Math summer
orientation
Help for students in
mathematical majors
planning the
Fall 2012 schedule.
Your adviser today
You will be advised by one of
• Anna Fricano, graduate
student in Math Education
• Alison Champion, Assistant
Director of Undergraduate
Studies in Math
• Prof. Robert Muncaster, Math
• Prof. Rick Gorvett, Actuarial
Science
• Prof. Jeff Douglas, Statistics
• Steve Herzog, Computer
Science
Getting started
• Freshmen should be sure to let
their adviser know about Alevels, IB exams, or AP exams
taken, with scores/grades if
possible, once we start working
on your individual schedule.
Placement Exams
• A placement exam helps us
choose courses for you.
• You should have taken the
ALEKS Math placement
exam already and
placement exams for
languages, Chemistry, or
Physics if you plan or need
to take those courses here
on campus.
Proficiency tests
• A placement exam helps us choose courses; a
proficiency exam can earn you college credit.
• Note that on THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 1-2:30
PM, 314 Altgeld Hall, is a Calculus I proficiency
exam for new students. No sign-up needed. If
you have learned calculus but do not already
have official University of Illinois credit for Math
220, please sit for this exam. There is no penalty
if you do not pass. Calculators are not permitted,
but the exam is multiple-choice, so you may be
able to pass even if you don’t have time to study
before the test. Please bring your i-card and a
pencil to the exam. Results are available in 313
Altgeld Hall from 1-4 pm on Friday, August 24, in
person.
• There is another proficiency exam date available
for almost any math class, but you must sign up
online by Tuesday, August 28, to take the 3-hour
long-answer exam from 7-10 pm on Thursday,
August 30. No calculators. Only one exam may
be taken on that date. Register at
• http://go.illinois.edu/mathproficiency
Credit for Transfer
Courses
• If your DARS audit lists any of
your courses as “LAS 1—” or
“ENG 1—” or “TRAN 1—” then
the course is being counted for
university credit but has NOT
been reviewed by the
appropriate department. Such
courses can count for elective
credit but NOT for specific
requirements until they are
properly reviewed.
Transfer articulation
• To start the transfer articulation
process, please get a copy of the
course syllabus. A syllabus usually
has a list of lecture topics,
information about the textbook
used, and information about
grading.
• If the syllabus is in a language
other than English, an official
translation is usually required.
• Math can sometimes review syllabi
in languages other than English but
most departments will not.
Transfer articulation
• Submit your syllabus to your
records officer in the LAS
college office, 144 Computing
Applications Building (summer)
or 270 Lincoln Hall (August
and later).
• You can also e-mail the
syllabus to your records officer.
Your records officer is
assigned based on your last
name (family name).
LAS Admissions/Records
Officers (AROs)
• A-Chm: Mr. Lacy Alford,
alford@illinois.edu
• Chn-Gn: Mr. Joe Murphy,
jemurphy@illinois.edu
• Go-Ke: Ms. Joyce Elam,
jelam2@illinois.edu
• Kf-Mb: (being hired), lasrecordsofficer@illinois.edu
• Mc-Pi: Mr. Dustin Tarter,
dtarter@illinois.edu
• Pj-Sta: Ms. Marsha Nix,
mnix@illinois.edu
• Stb-Z: Ms. Mary Davis,
mdavis@illinois.edu
Composition I
• Several different ways to
complete this freshman writing
requirement
• ESL 113, 114, or 115
composition courses, based on
English Placement Test score
• Rhetoric course, depending on
ACT English score
• CMN 111/112 (strong English
skills and strong ACT English
score). Short speeches +
writing.
Rhetoric courses
Students must take the
sequence they were placed in to
fulfill the requirement!
• Rhet 101 (+100) followed by
Rhet 102 (+100)
• Rhet 103 followed by Rhet 104
• Rhet 105 (fall if UIN is even,
spring if UIN is odd) – very
intense 4 credit course
• Students placed in Rhet 105
may also choose CMN
111+112.
ESL Composition
• Students who complete ESL
do NOT need to take Rhet
courses; ESL 115 completes
the Comp I requirement.
• ESL instructors have special
training to help with writing
issues of non-native speakers
of English AND general
composition.
• Rhet instructors are NOT
qualified or trained to help nonnative speakers of English
ESL Composition
• Some students are required to
take the English Placement
Test (EPT)
• Other students may choose to
take the EPT, even if they are
not required to do it.
• ONLY students who take the
EPT may take ESL
composition courses.
English Placement Test
• If English is not your native
language, you can sign up for
the EPT at
http://go.illinois.edu/ept
Transfer Writing
• Transfer students who have
credit for “UCI” or “UCII” partial
Composition I credit can fulfill
BOTH Composition I and
Advanced Composition by
taking Rhet 233, Principles of
Composition.
• This option is only available to
transfers with UCI or UCII
credit.
Advanced Composition
• Must be done AFTER Comp I
• Learning to write well in a
specific discipline
• Math majors with Calculus II
credit might like Math 348
• Actuarial science students
often choose BTW 250
• Usually NOT done in freshman
year.
Language Other
Than English
•
•
•
•
•
Ways to fulfill this requirement
are…
4 years’ study in high school
(one language)
4 semesters’ study in college
(one language)
Reach 4th level another way
Reach 3rd level of two
languages
Proficiency exam here on
campus
Language Other
Than English
• Not exempt if you are a native
speaker of another language
• Proficiency exams available
• EALC department offers
Japanese, Korean, Chinese
exams in August (8/24)
• Spanish offers exam in August
• Many other departments
arrange individual exams
Language Other
Than English
• If you wish to continue with a
language you started in high
school, you MUST take the
placement exam.
• You MUST start with the
course you’re placed in, even if
it’s lower than you expect
• Example: Placed in Span 103
after 4 years of Spanish in high
school. Cannot jump to 4th
level Spanish.
Language Other
Than English
• Note that beginning Spanish is
NOT available.
• Parkland College teaches
beginning Spanish, but tuition
is not included in U of I tuition.
• Many, many other languages
are available at U of I.
LAS orientation courses
• Courses are 1 credit hour
• Provides intro to our university
and college issues
• LAS 101 is REQUIRED for all
new freshmen
• Exception: James Scholar
freshmen take LAS 122
CS orientation
• CS 100 orientation course for
Math/CS, Stat/CS, CS majors
• Those interested in CS transfer
may also enroll
• Covers CS jobs, clubs, major
• No work required except
attendance
• Must still enroll in LAS 101 (or
LAS 122) as well
General Education
• General education gives you
breadth in your studies
• Gen ed courses can be spread
throughout your time here, but
it’s good to cover most of them
before junior year
General Education
Requirements
• 6 hours of Humanities & Arts
(Historical/Philosophical and
Literature & Arts)
• 6 hours of Social & Behavioral
Sciences
• 6 hours of Natural Sciences &
Technology (Physical Science
and Life Science)
General Education
• 1 Western/Comparative
Cultures course
• 1 Nonwestern or U.S. Minority
Cultures course
• These two courses may
“double-dip” with the previous
18 hours if chosen carefully
• Courses listed for both
Western and Nonwestern may
be counted for one, not both!
(You choose which one.)
General Education
• Many general education
classes fill up quickly
• Some general education
courses have sections
reserved for special groups.
Those sections are not
available unless you’re in the
special group.
• Please identify many courses
which you might like to take!
General Education
• Econ 102/103 are
recommended for actuarial
science majors (social science)
• Econ 102/103 are also
required for College of
Business freshman transfers.
• Psyc 100 is required for
teaching programs, but not
recommended for first
semester freshmen (behavioral
science)
Electives!
You must complete 120 credits
to graduate. Your major and
general ed courses use less
than 90 hours, so you MUST
take some courses just for fun!
Consider a minor, learning a new
language, exploring courses
which look fun or interesting,
freshman Discovery courses...
Freshman Discovery
• Class size limited to 19.
• Freshmen only
• You may take only one
Discovery course
• Some are electives (just for
fun!) others are general
education
• Taught by a professor, not a
graduate teaching assistant!
Discovery courses
• Fall 2012 is your only chance
to take a Discovery course!
• See
http://provost.illinois.edu/progra
ms/discovery/Courses_FA12.ht
ml
James Scholars
• James Scholars is the LAS
honors program.
• In addition to LAS 122, James
Scholars should consider
taking another honors course
this semester.
Campus Honors
Program
• CHP is a very elite
campuswide honors program.
• CHP students MUST take a
CHP course (not just a general
honors course) each semester.
Teaching
• Interested in teaching middle
school or high school (grades
6-12)? Even just as your backup plan?
• PLEASE attend the Secondary
Education meeting today from
1:00-1:35 in room 156 Henry
Admin.
• Please also mention this during
your afternoon appointment.
Computer Science
• CS 100: orientation (1 hr)
• CS 101: Programming for
science/engineering (3 hrs)
• CS 125: Programming for CS
majors, Math/CS, Stat/CS, CS
minors (4 hours)
• CS 105: Computing for
Business (3 hours)
Computer Science
• CS 101 recommended for
math majors. Weekly labs, two
major programming
assignments. Currently uses
Matlab and C.
• CS 125 required for Math/CS,
Stat/CS, CS majors. Weekly
labs, 7-8 major programming
assignments. Uses Java.
Computer Science
• CS 105: counts only for
actuarial science majors, not
other mathematical majors.
Uses Visual Basic & Excel.
• See
https://agora.cs.illinois.edu/disp
lay/undergradProg/Intro+Cours
es+Explained for more info on
intro CS courses.
• Stat majors take Stat 200 or
212 instead of a CS course.
Computer Science
• CS 173, Data Structures, is
required for Math/CS but has a
prerequisite of CS 125.
Math Courses
• Math 220: Calculus for
students who have not taken
calculus before
• Math 221: Calculus I for
students who have taken
calculus previously
• Math 231: Calculus II
(background of Math 220 or
221)
• Math 241: Calculus III,
multivariable calculus
Math Courses
• Math 012 Algebra (expects
ALEKS score of at least 30%)
• Math 115 Preparation for
Calculus (requires ALEKS
score of at least 50%)
• Math 220/221 require ALEKS
score of at least 70%
Math Merit Workshop
• Available for Math 115, 220,
221, 231, 241
• Students in Merit Workshop
sections attend the regular
lecture but have 2-hour-long
discussion sections.
• Discussions are spent doing
hard worksheets in groups of
4-6, not watching the TA solve
problems.
• Hard work pays off at test time!
Math prerequisites
• Students who do not earn the
required ALEKS score for Math
115, 220, 221 by the start of
the semester will be
DROPPED from the course.
Math prerequisites
• You may retake ALEKS more
than once. Each test costs
$3.50.
• For $35 you can buy the
ALEKS Learning Module as a
refresher.
• Learning Module gives you
access to unlimited retests and
practice problems, for a limited
number of weeks.
Advanced Placement
• AP Calculus AB: score of 4 or
5 gives credit for Math 220.
• AP Calculus BC: score of 4 or
5 gives credit for Math 220 &
Math 231.
• AP Calculus BC score of 3, AB
subscore of 4 or 5 gives credit
for Math 220.
• Lower scores give no credit
Advanced Placement
• Students who plan to be
teachers are encouraged to
move back one level from
actual AP credit.
• For example, if you earn a 5 on
the BC Calculus exam, start in
Math 231 instead of Math 241.
• Consult with your adviser
about the best choices for you.
Advanced Placement
• If you don’t see credit for AP
scores in your Illinois records,
check your score report to see
whether you sent your score to
University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign
• College Board will send scores
for a fee. Priority/rush service
is NOT necessary.
International
Baccalaureate
• IB Math SL: no college credit
• IB Math HL: 6 or 7 earns credit
for Math 220
• IB Further Math: 6 or 7 earns
credit for Math 231 and Math
213
A-levels
• Advanced Level Certificate
with grade of C or higher in
Mathematics earns credit for
Math 220.
• Students with A-level credit
may consider proficiency exam
for Math 231, Math 241,
depending on background.
• Original A-level certificate must
be submitted to International
Admissions eventually.
Advanced Math
• Math 347: Intro to Proofs (Math
231 prerequisite, Math 241
even better). Intro to reading
advanced math and to writing
proofs in a variety of areas of
math. Transition from calculus
to advanced math.
• Honors section available (now)
to extremely good students
with Math 231 credit.
Advanced Math
• Math 416, Applied Linear
Algebra
• Required for math majors
• Prerequisite: Math 241
• Math 347 also good prereq
• Honors section available (now)
to extremely good students
Advanced Math
• Math 441, differential
equations for math majors
• Math 463/Stat 400: Probability
& Stat I (Stat Dept)
Math 241 prerequisite
• Math 461, Probability Theory
(Math Dept)
• Math 210, Theory of Interest
(actuarial sci, need Math 231)
• Math 409, Actuarial Stat II
Actuarial Science
• Math 210 covers most of Exam
2/FM, financial math
professional actuarial exam.
• Math 408, Actuarial Stat I,
covers Exam 1/P, probability.
• May substitute Math 461 for
408.
• May substitute Stat 400+Stat
410 for Math 408+Math 409
Actuarial Science
• Finance 230, Intro to Insurance
• Finance 221, Intro to Corporate
Finance
• Fin 300: Financial Markets
• Fin 321: Advanced Corporate
Finance
• Econ 302, Intermediate Micro
• Econ 303, Intermediate Macro
(available ONLY in your final
semester)
Finance 221
For actuarial science students
only, prerequisites are
• a Statistics course
• Accy 200, Accy 201, or a
course in Financial Accounting
• CS 105 or ability to use Excel
• PLEASE ignore prerequisites
on course catalog.
Actuarial Science
For loads of information, see the
Advising Notes link from
http://math.illinois.edu/~gorvett
This website has a 4-year
schedule, course info, exam
info, and answers most
advising questions (including
office hours for Rick Gorvett).
Actuarial Science
• Director of the Program
Prof. Rick Gorvett
gorvett@illinois.edu
See him by appointment during
the semester—online sign-up
linked from his webpage.
Freshman/sophomore advising
Ms. Alison Champion
abc@illinois.edu
Mathematics major
• All students do “Core” courses
• Also choose a Concentration
• Supporting coursework
Math Concentrations
• General Math: most flexible,
most popular choice
• “Graduate Prep”: actually PhD
prep for students who wish to
go directly to a doctoral
program after completing B.Sc.
Most intensive option.
• Note that any option will
prepare you for a master’s
program.
Math Concentrations
• Applied Math: engineering
oriented
• Operations Research:
business/optimization
• Teacher Education: for those
who wish to teach grades 6-12.
Only U.S. students may enter
the teaching program.
• Choose a concentration within
1-2 semesters of completing
Math 347/348
Supporting Coursework
• Required of all math majors
• Purpose: specialize in an area
outside of math
• 3 choices: second major, ANY
minor, or 12 credit hours of
supporting coursework
Supporting Coursework
• “Supporting coursework” is a
single math-related area
outside of mathematics.
• Must take at least 12 credits in
the area
• At least some of the courses
must be advanced (300-level
or 400-level)
Supporting Coursework
•
•
•
•
Examples:
Physics
Economics
Philosophy (logic or scienceoriented Phil courses)
• Another science
• Computer Science (CS
101/125 not counted and
courses listed both in Math and
CS not counted)
Supporting Coursework
• Other areas possible if you can
justify how they’re related to
math.
• Supporting coursework
requires adviser approval.
Math Advisers
• Ms. Alison Champion
abc@illinois.edu
• Mr. Chris Cunningham
ccccc@illinois.edu
• Prof. Robert Muncaster
(Dr. Bob)
muncast@illinois.edu
All in 313 Altgeld Hall, which is
the Math Undergrad Office.
Math/CS & Stat/CS
Adviser
Dr. Steve Herzog
1210 Siebel Center
smherzog@illinois.edu
Statistics
Adviser
Prof. Jeff Douglas
116E Illini Hall
jeffdoug@illinois.edu
Prof. Douglas answers e-mail
quickly and has weekly office
hours, schedule varies by
semester.
Helpful websites
• http://courses.illinois.edu
Information about current
courses, general education, all
majors/minors, and link to
register!
• http://las.illinois.edu
Helpful information and forms
• http://registrar.illinois.edu
Financial info, transcripts, DARS
audit
Deadlines
• September 10: Last day to add a
semester-long class. You can
change your schedule between
August 24-September 10.
• October 19: Last day to DROP a
class. Before this date you can
drop any class as long as you have
at least 12 credits. After this date
you must petition to the College of
LAS and have documentation of
extenuating circumstances such as
extended illness, mental health
issues, or other outside problems.
A committee will review the petition
but may force you to stay in the
class and not drop/withdraw.
Schedule
• You must register for 12-18
hours. 14-16 is recommended
for your first semester.
• You must have at least 12
credit hours by the first day of
the semester.
• Final exams run December 1420. Plan to be on campus
through December 20!! There
is an exam 7-10pm that day.
Schedule
• For students taking calculus, 1
math class is enough.
• For students beyond calculus,
2 math/stat classes are
recommended.
• Students who take 3 math/stat
classes in one semester
usually earn very poor grades.
If you wish to try this, wait until
you have completed a
semester with A or A+ grades
in two tough math classes.
Registration
• Have a long list of classes
which interest you—math
AND general education AND
electives!!
• Have your passwords set,
including Enterprise
password!!
• Read up on the classes you
want at the CLASS
SCHEDULE at
http://courses.illinois.edu
Registration errors
• ALWAYS check the Class
Schedule when you get a
registration error.
• Registration program has little
helpful information. Class
Schedule has MUCH detail not
found anywhere else!
• Error messages mean that
there’s an error, but the
messages themselves may be
wrong!
Scheduling
• You can add or drop classes or
change sections until midnight
Central Daylight Time
tomorrow (approximately 1.5
days).
• Please stay with the schedule
recommended by your adviser!
• You also have the chance to
change your schedule August
24 – September 10.
Scheduling
• Many classes which are full
now may have seats available
later when other students
change their schedules.
• Keep trying!
• If you add a new class after the
semester begins, it is YOUR
job to contact the instructor to
ask about material and
assignments/quizzes you have
missed and how to catch up.
Math advising
• General math advising is
available at
mathadvising@illinois.edu
• jeffdoug@illinois.edu is most
helpful with Statistics
questions.
• smherzog@illinois.edu is
helpful with Computer Science
questions.
• See the actuarial website for
actuarial help!
This afternoon
• This afternoon you will see
your adviser in an individual
appointment. Please note time
& location!
• Your adviser will help you
select classes for your fall
schedule.
• If you are not fully prepared,
you may need to finish
registering on your own!