Department of Mathematics and Statistics

Guoqing Tang, Chairperson

Objectives

The objectives of the Mathematics and Statistics Department are as follows:

to prepare students for employment in government or industry as well as graduate studies;
to avail students of the opportunity to undertake independent investigations in mathematics;
to prepare students to teach and present mathematics in a modern, meaningful, and stimulating manner at secondary school level;
to provide courses which ensure acquisition of basic mathematical skills and concepts for all students at the university;
to encourage wide ranging professional growth and research by faculty;
to encourage faculty involvement in university, college, and departmental governance, as well as in community activities;
to understand and effectively respond to student retention and graduation rates.

Degrees Offered

Mathematics - Bachelor of Science
Mathematics (Applied Mathematics) - Bachelor of Science
Mathematics (Statistics and Data Science) - Bachelor of Science
Mathematics (Mathematics Secondary Education) - Bachelor of Science

General Program Requirements

Admission, retention and graduation requirements for students enrolled in degree programs in the Department of Mathematics are based upon the general admission, retention and graduation requirements of the University. However, two units of algebra, one unit of plane geometry and one-half unit of trigonometry are required of all students who elect to pursue any curriculum offered in the department.

Specific Program Requirements

Mathematics

The B.S. Degree Program in Mathematics (Pure Mathematics) is designed for students who value the study of mathematics, not only for application, but also for its own sake, and are interested in finding new formulae and methods while utilizing insights from a tradition of thousands of years. The pure mathematics concentration is recommended for those interested in graduate study in pure mathematics, and those who seek a rigorous education that involves not only rote computational skills but also rigorous explanations of how mathematics works. The Mathematics major must complete a minimum of 120 semester hours of University courses. These include 63 hours in mathematics and 16 hours in sciences. Also, a major must earn a “C” or better grade except for one passing grade below “C” if the student has GPA of at least 2.0 but less than 2.3, or two passing grades below “C” if the student has GPA of at least 2.3 in all required mathematics courses.

Mathematics (Applied Mathematics)

The B.S. Degree Program in Mathematics (Applied Mathematics) is designed to provide students with training in the applications of mathematics in engineering, sciences, medicine, health care, business and finance. The Applied mathematics concentration is recommended for those interested in the mathematical study of general scientific concepts, principles, and phenomena that, because of their widespread occurrence and application, relate or unify various disciplines. The use of computational methods and implementation of algorithms on computers is central in the study of applied mathematics. The Applied Mathematics major must complete a minimum of 120 semester hours of University courses, including 46 hours in mathematics, 6 hours in statistics, 8 hours in physics and 15 hours of applications area electives. Also, a major must earn a “C” or better grade except for one passing grade below “C” if the student has GPA of at least 2.0 but less than 2.3, or two passing grades below “C” if the student has GPA of at least 2.3 in all required mathematics, statistics, and application area elective courses.

Mathematics (Statistics and Data Science)

The B.S. Degree Program in Mathematics (Statistics and Data Science) is designed to provide students with statistical and data analytical tools and conceptual foundations in quantitative reasoning to extract information intelligently from data. The statistics and data science concentration is recommended for those interested in collecting, analyzing and interpreting data analytically, as well as effectively communicating and presenting the results relying on data. Statistics and data science is becoming more important in modern society in providing succinct information for making decisions, and is used in a wide variety of fields including science, technology, business, health, and social sciences. The Statistics and Data Science major must complete a minimum of 120 semester hours of University courses. These include 40 hours in mathematics, 33 hours in statistics & data science, and 8 hours in physics. Also, a major must earn a “C” or better grade except for one passing grade below “C” if the student has GPA of at least 2.0 but less than 2.3, or two passing grades below “C” if the student has GPA of at least 2.3 in all required mathematics,statistics and data science courses.

Mathematics (Mathematics Secondary Education)

The B.S. Degree Program in Mathematics (Mathematics Secondary Education) is designed to prepare students for careers as mathematics teachers from ninth through twelfth grade by providing both a strong foundation in mathematical content and pedagogical experience in the classroom. The secondary education concentration is recommended for those interested in content knowledge, problem solving, curriculum development, lesson and unit planning, the use of technology, and the evaluation of student knowledge. The program is designed so that students can easily double major in mathematics, giving its graduates added flexibility and expertise in mathematics. The Mathematics Secondary Education major must complete a minimum of 120 semester hours of University courses. These include 47 hours in mathematics, 8 hours in sciences and 39 hours in education. Also, majors must earn a “C” or better grade in each required mathematics course taken to fulfill the mathematics requirement. All Teacher Education admissions, retention and graduate standards apply.

Career Opportunities

Mathematical research and education are at the heart of some careers, while other careers utilize mathematics and its applications to build and enhance important work in the sciences, business, finance, manufacturing, communications, and engineering. Graduates with bachelor’s degrees in mathematics are hired by many types of firms, high tech, finance and communications among them, although the job description might not explicitly mention mathematics. Firms actively recruiting mathematicians include engineering and information technology companies, banking, science and financial consulting firms, as well as biomedical and imaging enterprises. In its most recent report on job outlook, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the number of mathematician and statistician positions would grow by 33% from 2020 to 2030, much faster than the average for all other occupations.

Directory of Faculty

Shea D. Burns; Associate Professor
B.S., North Carolina A&T State University; M.S., Ph.D., Howard University

Mingxiang Chen; Professor
B.S., M.S., Huazhong Normal University; Ph.D., Georgia Institute of Technology

Dominic P. Clemence; Professor
B.S., North Carolina A&T State University; M.S., Ph.D., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Kathy M. Cousins-Cooper; Professor
B.S., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; M.S., North Carolina A&T State University; Ph.D., University of South Florida

Ahmad A. Deeb; Teaching Assistant Professor
B.S., Yarmouk University; M.S., Ohio University; Ph.D., Kent State University

Zachary Denton; Associate Professor
B.S., Middle Tennessee State University; M.S., Ph.D., University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Kossi D. Edoh; Professor
B.S., Cape Coast University; M.S., Ph.D., Simon Fraser University

Tamer M. Elbayoumi; Assistant Professor
B.S., M.S., Mansoura University; Ph.D., Western Michigan University

Christian R. Felton; Lecturer
B.S., Tuskegee University; M.S., North Carolina A&T State University

Gregory Gibson; Associate Professor
B.A., State University of New York/College at Geneseo; M.S., Ph.D., North Carolina State University

Seong-Tae Kim; Associate Professor
B.A., Hanyang University; M.A., Korea University; M.S., Ph.D., North Carolina State University

Alexandra Kurepa; Professor
B.S., M.S., University of Zagreb; Ph.D., University of North Texas

Liping Liu; Associate Professor
B.S., Huazhong University of Science and Technology; Ph.D., University of Alberta

Nicholas Luke; Professor and Student Success Coordinator
B.S., North Carolina A&T State University; M.S., Ph.D., North Carolina State University

Sayed Mostafa; Assistant Professor
B.S., Cairo University; M.S., Ph.D., Oklahoma State University

Katrina Nelson; Teaching Associate Professor
B.S., M.S., North Carolina A&T State University; Ph.D., North Carolina State University

Choongseok Park; Associate Professor
B.S., Yonsei University; Ph.D., Ohio State University

Yevgeniy A. Rastigeyev; Professor
M.S., Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology; M.S., Ph.D., University of Notre Dame

Thomas C. Redd; Associate Professor and Associate Chairperson
B.S., Fort Valley State University; M.S., University of Oklahoma; M.S., Ph.D., Brown University

Mauricio A. Rivas; Teaching Assistant Professor
B.S., M.S., Sam Houston State University; Ph.D., University of Houston

John P. Roop; Associate Professor
B.S., Roanoke College; M.S., Ph.D., Clemson University

Guoqing Tang; Professor and Chairperson
B.S., Anhui University; M.S., Nanjing University of Science and Technology; Ph.D., Rutgers University

Barbara Tankersley; Associate Professor
B.S., Paine College; M.S., North Carolina A&T State University; M.S., Ph.D., Howard University

Gregory N. Terkper; Lecturer
B.S., University of Cape Coast; M.S., North Carolina A&T State University

Paramanathan Varatharajah; Associate Professor
B.S., University of Jaffna; M.S., Ph.D., University of Arizona

John P. Ward; Associate Professor
B.S., University of Georgia; Ph.D., Texas A&M University

Alisha Williams; Senior Lecturer
B.S., M.S., North Carolina A&T State University

Ling Xu; Assistant Professor
B.S., Xiamen University; M.S., Ph.D., University of New Mexico