BA in Mathematics & Mathematics Education

The joint Mathematics & Mathematics Education major prepares students for obtaining licensure for high school teaching. Courses in the Mathematics & Statistics Department give students a solid foundation in mathematics and credentials as a mathematics major. The major includes all Wheelock College of Education & Human Development pedagogy courses and practicum experience necessary for high school teaching licensure.

Advisors in both the CAS Mathematics & Statistics Department and the Wheelock Mathematics Education Department must be consulted, as the scheduling of course programs requires careful planning.

Learning Outcomes

Students graduating with a joint major in Mathematics & Mathematics Education will:

• Demonstrate a mature understanding of single and multivariable calculus up through and including differential equations and of linear algebra.
• Demonstrate a clear understanding of the concept of mathematical proof and be able to present a rigorous proof of basic theorems.
• Demonstrate depth of understanding of core areas of mathematics that are particularly relevant to middle and high school teachers.
• Fulfill requirements for licensure of middle/high school teachers as dictated by the state of Massachusetts and pass the MTEL exam for Massachusetts teaching license.

Requirements

All BU undergraduate students, including both entering first-year and transfer students, will pursue coursework in the BU Hub, the University’s general education program that is integrated into the entire undergraduate experience. BU Hub requirements can be satisfied in a number of ways, including coursework in and beyond the major as well as through cocurricular activities. Students majoring in Mathematics & Mathematics Education will ordinarily, through coursework in the major, satisfy BU Hub requirements in Quantitative Reasoning, Social Inquiry, and some elements of both Philosophical Inquiry and Life’s Meanings and the Intellectual Toolkit. Remaining BU Hub requirements will be satisfied by selecting from a wide range of available courses outside the major or, in some cases, cocurricular experiences.

Required CAS Courses

• CAS MA 123 Calculus I (4 cr)
• CAS MA 124 Calculus II (4 cr)
• CAS MA 213 Basic Statistics and Probability (4 cr)
• CAS MA 225 Multivariate Calculus (4 cr)
• CAS MA 226 Differential Equations (4 cr)
• CAS MA 242 Linear Algebra (4 cr)
• CAS MA 293 Discrete Mathematics (4 cr)
• CAS MA 341 Introduction to Number Theory (4 cr)
• CAS MA 505 History of Mathematics (4 cr)
• CAS MA 541 Modern Algebra I (4 cr)
• One additional 4-credit course must be chosen from the following list: CAS CS 111, PY 211, or any CAS mathematics course numbered 200 or above.

Note:  The following substitutions are permitted: CAS MA 123–124 may be replaced by either CAS MA 127 or MA 129, and CAS MA 225, 226, and 242 may be replaced by CAS MA 230, 231, and 442, respectively.

Required Wheelock Courses

• SED CT 534 Classroom and Behavior Management (2 cr)
• SED DS 502 Adolescent Development (2 cr)
• SED ED 410 Social Context of Education (2 cr)
• SED ED 412 Civic Context of Education (2 cr)
• SED ME 363 Problem-Solving in Mathematics (4 cr)
• SED ME 360 Mathematics for Teaching: Algebra (4 cr)
• SED ME 547 Methods of Teaching Mathematics: High School (4 cr)
• SED ME 506 Pre-Practicum in Mathematics Education (2 cr) (first semester of senior year; on-site one full day per week)
• SED ME 508 Student-Teaching Practicum: Mathematics, 8–12 (8 cr) (second semester of senior year; on-site practice in teaching)
• SED ME 559 Mathematics for Teaching: Geometry (4 cr)
• SED SE 251 Special Education and Adolescents (2 cr)
• SED TL 525 Teaching English Language Learners in Middle/High Schools (4 cr) (must be taken along with SED ME 506 or SED ME 508)

Note: The following courses are required before SED ME 508 Student-Teaching Practicum:

• Six math classes that yield at least a 3.0 GPA
• SED ME 506 (Notification to your Mathematics Education advisor of your intent to take this course is required the semester prior to taking it)
• SED ME 360, SED ME 547, SED ME 559, and SED ME 563

Honors in the Major

Students may earn the distinction of departmental Honors in the Major by achieving a GPA of 3.3 or greater in their major courses and successfully completing a senior work-for-distinction research project under the supervision of a faculty member. This project culminates in a written thesis and oral defense before a committee of three faculty (including the project supervisor). Students may complete their thesis project as part of the CAS MA 401–402 honors thesis sequence. Qualified students interested in pursuing a work-for-distinction project should contact the director of undergraduate studies no later than the second semester of their junior year.