Math

Majoring & Minoring

The department offers the following three majors leading to either the BA or BS degree: Mathematics, Computer Science and Computational Mathematics. Each student’s major program must be determined in consultation with the student’s academic advisor; the program should reflect the student’s personal needs and goals. In particular, students intending to study mathematics or computer science at the graduate level are encouraged to take additional upper-level electives beyond those satisfying the minimum requirements for the major. The Computational Mathematics major is designed to provide students with a foundational mastery of the interdependent disciplines of Mathematics and Computer Science. The curriculum is a blend of core courses intended to provide a broad knowledge base while maintaining depth in both subject areas. The department also offers a minor in Mathematics and in Computer Science.

All majors in the department are required to successfully complete the designated senior seminar in their respective majors or to carry out a department-approved senior project to satisfy the capstone experience requirement. All majors must successfully pass the Major Field Test in Mathematics or Computer Science.

Notes: A minimum grade of C- must be earned in any course if it is to count as a prerequisite for a subsequent Mathematics or Computer Science course. Computer Science 54-184, 54-284, and 54-454 cannot be taken out of sequence without departmental approval. Any three-credit or four-credit course at the 300 level or above will serve as an approved course unless the department explicitly indicates otherwise. Majors are recommended to start taking approved upper-level courses no later than their junior year. Credit for Honors (Mathematics 52-984 or Computer Science 54-984) will be counted, at most, once as an approved upper-level elective.

Major in Mathematics (BA): Ten courses

  • MAT52-164 Modern Calculus I
  • MAT52-264 Modern Calculus II
  • MAT52-364 Modern Calculus III
  • MAT52-674 Linear Algebra
  • MAT52-684 Algebraic Structures
  • MAT52-854 Real Analysis
  • MAT52-894 Senior Seminar in Mathematical Modeling (Capstone, to be taken in the Fall of senior year)
  • Three additional approved upper-level courses, in Mathematics or PHY53-454 Math Methods in Physical Science

Required supporting course in the Mathematics major (BA): One course

  • CSC54-184, normally to be completed no later than the sophomore year

Major in Mathematics (BS): Eleven courses

  • MAT52-164 Modern Calculus I
  • MAT52-264 Modern Calculus II
  • MAT52-364 Modern Calculus III
  • MAT52-574 Probability and Mathematical Statistics
  • MAT52-674 Linear Algebra
  • MAT52-684 Algebraic Structures
  • MAT52-754 Differential Equations
  • MAT52-854 Real Analysis
  • MAT52-894 Senior Seminar in Mathematical Modeling (Capstone, to be taken in the Fall of senior year)
  • Two additional approved upper-level courses, in Mathematics or PHY53-454 Math Methods in Physical Science

Required supporting courses in the Mathematics major (BS):  Five courses

  • CSC54-184 Computer Science I, normally to be completed no later than the sophomore year
  • BIO50-123/121 Living Systems or BIO50-133/131 Molecular and Population Genetics/Lab
  • CHE51-103/101 General Chemistry I/Chemical Methods and Techniques Laboratory I
  • PHY53-154 Fundamentals of Physics I
  • One course from:

BIO50-133/131 and BIO50-123/121 (counts as one course here since one is required above)

CHE51-203/201 General Chemistry II/Chemical Methods and Techniques Laboratory II

CSC54-284 Computer Science II

PHY53-164 Fundamentals of Physics II

PHY53-404 Electronics

Minor in Mathematics: Six courses

  • MAT52-164 Modern Calculus I
  • MAT52-264 Modern Calculus II
  • MAT52-674 Linear Algebra
  • Three additional approved upper-level courses, in Mathematics or PHY53-454 Math Methods in Physical Science

Major in Computational Mathematics (BA): 14 courses

  • CSC54-184 Computer Science I
  • CSC54-284 Computer Science II
  • CSC54-384 Discrete Mathematics
  • CSC54-394 Computer Organization
  • CSC54-454 Algorithms
  • MAT52-164 Modern Calculus I
  • MAT52-264 Modern Calculus II
  • MAT52-364 Modern Calculus III
  • MAT52-674 Linear Algebra
  • MAT52-754 Differential Equations
  • Two courses from:
    • CSC54-414 Operations Research
    • CSC54-514 Database Management
    • MAT52-524 Introduction to Numerical Analysis
    • MAT52-574 Probability and Mathematical Statistics
  • One additional approved upper-level course, in Mathematics or Computer Science or PHY53-454 Math Methods in Physical Science
  • MAT52-894 Senior Seminar in Mathematics (Capstone, to be taken in the fall of the senior year) or CSC54-894 Senior Seminar in Software Engineering (Capstone, to be taken in the spring of the senior year)

Major in Computational Mathematics (BS): 15 courses

  • CSC54-184 Computer Science I
  • CSC54-284 Computer Science II
  • CSC54-384 Discrete Mathematics
  • CSC54-394 Computer Organization
  • CSC54-454 Algorithms
  • MAT52-164 Modern Calculus I
  • MAT52-264 Modern Calculus II
  • MAT52-364 Modern Calculus III
  • MAT52-674 Linear Algebra
  • MAT52-754 Differential Equations
  • Two courses from:
    • CSC54-414 Operations Research
    • CSC54-514 Database Management
    • MAT52-524 Introduction to Numerical Analysis
    • MAT52-574 Probability and Mathematical Statistics
  • Two additional approved upper-level courses, in Mathematics or Computer Science or PHY53-454 Math Methods in Physical Science
  • MAT52-894 Senior Seminar in Mathematics (Capstone, to be taken in the fall of the senior year) or CSC54-894 Senior Seminar in Software Engineering (Capstone, to be taken in the spring of the senior year)

Required supporting courses in the Computational Mathematics major (BS): 4 courses

  • BIO50-173/171 Molecular and Cellular Foundations of Biology/lab, or
    BIO50-183/181 Evolutionary and Ecological Foundations of Biology/lab
  • CHE51-103/101 General Chemistry I/Chemical Methods and Techniques Laboratory I
  • PHY53-154 Fundamentals of Physics I
  • One course from:
    • BIO50-183/181 Evolutionary and Ecological Foundations of Biology/lab, and BIO50-173/171 Molecular and Cellular Foundations of Biology/lab (counts as one course here since one is required above)
    • CHE51-203/201 General Chemistry II/Chemical Methods and Techniques Laboratory II
    • PHY53-164 Fundamentals of Physics II
    • PHY53-404 Electronics

See the Education Department for information regarding teacher certification in Mathematics and Computer Science.

Computer Science
See Computer Science for more information regarding a Computer Science major. 

Data Science

See Data Science for information regarding the 18 credits required for a Data Science minor

Education

See the Education Department for information regarding the 24 credits required for secondary or all-level certification in mathematics or computer science.

Engineering

See the Dual Degree, Applied Physics regarding the 16 mathematics credits required for engineering.