Resumen de Vertically Integrating Professional Skills Throughout A Mathematics Major

Clarice Dziak, Brien Leventhal, Aaron Luttman, Joseph Skufca

• In response to a university mandate to include �professional issues� as a component of every major, we have developed a vertically integrated approach to incorporating the study of professional skills and issues into the mathematics curriculum. Beginning in the first year of study, mathematics majors take an inquiry-based course in mathematical modeling using software packages that are important in business and industry, such as Excel®, Maple®, and Matlab®. In the third year, students choose between a seminar course covering topics in teaching and another covering topics related to research and work in industry. The courses are designed to introduce students to the different cultures and issues of business, industry, and teaching. Beyond these two courses, students are required to demonstrate proficiency in three core areas through a required �professional experience,� which takes the form of an internship, undergraduate research experience, or educational outreach program.