American University of Beirut

The Department of Mathematics offers programs leading to the degrees of Bachelor of Science (BS) and Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, and Statistics. It also offers programs leading to the degree of Master of Science (MS) in Mathematics.

Mission Statement

The Department of Mathematics subscribes to the view that “Mathematics as an expression of the Human mind reflects the active will, the contemplative reason, and the desire for aesthetic perfection.” Through the different fields of Algebra, Analysis, Geometry, Number Theory, Statistics, and Applied Mathematics, the department aims to train students in quantitative reasoning, in dealing with abstraction, in enhancing their sense of formalism, in tackling mathematical problems, and in writing clear and rigorous proofs. The training will help the student acquire a sound balance between abstract generality and colorful individuality, and between the qualitative and quantitative aspects of Mathematics. It also will help the student master the theory through a clear comprehension of the theoretical aspects without losing sight of applications. Graduates of the Mathematics Department should be well placed to work in various professional areas of Education, Finance, Information Technology, or for pursuing graduate studies in Mathematics or a related area.

BA or BS in Mathematics

The department requires 9 credits in courses numbered 200 or above in the sciences for the BS degree, and at least 9 credits in courses numbered 200 or above in the arts Cultures and Histories or Societies and Individuals for the BA degree. In both cases, it is recommended that at least 6 of these 9 credits be in disciplines that use quantitative methods and be chosen in conjunction with the student’s faculty advisor. In addition, the departmental requirements are as follows: MATH 201, MATH 210, MATH 214, MATH 219, MATH 223, MATH 227, MATH 233, MATH 241, and at least one of MATH 220 or MATH 242, and 12 more credits chosen from MATH 202 and mathematics courses numbered 213 or above. In addition, students must take CMPS 201 or 203, which is a first course in programming. Students should note that MATH 211 and MATH 212 do not count towards the major course requirements for the BS and BA in Mathematics. For pure mathematics major, MATH 211 and/or MATH 212 may be taken as free electives.

A transfer student who has done well in MATH 218 can count it toward the mathematics major instead of MATH 219, subject to departmental approval. In such a case, the department will usually require the student to take MATH 220.

Students wishing to pursue graduate study in mathematics are strongly urged to take MATH 220, MATH 242, and MATH 213 or MATH 215. They may also want to consider taking one or more graduate course in their senior year. Students interested in high school teaching are encouraged to include MATH 202, MATH 213, MATH 251, and MATH 261 among their courses.

University General Education Requirements

The General Education requirements are Understanding Communication - English (6 credits), Understanding Communication - Arabic (3 credits), Cultures and Histories (9 credits), Human Values (3 credits), Societies and Individuals (6 credits), Understanding the World and Quantitative Reasoning (9 credits with at least 3 credits from each), and Community Engaged Learning (3 credits).

At least one of the courses from Cultures and Histories or Human Values should be from the History of Ideas: CHLA. At least one course from your degree requirements (except Understanding Communication) should cover the theme of Social Inequalities (3 credits).

Minor in Mathematics

A minor in mathematics requires 18 credits which include MATH 201, MATH 210, MATH 218 or MATH 219, and 9 more credits in mathematics courses numbered MATH 202, MATH 211 or above, or statistics courses numbered STAT 230 or above. Note: A student can opt for a minor in mathematics or a minor in applied mathematics, but not both.

BA or BS in Applied Mathematics

A student opting for the program in Applied Mathematics can earn either a BA or a BS degree. The science requirements for the BS are fulfilled by at least 2 science courses (or 6 science credits) chosen in departments in the FAS; the arts requirements for the BA are fulfilled by 2 courses (6 arts credits) chosen in departments in the FAS. The Mathematics requirement is the same for both degrees and consists of 39 credits in Mathematics courses as follows:

MATH 201, MATH 202, MATH 210, MATH 212, MATH 218 or MATH 219, MATH 223, STAT 233, MATH 251, MATH 281, at least one of MATH 224 and MATH 227, and at least 9 additional credits numbered 211 and above. These additional credits must include at least two of the following three areas:

• Analysis and Geometry: MATH 213, MATH 214, MATH 215, MATH 224, MATH 225, MATH 227
• Discrete Math and Algebra: MATH 211, MATH 220, MATH 241, MATH 242, MATH 261
• Probability and Statistics: STAT 231, STAT 234 or higher

In addition, the student must take CMPS 201 or 203, which is a first course in programming. Moreover, 9 credits must be chosen in one applied discipline or track from the following list:

• Computer Science: CMPS 202, CMPS 214, CMPS 215, CMPS 220, CMPS 231, CMPS 261, CMPS 262
• Economics: ECON 212, ECON 214, ECON 215, ECON 217, ECON 218, ECON 227, ECON 228, ECON 239, ECON 243
• Natural Sciences: PHYS 210, PHYS 211, PHYS 212, PHYS 214, PHYS 217, PHYS 220, PHYS 235, PHYS 236, CHEM 201, CHEM 217, CHEM 218, CHEM 233
• Engineering: CIVE 210, CIVE 310, CIVE 311, CIVE 411, CIVE 610, EECE 210, EECE 290, EECE 330, EECE 340, EECE 442, EECE 490, EECE 491, EECE 641, EECE 693, INDE 301, INDE 302, MECH 201, MECH 230, MECH 310, MECH 314, MECH 320, MECH 332, MECH 412, MECH 414
• Statistics and Applications: STAT 231, STAT 234, STAT 235, STAT 236 or EPHD 213, STAT 237, STAT 238, STAT 239, EPHD 203, CMPS 262, EECE 490, EECE 693
• Actuarial Science: MATH 272, MATH 273, MATH 274

Some of the above Tracks can be further subdivided as listed below. Students can use the following classification as a guideline for choosing their 3 track courses.

• Econometrics: ECON 214, ECON 215, ECON 217
• Macroecnomics: ECON 212, ECON227, ECON 228
• Mathematical Economics: ECON 217, ECON 239, ECON 243
• Mechanics: CIVE 210, MECH 201, MECH 230, MECH 320, MECH 332
• Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics: MECH 310, MECH 314, MECH 412, MECH 414
• Signal Processing: EECE 210, EECE 290, EECE 340, EECE 442, EECE 491, EECE 641
• Operations Research: INDE 301, INDE 302, INDE 303 or STAT 238
• Structures: CIVE 210, CIVE 310, CIVE 311, CIVE 411, CIVE 610
• Machine Learning: STAT 239, EECE 490, EECE 693
• Statistical Techniques: STAT 231, STAT 234, STAT 235, STAT 236, STAT 237
• Statistics and Probability: STAT 231, STAT 234, STAT 238, STAT 23
• Statistics and Data Science: STAT 231, STAT 234, STAT 239, CMPS 262
• Statistics and Health Sciences: STAT 231, STAT 234, STAT 236, EPHD 203, EPHD 213

University General Education Requirements

The General Education requirements are Understanding Communication - English (6 credits), Understanding Communication - Arabic (3 credits), Cultures and Histories (9 credits), Human Values (3 credits), Societies and Individuals (6 credits), Understanding the World and Quantitative Reasoning (9 credits with at least 3 credits from each), and Community Engaged Learning (3 credits).

At least one of the courses from Cultures and Histories or Human Values should be from the History of Ideas: CHLA. At least one course from your degree requirements (except Understanding Communication) should cover the theme of Social Inequalities (3 credits).

Minor in Applied Mathematics

A minor in Applied Mathematics requires 18 credits which include MATH 201, MATH 210, either MATH 218 or MATH 219, and 9 more credits in mathematics courses numbered MATH 202, MATH 211 or above, or statistics courses numbered STAT 230 or above.

Note: A student can opt for a minor in mathematics or a minor in applied mathematics, but not both.

BA or BS in Statistics

The department requires 6 credits in courses numbered 200 or above in the natural sciences for the BS degree, and at least 9 credits in courses numbered 200 or above in the arts Cultures and Histories or Societies and Individuals for the BA degree. In both cases, it is recommended that at least 6 of these 9 credits be in disciplines that use quantitative methods and be chosen in conjunction with the student’s faculty advisor. The Quantitative Thought requirements are the same for both degrees and consists of 45 credits as follows:

• In statistics: STAT 231, STAT 233, STAT 234, STAT 235, STAT 239, and at least one of STAT 237 or STAT 238
• In mathematics: MATH 201, MATH 210, MATH 218, or MATH 219, MATH 251
• In computer science: CMPS 201 or CMPS 203, CMPS 244
• 9 credits must be chosen from the following list of courses:
  • Statistics and Data Science: STAT 236, STAT 237 or STAT 238, STAT 333, STAT 338, STAT 348
  • Mathematics: MATH 211, MATH 281, MATH 351
  • Computer Science: CMPS 262

Moreover, an additional 9 credits must be chosen from the following list of technical elective courses from applied disciplines or mathematics:

• Computer Science: CMPS 202, CMPS 261, CMPS 364, CMPS 365

• Engineering: NDE 301, INDE 302, EECE 330, EECE 490, EECE 641, EECE 693

• OSB: BUSS 200, MNGT 222, DCSN 200, DCSN 216, DCSN 220

• Mathematics: MATH 211, MATH 220, MATH 223, MATH 224, MATH 225, MATH 227, MATH 241, MATH 261, MATH 272, MATH 273, MATH 274, MATH 281, MATH 306, MATH 351

Students planning to pursue higher education in statistics are advised to take their technical electives in advanced mathematics courses, such as MATH 223 and MATH 227.

Students interested in Actuarial Science are advised to take their technical electives as MATH 272, MATH 273, and MATH 274. Note that, students planning to pursue a career of an Actuary have to pass a sequence of professional exams and complete VEE credits (Validation for Educational Experience). Thus, they are also advised to take the following courses within their degree requirements: ECON 211, ECON 212; and the following additional courses above the required 90 credits: BUSS 211, ACTN 210, FINA 210, FINA 220.

Students interested in Data Science are advised to take their technical electives as EECE 490 and EECE 693 and at least one course from: CMPS 202 or EECE 330, CMPS 261, EECE 641, BUSS 200, MNGT 222, DCSN 200, DCSN 216. They are also advised to take STAT 236 and STAT 237 within their degree requirements.

It is to be noted that STAT 201, STAT 203, STAT 210, and STAT 230 are mainly service courses. STAT 201 is essentially equivalent to EDUC 227, and STAT 210 is essentially equivalent to ECON 213. Students can get credit for only one of the following: STAT 201, STAT 203, STAT 210, STAT 230, STAT 233, EDUC 227, ECON 213.

University General Education Requirements

The General Education requirements are Understanding Communication - English (6 credits), Understanding Communication - Arabic (3 credits), Cultures and Histories (9 credits), Human Values (3 credits), Societies and Individuals (6 credits), Understanding the World and Quantitative Reasoning (9 credits with at least 3 credits from each), and Community Engaged Learning (3 credits).

At least one of the courses from Cultures and Histories or Human Values should be from the History of Ideas: CHLA. At least one course from your degree requirements (except Understanding Communication) should cover the theme of Social Inequalities (3 credits).

Minor in Statistics

A minor in statistics can be pursued via one of two options:

• Option 1: MATH 201, MATH 218 or MATH 219, STAT 231, STAT 233, STAT 234 and
  STAT 235.
• Option 2: MATH 201, MATH 218 or MATH 219, STAT 230, STAT 234, STAT 235 and one additional advanced course in statistical sciences to be selected with the approval of the department chair. A list of recommended courses includes: STAT 236 or above, EPHD 320, EPHD 321, EECE 603, EECE 641, EECE 644, EECE 667, EECE 693, INDE 303, and INDE 430.

Course Descriptions

• Department of Mathematics Undergraduate Courses​

BA in Mathematics: 39 Credits in Mathematics

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