CURRICULUM PROPOSAL FORM #1
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-WHITEWATER

NEW DEGREE, MAJOR, OR SUBMAJOR


Degree/Program Title:  Mathematics (BA/BS): Applied Mathematics and Computer Science Broadfield
Sponsor(s):  Jonathan Kane, Robert Siemann
Department(s): Mathematical and Computer Sciences
College(s): Letters and Sciences
Effective Term: FALL 2001

Check if:
  New Degree: Intent to Plan
  New Degree: Final Proposal
  New Major: Intent to Plan
  New Major: Final Proposal
  New Submajor: (check one of the following)
Minor
X 
 Emphasis/Track
  Certificate Program
  Module: Intent to Plan
  Module: Final Proposal
  Other

Submit the Proposal (see Procedures)

Note: You must receive approval from System to plan a new Degree/Major
* See ACIS-1, revised November 10, 1995

Bulletin Description
Applied Mathematics and Computer Science Broadfield

This program is designed to prepare students for careers in industry, government, or university research settings where there is a need for the creation of computer programs to solve applied problems of a mathematical nature. These problems might include simulation, modeling, numerical calculations, or statistical applications. Students graduating from this program will be uniquely suited to tackle complex scientific or abstract mathematical problems by applying computer programming techniques or by configuring existing application packages to obtain solutions to problems stemming from research questions. Students in this program will take many courses in mathematics as found in a traditional applied mathematics curriculum as well as a full range of computer application courses including computer programming, numerical processing, and modeling.  This major does not require a minor.

Student learning objectives
Students graduating from this program will

  1. obtain general mathematical problems solving skills so they can find mathematical approaches to a wide variety of numerical and relational problems.
  2. be able to understand abstract concepts as common in advanced mathematics.
  3. have skills to understand and build mathematical and computer models for real world applications.
  4. develop a wide range of computer programming skills.
  5. be familiar with computer application packages which could be of use in solving scientific calculation or modeling problems.
  6. have and understanding of computers and their use in solving numerical problems.
List of courses and rationale for inclusion in the program.

COURSES FROM THE MATHEMATICS MAJOR CORE (22 credits)
These courses are included to give the student the standard core background in mathematics expected of any major in mathematics. Any student seeking a career in mathematics will need the skills taught in these courses.

760-253 Calculus I
760-254 Calculus II
760-255 Calculus III
760-280 Discrete Mathematics
760-355 Matrices and Linear Algebra
Either 760-301 Introduction to Analysis or 760-452 Introduction to Abstract Algebra

OTHER MATHEMATICS COURSES (12 credits)
The following four courses are advanced applied mathematics courses included here to give the student a background in statistics (needed to understand many numerical research problems), differential equations (needed to understand many models common in the sciences), and numerical analysis (needed for solutions of any numerical processing by a
computer ).

760-342 Applied Statistics
760-361 Differential Equations
760-459 PDE
760-471 Numerical Analysis

COMPUTER SCIENCE (24 credits)
These courses will give the student a strong computer programming background.

765-172 Introduction to Programming in JAVA
765-173 Introduction to Programming in FORTRAN
765-271 Assembly Programming
765-372 or 950-231 Data Structures

The follow application courses introduce the student to a wide range of tools needed in computer modeling and data interpretation.

950-210 Concepts of Database
765-443 Computer Simulation (new course)
765-445 Computer Modeling (new course)

The following course gives the student a basic understanding of how a computer works so that the student will be able to understand computer technology as it advances.

765-412 Computer Organization

The course list includes the following two proposed course.

765-443 Computer Simulation

This is a new course discussing the writing of computer programs that perform simulations of systems common in scientific applications. The course would cover both the writing of computer programs and the use of computer packages such as Mathematica that can be used to perform simulations.
765-445 Computer Modeling This is a new course that will introduce the student to some current topics in the field of applied computing in regard to scientific modeling. The topics will be presented at an introductory level; however the student should be able to understand some of the fundamental problems and appreciate the creative and innovative methods used to solve these problems. This 58 credit major does not require a minor.
 

Requirements in APR format
Applied Mathematics and Computer Science Broadfield

MAJOR -- 58 CREDITS

  1. 760-253, 760-254, 760-255
  2. 760-280, 760-355
  3. SELECT EITHER 760-301 or 760-452
  4. 760-342, 760-361, 760-459, 760-471
  5. 765-172,765-173, 765-271, 765-412, 765-443, 765-445, 950-210
  6. SELECT EITHER 765-372 or 950-231
WRITING REQUIREMENT -- 3 CREDITS
  1. 680-370 or 680-372
Four year plan of course offerings
The courses of the mathematics core are each offered every semester or, in the cases of 760-301 and 760-452, every other semester so that mathematics majors can complete these courses by the end of their junior year. The computer courses 765-172, 765-173, 765-271, 950-231, and 950-210 are taught every semester. The courses 760-342, 760-361, and 765-412 are being taught every fall semester. We propose to offer 760-459 and 760-471 during alternate fall semesters and offer 765-443 and 765-445 during alternate spring semesters. This would allow the well prepared student to finish these courses in eight semesters as in one possible example:

SEMESTER 1: 760-253, 765-175

SEMESTER 2: 760-254, 765-172

SEMESTER 3: 760-255, 765-372

SEMESTER 4: 760-280, 760-355, 765-271

SEMESTER 5: 760-342, 760-459, 765-412

SEMESTER 6: 760-452, 765-443

SEMESTER 7: 760-361, 760-471

SEMESTER 8: 765-445, 950-210

Resources needed
The Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences currently has faculty who can teach the courses in this new program. Currently, there are not enough faculty to teach the projected three to four extra sections of advanced courses each year, but the department has been given approval to fill three positions for next year for faculty with computer training to allow such a program to be offered. The campus currently has the computer facilities to support such a program, although the program would be improved with some one time purchases of a few computer packages for the handling of symbolic mathematical manipulation, for performing computer simulations, and for computer modeling.

Student need or demand
Surveys of entering UW-Whitewater freshmen indicate a considerable demand for a Computer Science major on the order of one hundred freshmen each year. Many of the students indicating this interest, end up majoring in Management Computer Systems or End User Technologies. Although these two majors do satisfy the needs of some of those students, certainly many of those students, especially those with technical and mathematical problem solving abilities, desire a more traditional Computer Science degree program. They often transfer to other institutions which have Computer Science major programs. This broadfield major in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science will meet the needs of many of these students.

Assessment
As a part of the major in Mathematics, assessment of this program will be integrated into the assessment program of the Mathematics major.

Relationship to other programs
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 broadfield major in applied Mathematics and Computer Science and a more theoretical Computer Mathematics emphasis in the Mathematics major which will likely share its courses with a future Computer Science major.

All the other four year UW campuses have programs for a major in Computer Science. This proposed braodfield major is the only program specifically designed to give students skills in both mathematical and computer applications emphasizing the modeling and solution of real world scientific applications.