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Math Major or Minor?


ZomgRogged

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Ok here's the skinny, I'm not sure if it is worth it to go all the way for a Double Major in Econ/Math or just pick up a minor. Here's a link to the requirements for a major :

Major in Mathematics, Department of Mathematics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

 

Basically I am required to take:

Calc I-III

Fundamental Mathematics (a proof course)

Linear Algebra

Real Analysis

Probability Theory

 

Then there are several options for supporting coursework, the most useful would seem to be the Applied Math Option:

 

Differential Eq.

1 of Numerical Methods, Intro Partial Diff Equations, Differential Equations II

1 of Graph Theory, Intro to Combinatorics, Intro to Abstract Algebra, Honors Abstract Algebra, Elementary Theory of Numbers

1 Additional 400 or 500 level course

 

The problem is I am currently taking Calculus II, Calc III is a requirement for most of these courses. In the spring I will be taking Calc III and Fundamental Mathematics. After that I will be a junior and have 3 semesters to count on my Grad school apps.

 

For the Math Minor I would only need 15 additional hours after I take Calc III and Fundamental Mathematics as opposed to 21 with more restrictions as to what I can take for the major.

 

Will the major add significantly enough to my profile to warrant me setting my sights firmly on it?

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IMHO, don't worry about another major so long as you take the good signal classes + the ones that you are particularly interested in. If that constitutes a major, then go for it. If not, you don't really need another check mark by your name. Adcoms will care much more about which classes you took than whether or not you completed the major.
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I think the mathematics option is more appropriate since you are allowed the flexibility of 3 courses of your choosing. You can reserve the first two requirements listed as your second semester senior year so you can get the courses you want / need out of the way first. Just a thought.
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I'd go with the major. Save the requirements that don't matter for econ for the spring of senior (I'm doing that with Algebra and my Seminar). Getting the second major relative to the minor isn't that hard and plus, when you tell people you are double majoring with one of them as math, they'll always comment on how smart you are!
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i agree with treblekicker. if the difference is only 2-3 classes, and it won't kill you to take them, why not just save the ones you don't need for spring of senior year and focus on everything else for applying to grad school before than?

 

as long as you take the important classes it won't matter when applying to grad school. but who knows, in the future you might try and do something else, and having that major could really help you out.

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And as for the math major courses, take diff eq, pde, algebra, and either math stats or topology (if your RA class doesn't cover point-set topology, take topology, otherwise, take math stats).

 

I disagree. If he did this option, then he would have to take ODE one semester, and PDE another. Judging by his schedule, other classes would be more apropos. Further, I have heard these classes are some of the most difficult UIUC offers. The mathematics option is better suited for finishing the courses needed for applications.

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I disagree. If he did this option, then he would have to take ODE one semester, and PDE another. Judging by his schedule, other classes would be more apropos. Further, I have heard these classes are some of the most difficult UIUC offers. The mathematics option is better suited for finishing the courses needed for applications.

 

Hmm, go figure, ODE and PDE are two of the easier higher level electives at my department.

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Nearly all the courses you list are useful for econ (and the least useful, number theory, is fun), so I'd probably go for it. But I wouldn't kill myself to take those last few courses, either. If you finish the calc, linear algebra, real analysis, and probability theory, anything else is a bonus. And since you're at a school with a graduate program in econ, though, you might do better to look into taking grad level math econ and micro rather than finishing those last few courses for the math major.
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