PMATH 334Introduction to Rings and Fields with Applications
- Units
- 0.50
- Faculty
- Mathematics
- Subject
- Pure Mathematics
When it runs
- F24
- W25
- S25
- F25
- W26
- S26
- F26
- W27
- S27
Ran in 3 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: scheduled, 2 lecture sections. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.
Rings, ideals, factor rings, homomorphisms, finite and infinite fields, polynomials and roots, field extensions, algebraic numbers, and applications, for example, to Latin squares, finite geometries, geometrical constructions, error-correcting codes.
Prerequisites
Antirequisites
- Not completed nor concurrently enrolled in any of the following:
- PMATH348 - Fields and Galois Theory (0.50)
Leads to
Winter 2027 sections
| Section | Class | Enrolled | Meets |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEC 001 | 5906 | 0 / 55 | TTh 11:30–12:50 |
| LEC 701 | 2318 | 13 / 9999 | Online or by arrangement |
Resources
Around the web
Found by uwloo’s link finder, which checks that each page names PMATH 334.
- Course notes for PMath 334, Ring Theory. Course notes · math.uwaterloo.ca · from Laurent Marcoux’s site Remove
Reviewed on UW Flow
93% liked it50% easy82% useful
From 15 ratings and 5 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.
Quite a fun course, relatively gentle introduction to basic ring and field theory. Assignments with Prof.Marcoux can be quite challenging.
Apr 2024 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this
Loved it so much! The assignments and final were fair, but a lot of new concepts were presented at once and it can be very overwhelming. So, what I recommend is to keep on top of the material. This is because we start slow at the definition of a ring, homomorphism, integral domain, field, and so forth. Then, we learn how this applies to polynomial rings (the coefficients are part of a ring). Then, we really pick up from there. It goes 0 to 100. However, it is very doable.
Apr 2023 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this
I really enjoyed group theory, but after taking this course I realized that abstract algebra is not as interesting for me as I thought.
May 2017 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this
You'll love this course if you're in PMATH.
Nov 2013 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this
Interesting, but ring theory is kind of hard to wrap your head around.
Mar 2013 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this
Discussed on r/uwaterloo
33 posts and comments in 25 threads mention PMATH 334, September 2011 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.
Fall 2024
Winter 2025 courses, manageable? 7 points, 1 comment
u/SpiritedTie9025: “Hello guys, my current courses selection is: CO331, CO487, CS371, PMATH340, PMATH334 and CLAS104. More than one people told me CO487 is actually pretty chill, and so does CS371 and PMATH340. (if u good at math, and I think so). …”
Winter 2024
AMATH 331, AMATH 343, PMATH 334 Workload Inquiry 1 point, 0 comments
u/sharkleaf70: “I’m planning on taking these three courses alongside 2 electives in Fall 2024. I’d like to please ask for people’s opinions/experiences in these courses (: I was also curious about what the workload would look like, so I’d love input on that, too”
Fall 2023
PMATH331 / 332 / 334 1 point, 1 comment
u/whoTouchMySpaghetti: “Anyone have an idea of the difficulty level of these courses and how they compare to one another?”
Spring 2023
Should I consider additional MATH/CO/etc courses for CS? 7 points, 4 comments
“Is CO 250, or any other non-compulsory second year and up math dept. courses, useful or practical enough that should be taken for the CS field (broad ik, unsure what area to focus on in the future)? …”
u/chonglibloodsport: “If you're interested in programming language theory, functional programming, and type theory then an abstract algebra course can be useful. PMATH 334, 336, 347, 348 are all fine choices.”
Spring 2022
Any good PMATH course recs for physics? 6 points, 6 comments
“I'm a second-year Math-Phys student looking for some good PMATH courses that accommodate theoretical physics and its framework well (for a minor). …”
u/AirPodGoose: “PMATH 336/334/343/347/365/465 can be good courses, u don’t have a lot of options for pmath electives since you are in math phys (and assuming you take 5 courses per term) but a minor is doable with no problem.”
Winter 2022
Find old professor 2 points, 2 comments
u/I_S_W_G: “I took PMath 334 in Winter 2020 and need to find the email of the professor I took it with but cannot remember his name at all. …”
Is there a discord for PMATH 334 this term? 1 point, 0 comments
Spring 2021
Bird Upper Year Math Courses 0 points, 3 comments
“Anyone have any recommendations for easy upper year math courses? Trying to boost my GPA”
u/wstewartXYZ: “CO 380, PMATH 340, PMATH 370, PMATH 334”
Winter 2021
PMATH 334 Current Term 2 points, 1 comment
u/thr0wa2ay123: “This course seemed interesting and I'm planning on taking it as my first Pmath course. Does anyone know what the syllabus is like this term, whether we're allowed to work with classmates, format of exam (or assignments), and whether it's open book or not?”
u/aflockofhawks: “hi im currently in pmath 334 with prof Marcoux. He's an awesome prof. …”
Fall 2020
how difficult would this course load be? 6 points, 13 comments
u/Walkingiscold: “i'm thinking of taking the following courses next term, is it doable? co 331 pmath 334 stat 330 stat 332 stat 341”
Fall 2019
PMATH 334 + 336 vs 345 + 346 vs 347 4 points, 9 comments
u/baktix: “I have a really big love for cryptography and want to take CO 485 at some point. While looking at the prereqs, I noticed any of the above 5 courses will do. From what I've gathered, 334 and 336 are "baby" versions of the content in 347. …”
u/6_oz: “if you want to take co 485, take pmath 347, take pmath 347 or both of pmath 336 and 334. i just mean to say, dont take 336 alone. (or take 336 alone and self study rings)”
PMATH333 online? PMATH334 and PMATH347? 3 points, 11 comments
u/alt-goldgrun: “… Would it be a waste of time to take PMATH334 (intro. rings and fields) and then 347 (groups and rings) later? I read that 334 is "baby rings", 336 is "baby groups", and 347 is "groups and rings", but the course descriptions don't look that similar.. …”
u/jacer21: “PMATH 334 is basically “baby rings and fields” so it covers the last half of 347 and the first half of 348, whereas PMATH 336 covers the first half of 347. If you plan on taking 347 then taking 334/336 would probably be a waste of time.”
Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026
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