Major Requirements

The Mathematics Department offers a major in mathematics leading either to the B.A. degree or the B.S. degree. Each program provides a broad education in fundamentals and problem-solving strategies. The B.A. option offers a basic major in mathematics. The B.S. option is designed for students with an additional strong interest in science or engineering.  Both options are appropriate for students who plan to pursue graduate study in the same or related fields.

The Mathematics Department offers two minors—a minor in mathematics and, jointly with the Computer Science department, a minor in data science. Data Science is an emerging field that combines computer science and statistics.  The minor in Data Science teaches programming skills, programming languages Java and R, data analytics, models and visualizations. Minors in mathematics and data science complement majors in many fields, including biology, business, chemistry, and earth and environmental science. The department also offers courses to support secondary teacher certification in cooperation with the Education Department through the MAEd. The program meets all content requirements for effective high school teaching and for licensure in Virginia. Further, the department offers coursework for students seeking certification in elementary education.

The math placement codes indicate levels of mathematics preparation for incoming students. A student’s application file, transcripts, and SAT or ACT scores form the basis for placement. The levels are coded by letters: H, A, B, C, D. Students may challenge their placements by contacting the department chair.

Mathematics majors interested in seeking Virginia licensure in mathematics 6-12 must complete a mathematics major including the following courses to gain admission to the 5th Year MAEd Program.