Fall 2007 Course Syllabus
Course: 9100.001.
Course Title: Topics in Algebra: Representation Theory of Finite Groups.
Time: MW 2:40 - 4:00pm.
Place: Wachman Hall CC 527.
Instructor: Lorenz, Martin W.
Instructor Office: Wachman Hall CC 528.
Instructor Email: martin.lorenz@temple.edu
Instructor Phone: 215-204-5013.
Office Hours: MWF 10:00 - 11:00am.
Prerequisites: Math 575/576 or equivalent or permission of instructor.
Textbook: Gordon James and Martin Liebeck: Representations and Characters of Groups, 2nd Edition, Cambridge University Press, 2001.
Course Goals: This course gives an introduction to the representation theory of groups. The emphasis will be on finite groups and on representations over fields of characteristic 0.
Topics Covered: I expect to cover most of the contents of the textbook but will not force the issue. Some of the material in the book is very elementary and will be assigned as independent reading for review purposes. I will probably also occasionally give alternative presentations of some of the topics covered in the book.
Course Grading: The midterm score and the total score from all homeworks will each count for 30% of your grade. The final exam will count as 40% of your grade.
Exam Dates: There will be two exams, a Midterm on Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2:40 - 4pm, and a comprehensive Final on Monday, Dec. 10, 2 - 4 pm. Both exams will be given in Rm CC 527.
Attendance Policy: Attendance will not be monitored, but you are strongly encouraged to attend class regularly and to take complete class notes.
Any student who has a need for accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact me privately to discuss the specific situation as soon as possible. Contact Disability Resources and Services at (215) 204-1280, 100 Ritter Annex, to coordinate reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities.
Freedom to teach and freedom to learn are inseparable facets of academic freedom. The University has adopted a policy on Student and Faculty Academic Rights and Responsibilities (Policy # 03.70.02) which can be accessed here.
Students will be charged for a course unless a withdrawal form is processed by a registration office of the University by the Drop/Add deadline date given below. For this semester, the crucial dates are as follows:
During the first two weeks of the fall or spring semester or summer sessions, students may withdraw from a course with no record of the class appearing on the transcript. In weeks three through nine of the fall or spring semester, or during weeks three and four of summer sessions, the student may withdraw with the advisor's permission. The course will be recorded on the transcript with the instructor's notation of "W," indicating that the student withdrew. After week nine of the fall or spring semester, or week four of summer sessions, students may not withdraw from courses. No student may withdraw from more than five courses during the duration of his/her studies to earn a bachelor's degree. A student may not withdraw from the same course more than once. Students who miss the final exam and do not make alternative arrangements before the grades are turned in will be graded F.
The grade I (an "incomplete") is reserved for extreme circumstances. It is necessary to have completed almost all of the course with a passing average and to file an incomplete contract specifying what is left for you to do. To be eligible for an I grade you need a good reason and you should have missed not more than 25% of the first nine weeks of classes. If approved by the Mathematics Department chair and the CST Dean's office, the incomplete contract must include a default grade that will be used in case the I grade is not resolved within 12 months.