2026 Spring Course Syllabus - Mathematics 2941.001

Honors Differential Equations I

3

In person

TR 3:30 - 4:50

Wachman 408

Charles Osborne

cosborne@temple.edu

Wachman 1035

TR 2:15 - 3:15, W 11:00 - 12:00, and by appointment

Our course textbook will be the 12th edition of "A First Course in Differential Equations with Modeling Applications" by Dennis G. Zill. 

Your course grade will be computed according to the following scheme:  Homework 20%, Exam 1 - 25%, Exam 2 - 25%, Final Exam - 30%.

Math 1042 with a grade of C or better or an equivalent transfer.

To help prepare students learn basic concepts, techniques, and applications of ordinary differential equations.

First order differential equations, second and higher order linear differential equations, and Laplace transforms.

Test 1 - Thursday, 19 February 

Test 2 - Thursday, 9 April

Final Exam - Tuesday, 5 May (1:00 - 3:00 pm).

 

Attendance is required. Students who miss more than 4 classes without an excuse will have their grades lowered by one notch (e.g., from B to B-). Those who miss more than 8 classes without an excuse will have their grades lowered by two notches, etc.

We will not use any technology - including calculators - for any tests or quizzes. Some HW exercises may have awkward arithmetic at the end, and using a calculator/ computer on those is fine. But you want to be in the habit of doing your HW exercises by hand. If you rely too heavily on copying from an app, you won't learn the material of the course and it will show on closed book exams. You will need a computer or other device to watch our course videos. You can do this at the TECH center if you do not have access to a personal device.

To achieve course learning goals, students must attend and participate in classes, according to the course requirements. However, if you have tested positive for or are experiencing symptoms of a contagious illness, you should not come to campus or attend in-person  classes or activities. It is the student’s responsibility to contact me to create a plan for participation and engagement in the course as soon as you are able to do so, and to make a plan to complete all assignments in a timely fashion.

It is important to foster a respectful and productive learning environment that includes all students in our diverse community of learners. Our differences, some of which are outlined in the University's nondiscrimination statement, will add richness to this learning experience. Therefore, all opinions and experiences, no matter how different or controversial they may be perceived, must be respected in the tolerant spirit of academic discourse. 

Any student who has a need for accommodations based on the impact of a documented disability or medical condition should contact Disability Resources and Services (DRS) in Howard Gittis Student Center South, Rm 420 (drs@temple.edu; 215-204-1280) to request accommodations and learn more about the resources available to you. If you have a DRS accommodation letter to share with me, or you would like to discuss your accommodations, please contact me as soon as practical. I will work with you and with DRS to coordinate reasonable accommodations for all students with documented disabilities. All discussions related to your accommodations will be confidential.

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 (opens in new tab/window).

Students will be charged for a course unless dropped by the Drop/Add deadline date. Check the University calendar (opens in new tab/window) for exact dates.

 

During the Drop/Add period, students may drop a course with no record of the class appearing on their transcript. Students are not financially responsible for any courses dropped during this period. In the following weeks prior to or on the withdrawal date students may withdraw from a course with the grade of "W" appearing on their transcript. After the withdrawal date students may not withdraw from courses. Check the University Calendar (opens in new tab/window) for exact dates. See the full policy by clicking here (opens in new tab/window).

The use of generative AI tools (such as ChatGPT, DALL-E, etc.) is not permitted in this class unless specifically announced for a particular assignment; therefore, any use of AI tools for work in this class may be considered a violation of Temple University's Academic Honesty policy and Student Conduct Code, since the work is not your own. The use of unauthorized AI tools will result in a grade of zero on the assignment; a second offense will be reported to the Student Conduct Board.

The grade "I" (an "incomplete") is only given if students cannot complete the course work due to circumstances beyond their control. It is necessary for the student to have completed the majority of the course work with a passing average and to sign an incomplete contract which clearly states what is left for the student to do and the deadline by which the work must be completed. The incomplete contract must also include a default grade that will be used in case the "I" grade is not resolved by the agreed deadline. See the full policy by clicking here (opens in new tab/window).

The following academic support services are available to students (all links open in a new tab/window): 
    The Math Consulting Center 
    Student Success Center 
    University Libraries 
    Undergraduate Research Support 
    Career Center 
    Tuttleman Counseling Services 
    Disability Resources and Services 
If you are experiencing food insecurity or financial struggles, Temple provides resources and support. Notably, the Temple University Cherry Pantry and the Temple University Emergency Student Aid Program are in operation as well as a variety of resources from the Division of Student Affairs.

Final Exam - Thursday December 11, (1:00-3:00 pm). Important: please note that if you miss the final exam and do not make alternative arrangements before the grades are turned in, your grade for the course will be F.

There will be no regularly scheduled make up exams. In the case of a DOCUMENTED EMERGENCY that prevents a student from taking a test as scheduled, the student must contact their instructor and the course coordinator immediately in order to discuss alternative arrangements.

0-54 F, 55-64 D, 65-69 D+, 70-72 C-, 73-76 C, 77-79 C+, 80-82 B-, 83-86 B, 87-89 B+, 90-92 A-, 93-100 A.