Departmental Honors in Mathematics and Statistics

The Department of Mathematics and Statistics provides the opportunity for its majors to graduate with departmental honors. The program is administered by the departmental Undergraduate Committee. A student wishing to pursue this program should contact the committee early -- at least by the end of the junior year in order to insure admission into the program.

The requirements for obtaining departmental honors are:

1. A minimum 3.5 GPA in all mathematics courses taken at BGSU and a minimum 3.5 overall GPA in all courses taken at BGSU.

2. A minimum of 39 credit hours in mathematics courses.

3. A planned program of at least 6 hours in the area of concentration of the thesis. This plan must be approved by the Undergraduate Committee prior to taking any MATH 495 component.

4. A thesis earning 3 credit hours is to be written during the last two semesters in residence. A thesis proposal must be submitted to a thesis committee (consisting of two faculty members selected by the student) and must be approved by this committee and by the Undergraduate Committee prior to embarking on the thesis. The completed thesis must be approved by both of these groups. In order to assure recognition as an honors graduate, the completed thesis should be given to the committees four weeks prior to the intended graduation date.

Some sample planned programs:

• Arts and Sciences major. Thesis in algebra.

  Program: MATH 403, MATH 404, and one of MATH 432, MATH 401, or MATH 470 (3)(algebra). Thesis: MATH 470 (2) plus MATH 495H (1).

• Arts and Sciences major. Thesis in analysis.

  Program: MATH 465 and two of MATH 461, MATH 337, MATH 437, MATH 439, MATH 451, MATH 452, MATH 434, MATH 470 (3)(analysis). Thesis: MATH 470 (2) plus MATH 495H (1).

• Arts and Sciences or Education major. Thesis in statistics.

  Program: MATH 441 and two of MATH 442, MATH 445, MATH 447. Thesis: MATH 470 (2) plus MATH 495H (1).

• Education major. Thesis on implications of advancements in mathematics for secondary education.

  Program: Two courses in the thesis area (e.g., MATH 402 and MATH 470 (3)(geometry), if discussing implications for high school geometry). Thesis: MATH 470 (2) plus MATH 495H (1).

Upon successful completion of all of the above requirements, the student's transcripts shall read Graduation with Honors in Mathematics and Statistics.