Ask yourself the following questions:
- Do you like to solve puzzles?
- Do you like working with numbers and data?
- Do you like to know why things work the way they do?
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you just might be a mathematics major!
What do mathematics majors learn and do at The Citadel?
The Citadel mathematics major features an open curriculum which allows students to take electives in the areas of mathematics that interest them. Students interested in the applications of mathematics to science and engineering can opt to take Applied Mathematics courses such as mathematical modeling, operations research, numerical methods, and image processing. Students who enjoy the theoretical side of mathematics can focus on courses in Pure Mathematics such as real analysis, modern algebra, and graph theory. Students who enjoy working with data can take electives in Statistics and Computer Science. Students with an interest in becoming a math teacher can take courses in Math Education.
In their senior year, each student must work one-on-one with a faculty member to complete a Senior Research Project. The Citadel mathematics faculty have diverse research interests including number theory, analysis, graph theory, operations research, and numerical methods. The student will pair up with a faculty member whose research area interests them and undertake a research project of their own choosing. Some of our students’ past projects include proving a new theorem about Fibonacci numbers, compressing images using statistical methods, and modeling the outcome of historical military battles using differential equations. Our students have attended mathematics conferences to present their work to the larger mathematics community.
What can mathematics majors do in the real-world?
After graduation, mathematics majors have a wide variety of career options. Mathematicians go to work in industry, finance, business, the military, national labs, and education. Every major organization needs people who understand how to work with numbers, but it is difficult to find qualified individuals with numerical literacy. For this reason, mathematicians can find careers with high pay and job satisfaction. According to a 2015 Careercast survey of the best jobs in America, 4 of the top 6 careers require a mathematics degree: Actuary (#1), Mathematician (#3), Statistician (#4), and Data Scientist (#6).