Mathematics has been called "the queen and the servant of science.” Nowadays, math serves not just science and engineering but business, electronic computing, health care, agriculture, and many other fields remote from the physics lab.

Using mathematics, you can model the motion of a satellite, analyze population growth, predict the effects of economic policy, determine how often to order materials, study the concentration of pharmaceuticals in the bloodstream, and investigate the effects of climate on crop yields.

Nearly all fields are open to mathematical analysis, and employers welcome the analytical viewpoint and computational skills that come from every math class their employees have taken.

Your UMUC mathematics courses will contribute to your preparation for work in a number of career fields, including computer applications, teaching, actuarial science, and other fields requiring the application of mathematics.

For more information on career opportunities, see the Occupational Outlook Handbook, Peterson’s Job Opportunities for Engineering, Science, and Computer Graduates, and other specialized guides to the job market. Several professional associations provide career information, including:

The American Statistical Association
1429 Duke Street

Alexandria, VA 22314-3402

The Mathematical Association of America
1529 Eighteenth St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20036

• American Mathematical Society
• Mathematical Association of America
• American Statistical Association
• Careers in Mathematics

General Education Requirements
All associate and bachelor’s degree programs require completion of General Education Requirements. Students must take at least one course in mathematics at or above the level of college algebra (MATH 105 or MATH 107).

Before registering for your first UMUC mathematics course, ask your Field Representative to give you the mathematics placement test. A placement test is required because the results will provide important information about where you should start in our program. It's free, and takes about half an hour to complete.

Some students begin with MATH 001 Pre-Algebra or MATH 009 Introductory Algebra, which will help you make the transition from arithmetic to algebra. MATH 012 Intermediate Algebra quickly reviews basic arithmetic operations, then covers algebra concepts up to the quadratic equation. MATH 009 and MATH 012 will give the foundation needed to be successful in future math classes. MATH 001, MATH 009, and MATH 012 do not apply toward the General Education Requirements, or toward the 60 cr. required for an associate degree or the 120 cr. for the bachelor's degree.

After MATH 012, students normally take MATH 105 Mathematics: Contemporary Topics and Applications and/or MATH 107 College Algebra to learn more about systems of equations, logarithms, and graphing. MATH 108 Trigonometry and Analytic Geometry, along with MATH 107, constitute UMUC's precalculus sequence.

Statistics STAT 200 Introduction to Statistics is required for many degree programs UMUC offers. Please consult the UMUC Asia Catalog for specific information. Take MATH 107 before enrolling in STAT 200.

Requirements for the Mathematics Curriculum

An associate of arts degree in mathematics requires 60 credits, including 32 credits in General Education Requirements and at least 25 credits of mathematics-related courses.

In order to earn credit for all mathematics courses, the mathematics series must be taken in sequence.

Additional required mathematics courses are:

• First Courses (to be taken within the first 18 credits)


LIBS 150 Information Literacy and Research Methods (1)
WRTG 101 Introduction to Writing (3)
MATH 107 College Algebra (3)
or MATH 106 or a higher-level math course
Note: Courses applied to general education requirements may not be applied to the major.
MATH 108 Trigonometry and Analytical Geometry (3)
(prerequisite for later courses)
 

• Introductory Courses (to be taken within the first 30 credits)


• Additional Required Courses


• Elective Courses (chosen from any courses to complete 60 credits for the degree) (0-2)



• Detailed Degree Description

Total credits for AA with Mathematics Specialization: 60

Employers and the military recognize a college degree as a major academic achievement. An associate or bachelor's degree from UMUC distinguishes you as a graduate of one of America's leading public universities.

UMUC participates in the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) Degree Programs for Military Personnel, so you can complete your degree in Asia or at a future duty location.

Your UMUC degree may be closer than you realize. Learning acquired through military experience, examinations, and course work from other schools may be applied to your degree. UMUC may accept as many as 45 credits from these sources toward an associate degree and up to 90 credits toward a B.A. or B.S. degree.

A wide variety of online courses in computer studies and other fields are available through UMUC's distance education (DE) programs, and are helping many students make progress towards UMUC degrees. For lists of courses offered, visit the UMUC Asia DE Web site and click on “Schedule of Classes.”

Contact a UMUC Academic Advisor to arrange for an evaluation of your course work and experience to determine where you stand in your degree program.

1. Talk to your UMUC Field Representative to see if you should enroll first in MATH 009 or MATH 012. To determine which course is best for you, you will need to take the mathematics placement test. If you enroll in MATH 009, you should go on to MATH 012 as soon as possible thereafter.*

 

2. If you’ve been out of school for a while, you may be apprehensive about taking a math class. Remember that college courses generally require two hours of homework for every hour spent in the classroom. Keep this in mind when you schedule your classes. If you take a calculus course, we recommend that you not enroll in any other course that term.

 

3. Don't wait too long to take STAT 200 Introduction to Statistics as it is required for many degree programs.

 

4. Along with your math courses, take basic courses in English, the social sciences, and the humanities. These courses help fulfill UMUC’s General Education Requirements.

 

5. To make yourself more marketable, combine math with computer studies, accounting and finance, economics, and the natural and social sciences.

UMUC Asia Academic Advisors are based at Yokota, Kadena, and Yongsan, and also travel frequently to most education centers. They advise students in person, by telephone, and by e-mail, and prepare evaluations of students’ academic progress. Your local UMUC Asia Field Representative can put you in touch with an Academic Advisor.

UMP-104 (4M 9/06)