Earn your BA in Mathematics

The UI Department of Mathematics offers several BA degree options for students. You can complete one of three programs:

A BA in Mathematics typically requires 11 courses. Each program in the major has a core of several required courses, followed by choices for electives. Majors who are in the Honors Program may graduate with honors in mathematics if they satisfy additional requirements.

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Requirements for all programs

In addition to meeting the course requirements for each particular program, students majoring in mathematics at the University of Iowa must adhere to the following five rules.

Students majoring in mathematics must satisfy the department’s residency requirement.

Every math major must earn at least 15 semester hours at UI in post-calculus courses offered in Mathematical Sciences, and at least 12 semester hours of them must be offered by (or be cross-listed with) the Department of Mathematics.

Note: The post-calculus courses in Mathematics are MATH courses numbered 2000 or higher except MATH:3700, 3750, 3995-3997, 4010, and 4020. (In the 3-digit numbering system, post-calculus courses are 22M courses numbered 027 or higher except 22M:031, 032, 081, 104, 105, 109, 110 and 196-199.) Acceptable post-calculus computer science and statistics courses must have a calculus prerequisite. No transfer courses or credit by examination will be accepted for the post-calculus course requirement. The schedule of course offerings indicates which courses are post-calculus courses and which semesters they are offered to help with academic planning.

Every math major must take at least one upper-level math course for a BA. Upper-level math courses are MATH:3900 or MATH courses numbered 4000 or higher but excluding MATH:4010, 4020, and 4120, (courses numbered 22M:096 or 22M:113 or higher excluding 22M:196-199 ). The schedule of course offerings indicates which courses are upper-level courses and which semesters they are offered to help with academic planning.

All electives satisfying a course requirement must be at least 3 semester hours. Combining lower semester-hour courses to satisfy one course requirement is not allowed.

All courses used to satisfy major or minor requirements must be chosen to avoid duplication and regression with other math courses.

Students taking engineering math courses (MATH:1550, 1560, 2550, 2560, 3550) to satisfy major or minor requirements should pay close attention to duplication rules.

A minimum grade-point average of 2.00 is required for graduation. Students must earn an overall GPA of 2.0 as well as a 2.0 minimum within the major courses.

The Department of Mathematics is in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and therefore, students majoring in mathematics must also satisfy the college's graduation requirements.

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