Prerequisites for Entering AMS Major --- Combined BS-Masters Programs --- Double Major

Recommended Course Selections --- Actuarial Training --- Graduation Procedures

Undergraduate Major Checklist

The major in applied mathematics and statistics leads to the Bachelor of Science degree. The following courses are required.

Lower Division Requirments:
1. Single-Variable Calculus: AMS 151 , 161 or MAT 125, 126, 127 or MAT 131, 132 or MAT 141, 142
2. Linear Algebra: AMS 210 or MAT 211
3. Multivariable Calculus: AMS 261 or MAT 203 or MAT 205
4. Introductory Computer Programming: CSE 110 or 114 or 130 or ESE 124 or ESG 111 or MEC 111 or MAT 331 or any other computer programming course at Stony Brook or at another institution: the languages used in such as course should be C++, Java, FORTRAN or a comparable language.

Upper Division Requirements:
1. Core Upper Division Courses: AMS 301 and AMS 310 . Students who have a strong background in probability or have credit for ECO 320 should take AMS 311 instead of AMS 310.
2. Upper Division Electives: 6 courses (18 credits) of AMS courses numbered 301 and above (including 500-level courses). Two of these courses may be replaced by two approved upper division mathematically oriented courses. Approved substitutions are any upper division course in Engineering, computer science, mathematics, or physics as well as ECO 321, ECO 348 and BUS 355.
3. Upper Division Writing Requirement: See the AMS 300 webpage for details about the different ways to satisfy this requirement.
4. Study in Related Areas: To gain a background in fields that generate mathematical applications, a minimum of 14 additional credits are required from among the course offerings in economics, business, the natural sciences departments and the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Courses chosen to satisfy any of the preceding AMS major requirements may not be used to satisfy this requirement. However, courses taken to satisfy a DEC requirement or a minor may also be used for this Related-Areas requirement. No more than eight of these credits may come from any one department.

Grades
All courses taken to satisfy the Lower and Upper Division Major Requirement requirements must be passed with a grade of A, B ,C, or D.

Admission to the Applied Math Major
Like all majors in the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, the Applied Math major is designed to be entered in the sophomore year. The prerequisite coursework is Single-variable Calculus and Linear Algebra (see the various courses that satisfy these topics in the Major Requirements above). Students should have a GPA in these courses of 2.5 or better. Students with weaker backgrounds should contact the Applied Math Undergraduate Program Director Alan Tucker to learn how to gain admission to the Applied Math major.

Exceptionally well prepared high school students coming to Stony Brook may be allowed to enter the University as an enrolled Applied Math major.

Combined BS-Masters Programs
There are currently three different BS-Masters programs available to Applied Math majors.
The first is a combined B-MS in Applied Mathematics. For details, see Combined BS-MS Program .
The second is a combined BS-MBA program. Consult the College of Business for details.
The third is a combined BS-MPH (Masters of Public Health) joint with the Stony Brook Health Sciences' Department of Preventive Medicine. For details, contact the graduate program director in the Department of Preventive Medicine.

Double Majors
Applied Math majors are encouraged to consider a double major (or to minor) in another discipline. The most frequent choices of AMS double majors are computer science and economics.

Students in other majors who are considering Applied Math as a second major are encouraged first to select individual AMS courses on the basis of their academic interests or career needs. Only after a student has taken several AMS courses should he or she decide on Applied Math as a second major.

Double Major with Computer Science
Beyond the mathematics courses required for the CSE major, a double major with AMS requires a course in multivariable calculus, AMS 261 or MAT 203, and four additional upper-division AMS courses, besides AMS 301 and 310. Only three upper-division AMS courses are required if a student takes CSE 355/AMS 345, Computational Geometry, as part of the CSE major. CSE/AMS double majors need to satisfy just one of the AMS and CSE writing requirements. (See the AMS 300 webpage for details about the different ways to satisfy the AMS writing requirement.)

Double Major with Economics
ECO 303 and 305 together count as one of the two outside upper-division AMS substitutes. Either ECO 321 and ECO 348 may be counted as a second upper-division substitute. In addition, ECO 355/AMS 335 counts simultaneously towards both majors. AMS 310 and ECO 320 cannot both be taken for credit. If an ECO/AMS double major takes ECO 320 first, then to fulfill the AMS requirement of AMS 310 or 311, the student must take AMS 311. An ECO/AMS double major does not need to take AMS 300, assuming (s)he satisfies the ECO writing requirement.

Double Major with an Engineering Major
Beyond the mathematics requirements of their engineering major, a double major between engineering and AMS typically needs six additional AMS courses; BME majors only need 4 more courses. (See the AMS Major Requirements at the top of this webpage to identify the missing courses.) Some of the required AMS courses can be fulfilled as Technical Electives in the studentÕs engineering major. Eng./AMS double majors do not need to take AMS 300.

Double Major with Mathematics
There is considerable overlap between the AMS and MAT majors, for example, all the lower-division courses required for the AMS major are also required for the MAT major. On the other hand, most students have a strong preference for the type of courses offered in just one of these majors. Thus, while a double AMS/MAT major typically involves only four more courses than a single AMS or MAT, few students pursue this double major.

For the six required upper-division elective courses in the AMS major, AMS/MAT majors can count MAT312 (which is cross-listed with AMS 351), MAT 303 (equivalent to AMS 361) along with any two other upper-division MAT courses. Check the MAT major requirements to see which AMS courses can be used for the MAT major. AMS/MAT double majors need to satisfy just one of the AMS and MAT writing requirements.

Recommendations for Course Selections and Careers
The department encourages students to have a broad exposure to many types of mathematical reasoning and to its diverse roles in the business, industry and sciences. During their first two years, students take the Lower Division Requirements (listed above). All prospective Applied Math majors are encouraged to take the introductory economics course ECO 108, because of the many careers that require a knowledge of economics. At the end of the sophomore year or the beginning of the junior year, students begin the Upper Division Requirements starting with AMS 301 and 310. As noted above, Applied Math majors are encouraged to pursue a minor or second major in a discipline of their choice.

The particular set of upper division elective courses taken in the junior and senior years by Applied Math majors, and the order in which the courses are taken, is very flexible. For assistance in 300-level AMS course sequences, majors are encouraged to meet with the Applied Math Undergraduate Program Director Alan Tucker .

The following list of course sequences for certain professions is given as a preliminary guide to students with interests in these professions. Students should speak with the Undergraduate Program Director and faculty members specializing in these areas as early as possible for more specific information.

Actuary: The Applied Math major can be taylored to provide an excellent preparation for a career as an actuary. Dozens of Applied Math majors now work as actuaries. It is possible for a student to pass five actuarial exams while an undergraduate at Stony Brook. For details, see Actuarial Training.

Statistician: AMS 301 , 310 , 311 , 312 , 315 , and 316 . For more information about careers in statistics, see Statistics Careers . A Master's degree is the expected professional training for a practicing statistician. Students considering graduate statistics programs should consider taking MAT 310 and 320, although either of these courses is needed for statistics graduate study at Stony Brook.

Operations Researcher or Management Scientist: AMS 301 , 310 , 311 , 341 , and 342 . For more information about careers in operations research, see Operations Research Careers . A Master's degree is the expected professional training for a practicing operations researchers.

Programmer-Analyst: AMS 301 , 310 , 311 , 321 , and 341 along with appropriate computer science courses such as CSE 114 and 214.

Graduate Study in the Mathematical Sciences: The most common choice for graduate study among Applied Math majors is a Master's degree in statistics or operations research. See the advice above about undergraduate coursework in statistics and operations research. Many Applied Math majors go to professional schools-- Business, Law, Medical or Dental-- upon graduation. See the Applied Math Undergraduate Program Director Alan Tucker for personal advising about graduate study.

Secondary School Mathematics Teacher: Students preparing for a career as a teacher of mathematics in the secondary schools enroll in the Mathematics Teacher Preparation Program. Students in this program can major in either Mathematics or Applied Math. Consult Director of this program in the Mathematics Department for further information.

Graduation Procedures
1. All USB undergraduates must apply for graduation early in their final semester at the Engineering Undergraduate Office.

2. AMS majors are cleared for the major requirements by the Applied Math Undergraduate Office about 2/3rds of the way through their final semester and an email is sent to any graduating AMS major who appears not qualified to be cleared.

3. All CEAS students are cleared by the CEAS Undergraduate Office for general university requirements, D.E.C., 120 credits earned of which 39 must be 300-level or above, and 36 credits earned at USB. For details, see University Graduation Requirements

4. Students are encouraged to check with the Applied Math Undergraduate Program Director Alan Tucker during their next-to-last semester to be sure that all major requirements are being satisfied.