practice problem solving techniques. This begins in the fall.

Graduation with Honors

This recognizes special achievement beyond a normal major program. To graduate with honors a student must maintain a 3.70 GPA in Mathematics and a 3.25 GPA overall and must have taken two of the following courses:

an honors seminar,
a theoretical course selected from Math 530, 570, 580, or an approved 600 level course,
an approved Math 599 course (independent study project leading to a paper or presentation).

Interested students should see the Associate Chairperson to plan their "honors program" in their junior year.

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