The departmental award "Distinction in Mathematics" recognizes outstanding work by graduating mathematics majors who are not eligible to receive honors from Arts & Sciences, or who are Arts & Sciences students who do not wish to do an honors thesis to earn Latin Honors.  Students in any of the undergraduate schools (A&S, Engineering, Business, Art, Architecture) are eligible, whether mathematics is the prime or second major.

This award will be noted in the "Honors" section of the student's permanent W.U. record.

Roughly, the requirements are:

1) the same GPA and coursework requirements as for Latin Honors candidates,  and

2) in addition (instead of an honors project) either an additional 400-level mathematics course or passing of the first actuarial exam.

The requirements are spelled out in detail below.

When the department certifies majors for graduation, it will inform the student's Undergraduate Office that the student has earned this award.  Students should not need to file any sort of "request" to be considered.  However, certifying students for this award requires the department to examine each student's record invididually.  It would be easier to overlook that a student actually earned this award than it would be, say, to overlook the fact that the student had done an honors thesis.  Therefore, to avoid errors and oversights, it would be wise for majors who think they are eligible for graduation with "Distinction in Mathematics" to notify the Director of Undergraduate Studies, Professor Ron Freiwald, early in the semester of graduation.

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Requirements for Distinction in Mathematics

Students completing a mathematics major may earn the award "Distinction in Mathematics" by having a high overall GPA and a superior record in mathematics, as defined below.

A)  An overall GPA of at least 3.50 (including grades for the final semester).

B)  Students must complete with grades of B or better ( not B- ) :

1) At least one of the 4 sequences Math 4111-4121, 429-430, 493-494 or 449-450

2) and at least 3 additional regularly scheduled 400-level mathematics courses (not independent studies).  These should be L24 courses, home-based in mathematics (not cross-listed from a different home department).  Mathematics courses taken abroad in WU-approved overseas programs can count if the Department agrees to transfer the credit to WU as 400-level mathematics work when the student returns from abroad.

a) in the case of probability/statistics track majors, at least 2 of these courses must be in the probability/statistics list.  The ability to use SAS is also strongly recommended.

b) in the case of applied track majors, at least 2 of these 3 courses must be in the applied list.

3) and one additional regularly scheduled L24-400-level course, home-based in the mathematics department (not cross-listed from another department) with a grade of B or better (not B -)    OR    successfully pass the first actuarial examination of the Society of Actuaries,

(If the actuarial exam option is chosen, the official results of the exam must be available before the deadline to certify majors for graduation.
For May graduations, the certification deadline is around mid-March, and therefore the exam must be taken by the fall semester of the senior year.)