Senior Year Experience (SYE and Honors SYE)

Every student pursuing a major in Mathematics, Computer Science, or Statistics is required to complete an SYE, either within the department or without, which counts as a one semester course.  (Although it is possible to spread the project out over a full year.)  

For SYEs within the department, you have 3 choices:

• take an SYE seminar (MATH/CS/STAT 450)
• do an independent SYE project with a department faculty member (MATH/CS/STAT 489)
• do an independent HONORS* SYE project with a department faculty member (MATH/CS/STAT 498)

Be aware that there may not be an SYE seminars offered every semester and/or every year. 

If you choose to do an independent project, then early in the semester prior to starting the project, you should approach faculty members in the department to discuss project ideas you would like to pursue. Once you and a faculty member have settled on a project, the faculty member will give you permission to sign up for the appropriate course.  

Most independent project SYEs will include the following components:

• regular (weekly) meetings with your SYE advisor,
• a significant amount of independent work,
• periodic drafts submitted throughout the semester building towards a substantial written paper presenting in detail the work accomplished,
• a public oral presentation of your work, such as at the Hudson River Undergraduate Mathematics Conference (HRUMC), Q-Club,  or the Festival of Science,

Further details, requirements, and expectations for your SYE project should be discussed with your SYE advisor.

*Honors: To be eligible for an honors, students must have at least a 3.5 GPA in courses in their major and permission of their SYE advisor.  The final written version of an Honors Project, the Honors Theses, will be bound by the library with hard covers.

Check out recent Senior Year Research Projects.