2008–2009 - Florida Institute of Technology

Minor Program
A minor in computational mathematics is offered through the
department. A complete policy statement regarding minors
can be found in the Academic Overview section of this catalog.
Information about current minor offerings is available through
the individual colleges/departments.
Computational Mathematics (21 credit hours)
MTH 1001 Calculus 1
MTH 1002 Calculus 2
MTH 2201 Differential Equations/Linear Algebra
One of the following three courses:
CSE 1502 Introduction to Software Development with C++
CSE 1503 Introduction to Software Development with FORTRAN
CSE 2050 Programming in a Second Language
Two of the following three courses:
MTH 4082 Introduction to Parallel Processing*
MTH 4311 Numerical Analysis
MTH 4320 Neural Networks
*CSE 4082 may be substituted for MTH 4082.
MTH 2xxx (or higher) courses must be used to satisfy the remaining 21credit
hour total if more than nine credit hours of the courses for the minor
are named courses in the student’s major.
GraDuate DeGree ProGrams
Master of Science
Applied Mathematics ________________________
The master’s degree program in mathematics is designed to
produce mathematicians with competence in analysis who have
breadth and versatility in mathematics and its applications in
related fields. To this end, students entering the master’s program
in mathematics are required to select an applied field in which
they wish to develop some expertise and to complete six credit
hours toward the degree from approved courses outside the
mathematics curriculum. In addition, the master’s program is
organized so that students will have the freedom to select some of
their mathematics electives to develop their own special interests
and to complement their choice of applied field. The flexibility
in the elective part of the curriculum allows some students the
opportunity to achieve a breadth of experience in mathematics
and its uses in physical and engineering sciences, computer science
or operations research. At the same time, it will allow other
students to achieve more knowledge in a particular area in which
they may wish to develop expertise. In either case, the program
is organized to help students obtain an appropriate background
for industrial employment or to pursue further graduate studies
toward the doctoral degree. In either case, students will benefit
from the range of options that are available in the applied mathematics
master’s program.
Students are encouraged to consider which combinations of
elective mathematics courses are appropriate for their choice
of applied specialization and to discuss the program with their
advisers as soon as graduate study begins.
Admission Requirements
Applicants should have the equivalent of an undergraduate major
in mathematics and must have completed undergraduate courses
in differential equations and statistics, and have proficiency in
a high-level programming language. (Programming languages
are noncredit courses for graduate mathematics students.)
Applications from graduates with undergraduate majors in the
physical sciences or graduate students seeking a second master’s
132 Florida Tech
degree are welcome. In such cases, however, it may be necessary
for applicants to take courses in addition to the 30-credit degree
requirement in those subjects where their backgrounds are
deficient.
Degree Requirements
The master of science degree in mathematics requires a minimum
of 30 credit hours of work beyond the bachelor’s degree.
For the thesis option, six credit hours of thesis are required. The
thesis should demonstrate the candidate’s abilities in the areas of
reading and understanding mathematical literature, independent
learning and written expression. Theses that combine mathematics
with its applications in a related field are encouraged. A
nonthesis option candidate must successfully complete a final
program examination.
Curriculum
Core Areas (18 credit hours)
Analysis ......................................................................................................6
Linear Algebra............................................................................................3
Numerical and Computational Mathematics .............................................3
Probability and Statistics ...........................................................................3
Differential Equations ...............................................................................3
Elective Courses (6 credit hours)
Courses in mathematics or in other scientific or engineering
courses with a high degree of mathematical content. Six credit
hours of electives can be devoted to writing a thesis, except in
the case of students pursuing a fast track or accelerated master’s
program. The selection of elective courses must have the approval
of the department head.
Applied Field (6 credit hours)
This requirement consists of courses outside the mathematics
program. The applied field courses must be at the 5000-level
or above. The selection of applied field courses must have the
approval of the department head. Normally, only those subjects
involving an appropriate degree of mathematical content are
approved as applied field courses in a mathematics program.
Master’s Thesis (6 credit hours)
The thesis is expected to be completed in two terms. The master’s
thesis in mathematics is expected to be a thorough investigation
of a well-defined problem.
Operations Research ________________________
Operations research is a scientific approach to analyzing problems
and making decisions. It uses mathematics and mathematical
modeling on computers to forecast the implications of various
choices and identify the best alternatives.
Operations research methodology is applied to a broad range of
problems in both the public and private sectors. These problems
often involve designing systems to operate in the most effective
way. Many problems deal with the allocation of scarce human
resources, money, materials, equipment or facilities. Applications
include staff scheduling, vehicle routing, warehouse location,
product distribution, quality control, traffic light phasing, police
patrolling, preventive maintenance scheduling, economic forecasting,
design of experiments, power plant fuel allocation, stock
portfolio optimization, cost-effective environmental protection,
inventory control and university course scheduling.
Operations research is interdisciplinary and draws heavily from
the mathematics program. It also uses courses from computer science,
engineering management and other engineering programs.