Check Exactly One:
 

Change in:		Degree	X	Major		Submajor
Deletion of:				Major		Submajor

 Total Number of Credits in Program:
(if "change in" is checked - even if credits remain the same)

I. Exact description of request

The major in Mathematics currently has four emphases. Each emphasis requires a core of 25 credits consisting of

760-253 Calculus I
760-254 Calculus II
760-255 Calculus III
760-280 Discrete Mathematics
760-301 Introduction to Analysis
760-352 Introduction to Abstract Algebra
760-355 Matrices and Linear Algebra

Students then complete four more courses in one of the following four emphases:

PURE MATHEMATICS: 760-361, 760-417, 760-453, 760-461
SECONDARY EDUCATION: 760-353, 760-359,760-441,760-453
STATISTICS: 760-342,760-441,760-442,760-446
SPACE MATHEMATICS: 760-361, 760-459, 760-473, 760-475

This proposal adds one more emphasis:

COMPUTER MATHEMATICS: 765-322,765-433,765-434,760-471

765-322: Computer Languages and Compilers:

This is a new course covering the fundamentals and comparison of computer languages, assemblers, and compilers. Students will learn the theoretical background of language scanning, parsing, and semantics as well as building a simple assembler and a simple compiler.

This is a new course covering standard algorithms for mathematical computations, data structures, and data processing including searching, sorting, graph algorithms, set algorithms, and solutions to combinatorial problems.

This is a new course covering the theory of computable functions. It discusses the theoretical computational devices of finite automata and Turing machines and the functions they can be used to compute.

This is an existing course in the use of computers to solve mathematical problems such as finding solutions to equations, solutions to differential equations, solutions of linear systems, and numerical integration.

Since students would be expected to complete the four emphasis courses during their junior and senior years, these four courses could be offered in rotation with Numerical Analysis and Theory of Algorithms being offered during alternate fall semesters and Computer Languages and Compilers and Theory of Computation being offered during alternate spring semesters.

II. Relationship to mission and strategic plan of institution, and/or College/Department goals and objectives

In the late 1970’s the Department of Mathematics proposed a major in Computer Science. At that time the proposal was turned down since it was considered an unnecessary duplication of programs around the system. Instead, the Department of Mathematics joined with the Management Department to form the Management Computer Systems major which is a rather technically oriented Information Systems major, but it does not offer traditional Computer Science to those students who want a to prepare for a career in software development.

Now, twenty-five years later, UW-Whitewater is the only four year campus in the UW system which does not offer a major in Computer Science. The Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences is in the process of designing and proposing such a major, but it is expected that the process of getting that proposal approved and implemented will take a couple more years. In the mean time, the department hopes to offer this Computer Mathematics emphasis to mathematics majors who wish to prepare for a career in Computer Science. The program will be a nice compliment to a future Computer Science major by offering the theoretical background to the subject. The courses in this emphasis will offer elective courses to that future Computer Science major as well as possible electives to the existing Management Computer Systems major and Computer Science minor.

III. Rationale

The University of Wisconsin – Whitewater does not currently offer a major in computer science. Students interested in receiving a technical computer background can obtain a degree in Management Computer Science which tends to be too business oriented for those students interested in traditional computer science. Other students elect to complete a minor in computer science. This Computer Mathematics emphasis will give these students an option to complete a major in an area which can give them the technical background they seek. Many students completing this new emphasis would also complete a minor in Computer Science. If a major program in Computer Science becomes available, some students preferring a more mathematical or theoretical background may still prefer this emphasis in the mathematics major to a major in Computer Science or at least elect to take some of these emphasis courses as electives.

IV.Cost implications

The Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences currently has faculty with the expertise to teach the four classes proposed in this emphasis. Since students would be expected to complete the four emphasis courses for this major in a two year period, the department would need to offer one of these courses each semester. The department is currently involved in searches for three new faculty with expertise in Computer Science. The filling of these positions will allow the needed new courses to be offered.