Math 481: Applied Partial Differential Equations (Spring 2026)

Instructor and Course Details

• Course rubric and number: MATH 480.
• Course title: Applied Partial Differential Equations.
• Credit hours: 3 undergraduate and 4 graduate.
• Instructor Name: Professor David Nicholls.
• e-mail: davidn@uic.edu.
• website: http://homepages.math.uic.edu/~nicholls/.
• Office: 1219 Science and Engineering Offices (SEO).
• Office hours: Wednesdays, 2:00pm-3:00pm, or by appointment.
• Course Modality: On-campus (ONCAM).
• Time and Place: 10:00am-10:50am MWF; Lincoln Hall 304 (Lecture).

Course Information

• Course Description and Prerequisite Statement:
  • Initial value and boundary value problems for second order linear equations.
  • Eigenfunction expansions and Sturm-Liouville theory.
  • Green's functions.
  • Fourier transform.
  • Characteristics.
  • Laplace transform.
  • Prerequisite(s): Grade of C or better in MATH 220.
• Course Goals and Learning Objectives:
  • Gather, evaluate, and interpret evidence and data from diverse sources.
  • Develop science-based technical skills.
  • Develop quantitative methods by collecting and analyzing numerical data.
  • Develop qualitative methods by collecting and analyzing non-numerical data.
  • Extract meaningful insights from data.
• Required and Recommended Course Materials: Haberman, Applied Partial Differential Equations with Fourier Series and Boundary Value Problems, 5th edition.

Course Policies and Classroom Expectations

• Course Grading
  • Homeworks: 20%
  • Quizzes: 10%
  • Midterm 1: 20%
  • Midterm 2: 20%
  • Final Exam: 30%
• Exams
  • Midterm 1: Friday, February 20 (in class)
  • Midterm 2: Friday, April 3 (in class)
  • Final Exam: Friday, May 8 10:30am-12:30pm (location TBA)
• Absence from Exams: Missing an exam is permitted only for the most compelling reasons. Except in extraordinary situations, permission should be obtained in advance from the instructor to miss an exam; otherwise you will be awarded a zero.
• Homework: There will be 6 homework sets. HOMEWORKS WILL BE PENALIZED 10% PER DAY LATE. They are due on the following Fridays (1/30, 2/13, 2/27, 3/13, 4/10, 5/1) by 2pm.
• Quizzes: There will be 11 quizzes. YOUR TOP NINE (9) QUIZ SCORES WILL BE COUNTED. They are on the following Fridays (1/23, 1/30, 2/6, 2/13, 2/27, 3/6, 3/13, 3/20, 4/10, 4/17, 4/24) in class.
• Attendance: Attendance will not be taken.

Gradelines

• The gradelines are fixed:
  • A: 85-100
  • B: 70-84
  • C: 55-69
  • D: 40-54
  • F: 0-39
• The gradelines are "curved" in the sense that they are lower than the standard 90-80-70-60 lines.

Academic Integrity

• UIC is an academic community committed to providing an environment in which research, learning, and scholarship can flourish and in which all endeavors are guided by academic and professional integrity. In this community, all members including faculty, administrators, staff, and students alike share the responsibility to uphold the highest standards of academic honesty and quality of academic work so that such a collegial and productive environment exists.
• As a student and member of the UIC community, you are expected to adhere to the Community Standards dos.uic.edu/community-standards/ of integrity, accountability, and respect in all of your academic endeavors. When accusations of academic dishonesty dos.uic.edu/community-standards/academic-integrity/ occur, the Office of the Dean of Students investigates and adjudicates suspected violations of this student code. Unacceptable behavior includes cheating, unauthorized collaboration, fabrication or falsification, plagiarism, multiple submissions without instructor permission, using unauthorized study aids, coercion regarding grading or evaluation of coursework, and facilitating academic misconduct. Please review the UIC Student Disciplinary Policy for additional information about the process by which instances of academic misconduct are handled towards the goal of developing responsible student behavior.
• By submitting your assignments for grading you acknowledge these terms, you declare that your work is solely your own, and you promise that, unless authorized by the instructor or proctor, you have not communicated with anyone in any way during an exam or other online assessment. Let's embrace what it means to be a UIC community member and together be committed to the values of integrity.
• Prohibition of AI Writing Tools. The use of AI writing tools (including, but not limited to, ChatGPT or Gemini) is NOT permitted in this course. Students who use these tools for class assignments undermine the goals and learning objectives for this course, reducing the effectiveness of instruction. The instructor may submit student writing to an AI writing detector (e.g., GPTZero) at any point throughout the term. Any confirmed use of AI writing tools will be treated as cheating. Students should reference UIC’s Student Disciplinary Policy for more information.

Accommodations

• Disability Accommodation Procedures: UIC is committed to full inclusion and participation of people with disabilities in all aspects of university life. If you face or anticipate disability-related barriers while at UIC, please connect with the Disability Resource Center (DRC) at drc.uic.edu, via email at drc@uic.edu, or call (312) 413-2183 to create a plan for reasonable accommodations. To receive accommodations, you will need to disclose the disability to the DRC, complete an interactive registration process with the DRC, and provide me with a Letter of Accommodation (LOA). Upon receipt of an LOA, I will gladly work with you and the DRC to implement approved accommodations.

Classroom Environment

• Be present by turning off cell phones and removing yourself from other distractions.
• Be respectful of the learning space and community. For example, no side conversations or unnecessary disruptions.
• Assume goodwill in all interactions, even in disagreement.
• Facilitate dialogue and value the free and safe exchange of ideas.
• Try not to make assumptions, have an open mind, seek to understand, and not judge.
• Approach discussion, challenges, and different perspectives as an opportunity to "think out loud," learn something new, and understand the concepts or experiences that guide other people’s thinking.
• Debate the concepts, not the person.
• Be gracious and open to change when your ideas, arguments, or positions do not work or are proven wrong.
• Be willing to work together and share helpful study strategies.

Course Schedule

Course Schedule (Actual)