Mission
As a part of the Department of Physical and Computational Sciences, the applied mathematics program fosters intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and innovation, preparing students to address complex scientific and societal challenges. In alignment with the College’s mission to provide a liberal arts education and prepare professionals, the department equips students with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in their careers and contribute meaningfully to their
communities in an atmosphere of study, work, and service.
The applied mathematics program offers this major designed to provide the student with a broad knowledge of mathematics and its application to the natural, physical, and social world. Through application-based coursework, the program prepares students for research in applied mathematics or a related discipline and focuses on building a foundation for students looking at future careers in business, scientific, or technical fields. This is accomplished through intentionally building a community of collaboration in academics, social responsibility, and engaged teaching.
Students receiving a degree in applied mathematics will demonstrate their ability, through reading, writing, and presentation, to comprehend, apply, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate mathematical and technological concepts and theories. In doing so, they will use the foundational tools of algebra, geometry, logic, and statistics, as well as the tools of mathematics and computer science. These include appropriate notation, terminology, and technical language. The integration of the liberal arts and viewing the relevant and timely application of mathematics to other fields is vital to the program.
Learning Outcomes
- Students will examine techniques of calculus, linear algebra, and their practical foundations by supporting and defending conclusions reached by rigorously analyzing applications to various fields.
- Students will synthesize mathematical techniques across a variety of subfields of applied mathematics; including those of discrete mathematics, probability theory, statistical methods, numerical analysis, etc.; as well as support mathematical and logical justifications for arguments in disciplines other than mathematics.
- Students will use discipline-specific technological tools to effectively develop and construct mathematical models and to coherently defend and professionally communicate results.