<p>That would make it hard to major in math there (the school does list a math major, but it requires a lot more math courses than are likely to be offered, based on the listing above).</p>
<p>This does seem surprising, since math is a pretty common and “mainstream” subject, and even the least selective state universities in some other states have a reasonable selection of courses for math majors.</p>
<p>Physics is another “mainstream” subject, but many smaller schools are rather lacking in physics courses. However, this may be more understandable, due to the major not being very popular. But even some large state universities are considering dropping the major due to low enrollment.</p>
<p>Computer science, though probably more popular than physics, is also often lacking in smaller schools. Some offer a computer science major, but the course content of the major is very limited compared to what a student in some other school would learn.</p>
<p>What other “mainstream” majors are not findable “everywhere”?</p>
<p>Foreign languages would seem to be one of those mainstream areas. I believe SUNY-Albany discontinued their programs in Classics, French, Italian, and Russian. </p>
<p>Even USC, which has pretensions to be a great university, dropped its German major. At other universities, some language departments have been consolidated. So you’ll often find German and Russian joined in a single department, whereas previously they were in separate departments. Most of these seem to be cost-cutting measures, perhaps due to a limited number of students majoring in certain languages. In the Montana State example you cited, it might be that MSU simply doesn’t enroll enough students who qualify to major in math (or, their students tend to major in more vocational, direct application fields), rather than trying to cut costs.</p>
<p>Budget cuts can really do a number on an academic institution…especially one that’s part of a state university system known more among many academic achieving NY locals for its academic mediocrity and being a political football for various factions in the state government. </p>
<p>Moreover, the Albany campus is known as the top party flagship of the entire SUNY system. A reason why plenty of people I’ve known…even those who went to mainstream NY high schools who were remotely serious about their studies made it a point to transfer elsewhere.</p>
<p>Couple of points: MT actually has a surplus, and although there have been cuts, it has been fairly painless. And yes, it is heavily weighted towards application fields. It does offer engineering however.</p>
<p>ucb: I found this full math dept course listing which is rather more palatable and includes graduate courses which I assume UG can take:</p>
<p>It includes many courses that appear to only be offered every other year. I do not know why none of these appear on the first list but when I ran a search, they are real courses that students signed up for. </p>
<p>However, my original point in the other thread was that there is no Real Analysis course at the undergrad level and only 1 semester at the grad level, and that is true. Also, only 1 semester of Abstract Algebra is offered which I also think is inadequate.</p>
<p>Foreign languages would seem to be one of those mainstream areas. I believe SUNY-Albany discontinued their programs in Classics, French, Italian, and Russian. </p>
<p>Even USC, which has pretensions to be a great university, dropped its German major. At other universities, some language departments have been consolidated. So you’ll often find German and Russian joined in a single department, whereas previously they were in separate departments. Most of these seem to be cost-cutting measures, perhaps due to a limited number of students majoring in certain languages. In the Montana State example you cited, it might be that MSU simply doesn’t enroll enough students who qualify to major in math (or, their students tend to major in more vocational, direct application fields), rather than trying to cut costs.</p>
<p>Didn’t we hear that USC dropped German a few years ago?</p>
<p>I don’t think this is new, but “system schools” (like the UCs) will limit certain rather common majors to only be a certain schools - I guess to concentrate funding, research, best profs in fewer places. I was surprised to learn that one of the Cal Polys had ChemE, but the other didn’t (I think Pomona is the one that has it).</p>
<p>Linguistics is pretty hot right now, but 10-15 years ago a lot of universities dropped their departments. Also, most LACs can’t field enough linguistics faculty to support a linguistics major.</p>