The geometry of uniserial representations of finite dimensional algebras III: Finite uniserial type

A description is given of those sequences ${\Bbb S}= (S(0),S(1),\dots,S(l))$ of simple modules over a finite dimensional algebra for which there are only finitely many uniserial modules with consecutive composition factors $S(0),\dots,S(l)$. Necessary and sufficient conditions for an algebra to permit only a finite number of isomorphism types of uniserial modules are derived. The main tools in this investigation are the affine algebraic varieties parametrizing the uniserial modules with composition series ${\Bbb S}$.