I welcome you to the revised edition of the Mathematics brochure covering detailed information about the department and especially provide a reviewed curriculum to be covered by students admitted into the department to run programs in both Pure Mathematics and Industrial & Applied Mathematics Option. These subject areas are their accompanying concepts are central to all spheres of human developments. Its applicability and utilization cuts across all ages, cultures, creed and nations. Mathematics is the greatest scholarly manifestation that ever came out of the minds of mortal man. It is the most universal language understood and spoken by some of the most intelligent human beings.
Mathematics is a traveler par excellence and wherever it travels to, it leaves the youths with the hosts. These youths over the years have matured to become adults in their own rights. Thus, Mathematics as applied to Economics has produced the discipline called Econometrics. When applied to the social sciences, Mathematics produces a discipline called Statistics. When applied to the study of matter, Mathematics produces the discipline called Theoretical Physics, when applied to Biology and Medicine, Mathematics produces a discipline called Biometrics. When applied to environmental studies, Mathematics produces Mathematical ecology. When applied to Commerce, Finance, Insurance and Banking, Mathematics produces the discipline called Accountancy. When applied to Artificial intelligence and robotics, Mathematics gave birth to Computer Science. Indeed, all branches of Engineering are in fact Applied Mathematics, just to mention but a few.
The existence of internet and electronic mailing systems by which the world has actually assumed the status of a global village in terms of information dissemination is certainly a Mathematical creation. All these speak eloquently to the fact that a strictly mathematical mind is creative, logical, philosophical and constructive.
The department of Mathematics and Computer Science was one of the departments that came into existence in 1981 when the university went operational. Over the years, the initial components comprising of Mathematics, Computer Science and Statistics have become separate departments and what is left now is called the DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS. Today, the department has grown from strength to strength in all its constituent programmes consisting of Pure Mathematics and Applied & Industrial Mathematics.
The staff strength has equally improved over the years with majors in Elasticity, Modeling, Control Theory, Algebra, Functional Analysis, Partial Differential Equations; etc where graduating students can further pursue their choice areas. Graduates of the department are men and women who are very versatile in all the two option programmes and hence are easily sought after when employment opportunities knock. Our graduates can find ready employment in Government and private parastatals including:
Our graduates are indispensable as administrators, Diplomats and Ambassadors to foreign missions. The military, the air force, the police, the aviation industry as well as customs and immigration services find our graduates very useful. In the private sector, the Mathematician is a creator and employer of labour. In sports, the Mathematician is indispensable in the game of chess and other games where critical thinking, sound judgment and creative imagination are very much of advantage. In academics, our graduates have many degrees of freedom. They fit and switch from one Science, Engineering and Management discipline to the other. It can therefore be concluded that Mathematics and Mathematicians are indispensable tools on the wheel of progress and development of humanity.
It is therefore my expectation that this brochure will guide the student in carefully selecting his/her courses with the assistance of their Academic advisers to bring out the best in them so as to graduate in flying colours.
I welcome you to the revised edition of the Mathematics brochure covering detailed information about the department and especially provide a reviewed curriculum to be
Industrial Mathematics was one of the programs which took off right from the inception of the University in October 1981. It was under the administration of a Co-coordinator who worked under the supervision of the Director of Physical Sciences programs in the School of Natural and Applied Sciences (SNAS). This later became the School of Earth, Minerals and Natural Sciences (SEMNS).
Following the National Universities Commission’s (NUC) seminar held in Kaduna in September 1988 on courses offered by the Federal Universities of Technology in the country and the subsequent decision of the University in 1988, to operate a departmental structure, the new Department of Mathematics and Computer Science was empowered by Senate to award B.Tech. Degree (Mathematics and Computer Science) with options in Pure Mathematics, Industrial and Applied Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science as approved by the NUC conference in Kaduna.
The various courses for these options as offered were also discussed and approved by NUC. In 2007, NUC came on a resource verification visit to split the former Department of Mathematics and Computer Science into three Departments namely: Mathematics, Computer Science and Statistics. The visit was successful and its outcome was the emergence of a full-fledged Department of Mathematics.
Undergraduate Course Outline
Undergraduate Course Allocation
Both options run for a duration of five (5) years. There is cross fertilization and blending of courses from sister Departments such as the Departments of Computer Science, Statistics and Physics. Courses for the first two years are designed to expose students to basic principles of Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science, Physics and Technology. In the subsequent years, a whole range of the courses and electives are offered to meet the needs of the various options and to lay a solid foundation for Postgraduate training. A nine-month Industrial Work Experience is a requirement before graduation for all students. A project report is required for every student in the final year.
Industrial Mathematics Option
The use of mathematical model has become very popular in industry because of its financial gains. As a result, there is an interesting demand of mathematicians in industry. The Industrial and Applied Mathematics option is designed to meet such demand and to prepare the student for a career in Government, Research Institutions, business management and Postgraduate training. There are courses in Mathematical Modeling, Operations Research and Optimization, Mathematical Methods in Economics and Finance, Numerical Methods and Computations, control theory, mathematical theory of elasticity, fluid mechanics and so on.
Pure Mathematics Option
The option in Pure Mathematics is designed to equip students with the necessary tools for logical thinking and research. Specialization starts in the fourth year and the emphasis is on the development of competence in specific areas of Pure Mathematics with a view towards postgraduate specialization or employment in the Public Service and Private Sector of the economy.
Head of Department, Mathematics
Email:hod.mth@futo.edu.ng
