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Nov 08, 2024
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2024 - 2025 Undergraduate Catalog
Mathematics, Statistics Concentration (BS in Mathematics)
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Requirements for Major
The study of mathematics is motivated by its wide applicability and its intrinsic beauty. Mathematical theories often grow out of problems that appear in the physical and biological sciences, engineering, economics, finance and the social sciences. The mathematics program at William and Mary allows students to design a major based on their own interests and career goals and prepares students for post-baccalaureate employment and for further study of mathematical sciences and related disciplines. There are four concentrations within the major - the Standard Concentration, the Applied Mathematics Concentration, the Pre-College Mathematics Teaching Concentration, and the Statistics Concentration. Study options include applied and pure mathematics, operations research, statistics, and teaching at the elementary or secondary level. Students can also design elective programs needed for careers in actuarial science and industrial mathematics, for interdisciplinary work in fields such as economics, business and social sciences, or for graduate studies.
Information about the mathematics major, career choices and appropriate courses of study is available from the department’s academic advisors and the Office of Career Services as well as informally from the mathematics faculty.
Major Writing Requirement:
A student in any Mathematics major concentration satisfies the upper-division mathematics writing requirement in one of the following ways:
- Completion of the course MATH 400 - Mathematical Connections.
- Completion of an Honors Thesis in MATH 495-MATH 496 with a grade of C- or better.
- Completion of MATH 300 with a grade of C- or better, through the completion of a supervised expository individual writing project.
Options 1 and 2 above will also count as the student’s COLL 400 requirement. A student should only choose option 3 in MATH 300 if that student is taking the COLL 400 requirement in another department (through an honors thesis or otherwise). For option 1 in MATH 400, the student just needs to register for this course. For options 2 and 3, the student should first communicate with a faculty member about supervising the honors thesis or writing project. The student can then register for the course in a section corresponding to the faculty member who has agreed to supervise the student. Note that the MATH 400 option above is a standard course which meets regularly, while the other two options are individually supervised and do not have a lecture component.
Computer Proficiency Requirement:
A student in any Mathematics major concentration must show proficiency in some high-level computer programming language at the level of CSCI 140 or CSCI 141. This is normally done by receiving a grade of at least C- in CSCI 140 or CSCI 141. Exceptions require the department chair’s permission. In addition, students in the Statistics Concentration must demonstrate proficiency at the level of CSCI 241. This is normally done by taking and passing this course.
Enriching the Statistics Concentration:
The requirements described below are the minimal requirements for the statistics concentration, and most mathematics majors take courses beyond that minimum. Students wishing to obtain a deeper understanding of mathematics and statistics (e.g., in preparation for graduate school) should take additional upper-division courses.
The Statistics Concentration
This concentration is designed for students who want to pursue applications of statistics or a double major in statistics and another discipline.
The major requirements of the Statistics Concentration are:
A Core Consisting of:
Choose One Option:
- MATH 495 - Honors Credits: (3) and MATH 496 - Honors Credits: (3)
- Plus at least three distinct three-credit mathematics courses at the 300-400 level, with at least two chosen from the elective courses listed below (for a total of at least eight upper-division courses).
or
- (Excluding MATH 495- MATH 496), at least four distinct three-credit mathematics courses at the 300-400 level, with at least two courses chosen from the elective courses listed below (for a total of at least seven upperdivision courses).
Statistics Elective Courses:
Additional Information
Mathematics or statistics courses from other institutions (other than Study Abroad), taken after matriculation at William & Mary, cannot transfer for credit towards the Statistics concentration. Note that in the computing requirement discussed above, students must show proficiency at the level of CSCI 241.
Advanced Standing
Entering students may receive credit for mathematics courses through AP or IB and transfer credit. In each of the mathematics major concentrations, well-prepared students may begin their studies beyond MATH 111 without receiving credit for earlier courses listed in the core requirements section of each concentration. Each skipped course for which the student does not receive credit must be replaced by an additional three-credit 300-400 level mathematics course.
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