Majors & Minors

Math

From creating a mathematical model of the optimal free throw in basketball to effectively timing cancer treatments, you’ll learn to creatively apply theory across the curriculum.

Contact

Barbara Anthony

Barbara Anthony

Professor of Computer Science & Chair

Location

Fondren-Jones 309
Barbara Anthony

Barbara Anthony

Professor of Computer Science & Chair

Fulfilling Southwestern’s commitment to interdisciplinary learning, the Math Department empowers you to discover new ways of seeing and engaging with the world around you, from predicting national healthcare expenditures and determining the best position for viewing a painting to analyzing traffic accidents and visitations to a national park. With the guidance of faculty mentors and the ability to complement your studies with interdisciplinary minors such as data science and design thinking, you will have the flexibility to tailor your elective courses to suit your career goals.

As a math major or minor at Southwestern, you will be empowered to make a positive difference in the world. You will hone your critical and creative thinking through such courses as Graph Theory and Real Analysis. And you will have multiple opportunities to combine your interests in math with your passion for the arts or community service. Our recent students have

  • Used hyperbolic geometry to crochet models of Texas coral reefs
  • Analyzed the structure of the Choose Your Own Adventure series using graph theory
  • Composed a musical performance modeling how the HIV virus proliferates through the body

Collaborating one on one with our award-winning faculty on innovative research is just one advantage of the SU experience. As mentors and advisors, our professors will also encourage your engagement with the broader mathematics community: many of our current students and alumni have showcased peer-reviewed presentations and posters at regional, national, and international conferences; earned awards; and coauthored journal publications. You will also get to participate in exciting national competitions, such as the Mathematical Association of America’s Putnam Competition, the Consortium for Mathematics and Its Applications (COMAP) Mathematical Contest in Modeling, and the Binance Dexathon. Our alumni have gone on to premier graduate programs as well as fulfilling careers in a range of fields, from finance and programming to education and data analysis.



AFTER SOUTHWESTERN

Featured Alumni Stories

Mike May ’20

With Energy to Spare

Recent physics graduate Mike May ’20 demonstrates how taking risks by learning outside your major is crucial to becoming a leader in innovation.

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Ben and Michael Patterson ’17

“The Best of Both Worlds”

For student–athletes Ben Patterson ’17 and Michael Patterson ’17, the Southwestern Experience included a foray into entrepreneurship.

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EXPLORE SOUTHWESTERN

Math News

CS Capstone students at CCSC 2026.

CS Capstone students help the SU community through projects

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Southwestern University to Introduce Certificate in Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and 3D Printing

With computer-aided design and 3D printing skills increasingly in demand across a variety of industries, Southwestern University students will soon have another avenue to sharpen their technical knowledge.

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Alison Marr

Inspiring the Next Generation of Women Mathematicians this Women’s History Month

Garey Chair and Professor of Mathematics Alison Marr uses her own experiences as a female mathematician to inspire the next generation of learners while also playing a pivotal role in enhancing the Southwestern community.

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