Undergraduate Research Honors Program

Mathematics & Statistics

Undergraduate Honors Research Program

The primary mission of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics Undergraduate Research Honors Program ("UHRP") is to recognize and foster student academic excellence at East Tennessee State University by:

  • Nurturing the intellectual growth of students through challenging curricula;
  • Instilling the desire to advance knowledge;
  • Promoting continued study in graduate school;
  • Offering mathematics and statistics faculty the opportunity for innovative and unique teaching and research experiences.

Course Requirements

Class Credit Hours
Any level enriched course 3
Mathematical Reasoning (MATH 3000-088) 3
Junior/Senior Level Enriched Course 3
Junior/Senior Level Enriched Course 3
Honors Thesis (MATH/STAT 4018) 6
Total 18

Program benefits include:

  • One-on-one special instruction concerning the honors enriched component of each class.
  • Opportunities to go beyond the usual classroom material for a deeper or more diverse exploration.
  • Participation in the Semi-Annual Mathematics and Statistics Undergraduate Research Honors Program seminar ("SAMS-URHP") as either a presenter or an audience member.
  • Learning research techniques and the production of original research.
  • URHP participation is recognized on the student transcript.
  • The opportunity for scholarship support through the Honors College.

SAMS-URHP 2

The Second Semi-Annual Mathematics and Statistics Undergraduate Research Honors Program Seminar (SAMS-UHRP 2) will be held on May 1, 2026 in Room 104 of Gilbreath Hall from 1:30 to 3:00. Presentations will be given by two students, one an Undergraduate Honors Research Program student and one who registered for Undergraduate Research during spring semester 2026.

The schedule of presentations is:

Speaker Class Instructor Topic Time
"Dr. Bob" (Gardner)     Introduction and Welcome, Information on UHRP and our New Webpage 1:30-1:40
Luke Herrell Honors Modern Geometry Bob Gardner Curvature in Non-Euclidean Geometry Models 1:40-2:00
Caden Odum Undergraduate Research Bob Gardner Enestrom-Kakeya Theorem Results for Complex Polynomials 2:00-2:30
Luke Herrell
Keynote Student Speaker		 Honors Thesis Bob Gardner Enestrom-Kakeya Theorems for
Complex and Quaternionic Polynomials		 2:30-3:00
Photo of  Robert "Dr. Bob" Gardner Professor

 
Robert "Dr. Bob" Gardner

ProfessorMathematics & Statistics

image for Honors Enriched Courses

Honors Enriched Courses

Honors enriched sections of classes carry the section number 088. Honors enriched classes are taught along with the corresponding regular class, but the instructor and URHP student meet outside of class to process the honors component. In order to get a mathematics or statistics class approved as honors enriched, a list of proposed enrichment experiences must be submitted in writing to the Mathematics and Statistics URHP Coordinator by the end of the first week of class. The honors enrichment proposal must include a cover sheet which is available online. When approved, the student drops the regular class, an honors enriched section (numbered 088) is created, and the student adds the honors section (which requires a permit that the departmental executive aid will create when the 088 section is created). The section must be created by the day of "Late Registration/Add with Departmental Permit only" (which is sometime during the second week of classes; it varies from term to term). Therefore you must act fast in preparing your proposal! Every honors-enhanced section will include a written report and an oral presentation. The presentation should be given at the Semi-Annual Mathematics and Statistics Undergraduate Research Honors Program Seminar ("SAMS-URHP Seminar") which is traditionally held on the Friday of the last week of classes (i.e., on "Study Day"). Details are online of recent SAMS-URHP Seminars.

image for Academic Program of Study

Academic Program of Study

The Department of Mathematics and Statistics requires 18 hours of honors enriched classes for completion of its URHP. Of these 18 hours, 6 hours must be Honors Thesis (MATH 4018, the "capstone course"), normally taken during a student's last two semesters. Each student must take Mathematical Reasoning (MATH 3000-088), which acts as the "research methods" course in the department. The remaining 9 hours may be taken as honors enriched sections of departmental classes, at least 6 hours of which are beyond the sophomore level. These can include Independent Study (MATH/STAT 4900-088) classes.
Students entering the program during their freshman or sophomore year are required to complete at least one honors enriched class (at least 3 semester hours) by the end of their sophomore year.

 

 

image for GPA Requirements

GPA Requirements

Retention in the Mathematics and Statistics URHP include:

  • enrollment in a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester (15 hours if student is awarded an URHP scholarship),
  • a minimum overall GPA of 2.75 for the first 30 hours of study,
  • 00 for 31-45 hours completed,
  • 15 for 46 to 60 hours,
  • 25 after 60 hours.

Honors students who fail to meet these GPA requirements may request one semester of probationary status. If the student meets the retention requirements after one semester of probation, they may remain in the Mathematics and Statistics URHP Honors Program.

 

image for Graduation Requirements

Graduation Requirements

To graduate as a Mathematics and Statistics URHP student one must…

  • have completed all major course requirements,
  • have completed 18 hours of honors enhanced classes (including Honors Thesis),
  • have successfully completed and publicly presented their senior Honors Thesis,
  • and have an overall GPA of at least 3.25.