Mathematics, as Galileo said, is the language in which the universe is written. It is a subject of great beauty, utility, and scope that is not only fundamental to all other disciplines in STEM but fascinating in its own right. Exploring mathematics in its many forms within a community of like-minded peers fosters creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration, thereby equipping students with tools to succeed in a wide range of settings.
The Bachelor of Science in Pure and Applied Mathematics offers a broad background in mathematics appropriate for students planning to pursue a career in industry while providing the depth and rigor required for graduate studies in mathematics or related fields. Students majoring in Pure and Applied Mathematics may concentrate their studies in one of several areas, including pure mathematics, cryptography, computational mathematics, and data science. With a first-year math seminar, a senior research project, and a large number of elective courses in between, the program gives students ample opportunities to pursue their interests.
The undergraduate program in Pure and Applied Mathematics has the following objectives and outcomes.
Mathematics Curriculum
The undergraduate curriculum in Pure and Applied Mathematics consists of:
- 19 core courses in mathematics spanning a wide range of mathematical disciplines and culminating in a research project conducted in the senior year
- 6 elective math courses (called technical electives) that may be chosen by the student and that may include graduate courses
- 6 science courses and 1 science lab, including courses on physics, chemistry, and computer science, and including 2 science electives that may be chosen by the student
- 6 humanities courses, 4 of which are electives that may be chosen by the student
- 1 course on either macroeconomics or microeconomics
- 5 additional elective courses that may be chosen by the student to pursue other academic goals, such as a minor, double major, master's degree, or simply acquiring knowledge in particular fields of interest
See below for a sample study plan, and note that courses do not need to be taken in exactly the order shown here. Students with AP credit (for the calculus courses MA 121 and MA 122, for instance) may take more advanced courses (such as MA 125 and MA 126) in their first semester. Students should meet with an academic advisor to determine how best to meet the program requirements and how to choose electives so as to achieve their academic goals. See the notes following the sample study plan for more details on the program requirements. Math majors should submit an approved study plan in Term II.
Term I
| MA 121 | Differential Calculus | 2 |
| MA 122 | Integral Calculus | 2 |
| CH 115 | General Chemistry I | 3 |
| CS 115 | Introduction to Computer Science | 4 |
| PEP 111 | Mechanics | 3 |
| CAL 103 | Writing and Communications Colloquium | 3 |
| Science Lab | 1 |
Term II
| MA 125 | Vectors and Matrices | 2 |
| MA 126 | Multivariable Calculus I | 2 |
| MA 188 | Seminar in Mathematical Sciences | 1 |
| PEP 112 | Electricity and Magnetism | 3 |
| CAL 105 | CAL Colloquium: Knowledge, Nature, Culture | 3 |
| Science Elective | 3 |
Term III
| MA 221 | Differential Equations | 4 |
| MA 225 | Infinite Series | 2 |
| MA 226 | Multivariable Calculus II | 2 |
BT
| Economics | 3 |
| Humanities Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 |
Term IV
| MA 222 | Probability and Statistics | 3 |
| MA 231 | Nonlinear Optimization | 2 |
| MA 232 | Linear Algebra | 3 |
| MA 240 | Proofs and Refutations | 3 |
| Humanities Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 |
Term V
| MA 234 | Complex Variables with Applications | 3 |
| MA 331 | Intermediate Statistics | 3 |
| MA 441 | Introduction to Mathematical Analysis | 3 |
| Technical Elective | 3 |
| Humanities Elective | 3 |
Term VI
| MA 336 | Modern Algebra | 3 |
| MA 346 | Numerical Methods | 3 |
| Technical Elective | 3 |
| Free Technical Elective | 3 |
| Science Elective | 3 |
Term VII
| MA 410 | Differential Geometry | 3 |
| MA 498 | Senior Research Project I | 3 |
| Technical Elective | 3 |
| Free Technical Elective | 3 |
| Humanities Elective | 3 |
Term VIII
| Technical Elective | 3 |
| Technical Elective | 3 |
| Technical Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 |
Notes
Preapproved technical electives include MA 134, MA 335, MA 360, MA 361, MA 442, MA 463, MA 464, MA 499, MA 503, MA 525, MA 526, MA 544, MA 550, MA 552, MA 564, MA 565, MA 567, and MA 575. Students who wish to count a course not on this list as a technical elective should speak with an academic advisor.
To satisfy the senior research requirement, students may take MA 498, which is offered in the fall term, or MA 499, which is offered in the spring term. Students may take both and count MA 499 as a technical elective.
To satisfy the science requirements, students must take CH 115, CS 115, PEP 111, and PEP 112. They must also take one science lab, which may be CH 117, PEP 221, or BIO 282, and two additional science electives, one of which must be at the 200-level or higher. Science electives may include computer science courses.
To satisfy the humanities requirements, students must take CAL 103, CAL 105, and four additional humanities electives, one of which must be at the 300-level or higher. For more information on humanities requirements and electives, see the Humanities Requirements page maintained by the College of Arts and Letters.
To satisfy the economics requirement, students may take BT 243 or BT 244. Students who take both courses may use one in place of a 200-level humanities elective.
Free technical electives may be any 3-credit courses at the 300-level or higher. General electives may be any 3-credit courses. They may include courses used to fulfill minor, double major, or master's degree requirements, as well as language courses or courses taken while studying abroad.