Apr 20, 2024  
2016-2017 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
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2016-2017 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Department of Mathematics and Statistics

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Location: Mathematics-Education-Psychology Center 401
Telephone: 859-572-5377
Fax: 859-572-6097
Email Address: math@nku.edu
Web Address: http://math.nku.edu
Department Chair: Roger Zarnowski
Other Key Personnel:

Department Coordinator: Suzanne Ritchie

Full-Time Faculty: David Agard, Brooke Buckley, Chris Christensen, Daniel Curtin, Mary Lee Glore, Theodore Hodgson, Lisa Holden, Dhanuja Kasturiratna, Donald Krug, Mark Lancaster, Andrew Long, Gail Mackin, Philip McCartney, Carl Miller, Teri Murphy, Stephen Newman, Bethany Noblitt, Joseph Nolan, Mel Peterson, John Rankin, Patricia Sisson, Michael Waters, Steven Wilkinson, Jacqueline Wroughton

Thinking about the discipline: Mathematics and statistics are about finding patterns in quantitative information and using those patterns to solve problems and predict future trends. Having a good understanding of mathematics and statistics prepares students for careers in a variety of fields where good problem-solving skills are required. In lists of the best jobs, publications such as The Wall Street Journal and Forbes routinely rank mathematician, statistician, actuary, and related occupations among the top 10.

Special opportunities for our students: Mathematics and statistics students have a variety of opportunities, both curricular and extracurricular, to explore and practice their chosen discipline.

  • All students take a 1-credit-hour mathematical sciences seminar course early in their major to discover the possibilities in the disciplines, both while at NKU and after graduating.
  • A number of students participate in annual national and international competitions such as the Virginia Tech exam and the Putnam exam, which are timed exams of challenging mathematical problems, or the COMAP competition where over one weekend teams of students tackle a large problem that requires them to synthesize and use a number of the mathematical and statistical tools along with the problem-solving skills they have learned.
  • The Mathematics and Statistics Club is a student organization that provides both social and informational opportunities for the majors.
  • Students can work in the department’s Burkardt Consulting Center where they analyze real-world problems for clients from both the university and the community.
  • Students have opportunities to engage in research with members of the faculty and may attend regional and national meetings to present the results of their research.
  • There are a number of merit-based scholarships available to mathematics and statistics students.

Special admission requirements: Students who plan to undertake studies in mathematics or statistics will need a background in mathematics equivalent to four years of high school that includes algebra I and II, geometry, and trigonometry. An ACT mathematics score of 25 or an SAT mathematics score of at least 570 indicates mastery at a level ready to begin the core courses in the department majors, beginning with calculus. It is recommended that students be at this level before declaring a mathematics or statistics major. Deficiencies in a student’s background can be remedied in courses taught at NKU. Placement into the appropriate course is based on the student’s ACT mathematics score or SAT mathematics score and in some cases a placement exam administered at NKU.

You should also know:

  • A grade below a C- is not applicable to either major.
  • At least 9 credit hours toward the major must be completed at NKU.
  • At least 6 credit hours toward the minor must be completed at NKU.
  • A double major in mathematics and statistics consists of satisfying the degree requirements of both majors with a minimum of 58 credit hours of courses applicable to either major.
  • A student majoring in mathematics and seeking a focus in statistics must complete four additional 300- or 400-level STA courses not used to satisfy the mathematics major.
  • A student majoring in statistics seeking a focus in mathematics must complete four additional 300- or 400-level MAT courses not used to satisfy the statistics major.
  • Any substitutions in these programs must be made in consultation with the chair of the department. 

Programs

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