Mathematics Major

NSM PEAK

 

For centuries, mathematics has given its students a lifetime of intellectual excitement, deep creative satisfaction, mental acuity and agility, and appreciation of an austere and elegant beauty. More than anything else, the study of mathematics enhances the student's power of thinking. Mathematics majors at The College of Idaho learn to think, both deeply and creatively, about a wide range of important and interesting topics and areas of mathematical inquiry.


Mathematics majors at The College of Idaho learn the fundamental principles of mathematical thought as they progress through the Mathematics-Physics core. They also begin to gain an understanding of the relevance and utility of mathematics to, and interconnectedness with, other disciplines of the liberal arts and the world as a whole. This program of study is completed with choices from a broad selection of proof-based courses. The curriculum reflects the intellectual sweep of undergraduate mathematics and the applied, interdisciplinary sensibilities of the Department of Mathematics and Physical Sciences and PEAK as a whole.


Since much mathematical activity resembles a kind of logical problem-solving, and since this activity is such excellent mental training, mathematics is an excellent major field of study for many exciting and interesting careers. Recent graduates have found careers in medicine, finance, software development, education, various engineering fields, and have gone on to graduate study in mathematics, physics, astronomy, computer science, and engineering, among others.

38 credits (Total does not include prerequisite courses)

Major Requirements

Complete the Mathematics-Physics Core (18 credits):

MAT-175Single Variable Calculus

4 credits

MAT-275Multivariable Calculus

4 credits

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MAT-285Introduction to Proof

1 credit

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CSC-150Computer Science I: Introduction to Computer Science and Programming

3 credits

PHY-271Analytical Physics I

3 credits

PHY-271LAnalytical Physics I Lab

1 credit

MAT-175: Depending on placement, completion of MAT-150 Applied Calculus: A Modeling Approach may be required prior to enrolling in MAT-175.

 

Complete two semesters (1 credit) of Colloquium:
 
IND-198Natural Sciences and Mathematics Colloquium

0.5 credits

Complete any two of the following advanced courses in modern axiomatic mathematics (6 credits):

MAT-431Complex Analysis

3 credits

MAT-451Real Analysis

3 credits

MAT-461Abstract Algebra

3 credits

Complete upper-division elective coursework in Mathematics (12 credits):

-MAT
Elective MAT crswrk, 300-or 400-level (excluding MAT-498)

12 credits

A maximum of 3 credits of MAT-494 and MAT-497 in any combination may be counted toward the upper-division elective requirements.

Complete the Mathematics Capstone:

MAT-490Mathematics Capstone

3 credits

Students interested in graduate study in mathematics are strongly encouraged to take the following courses:

MAT-451Real Analysis

3 credits

MAT-461Abstract Algebra

3 credits

Mathematics majors may not minor in Mathematics or major in Mathematics-Physics.

Outcomes

 

Upon successful completion of this major, students will be able to:


1) Demonstrate foundational knowledge of mathematics and mathematical thinking, including logical reasoning, abstraction, generalization, and proof;
2) Speculate and investigate: create and verify conjectures in mathematics independently;
3) Use mathematical ideas to solve problems in applied contexts, using computers when appropriate;
4) Communicate mathematical information effectively in a variety of professional contexts;
5) Recognize contemporary social and ethical issues related to mathematics; and
6) Recognize, illustrate, and explain mathematical sensibility, in both the aesthetic and practical senses.