Majors

Helpful diagrams that lay out the requirements for the bachelors degrees in the department are available upon request from Chief Undergraduate Adviser Darrell Schmidt. Contact him with [email protected] or 248-370-3433. Talk to an adviser for more details too. 

Available Requirement Charts include: 

• B.S. in Applied Statistics, under the current General Education Requirements. This chart applies to students who entered OU as freshmen in Fall 2005 or later, as well as most transfer students who enter in Fall 2008 or later.
• B.A. and B.S. in Mathematics (including STEP), under the current General Education Requirements. This chart applies to students who entered OU as freshmen in Fall 2005 or later, as well as most transfer students who enter in Fall 2008 or later. The three boxes labeled “BS” are required only for the Bachelor of Science degree, not for the Bachelor of Arts degree. The lower left corner is for students who want to obtain secondary school teaching certification in the Secondary Teacher Education Program (STEP).
• B.S. in Actuarial Science.

The College of Arts and Sciences Advising Office also has checklists, in a different format, which you may find useful.

Course Equivalency Guide

The Department of Mathematics and Statistics offers four degrees: the Bachelor of Arts (B. A.) in Mathematics, the Bachelor of Science (B. S.) in Mathematics, the B. S. in Applied Statistics, and the B. S. in Actuarial Science. Students in the mathematics programs may also obtain secondary teaching credentials through the Secondary Teacher Education Program (STEP). Through these extensive offerings, the department serves the needs of students wishing to work in industry, government, or education in the diverse ways described in our careers page, as well as students wishing to pursue a graduate degree in the mathematical sciences.

The Oakland University Undergraduate Catalog lists all requirements for degrees, and each student should read his or her copy carefully. The department advisers are available to help each student understand the requirements, and to help the student plan his or her schedule. Each student should consult the department adviser frequently. The department secretary can provide information on the office hours of the advisers. Students are reminded that only courses passed with a grade of 2.0 or better can be used to meet major requirements.

Well-prepared students interested in the mathematical sciences should plan to take MTH 1554 (154) (Calculus I) as soon as possible. Since the study of mathematics is cumulative, only those students who have demonstrated the necessary mathematical skills are able to enroll in MTH 1554 (154). Prerequisite courses MTH 0661 (061), MTH 0662 (062), and MTH 1441 (141) are sequentially arranged so that each is a prerequisite for the next (MTH 1441 (141) is a prerequisite for MTH 1554 (154)). These courses are open only to students who have demonstrated that they have satisfied the prerequisites in one of three ways: by successfully completing the previous course here, or an equivalent course offered elsewhere, with a grade of 2.0 or better; by scoring sufficiently high on the ACT mathematics test; or by placing into them via the departmental placement exam.

Internships are sometimes available for students pursuing actuarial science. For example, the Southfield, Michigan, office of the major professional services company Towers Watson has a small number of summer internships. Other leads might include Blue Cross Blue Shield, MEEMIC, Delta Dental, and some insurance companies in Lansing. These positions are quite competitive and pay well. Summer internship positions are posted in October, and phone interviews are conducted in October and November for the following summer.  

A student who intends to apply for one should get started in September. Preference is given to students who have demonstrated a commitment to the field, such as by having attempted an actuarial exam, or, even better, having passed one or two of the exams. The Be an Actuary website has additional information about internships and getting employment in this area. "Actuary job in hand, before the degree" explains how hot this field is.

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The Department of Mathematics and Statistics organizes a weekly Putnam Seminar in the Fall semester for students to practice problem solving in preparation for a national contest.

For further information, please contact Professor Lipták at 248-370-3433, [email protected].