Off-Campus Study For Mathematics Majors

Important Notes

• Applying to study off campus requires two applications. You must apply to the Wabash Off-Campus Study Committee as well as to the program you are planning to attend. Applications to the OCS are due in early February.
• Written comprehensive exams cover MAT 331, so students should take it during their sophomore or junior years.  The department highly recommends students take it during their sophomore year if possible.  Consult with a member of the when planning the mathematics courses you plan to take off campus.

Mathematics Immersion Programs.  These are programs in which the main focus is mathematics, particularly pure mathematics. Students typically take all of their courses in mathematics, except for a course in language or culture in the overseas programs. If you are interested in continuing your study of mathematics after Wabash, these programs will give you a taste of what graduate school will be like. If you are interested in being simultaneously immersed in both mathematics and a foreign culture, the first two programs are for you.

• Budapest Semesters in Mathematics This is an excellent program allowing students to study with world-renowned Hungarian mathematicians. Wabash students who have gone on this program are Nick Roersma '03, Robert Dirks '00, Matt Mickelson '98, Michael Orrision '95, and Munawar Ali '93. For more information on the Budapest program, see Dr. Foote.
• Math in Moscow  No Wabash students have gone on this relatively new program yet, but in the last few years it has been highly praised.
• Penn State MASS Program  Another relatively new program with no Wabash participation yet.

Other Overseas Programs.  A number of mathematics majors have participated in the following two programs. In these programs students take a more typical selection of courses, probably one in mathematics and three or four in other subjects. For more information on these and other programs, see the brochures in the Off Campus Study Office. You are not limited to these.

• Scotland Program  This program, at the University of Aberdeen, is administered by Wabash. If you are interested in it, talk with the Program Director, Edith Dallinger (Center 112, x6410). Also see the web sites for the University of Aberdeen Department of Mathematical Sciences and Department of Computing Science.

Applied Mathematics Programs.  If you have a second major in one of the natural sciences or economics, you might consider one of these programs. They are like summer research internships for the most part, but you also take one or two classes on some of them. Some of them also have summer internship programs.

• Oak Ridge National Laboratory  This is a good program for fall-semester seniors, although they also admit qualified juniors. The Oak Ridge application deadline is March 1.
• Undergraduate Research Semester  This program, sponsored by the U.S. Departments of Energy and Defense, is open to juniors and seniors.  The participating sites are Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories -- California, and Sandia National Laboratories -- New Mexico. 
• Argonne National Laboratory

Talk with the faculty about their "off campus study" experiences. Many of us have had experiences studying or doing research abroad or in special programs.

Off-Campus Study in Computer Science
A variety of opportunities are available to several students in computer science. These take place during the summer months as wells as throughout the academic year. During the junior year, some students have spent a semester involved in computer science research at Oak Ridge National Laboratory while during the summer, students have worked as interns at other academic or research institutions. These internships are often funded by organizations such as the National Science Foundation. Wabash College also funds a number of summer interns who conduct research on campus during the summer months under the guidance of a Wabash faculty member.