Recommendations for the Mathematics and Statistics Curriculum at Louisiana Tech University

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Freshmen mathematics students at Louisiana Tech University are not provided with resources specific to their success in their major. Information on what a math major actually does, how to apply for Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs), and how to get started with LaTeX are all topics that students have reported needing earlier than they were introduced. This report explores three possible solutions to provide freshmen math majors with adequate resources. First, a series of lectures geared toward freshmen could be added to the current Tea Time Talks. Second, the department could create a survey course called MATH 202 that provides a survey of mathematics along with resources. Third, a website containing math-specific resources could be compiled. To determine the most appropriate solution, the three solutions were compared using three criteria: compatibility with current curriculum, accessibility to students, and maintenance required. My research process used secondary research from math education journals and primary research in the form of a questionnaire given to students and alumni. My recommendation is to create a survey course that introduces first-year students to important concepts, resources, and people.