Department of Mathematics

Overview of Undergraduate Degrees Related to Mathematics

In the 21st century economy, students in mathematics may be studying cryptography and coding theory, cellular automata for modeling in the life sciences, graphs and networks with applications to computing, or the mathematics of finance, to name only a few of the possible applications. In traditional areas such as teaching, there is projected to be a great demand for secondary teachers of Mathematics in the United States over the next decade.

Iowa State University offers a variety of undergraduate degrees related to mathematics. Consider the options, and discuss them with your advisor, to find the programof study that is right for you. A summary is offered at the bottom.

Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts and Sciences, Major in Mathematics

This is the traditional degree program which offers training suitable for students planning to work in mathematics and computation for industry or government, or to continue their studies in graduate school.

Majors normally spend the first two years obtaining a grounding in calculus and differential equations. At the junior and senior levels the department offers more than 25 undergraduate courses, including an introduction to combinatorics, abstract algebra, partial differential equations, complex variables, and mathematics of fractals. In addition, there are other courses at the graduate level which are open to qualified undergraduates.

Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts and Sciences, Major in Mathematics plus Application Area

This degree option is designed for students who want a degree in mathematics with a clear specialization in some area of application. Certain courses in the area of application are counted towards the mathematics major. This also facilitates double majors or major/minor combinations.

The major in mathematics + application area is not recommended for students who plan to continue with graduate school in mathematics. It can be very appropriate for students who plan to pursue a graduate degree in the application area.

In consultation with a mathematics faculty advisor, the student prepares a program of studies tailor-made to his/her future plans or career needs. A number of templates have already been designed and pre-approved (details). Deviations from the templates or alternate programs of study may be proposed, and must be approved by the Mathematics Department Undergraduate Committee

Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts and Sciences, Major in Mathematics with Secondary Teaching Certification

This degree will prepare you for teaching mathematics at the middle and high school level. The Mathematics Department and the Curriculum & Instruction Department share responsibility for this program.

Actuarial Science

There is no degree in actuarial science at ISU. Even if there was, it would not make you an actuary. You become an actuary by passing the actuarial exams administered by professional organizations. The typical career path begins with a college degree, often in mathematics or business, followed by the first actuary exam. The employer will typically pay for on-the-job training and further exams. For more details, see http://www.beanactuary.org/.

Math + Actuarial Science is one of the options in the Mathematics plus Application Area program of study, where the application electives and further recommended courses have been selected to help you prepare for the actuarial exams.

Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts and Sciences, Major in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology

Bioinformatics and Computational Biology (BCBio) is an interdisciplinary science at the interface of the biological, informational and computational sciences. The program includes required courses from many different disciplines. Undergraduate study in the BCBio major is jointly administered by the Department of Computer Science, the Department of Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology, and the Department of Mathematics.

Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts and Sciences, Major in Financial Statistics and Mathematics

This degree program is still in the planning stages.

Minor in Mathematics

A minor in Mathematics requires the following seven mathematics courses:

• Math 165, 166, 265 - Calculus I, II, III
• Math 266 or 267 - Elementary Differential Equations (and Laplace Transforms)
• Math 201 - Intro to Proofs
• Math 301 - Abstract Algebra I
• Math 307 or 317 - Matrices and Linear Algebra or Theory of Linear Algebra

Summary

The programs of study listed above can be grouped into three categories:

Light Mathematics Course Load

A minor in mathematics requires 7 math courses.

Standard Course Load

A major in mathematics requires 14 math courses, plus general requirements. A major in mathematics + application area requires between 9 and 11 math courses, plus 3 to 5 courses in the application area, for a total of 14 courses (plus general requirements). These two programs of study require the same amount of overall credit hours and effort.

Higher Course Load

The degree in math with secondary teaching certification is essentially a double major. It requires a full math major (with minor variations), plus additional courses in curriculum and instruction.

The degree in bioinformatics and computational biology and the planned degree in financial statistics and mathematics both require more courses than most other majors (26 and 24 courses, respectively, in several departments, plus general requirements).