The Math Honors Program began in the middle 1960's as a means of encouraging excellent undergraduates to pursue a program that would challenge their abilities and better prepare them for their post-graduate career. Over the last fifteen years,the program has grown from an average of 4-5 participants with one or two students completing the program each year to an average now of about 35-40 participants with between 10 and 14 students completing the program each year.

Over half of the participants are double majoring in math and another area such as physics, computer science, math education, chemistry, engineering or a foreign language. Several students have done study abroad programs, particularly the Budapest Semesters in Mathematics. Students have also participated in summer programs such as the NSF sponsored Research Experience for Undergraduates or other programs.

Since 1992, five math honors students have received Goldwater Scholarships, eleven students have received NSF Fellowships for graduate school and six of those were for students going on in mathematics. This ranks NC State 17th nationally, surpassing programs at many prominent universities such as Brown, Columbia, NYU, Rutgers, Wisconsin and Maryland. In addition, two students have received the very prestigious Gates Cambridge Scholarship to Cambridge, UK.

About two-thirds of the students completing the honors program go on to graduate school in math or a math-related area, while the others have found rewarding jobs. Recent graduates have completed or are pursuing Ph.D's in math, physics, engineering or other math-related areas at schools such as Princeton, Stanford, NYU, Wisconsin, Cornell, Northwestern, Rutgers, Ohio State, Duke, UNC and NCSU. Several students have completed the BS/MS Degree Program which enabled them to complete both their bachelors and masters degree within five years.

Students usually enter the Math Honors Program during their sophomore or junior year. Invitation is based on a minimum 3.5 GPA both overall and in mathematics as well as recommendation of the Mathematics Department faculty. The Mathematics Department appoints an Honors Director who administers the program and oversees the advising of all honors students.

Students are expected to complete MA 426 as well as a minimum of three graduate level courses. With approval of the honors director, courses in math-related areas or 400 level honors-option courses in elective courses in mathematics may be used as a substitute for one or more graduate level courses. Honors sections of required upper level math courses (MA 405H, MA 407H, MA 491H) are recommended for honors students but may not be used to satisfy math honors program requirements. The selection of graduate level courses depends on the student's interests and post-graduate plans. Many students take courses to better prepare themselves for graduate work in mathematics. However, many recent math honors students have double-majored in areas such as physics, computer science, chemistry, engineering and education, while others have chosen to prepare for specific careers such as the actuarial profession. Honors students are also expected to complete an independent study or research course (MA 491), which is usually taken during the senior year. Some students will elect to use MA 491 to study an area of mathematics of interest to them but in which no suitable course offering exists. Others will use MA 491 to work on a research project. Several students have participated in an NSF sponsored REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) at another school during the summer and received transfer credit for MA 491. However, a student who is double-majoring is allowed to substitute for MA 491 the senior writing course for the other major.

The student must maintain at least a "B" average in MA 426 and the three graduate-level courses described above in the program of study and receive an "S" in MA 491. (MA 491 may also be taken for a grade.) In addition, the student must graduate with at least a 3.4 GPA overall and in mathematics.

Students in the honors program will be advised by one of the faculty on the Math Honors Program Committee. Students may select one of these faculty upon admission to the program or, if no preference is indicated, the student will be assigned to a faculty member that seems to best match the student's interests.

Graduating seniors in the Honors Program receive a certificate signed by the Dean of the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences and the Director of the PAMS Honors Program. Mention is made on the student's transcript and in the commencement program. Recognition will be given by comment in letters of reference to potential employers or to graduate school admissions committees.

An honors student who at any time decides that he or she would be more comfortable out of the program may withdraw with no complications. If a student does decide to withdraw from the program, it is not necessary to switch to a new advisor.

Do I have to be in the University Honors Program to join the Math Honors Program?

• No. Any math major who meets the admission requirements can join the Math Honors Program. If you are a math major in the University Honors Program, then you complete the Math Honors Program as part of your four-year honors program.

How many extra courses do I have to take to complete the program?

• Generally zero but it depends on the number and level of math electives done before joining the program. Pure math requires 18 hours of math electives and applied math requires 15 hours of electives, so the 15 hours required by the Math Honors Program fits into the set of math electives.

I want to double-major. Is it possible to do the Math Honors Program?

• You bet! About half of our Honors Program members are double-majors in disciplines such as physics, computer science, statistics, nuclear engineering, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, English, history, French, Spanish... well, you get the picture.

 How can I find out if the Honors Program will work for me?

• When you're invited into the program, the Math Honors Program Director will work out a plan of study that shows you how to fit the Honors Program and all of its special opportunities into your plans, including both your undergraduate and post-graduate careers. Remember - the Math Honors Program doesn't require extra courses, just more challenging ones.

If math is not my primary major, which courses can I take in the Math Honors Program?

• We have many graduate-level math courses that are particulary well suited to majors in science or engineering. In fact, some of them even count toward both degrees. For example, MA 580 (Numerical Analysis) is cross-listed in math and computer science, so it counts as a math elective and a computer science elective and satisfies the Honors Program requirements in both disciplines.