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2023-2024 Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog

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Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Mathematics

Requirements for a Major in Mathematics - Theoretical Mathematics Emphasis

Students planning a major in mathematics with theoretical mathematics emphasis must complete a total of 16 courses (52-58 credits) divided into three categories; Required, Required Electives and Cognate courses. These are described as follows:

Course Requirements

All students with a major in mathematics with theoretical mathematics emphasis must complete the following courses:

Total Course Requirements: 9 courses/31credits

Additional Course Requirements

Take four additional courses from the following list for a total of 13 courses. At least 12 courses in mathematics (MTH) and at least one additional 400-level course besides the required courses:

If you are a double major, see your math faculty advisor to discuss substituting one course from your other major with a substantial math prerequisite (at least MTH 201 or MTH 204) in place of one class on this list.

Total Electives: 4 courses/12-14 credits

Cognate Requirements

All students seeking a major in mathematics with theoretical mathematics emphasis must complete the following courses to satisfy the mathematics cognate requirements:

AND one course from the following:

Total Cognate Requirements: 3 courses/9 to 13 credits

Preparation for Graduate Work in Theoretical Mathematics

Majors who plan to complete graduate work in mathematics are encouraged to

  • take as many upper-division mathematics courses as possible from the courses listed in additional mathematics courses;
  • take MTH 450 or MTH 409 as one additional 400-level course; and
  • consult with their advisor about other courses that might be appropriate for their interests and about procedures for applying to graduate school.

Requirements for a Major in Mathematics - Applied Mathematics Emphasis

All students with a major in mathematics with applied mathematics emphasis must complete a total of 15 courses (49-53 credits) divided into three categories; required, required electives and cognate courses. These are described as follows:

Course Requirements

All students with a major in mathematics with applied mathematics emphasis must complete the following courses:

Total Course Requirements: 11 courses/37credits

Additional Course Requirements

Take additional courses from the following list for a total of 13. At least one from this list must be a 400-level MTH course, and at most one from this list can have a non-MTH prefix.

If you are a double major, see your MTH FACULTY advisor to discuss substituting one course from your other major with a substantial math prerequisite (at least MTH 201 or MTH 204) in place of one class on this list.

Total Electives: 2 courses/6-8 credits

Cognate Requirements

All students seeking a major in mathematics with applied mathematics emphasis must complete the following courses to satisfy the mathematics cognate requirements:

Requirements for a Major in Mathematics - Secondary Certification Emphasis

The mathematics major with secondary certification emphasis must be completed with a GPA of 2.7 for admission to the College of Education and Community Innovation. Students planning a major in mathematics with secondary certification emphasis must complete the following.

Course Requirements

All mathematics majors must complete the following courses:

Elective Requirement

All mathematics majors with secondary certification emphasis must also complete one elective course from the following list. The elective course must be different than the Capstone course.

Cognate Requirements

All students seeking a major in mathematics with secondary certification emphasis must complete the following courses to satisfy the mathematics cognate requirements:

AND one course from the following:

College of Education and Community Innovation Requirements

To be approved for student teaching, students must complete at least 24 credit hours in the major, including:

In addition, students need to be aware of the College of Education and Community Innovation requirements for admission to the secondary certification program.

A student who has graduated from another accredited institution with a completed major or minor in mathematics and who now seeks only teaching certification in mathematics from Grand Valley must satisfy the following criteria:

  • transfer or complete at Grand Valley all mathematics and cognate courses required for the certification major or minor
  • a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.7 (on a 4.0 scale) in mathematics courses from the accredited institution
  • completion of the College of Education and Community Innovation requirements for certification

Suggested Order of Coursework for a Major in Mathematics

The following sample mathematics schedules assume the student is in contact with an advisor for appropriate general education requirements and has a strong mathematics background. Students who do not begin with MTH 201 will need to make appropriate changes.

Mathematics Majors with Theoretical Mathematics Emphasis

Year One

Year Two

Year Three

Year Four

Mathematics Majors with Applied Mathematics Emphasis

Year One

Year Two

Year Three

Year Four

Mathematics Major with Secondary Certification Emphasis

Year One

Year Two

Year Three

Year Four

Click here for the program description.


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