Hello Math Majors,
I hope the first week of April has gone well for you and that you have made progress on enrolling in classes for the upcoming summer and fall semesters. I know that the month of April can be very busy with projects, exams, and final exams, so please do your best to manage your time wisely and to monitor your stress levels. I recommend that you keep a calendar of important days and deadlines in a format that works best for you (wall calendar, dry erase bound, paper planner, or the built-in calendar on your smart phone). If you have any questions about anything, please don’t hesitate to come see me for an appointment or walk-in meeting.
Starting with the Fall 2019 semester, the Mathematics major that we offer will change. The Bachelor of Arts degree Math major will be essentially the same. However, the Bachelor of Science degree Mathematics major will have a new set of core courses and some new options. The Math major core will become MATH 106: Calculus I, MATH 107: Calculus II, and MATH 314: Linear Algebra. The Math major will now offer the following options: Standard, Education, Statistics, Mathematics of Physical Phenomena, Mathematical Biology, Mathematical Finance, and Discrete Mathematics and Cryptography. As a part of this change, a new course, MATH 309: Introduction to Mathematical Proofs, will be offered staring with the Fall 2019 semester. Depending on which option you choose, you will be required to complete two of the following three courses: MATH 309, MATH 310, and MATH 325. You will not be able to pick, which of the courses that you need to complete. The Standard, Education, and Statistics options will be essentially the same, so MATH 310: Introduction to Modern Algebra and MATH 325: Elementary Analysis will both be required. The Mathematics of Physical Phenomena and Mathematical Biology options will require the MATH 309 and MATH 325 courses. The Discrete Mathematics and Cryptography option will require MATH 309 and MATH 310. Lastly, the Mathematical Finance option will allow you to take two out of three from MATH 309, MATH 310, and MATH 325. If you are completing the Standard or Statistics options, you can take the MATH 309 course as one of your additional Advanced Math courses, but it will not replace your need to take either MATH 310 or MATH 325. In additional to the core courses and some combination of MATH 309, 310, and 325, each the options will require specific coursework that fits with that option including Math and other courses. More information about the new options will be presented at the Math Club event on Thursday, April 18 from 5:00-6:00 pm in 351 Avery Hall.
As current students, these changes to the Mathematics major will NOT affect your degree and major requirements. Both current and new students will be allowed to apply the new MATH 309 course to the Math major as an Advanced Math course, but it will not replace your need for both MATH 310 and MATH 325. If you want to have access to these new Math major options, you will have to change to the 2019-20 catalog year of major and degree requirements. Making this change will mean that your degree requirements along with the requirement of any other majors and minors that you are pursuing could change. If you would like to discuss this further, please come see me for a one-on-one meeting.
The prerequisite for the new MATH 309 course will be a C, P, or better grade in MATH 107: Calculus II, and we have changed the prerequisite for both MATH 221: Differential Equations and MATH 314: Linear Algebra to a C, P, or better in MATH 107 (instead of MATH 208) starting with the Fall 2019 semester. The prerequisites for the MATH 487 course have changed to MATH 314 and one of MATH 309, 310, or 325. If you are having trouble enrolling in MATH 487, please let me know. In addition, the prerequisites for MATH 310 and MATH 325 will become a C, P, or better grade in either MATH 208: Calculus III or MATH 309. These changes to prerequisites will apply to everyone, both current and new students.
Thanks,
Doug
During Priority Registration from now to Friday, April 12th, I will continue to have both appointments and walk-in meetings available. However, my advising hours will change to as follows:
Mondays and Fridays: Appointments from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays: Appointments from 8:30 am to 1:00 pm and Walk-ins Only from 1:00 pm and 4:30 pm
You can schedule an appointment with Doug by using the MyPlan system via Canvas or My.UNL (click here for instructions), by calling me at 402-472-4319, or by emailing me at dpellatz@unl.edu.
My normal appointment and walk-in advising hours, which are listed below, will resume on Monday, April 15th.
Doug's Advising Hours for the Spring 2019 Semester
Appointments every week day from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.
Walk-ins only from 1:00-3:30 pm on Thursdays.
Dr. Radu's Advising Hours for the Spring 2019 Semester
Mondays 10:30 am to 12:00 noon in 211 Avery Hall
You can also schedule an appointment with Dr. Radu by emailing her at pradu@unl.edu.