2025-2027 Undergraduate Catalog
Mathematics Department
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The B.S. in Mathematics program is structured to expose students to a wide variety of mathematical subdisciplines and to guide them on careers in the mathematical sciences.
Concentrations
Optionally, a math major may choose to pursue one of two concentrations:
- Secondary education certification
- Dual certification in mathematics and special education
Students completing a concentration will be certified to teach mathematics (or mathematics and special education) at the secondary level. More details on these concentrations are given below.
Mathematics Career Opportunities
Careers in the mathematical sciences, such as actuary, mathematician, statistician, data scientist, or operations researcher are consistently rated among the best in terms of income, job security, and work environment. A spectrum of career opportunities exists in private industry, business, government, science, and education.
Key Features of the Mathematics B.S. program
- In their first year, all incoming students complete a 1-credit course, MATH 185 First Year Seminar in Mathematics. In this course, students engage with faculty and current students, familiarize themselves with the mathematical community, and learn more about career opportunities for mathematicians and statisticians.
- All mathematics majors are advised by professors in the mathematics department, and students pursuing secondary teaching certification have an additional advisor with expertise in mathematics education and Pennsylvania certification processes and policies.
- Neither concentration requires courses that must be taken in the first year; students may elect to pursue a concentration starting in their sophomore year.
- Students are required to complete advanced coursework in a discipline to which mathematics or statistics is applied. Common minors among our students include business, computer science, physics, engineering, and economics.
- The latest technology is brought into the classroom to teach mathematics in a modern fashion.
- Students interested in a career as an actuary typically complete a B.S. in Mathematics with the statistics concentration along with a Business minor. Through coursework in these programs, students are able to prepare for the Financial Mathematics (FM) and Probability (P) exams required by the Society of Actuaries (SOA), as well as complete the SOA’s Validation by Educational Experience (VEE) requirements.
Mathematics B.S. Degree Requirements
Every math major must take ten “core courses”:
- MATH 185 First Year Math Seminar
- MATH 211 Calculus I
- MATH 212 Calculus II
- MATH 213 Calculus III
- MATH 217 Statistics I
- MATH 225 Discrete Mathematics
- MATH 318 Elementary Linear Algebra
- MATH 320 Introduction to Abstract Algebra
- Either MATH 430 Complex Analysis or MATH 441 Real Analysis
- Either CMSC 104 Programming in Python, or CMSC 110 Computer Science I, or ENGR 120 Programming for Engineers
Beyond the ten core courses, a student must either (1) complete a concentration, or else (2) complete five math electives and three allied electives.
- Math electives. Students complete at least five MATH courses at the 300 level or above, of which at least two are at the 400 level. Refer to the mathematics Course Descriptions in the catalog for courses that may be taken as math electives. The department maintains a course rotation showing the semesters in which these courses run.
- Allied electives. These are courses numbered 300 or above from ACCT, BIOL, CHEM, CMSC, CMEN, ECON, ESSC, FINA, MATH, ITAN, PHYS, SCMG, or SWEN. Also, MATH 219 Data Science I counts as an allied elective. Students must take three allied electives, of which at most two may be MATH courses.
- The allied electives requirement will be waived for students completing a minor or a second major.
Course Sequencing - No Concentration
By the end of sophomore year
- MATH 185 First Year Mathematics Seminar (spring of freshman year)
- MATH 211 Calculus I
- MATH 212 Calculus II
- MATH 213 Calculus III
- MATH 217 Statistics I
- MATH 225 Discrete Mathematics
- CMSC 104 Programming in Python (or other programming course)
- Have a plan for Allied Electives or a minor
By the end of junior year
- MATH 318 Elementary Linear Algebra
- MATH 320 Introduction to Abstract Algebra
- Two or three Math Electives
- One or two Allied Electives, or make progress toward a minor
By the end of senior year
- MATH 430 Complex Analysis or MATH 441 Real Analysis
- Complete the Math Electives
- Complete the Allied Electives or minor
Course Sequencing - Secondary Education Concentration
By the end of sophomore year
- MATH 185 First Year Mathematics Seminar (spring of freshman year)
- MATH 211 Calculus I
- MATH 212 Calculus II
- MATH 213 Calculus III
- MATH 217 Statistics I
- MATH 225 Discrete Mathematics
- MATH 318 Elementary Linear Algebra
- CMSC 104 Programming in Python (or CMSC 110)
- TEED 207 Organizational and Psychological Foundations in Secondary Education
- SPEE 273 Introduction to Exceptionalities: Understanding Diverse Learners
- READ 413 Teaching Reading to English Language Learners
By the end of junior year
- MATH 320 Introduction to Abstract Algebra
- MATH 326 Mathematical Modeling
- MATH 333 Geometry or MATH 400 History of Mathematics
- MATH 400-level elective
- SPEE 423 Effective Instructional Strategies for Students with Exceptionalities
- EDFN 434 Teaching of Mathematics in the Secondary Schools I (spring of junior year)
By the end of senior year
- MATH 400 History of Mathematics or MATH 333 Geometry
- MATH 441 Real Analysis or MATH 430 Complex Analysis
- EDFN 435 Teaching of Mathematics in the Secondary Schools II (fall of senior year)
- SPEE 483 Assessing Children with Exceptionalities for Curricular Decision-Making
- EDFN 495 Student Teaching (spring of senior year)
Concentration: Secondary Certification in Math
The secondary certification concentration is designed to give the student a broad knowledge of mathematics with a special focus on teaching in the high-school classroom. Students take a significant number of upper-level math courses and courses from the College of Education and Human Services. Students in this program also complete a full-semester student-teaching experience, receiving their state teaching certification upon graduation.
As students prepare to become a teacher, they will participate in hands-on learning experiences such as:
- Observation of classes in elementary, middle school, and high school settings
- Opportunities to provide one-on-one tutoring to develop math and communication skills
- Observations of physically challenged and exceptional learners
- Student teaching placements for field experience in a future profession
Mathematics Education 7-12 students seeking Pennsylvania certification should see requirements outlined in the College of Education and Human Services.
Concentration: Dual Certification in Math and Special Education
Students completing this dual certification program will be qualified to teach in both mathematics classrooms (grades 7-12) and special education classrooms (pre-K-12), thereby broadening their job prospects. As a math classroom teacher, a graduate will have the training necessary for effectively managing classes in which a high number of students have Individual Education Plans (IEPs).
Data Science Minor
Every academic discipline and sector of the economy has access to more data today than at any point in our history, and those individuals with appropriate quantitative skills can make unique contributions to any endeavor in research, business, or industry. Data science is an applied field that involves the analysis and synthesis of large, messy, quickly changing data sets to identify trends and create actionable plans in real-world contexts.
The Shippensburg University Data Science minor prepares students for every phase of the data science pipeline: forming mathematical models, collecting and cleaning data, exploring data with visualizations, identifying appropriate statistical techniques, and communicating results. Course requirements strike a balance between statistics, computer programming, and specialized data science training. Students will complete a data science capstone research project in their major. In this way, the Data Science minor is an excellent complement to any major on campus.
Mathematics Minor
Students in many disciplines can supplement their existing mathematics requirements with additional coursework recommended by Shippensburg University faculty to achieve a higher level of quantitative expertise in their major area. The most common majors to add a minor in mathematics are computer science, engineering, physics, chemistry, and economics. The minor can be earned by completing six MATH courses consisting of 18 or more credits at the 200 level or higher; two of these courses must be at the 300 level or higher.
Certificates
Certificates are like concentrations, but they are open to students in any major. There are three certificates that Mathematics majors may find appealing.
- Applied Math Certificate. The Applied Mathematics Certificate is designed to give the student a firm grasp on the application of mathematics to other disciplines. The most typical applications include computer science, statistics, actuarial science, and physical and biological sciences.
- Statistics Certificate. This certificate gives the student working knowledge in the field of statistics.
- Actuarial Science Certificate. Actuaries are professionals working in the business world. They use various problem-solving skills to assess risk, including mathematical and statistical techniques, thereby helping their company to make informed and profitable decisions. This certificate allows students to complete a curriculum that meets the Society of Actuaries (SOA) Universities & Colleges with Actuarial Programs (UCAP) guidelines and the Introductory Curriculum (UCAP-IC) level.
ProgramsMajorMinorCertificateCoursesMathematics
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