Honors/Individual Study

Students may pursue work in mathematics by arranging for independent studies. This work can complement summer research, can be in an area not covered by courses being offered, can involve research work in a faculty member's area of specialization, can be connected with one of the Centers or can be in an area that fits the students interests. Past students have done work in graph theory, statistics and mathematical reform in education.

There are three formats for doing independent work in mathematics:

1) Honors Work: MAT 497-498, a year-long project for seniors who wish to explore a special topic or conduct research and write an honors thesis.

2) Individual Study: MAT 291, 292, 391, 392, 491, 492. A one-semester project (at any level) on a special topic which can involve writing a paper based on research or studying a special topic, generally one not covered in a regularly offered course.

3) Service-Learning Practicum: MAT 120, 220, 320. A two-credit course taken concurrently with a math course, involves volunteering at a local school and teaching students at the area school about the subject of the related mathematics course.

Though rare in the field of mathematics, individual study occasionally leads to honors theses. In the case of Peter Luthy '05 (pictured here), his honors thesis on Functional Analysis, advised by Professor Hammond, earned him the College's Oakes and Louise Ames Prize, awarded to the graduating senior who has completed the year's most outstanding honors thesis. You may find his thesis at http://digitalcommons.conncoll.edu/mathhp/1/.