Mathematics (BA, BS and Minor) | St. Edwards University in Austin, TX

Pursue Your Passion for Problem-Solving

As a Mathematics major, you’ll be part of a community of students and professors who value creativity and the courage to tackle difficult, unsolved problems.

Deepen your understanding of calculus, modern algebra, physics and statistics, and build your programming and computational skills in applied computer science courses. You’ll leave St. Edward’s ready to continue your education in graduate school or immediately begin your career in engineering, statistics, finance, cryptography, aeronautics, scientific research or business.

Why earn your Mathematics degree at St. Edward’s?

Whatever field you choose to enter as a math major — from urban development to market research to computer technology to accounting to teaching — one thing is certain: The advantages of your St. Edward’s education will prepare you to succeed. You’ll find opportunities in and outside the classroom to learn, give back and achieve your goals. And your mentors will support you every step of the way.

Build relationships with your professors

You’ll learn in small classes taught by award-winning professors who make a point of getting to know you and becoming your trusted advisors. They’ll help you identify and focus on your goals, and provide guidance and insight during your college years and after you graduate.

Conduct innovative research

You’ll engage in faculty-mentored research using the university’s state-of-the-art computer infrastructure, software and data storage, or in full-time, fully funded summer research programs at St. Edward’s or other major universities. And you’ll be encouraged to present your work at conferences and for publication.

Gain knowledge as a teaching assistant

You’ll have the chance to serve as a teaching assistant for introductory classes and lead study sessions, or be a tutor in the Math Club. You’ll enhance your leadership, communication and people skills — all while helping fellow students learn the material.

Get involved in the professional math community

The Mathematics Association of America student chapter on campus opens doors to internships, research opportunities, social events, math conferences and career paths in mathematics. You’ll connect with people who love math as much as you do.

Reap the Rewards of Austin

Austin is a fast-growing technology hub and vibrant center of research and innovation. As a Mathematics major, you can network at international math conferences held in the city each semester, and explore career options and internships within the greater Austin community.

What do our graduates do?

Mathematics majors go on to a variety of careers and graduate schools from St. Edward’s. Here's a sample of career options:

Data analyst for Apple
Procurement analyst for SpaceX
Data analyst for the National Security Agency
Mechanical designer at Fugro Oil & Energy Company
Full stack developer at T3
Graduate research fellow at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
PhD candidates in Mathematics at The University of Texas at Austin, Human & Statistical Genetics at Washington University, and Physics at Vanderbilt University and Case Western Reserve University
Master’s students in mathematics at Emory University, the ESTEEM Graduate Program for entrepreneurship at the University of Notre Dame, mechanical engineering at Purdue University and University of Texas, statistics and data science at the University of Houston, and education and school leadership at Harvard University.

Explore Details About a Degree in Mathematics

Students pursuing a degree in Mathematics have two options to choose from. This helpful course map shows the sequence of prerequisites in the department.

1. Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics

This program provides a comprehensive exploration of mathematics that prepares students for advanced programs or professional careers. This option offers more latitude in the choice of general electives and is appropriate for students seeking a double major or minor.

Major Requirements: The BA in Mathematics requires 56–59 hours of Mathematics major courses, including supporting courses in subjects such as Computer Science or Physics.

General Education Requirements: In addition to the major program requirements, all students must satisfy the general education requirements. Talk with your success coach and faculty advisor about which courses are right for you.

View and download the full degree plan for the BA in Mathematics major (PDF).

2. Bachelor of Science in Mathematics

This program includes the same coursework as the Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics but with two additional semesters of laboratory science. This option explores calculus, modern algebra and other advanced topics in their purest form. Additionally, students learn to design and interpret prediction models for diverse industries, such as aeronautics, urban development and green energy.

Major Requirements: The BS in Mathematics requires 67–70 hours of Mathematics major courses, including supporting courses in subjects such as Computer Science, Physics and Biology.

View and download the full degree plan for the BS in Mathematics major (PDF).

Questions about placement into Mathematics courses? Refer to our placement guide for more information.

The Department of Mathematics also offers a dual degree option in Mathematics and Engineering.

What You Will Learn and Skills You Will Gain

Our Mathematics degree ensures that you’ll graduate with a strong résumé that showcases your knowledge and skills. Here’s a sample what you’ll learn:

Refine your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
Deepen your understanding of calculus, modern algebra, physics and statistics.
Build your programming and computational skills in applied computer science courses.
Sharpen your skills in oral and written communication.
Conduct rigorous research independently and in teams.
Present your research findings in a manner appropriate to the audience, including oral presentations and the writing of experiments, research manuscripts, poster presentations and research proposals.
Collaborate effectively with peers and professionals.

Experiential Learning

A core component of the St. Edward’s Mathematics program is a four-semester sequence of research courses. In these classes, you’ll conduct open-ended research on unsolved problems individually with faculty members. You’ll present your findings at regional and national professional conferences, where you’ll meet other mathematicians and learn about graduate-school options and careers in your field.

Mathematics majors participate in the William Lowell Putnam Mathematics Competition, the preeminent math competition for undergraduates worldwide. A typical competition involves two 3-hour sessions in which students solve 12 problems. Thousands of math majors nationwide score 0 points every year due to the hyper-strict grading scale, so any positive score is a noteworthy accomplishment. In the past decade, four students from St. Edward’s have earned a positive score on the exam.

Teaching Assistantships

Strong students with an interest in teaching and mentoring can serve as teaching assistants for introductory classes. At St. Edward’s, all classes are taught by professors, but student teaching assistants help tutor and lead study sessions. You’ll expand your communication and people skills by helping other students learn the material. If you’re interested in teaching, you could also become a tutor in the Math Lab.

Research

As part of your coursework at St. Edward’s, you’ll complete four semesters of research. You’ll have the option to further develop this research and present your findings at conferences and for publication. Recently, Mathematics majors have studied the following:

Mathematical analysis of lottery voting
Dark energy, the force that causes the universe to expand
Detecting whether congressional districts are racially gerrymandered
The effects of storm-related electrical changes on tropospheric ozone levels

Most math majors travel to at least one conference during their time at St. Edward’s. These include:

Texas Undergraduate Mathematics Conference
Joint Mathematics Meetings of the American Mathematical Society and the Mathematical Association of America
MAA Texas Section Meeting
Mathfest
National Conference for McNair Scholars and Undergraduate Research

Outstanding students have been selected for Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU), in which they join the lab of a professor at a major research university over a summer. These experiences help you decide if a research career is right for you. In recent years, Mathematics majors have completed these REUs:

Deep learning – specifically, teaching computers to identify the content of an image — at the Center for Imaging Science at the Rochester Institute of Technology
Research in the Mathematical Biosciences Institute Program at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis

You’ll also have the opportunity to contribute to other research projects led by your professors. During Hurricane Harvey, which battered southern Texas in August 2017, several Mathematics majors, along with Natural Sciences professors and staff, collected meteorological data with weather balloons. They released 13 weather balloons that collected data used by the National Weather Services to create forecasts during the hurricane. Some of the students who participated also wrote code to automate the computation of data collected from the balloons and to visually display the data in graphs.

Internships

You’ll also be encouraged to complete an internship to apply your mathematical skills in a professional context. Mathematics majors have recently interned at the following organizations:

Exxon
Molecular Rebar Design
The Nature Conservancy
National Ecological Observatory Network
Department of Homeland Security STEM Summer Internship Program
Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics
SpaceX

As a student in the Mathematics program, you are afforded access to the funding programs, including paid internships, offered exclusively to STEM students at St. Edward’s University by the Institute for Interdisciplinary Science (i4). For more information on these programs please visit the Institute for Interdisciplinary Science (i4) on the web.

Student Organizations

The St. Edward’s Math Club is a student chapter of the Mathematics Association of America. Members have traveled together to regional mathematics conferences, presented math concepts and helped with science fairs at local schools, and participated in the global MegaMenger collaborative fractal build. The club also hosts student and alumni research talks and serves as a forum for social events like Halloween pumpkin carving, bowling, laser tag and pizza parties.

The St. Edward’s Maker Club attracts tinkerers and programmers who have worked on projects involving 3-D printing, soldering, programming LED strips, and creating art through programming.

Students minoring in Mathematics must satisfactorily complete the following courses in addition to 6 hours of electives:

Required Courses: