Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics

Focusing on pattern, quantity, space, and change, the mathematics major will help students develop habits of mind that enable them to look at real-world problems with a critical and analytical eye, and to take appropriate action.

Develop Career Solutions with Mathematics Concepts

Mathematics is a discipline of interconnected concepts that focus on pattern, quantity, space, and change. Through mathematics, we can better understand, represent, and solve problems in our world. A primary goal of the mathematics major is to help students develop habits of mind that enable them to look at real-world problems with a critical and analytical eye, and to take appropriate action. Students in the major will encounter the challenging, creative, and empowering ideas of mathematics that make this discipline an exceptional achievement of the human mind. Students completing the Mathematics major can go on to graduate school, seek professional employment in the field, or teach Mathematics in a variety of settings (See Education Majors).

Mathematics Major Applications

This major is directly linked to the mission of the University as it provides a powerful set of tools that enables students to participate more fully as citizens and in the role of social activists. The program is designed with the following principles:

Mathematics is relevant. Full participation in today's complex world requires deep understanding of mathematics. Courses focus on describing, modeling, and analyzing real-life situations.
Mathematics is meaningful. Students are expected to construct mathematical meaning and to communicate their ideas effectively in several representational forms: numerical, graphical, analytical, verbal.
Mathematics is a laboratory discipline in that it emphasizes students' collaborative involvement in mathematical investigations.
Mathematics increases students' career options. Greater participation in mathematical careers is a critical goal of the program. All students in the major complete related field experiences or internships.
Mathematics evolves with technological advances. Teaching and learning mathematics is optimized in a technology-rich environment.

Featured Courses

CMATH 2148 Concepts and Applications of Calculus I

Calculus is the mathematical study of change. It provides a tool for exploration of a broad range of phenomena across the physical, biological, and social sciences. This course introduces concepts of limit, continuity, derivative, and the definite integral and draws connections between the graphical ideas of tangents and area and the functional ideas of instantaneous rate of change and net change. This course requires a facility with algebra and functions, including exponential functions, logarithms, trigonometric functions, linear functions, and logarithms.

CMATH 3522 Inferential Statistics

Statistical inference draws conclusions from data. The emphasis of this course is on the reasoning of inference — the what and how of making judgments about data. Topics include significance tests involving means and proportions, linear and multiple regression, and one- and two-way analysis of variance. A research project making use of inferential statistics is required.