Applied Math Undergraduate FAQ

Not every humanities or social science course fulfills the College of Engineering HSS requirement. Visit the College’s website: http://www.colorado.edu/engineering-advising/get-your-degree/degree-requirements for a complete list of courses and requirements.

The Herbst Program for Engineering, Ethics & Society offers small classes that are designed to fit well with one another in a coherent, interdisciplinary program.  These courses also satisfy the humanities and social sciences requirement.  For more information, please visit their website, http://www.colorado.edu/herbst

 

Students must earn a D- or above in each course, unless the course is a prerequisite, then they must earn a C- or above.

P/F credit is permitted only for courses used as electives or for courses above and beyond degree requirements.  Students on academic probation may not elect the P/F option.  The College of Engineering and Applied Science allows a maximum of six Pass/Fail credit hours per semester toward degree requirements.  Pass/Fail hours counting toward graduation shall not exceed a cumulative total of 16.  Transfer students are allowed one (1) hour Pass/Fail for every nine (9) hours completed in this College as a degree student under the Standard Grading System.

 

In addition to satisfying all coursework requirements students must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.25 for all courses attempted and for all courses that count toward graduation requirement, excluding P grades for courses taken Pass/Fail.  (Pass/Fail courses do not count for graduation credit except as free electives.)  A grade point average of 2.25 is also required for all Math and Applied Math coursework.

 

Students in the college of Engineering graduating with a minimum of a 3.7, 3.8 or 3.9 GPA are awarded the honorifics "cum laude", "magna cum laude", and "summa cum laude", respectively.  These students must have earned at least 50 semester hours on the Boulder campus. Grades earned during the semester immediately prior to graduation are not considered.

 

Yes! The college introduced an Engineering Honors Program (EHP) in fall 2006, which offers high-achieving students the opportunity for an outstanding engineering education.  EHP students benefit from close faculty interaction and mentoring, have preferential access to courses designated as "Honors" courses, and will write and defend a senior honors thesis. The program is a coherent multi-year program, with optional, but strongly encouraged, community activities.  Additional details can be found at http://www.cuhonorsengineering.com/

Scot Douglass, a faculty member of the college's Herbst Program for Engineering, Ethics & Society, serves as faculty director. For more information, contact him at 303-492-6021 or scot.douglass@colorado.edu.

Contact the Student Coordinator for Applied Math, ECOT 225, (303) 492-4668, amassist@colorado.edu

 Students have excellent opportunities to become involved in discipline-related activities outside of the classroom.  Associated with the department is the undergraduate chapter of the Society of Industrial Applied Mathematicians (SIAM).  This student group helps stimulate interest in applied math through seminars, contests (Putnam and the Mathematical Modeling Contest in Modeling) and social venues where students get to know other majors and faculty members.  All undergraduates are encouraged to participate. Students can also participate in the Association for Women in Math (AWM) Boulder Chapter. For additional information on SIAM and AWM, please visit the website: http://www.colorado.edu/amath/organizations

There are several faculty advisors in Applied Mathematics.  You are required to meet with your advisor at least once per semester.  Before meeting with your advisor, you should (1) update your degree audit with the courses you have taken or are currently enrolled in and (2) prepare a list of courses you plan to take in the semesters remaining before you graduate.  Advisors are assigned by your class standing – see the department (ECOT 225) for a list of advisors. 

 

Yes!  Please see http://www.colorado.edu/amath/ and follow the links to the undergraduate degree program for APPM. Also, the engineering website, http://www.colorado.edu/engineering-advising has many helpful links.

Send a letter or email to the chair of the undergraduate committee (Anne Dougherty, adougher@Colorado.edu) explaining your request and supplying all necessary documentation to support your petition.

 

Yes!  Many Applied Math students have participated in various programs over the years and have benefited from this broadening experience.  You will need to work with both your applied math advisor and the Office of International Education (http://abroad.colorado.edu) to plan your study abroad program.

Students considering graduate school should consult their faculty advisor early in their undergraduate education.  Students are strongly advised to take both APPM 4440 and APPM 4450 in preparation for graduate study. MATH 3140, Abstract Algebra, is also useful for some graduate programs.

 

Talk to your faculty advisor and read your email from Applied Math.  We frequently receive information on careers and internships and will forward it on to our majors and minors.  Most importantly, visit Career Services in C4C (http://www.colorado.edu/career/).  You should visit their office at least once in your freshman year, and more frequently after that.

An independent study is a collaboration between a student and a faculty member on a special project that provides the student with a learning experience. An independent study may also fill an academic need of importance to the student that cannot be filled by the regular course offerings. Independent studies are opportunities for students to earn credit for learning outside the normal lecture and laboratory class structure. Students must work with a faculty member to develop a relationship to join the faculty member’s research. The independent study project is under the supervision of a faculty member. Students should speak with their advisor about enrollment into an independent study after they have permission from a faculty member to join their research team.