Major requirements

Bachelor’s Degrees in Mathematics

The Department of Mathematics offers both a BA and a BS degree in Mathematics. The requirements for these are listed below. Additional information for both degrees can be found after the BS requirements section.

The first step in planning your pathway, however, is to first go through the College of Natural Sciences Student Academic Success Center’s Online Orientation.

Sample pathways that could help you plan your degree
Bachelor of Arts

BA Requirements: 

Students must complete MATH 244, or MATH 253A, as well as 23 credit hours: MATH 480 and 21 credit hours in mathematics courses numbered between 300 and 479¹, which must include:

  • MATH 311 or MATH 307
  • MATH 321
  • MATH 331
  • 3 credit hours in writing-intensive mathematics courses
  • 6 credit hours in mathematics courses 400 or above

To help the Math Department with the assessment of the math major program, MATH 480 should be taken in the student’s final Spring semester before graduation.

¹This interval is imposed in order to exclude certain seminars and reading courses such as 480, 490, 499, 500, 511.

Bachelor of Science

BS Requirements: 

Students must complete PHYS 170/170L and 272/272L (General Physics I and II, which require Calculus II), as well as MATH 244, or MATH 253A. In addition, students must complete 41 credit hours: MATH 480 and 39 credit hours in mathematics courses numbered between 300 and 479¹, which must include:

  • MATH 311 or MATH 307
  • MATH 321
  • MATH 331
  • 6 credit hours in writing-intensive mathematics courses (currently 321 and 331 satisfy this)
  • 12 credit hours in mathematics courses numbered 400 or above

In order to help the Math Department with its assessment efforts, it is helpful if MATH 480 is taken in the student’s final Spring semester before graduation.

¹This interval is imposed in order to exclude certain seminars and reading courses such as 480, 490, 499, 500, 511.

At most 9 of the 39 credit hours in mathematics courses numbered from 300 to 479 may be replaced by appropriate non-introductory courses in the natural sciences (see below).

In addition, students must demonstrate an understanding of algorithms and logic, as well as precision of thinking. Courses to satisfy this requirement are MATH 190, 301, 304L, 305L, 407; EE 160; ICS 110c, 110d, 110p, 111, 211; GG250; PHYS 305; ME 360; CEE 417.

Additional requirements and information for BA and BS Mathematics majors
  • All courses counting toward the major must be completed with a grade of “C” or better.
  • A cumulative 2.0 GPA in all completed 300 and above mathematics courses is required. If a course is repeated, the last attempt counts toward the GPA.
  • MATH 311, 321, 331 can be used for the writing intensive requirement as long as they meet the WI focus. The other writing intensive courses are MATH 412, 413, 420, 431, and 432.
  • MATH 499 may count towards degree requirements only with approval.
  • The UH policy that does not allow double dipping requirements between two majors is applicable, except under special agreements.
  • All mathematics majors are required to see a mathematics advisor each semester prior to registration. If you are unsure about what advising entails, please ask the staff in Keller Hall 419 for details.
Appropriate non-introductory courses in the natural or information sciences

The following science courses may be included in the BS requirement of 9 hours in additional upper division mathematics courses or appropriate non-introductory courses in the natural or information sciences:

  • Chemistry 272 and above
  • ICS 211 and above
  • Physics 274 and above
  • Courses numbered 300 and above in:
    • College of Natural Sciences
    • College of Engineering
    • Marine Biology
    • School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology
    • Molecular Bio-sciences and Bio-engineering

All BS mathematics majors are required to receive approval from a mathematics advisor for their 9 credit related courses credit hours.

Courses with content overlap

There are a number of courses in computer science, engineering, mathematics, and physics with content overlap. Only one course of each pair shown below may be counted toward mathematics degree requirements. If a mathematics course is included in the 24 required upper division mathematics credits, then the non-mathematics course paired with it may not be used to satisfy the related 9 credits. Neither may both courses in a pair be used to satisfy the related 9 credits.

and any pair chosen from the four courses

²MATH 373 was last offered in Spring 2017.