Advising & Degree Completion Planning
Students majoring in mathematics should request a mathematics advisor in the Department of Mathematics Office, 7800 York Road, room 316. Your faculty advisor will help you with more than simply building your course schedule. Your advisor will also assist in helping you achieve your academic and professional goals. All students must complete their Individualized Degree Completion Plan (IDCP) by the time they have completed 45 units. Upon completion of this IDCP, students must see their faculty advisor for approval and to have the enrollment hold removed from their registration. Below are links to web pages that will assist you in the process and answers to some frequently asked questions.
- Degree Completion Planning
- Core Requirements Checklist (PDF)
- Frequency of Mathematics Course Scheduling
- Undergraduate Courses in Mathematics
Frequently Asked Questions
Admission Policies to Certain Programs
Q: How do I get admitted to the Actuarial Science & Risk Management Program?
A: See the formal Admission to Actuarial Science and Risk Management Packet.
Q: Admission to the UTeach Secondary Mathematics Education Program
A: See the Towson UTeach web page or contact Dr. Linda Cooper via e-mail.
Advising
Q: What do I need to take to an advising meeting?
A: Make an appointment with your advisor before the registration rush. Be on time.
Make a list of your academic requirements which includes your current classes, both available on Towson Online Services. View "Academic Requirements Guide" (PDF) if you need help navigating your account.
Bring your Academic Plan if you already have one. If you do not yet have one you will create one by the time you have completed 45 credits, or during your first semester at TU if you are a new transfer student.
Use the information available in the “Undergraduate Programs” link in the Mathematics Department website to find required courses for your concentration, the typical four-year sequence of courses for your concentration, and the Mathematics Department’s schedule for offering these courses. Print-outs of these pages are strongly recommended.
Become familiar with your program requirements and use the course prerequisites information available for your concentration on the TU Mathematics Department website.
Tip: Keep all your advising material in an Advising Portfolio.
Make a list of your academic requirements which includes your current classes, both available on Towson Online Services. View "Academic Requirements Guide" (PDF) if you need help navigating your account.
Bring your Academic Plan if you already have one. If you do not yet have one you will create one by the time you have completed 45 credits, or during your first semester at TU if you are a new transfer student.
Use the information available in the “Undergraduate Programs” link in the Mathematics Department website to find required courses for your concentration, the typical four-year sequence of courses for your concentration, and the Mathematics Department’s schedule for offering these courses. Print-outs of these pages are strongly recommended.
Become familiar with your program requirements and use the course prerequisites information available for your concentration on the TU Mathematics Department website.
Tip: Keep all your advising material in an Advising Portfolio.
Q: To whom do I talk if I have a question?
A: Contact your faculty advisor. To find out who your advisor is, go to Online Services. Once you are in Online Services, go to Self Service>Student Center. Your advisor’s
name and contact information is located on the right-hand side of the screen under
Advisor. Tip: Introduce yourself to your advisor by calling, emailing, or stopping by his/her
office.
If you don't see an advisor assigned, visit or contact the faculty member responsible for your concentration, listed below:
If you don't see an advisor assigned, visit or contact the faculty member responsible for your concentration, listed below:
| Concentration | Contact | Phone Number | Office Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Actuarial Science & Risk Management | Dr. Min Deng | 410-704-3500 | mdeng AT_TOWSON | YR-347 |
| Applied Mathematics | Dr. Elizabeth Goode | 410-704-4981 | egoode AT_TOWSON | YR-331 |
| Pure Mathematics | Dr. Elizabeth Goode | 410-704-4981 | egoode AT_TOWSON | YR-331 |
| Secondary Education – UTeach Program | Dr. Linda Cooper | 410-704-3817 | lcooper AT_TOWSON | YR-386 |
Catalog Year
Q: How can I determine my catalog year?
A: The catalog year is listed on your transcript, your academic requirements found on
Towson Online Services and other academic records, such as the Evaluation of Transfer Credit Report.
Q: May I use a different catalog?
A: Yes. You may elect to use the catalog that was in effect at the time of your initial
matriculation at your transfer institution provided you will complete your graduation
requirements within 10 years. To change, please send an email to Ms. Amelia Goffman, Assistant to the Chairperson, and copy the email to Dr. Michael O'Leary, the Chairperson of the Mathematics Department.
Q: If I change my catalog, will my requirements change?
A: The courses required to complete your degree will depend on the catalog you select.
Your major requirements may change. Contact your faculty advisor.
Q: Why should I know my catalog year?
A: There are different programs for different catalog years. All graduation requirements
including the Core Curriculum and your major requirements must be fulfilled according
to the catalog assigned to you within 10 years. Following the incorrect catalog year
may result in taking the wrong courses.
Degree Completion Planning
Q: What is Degree Completion Planning?
A: Degree Completion Planning is a new advising process designed to more efficiently
map your path towards graduation. It is required by Maryland Senate Bill 740. Senate
Bill 740 is the Career and College Readiness and College Completion Act of 2013. It
was signed into law May 2013 and requires all students to file an Individualized Degree
Completion Plan by the time they complete 45 units.
An Individualized Degree Completion Plan (IDCP) takes the Suggested Degree Completion Plan of your major (or concentration or track) and personalizes it for your academic career given your unique needs, goals, and aspirations. This plan could help you save time and money by highlighting a more direct route towards degree completion and graduation. Eventually, all Towson and University System of Maryland students will be required to complete an IDCP.
An Individualized Degree Completion Plan (IDCP) takes the Suggested Degree Completion Plan of your major (or concentration or track) and personalizes it for your academic career given your unique needs, goals, and aspirations. This plan could help you save time and money by highlighting a more direct route towards degree completion and graduation. Eventually, all Towson and University System of Maryland students will be required to complete an IDCP.
Mathematics Required Courses
Q: Can a mathematics course also count as a Core Curriculum course?
A: Yes. Below is a list of some mathematics courses that count toward both the Core
Curriculum and the mathematics majors’ common requirements.
the University's Core Curriculum Course List web page to see the list of courses that fulfill Core requirements.
| Course | University Core Curriculum Category |
|---|---|
| MATH 273 | Core 3: Mathematics |
| MATH 274 | Core 3: Mathematics |
| MATH 275 | Core 3: Mathematics |
| MATH 283 | Core 3: Mathematics |
| MATH 284 | Core 3: Mathematics |
Q: When can I enroll in upper-level required courses for my major?
A: You may enroll in the major courses when you meet the admission and prerequisite
requirements according to your assigned catalog.
Q: Will a C, D, or F grade count for major credit?
A: A grade of "C" or higher is required for a major course. If a C-/D+/D grade was
earned in a course transferred from another institution, repeating the course will
result in "Duplication of Transfer Credit." An additional 3 units will be required
for graduation to replace the duplication of the transfer course.
Graduation Requirements
Q: What do I need to do to graduate?
A: For a Bachelor of Science degree, you need:
• The Core Curriculum requirements
• A minimum of 120 earned unit hours
• A cumulative GPA of at least 2.0
• A grade equivalent of 2.0 or higher in all courses required for the major
• At least 32 upper-level (300-400) units (includes transfer credits and
TU units)
• At least 30 units completed at TU
For a Bachelor of Arts degree, you need to complete all the requirements for Bachelor of Science degree and complete a foreign language through the intermediate levels.
• The Core Curriculum requirements
• A minimum of 120 earned unit hours
• A cumulative GPA of at least 2.0
• A grade equivalent of 2.0 or higher in all courses required for the major
• At least 32 upper-level (300-400) units (includes transfer credits and
TU units)
• At least 30 units completed at TU
For a Bachelor of Arts degree, you need to complete all the requirements for Bachelor of Science degree and complete a foreign language through the intermediate levels.
Q: When and how do I apply for graduation?
A: See the information at the Registrar’s Office’s Graduation website.
Registration
Q: How do I register for courses?
A: Complete registration instructions can be found on the Registrar’s Office’s website.
Q: Why did I receive an error message when trying to register for a course?
A: When you select a class to enroll in, the system checks your academic record to ensure
that you have met the prerequisites for the course. It will determine whether you
are currently enrolled in or have completed the prerequisite course(s) with a grade
of "C" or higher, and whether you are a major and not a pre-major.
If you are currently enrolled in a prerequisite, you are allowed to register on the condition that you complete the prerequisite with a grade of "C" or higher. If you do not pass the prerequisite course, you must drop the class requiring this prerequisite and add the prerequisite. If you fail to do this, you will be unenrolled from the course.
If you receive a prerequisite error message but are certain that you meet all course prerequisites, go to the department offering the course to request permission to enroll in a specific section of that course:
• Present a copy of your unofficial transcript. Highlight the grade for each
prerequisite course(s), your total units and current major. (Your current
major is printed above the current term on your transcript.)
• If a transfer course was accepted to fulfill a prerequisite, also bring a copy
of your Transfer Credit Report with the transfer course and grade
highlighted.
If you are currently enrolled in a prerequisite, you are allowed to register on the condition that you complete the prerequisite with a grade of "C" or higher. If you do not pass the prerequisite course, you must drop the class requiring this prerequisite and add the prerequisite. If you fail to do this, you will be unenrolled from the course.
If you receive a prerequisite error message but are certain that you meet all course prerequisites, go to the department offering the course to request permission to enroll in a specific section of that course:
• Present a copy of your unofficial transcript. Highlight the grade for each
prerequisite course(s), your total units and current major. (Your current
major is printed above the current term on your transcript.)
• If a transfer course was accepted to fulfill a prerequisite, also bring a copy
of your Transfer Credit Report with the transfer course and grade
highlighted.
Transfer Courses
Q: What are the policies pertaining to transfer courses?
A: Only courses approved by the Department of Mathematics may be applied to a major
or minor program offered by the department. If students submit mathematics units that
are more than five years old at the time of admission or readmission, the chair, after
reviewing these records, may require that some courses be repeated or that a new course
be completed.
Secondary Education Mathematics majors are required to take MATH 423, MATH 426, MATH 428, and at least four additional upper-division courses in their Mathematics major program at Towson University.
All other Mathematics majors are required to take MATH 490 and at least six additional upper-division courses of their Mathematics major program at Towson University.
Mathematics minors must take at least four courses of their Mathematics minor program at Towson University; at least two courses must be at the upper-division level.
Secondary Education Mathematics majors are required to take MATH 423, MATH 426, MATH 428, and at least four additional upper-division courses in their Mathematics major program at Towson University.
All other Mathematics majors are required to take MATH 490 and at least six additional upper-division courses of their Mathematics major program at Towson University.
Mathematics minors must take at least four courses of their Mathematics minor program at Towson University; at least two courses must be at the upper-division level.
Q: How do I transfer a course to be accepted for my major/minor?
A: Before completing a Transfer Petition Form, you must review the Department of Mathematics
criteria listed below.
1. A detailed course syllabus/outline must be attached. The Transfer
Petition Form will NOT be accepted without it.
2. Towson University will NOT accept any mathematics course for transfer
credit from another institution as either Math 103 or Math 109.
3. A course titled “College Algebra” will NOT transfer to Towson
University as Math 111.
4. If you are currently enrolled at Towson and wish to take a course
outside of Towson and transfer it in, you must get prior permission from
the Academic Standards Committee. Begin by visiting the
Registrar's Transferring New Course Work website.
If a course is not accepted as equivalent, you must complete the course at Towson University.
1. A detailed course syllabus/outline must be attached. The Transfer
Petition Form will NOT be accepted without it.
2. Towson University will NOT accept any mathematics course for transfer
credit from another institution as either Math 103 or Math 109.
3. A course titled “College Algebra” will NOT transfer to Towson
University as Math 111.
4. If you are currently enrolled at Towson and wish to take a course
outside of Towson and transfer it in, you must get prior permission from
the Academic Standards Committee. Begin by visiting the
Registrar's Transferring New Course Work website.
If a course is not accepted as equivalent, you must complete the course at Towson University.
Q: How do I determine how a course will transfer to Towson?
A: To determine transfer equivalencies use the state of Maryland's ARTSYS © - The Articulation System
Q: What is an "Evaluation of Transfer Credits" report?
A: The Evaluation of Transfer Credits from the Transfer Evaluation Service Office shows
which transfer courses are accepted as fulfilling a Core Curriculum requirement, potential
major/minor credit or free electives.
Tip: Check the Evaluation of Transfer Credit report found on Online Services under: Home > Self Service > Student Center > Transfer Credit Evaluation (tab).
Tip: Check the Evaluation of Transfer Credit report found on Online Services under: Home > Self Service > Student Center > Transfer Credit Evaluation (tab).