Mon, Tue, Wed 1400-1700, in my office, or by appointment. Before the midterms and the final exam, additional office hours will be announced.
Emanuel Parzen Stochastic Processes (2015). You might also find useful my Lecture Notes (sections 11-20)
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
Discrete and continuous time stochastic processes with applications to actuarial and financial mathematics. Topics include: discrete-time Markov chains, random walk, branching processes, Poisson process, birth-and-death processes, renewal processes, continuous-time Markov chains, Brownian motion and stochastic calculus.
There are 10 homework assignments due on Wednesdays 2300. Submission is online, via Web Campus. You can scan or take a photo of your work and upload it on Web Campus. Alternatively, you can type it in Word or LaTeX. This homework will be posted to Web Campus at least a week in advance, and graded by a homework grader inside Web Campus.
There are 3 midterms, each on Friday lecture:
If you are not satisfied with your overall grade, you can take a final exam (2 hours): Friday, December 13, 0950-1150.
You can have a standard note sheet: 8.5x11 inches, handwritten, two-sided. You do not need to submit it after the exam. Calculators are allowed. There are 5 problems for midterms and 10 problems for the final. These problems will be similar to homework assignments and quizzes. Before each midterm and the final, practice exams and additional office hours will be available.
You are allowed to drop the lowest homework. Each homework is worth 3%, each midterm is 16%, and the final exam is worth 25%. Combined, they give you your total score.
This class is not a competitive environment. I wish every one of you succeeds. Therefore, your grade depends on your own total score, calculated as above. As an example, getting your total score above 90% guarantees you an A, regardless of what the rest of the class did. Relative comparison of students (``the curve'') will be used to push grades up, not down.
For religious holidays, exceptional family events, participation in University-sponsored activities, scientific conferences, athletic, or other similar events, arrangements must be made at least 3 days in advance. You will be required to provide documentation for your absence. Then we can arrange for the make-up exam or homework deadline extension.
If you are applying to Master, PhD, or other graduate programs, and if you got an A or A- in this class, I can write you a recommendation letter. I can also proofread your statement and CV. Please send me your photo, CV, statement, and a list of schools your are applying to, together with exact names of programs, and application deadlines. If you wish to get recommendation letter for a non-academic job, it is enough to get a C or above.
Please do not hesitate to speak with the professor directly. If this did not resolve the issue, please speak to the Department Chair Tin Yau Tam or Undergraduate Advisors.
Your student fees cover usage of the University Math Center (775) 784-4433, University Tutoring Center (775) 784-6801, University Writing Center (775) 784-6030. These centers support your classroom learning; it is your responsibility to take advantage of their services. Keep in mind that seeking help outside of class is the sign of a responsible and successful student.
The University Academic Standards Policy defines academic dishonesty, and mandates specific sanctions for violations. See the University Academic Standards Policy University Academic Standards Policy 6502.
Any student with a disability needing academic adjustments or accommodations is requested to speak with Disability Resource Center (Pennington Student Achievement Center, Suite 230) as soon as possible to arrange for appropriate accommodations. This course may leverage 3rd party web/multimedia content. If you experience issues accessing this content, please notify me.
Surreptitious or covert video-taping of class or unauthorized audio recording of class is prohibited by law and by Board of Regents policy. This class may be videotaped or audio recorded only with the written permission of the instructor. In order to accommodate students with disabilities, some students may be given permission to record class lectures and discussions. Therefore, students should understand that their comments during class may be recorded.
The University of Nevada, Reno is committed to providing a safe learning and work environment for all. If you believe you have experienced discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual assault, domestic/dating violence, or stalking, whether on or off campus, or need information related to immigration concerns, please contact the University's Equal Opportunity & Title IX office at (775) 784-1547. Resources and interim measures are available to assist you. For more information, please visit: Equal Opportunity and Title IX