The department has approximately 20
full-time tenure-track faculty members forming groups in
Algebra, Analysis,
Applied Mathematics (Modeling),
Mathematics Education, Combinatorics
and Optimization and Statistics making
it truly a Department of Mathematical Sciences.
The department offers a Bachelor's Degree with emphases in Pure
Math, Applied Mathematics, Mathematics Education, Combinatorics
and Optimization, Combined
Mathematical Sciences-Computer Science and Statistics.
The department offers three graduate
degrees: a Master of Arts in Teaching Mathematics (for high
school teachers), a Master of Arts Degree and a Ph.D. Degree with
essentially the same emphases as the Bachelor's Degree. The Ph.D.
has two options, one requiring a standard research thesis and
the other a thesis that can be expository in nature. All of the
department's Ph.D.s except two have accepted positions in four
year colleges as their first job. Most are still teaching in four
year colleges and all have been very successful. The department
has strong, active faculty members in all areas of mathematics
that it covers. Approximately half of the faculty is currently
active on national committees of professional organizations in
the Mathematical Sciences, many on several committees.
There are approximately 100 undergraduate majors and 35 graduate
students in the department. There are several computer labs available
on campus. The Math Building has two computer labs with Mathematica,
MATLAB, S-Plus and other specialized software.
Three five-year multi-million dollar grants from the National
Science Foundation are currently funding mathematics curriculum
projects for 6-12 within the department.
The department typically has 8-10 active seminars
going each semester. These seminars provide a substantial portion
of the education for our Ph.D. students. An active colloquium
series brings speakers to the department from around the country
and the world. Nearly half of the faculty members have written
college level mathematics textbooks.
The undergraduate program in the department receives a great deal
of attention from the faculty. Nearly all courses from Calculus
and up are taught by regular full-time faculty members. Class sizes
are kept reasonably small. Faculty members are easily available
to undergraduate majors. There is an active student Math
Club. Each year several seniors write Senior
theses under the guidance of faculty members. Undergraduates
can participate in competitions such as the Putnam
Exam and the Mathematical Contest
in Modeling. Several undergraduates have participated in the
Undergraduate Research Programs available at some universities during
the summer. Undergraduates have an opportunity to work in the department's developmental mathematics laboratory and the
department's computer labs. Students receiving Bachelor's Degrees
have become successful high school teachers or worked in industry.
Many of the department's graduates continue on to do graduate work
at some of the best Mathematics departments in the country; many
have completed Ph.D.s in a Mathematical Science. The department
emphasizes good teaching at all levels; Teaching Assistants and
Part-time Instructors are carefully supervised by faculty members.
The department has a strong developmental mathematics program and
tutorial laboratory that have been especially helpful for returning
non-traditional students and minorities such as American Indians.
The department takes very seriously its role as the provider of
a wide variety of service courses at many different levels for non-math
majors at The University of Montana.
