mathematics minor

the mathematics minor is especially beneficial since all science-related disciplines rely on the fundamental language of mathematics. mathematics also provides a tool to help describe various scientific phenomena. the unique mixture of a mathematics minor and a life science education will enhance many career opportunities.

many biological and medical phenomena can be studied mathematically or have substantial quantitative components. mathematical areas such as combinatorics, graph theory, differential equations and statistics are being applied to the problem of genetic mapping. further, differential geometry and topology are currently being used to study the basic physical and chemical properties of dna. mathematical modeling of the heart enabled researchers to discover why a phenomenon called ventricular fibrillation occurs.

Coursework & Duration

the mathematics minor requires a total of 20 credits, six courses after the prerequisite course, four required and two elective.

prerequisite course:

course number	course name
ma 110 or ma 122 or ma 102	general calculus or calculus i or mathematical analysis ii

required courses:

course number	course name
ma 221 or ma 201	calculus ii or mathematical analysis iii
ma 222 or ma 202	calculus iii or mathematical analysis iv
ma 314	discrete mathematics
ma 316	linear algebra

elective courses:

course number	course name
ma 320	differential equations
ma 330	geometry
ma 340	introduction to graph theory
ma 360	topics in mathematics with applications to chemistry
ma 370	mathematical methods for the physical sciences i
ma 371	mathematical methods for the physical sciences ii
ma 410	numerical analysis
ma 422	mathematical modeling
ma 425	chaos and nonlinear dynamics
ma 430	differential geometry
ma 490	special topics or research
st 310	introduction to biostatistics
st 321	advanced topics in probability
cs 201	computer programing i
other courses as approved by the department.

Requirements & Expectations

this minor requires a total of 20 credits, six courses after the prerequisite course, four required and two elective.  a minimum of 12 credits of minor coursework must be completed in addition to any courses (required courses or program electives) included in the major curriculum.

up to 6 credits of coursework, with an earned grade of “c” or better, taken at another accredited institution, may be applied to the course requirements of the minor upon prior approval of the department chair.

you should apply to the minor program early in your academic career, usually by the fifth semester of college work, but no later than the end of the drop/add period of the first semester of your last year of didactic work.