Nov 21, 2024  
2024-2025 Catalog 
    
2024-2025 Catalog

Mathematics


The course of study for a mathematics degree has five components: The Major Core, Computational Mathematics, Clinic or Thesis, Mathematics Forum and Mathematics Colloquium, and the Elective Program. Each of these components to the major program is described below.

The Major Core


A set of core courses is required of each mathematics major:

Computational Mathematics


One course in computational mathematics is required of all mathematics majors, selected from the following list:

Clinic or Thesis


Two semesters of Mathematics Clinic or two semesters of Senior Thesis are required and taken in the senior year:

  • (taken twice)
  •  

    or

     

  • (taken twice)
  •  

    Clinic and thesis are important capstone experiences for each mathematics major: they represent sustained efforts to engage with a  complex problem from industry or mathematical research. Clinic teams are formed in the fall according to the requirements of the projects and student preferences. Students who do Clinic must work on the same Clinic project both semesters.

Mathematics Forum and Mathematics Colloquium


All mathematics majors must take:

The Elective Program


To complete the degree, three elective mathematics courses totaling at least seven credits are required. All electives must be numbered over 100 (some off-campus math courses numbered in the 100s that replicate HMC Core course content may not be counted toward the elective requirement). 

The elective program will be designed by the student in consultation with their advisor. Courses outside of mathematics may be counted toward the elective program if approved by petition to the department. Courses that are cross-listed between computer science and mathematics, such as Complexity Theory, which appears as both  and , can be taken under either course number.

To assist students in designing their elective program, the department has prepared a variety of sample programs. These sample programs list courses that support a wide range of career goals in academics, business, or industry. About half of our graduates immediately join the workforce and about half enter graduate school. Several sample elective programs are listed below. In each of these samples, the first two courses are strongly recommended; at least one additional course is to be selected in order to complete the elective program. We emphasize that sample elective programs are advisory. Students may follow a sample program or design one of their own.