Majoring in Math

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• What can I do with a mathematics degree?
• Requirements for the math major
• My primary interest is in the sciences or engineering. Can I double major in math?
• How do I prepare for graduate school?
• How do I prepare for professional schools (business, law or medicine)?
• Sample curricula (based on interest)
• How do I graduate with honors?
• Can non-math courses count as part my major?
• How do I declare a mathematics major?
• Can I be an undergraduate Teaching Assistant?

What can I do with a mathematics degree?

Lots! We have surveyed mathematics majors who have graduated in the last 10 years or so and found they have pursued a remarkable diversity of careers. Many of these careers are not ones that you would normally associate with mathematics and others require specific mathematical skills.

Some have gone into medicine, some to law and others to careers in business and finance. It was interesting to read that a number of the finance professionals regret not taking more core mathematics courses; they find the methods contained in these courses essential in their work.

Some of the people who responded to our survey have gone into technology-related industries, some have used their statistics training and gone on to actuarial careers in the insurance industry. Yet others have gone on to Ph.D.s in the mathematical sciences and then into academe.

They all report that mathematics was a good preparation for their careers. As society becomes more technologically based, mathematics becomes more and more important in an ever-increasing number of fields. If you want more specific information, you should consult with an adviser in the mathematics department.

Requirements for the math major

Read course descriptions...

My primary interest is in the sciences. Can I add mathematics as a second major?

You bet! As mathematics becomes more important in the biological, physical and social sciences, students in these disciplines have many mathematics requirements.  Frequently you may just need to add a few mathematics courses to obtain what is one of the most valuable credentials: a mathematics degree.

Also, many of them find that they enjoy the math courses (so much that sometimes they drop their original major for a math one!).

Most of the students who are double majors are students in the School of Science  and Engineering, but there are many double majors in the School of Liberal Artis as well, particularly in Economics.

There is also a major available in Mathematical Economics (a hybrid of mathematics and economics, essentially consisting of a minor in each department).  A student cannot double major in Mathematics and Mathematical Economics.  As mathematics increases in importance in other fields, we expect to see double majors from an increasingly diverse set of disciplines. 

How do I prepare for graduate school?

That depends on the sort of graduate program you wish to pursue. Read the sample curriculum below for some ideas. We emphasize that the requirements for the major are necessary but not sufficient preparation for graduate school in any mathematical science.

In addition to a good GPA and strong GRE scores (especially in the subject test), admissions committees look for evidence that a student is not only willing and able to work, but is actually happy to do lots of hard, independent work. This is why students who are considering graduate school in one of the mathematical sciences should give serious consideration to doing an honors thesis.

In addition students who are considering going to graduate school should consider applying for one of the summer programs sponsored by the National Science Foundation, called Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU). There are about 70 such mathematics programs at various universities around the country, including Tulane. In these programs students work closely with faculty and other students on research problems in various fields of mathematics. This is about as close as an undergraduate gets to the experience of mathematical research. Students who have completed such programs have an enormous edge in getting into the best graduate schools. As if this weren't motivation enough, you also get a generous stipend.

Read more about the NSF's Research for Undergraduates (REU)...

How can I prepare for professional schools (business, law or medicine)?

Business
If you wish to go to graduate school in business then, in addition to the core courses you should take:

• Math 603 (Stochastic Processes)
• Math 635 (Optimization)

Many subfields of business, especially finance, are becoming increasingly mathematically sophisticated. Our alumni in these fields recommend that undergraduates take as much core mathematics as possible. In fact, one of the most popular fields in business, recently, has been "Financial Mathematics". There are a number of excellent Masters programs in this area.

Read course descriptions...

Law & medical school
Admissions committees at law schools are most interested in students with analytical skills who can understand and formulate a complicated argument. A general mathematics curriculum is perfect training for such a career. Similar things can be said about students who wish to go on to medical school, except that for such students there is a core of science courses which the student must take to prepare for the MCAT examination.

Sample curricula

We give a number of sample curricula depending on what you're interested -whether it's a basic math program or preparation for professional school.

Each curriculum starts with Math 131, but if you are taking Math 121 & 122, simply substitute them for Math 131

We list only courses in the mathematics department. But we encourage all of our majors to take at least one year of physics, and other courses in which math is heavily used.

*Students wishing to get a job as an applied statistician or biostatistician are advised to pursue a Masters degree.

Read course descriptions here...

How do I graduate with honors?

You must satisfy the following requirements:

• 3.6 or higher overall GPA
• 3.5 or higher GPA in the math courses counting for your major
• Complete either:
  • an honors thesis or
  • two approved advanced courses

Honors thesis
An honors thesis is written under the supervision of a member of the mathematics department faculty over a two-semester period. A student must receive prior approval from her/his major adviser. A student receives 8 credits for an honors thesis. Successful completion of an honors thesis consists of:

• The thesis paper
• A prospectus (this is a short summary in which you outline what you intend to do)
• An oral presentation before a committee of three faculty members.

Students who complete an honors thesis often view it as the most academically enriching experience they have at Tulane.

Two approved advanced hounors courses
Two courses at the 650 level or higher (these are double-numbered graduate courses and require a good deal more independent  work on the part of the student than undergraduate courses) or two approved advanced upper-level undergraduate honors courses (these have additional work and projects with a workload comparable to graduate courses).

Can non-math courses count as part my major?

Yes, you may take some of your electives in other departments with approval of your major adviser.  To qualify, the course will have to be one with substantial mathematical content and cannot overlap substantially with reqularly offered mathematics courses.

How do I declare a mathematics major?

The procedure is actually quite simple! Each student must declare a major by the end of her/his sophomore year. You should:

1. Obtain a major declaration form, (from your academic advisor).   Bring the forms to the Chairman of the Mathematics Department, Dr. Morris Kalka.
2. Decide with Dr. Kalka who your major advisor will be. If there is a particular member of the mathematics department with whom you have established such a relationship just ask Dr. Kalka to assign this person as your advisor.
3. Meet with the advisor for his or her signature and discuss your program of study in the department as well as more generally. The relationship between a student and his or her major advisor is an important one. You should feel comfortable talking to your advisor about any academic problems or concerns and about applying to graduate of professional school or a job in industry.
4. Return the signed form to your academic advisor.

Can I be an undergraduate Teaching Assistant?

Each semester we have a limited number of openings for advanced students to act as teaching assistants in a section of Calculus or elementary Probability and Statistics.

Typically a student will conduct one problem session per week and grade some homework or quizzes. It is university policy that an undergraduate cannot be responsible for assigning course grades to another undergraduate.

The undergraduate Teaching Assistant experiences the feeling of being part of the department and not merely a student in it. He or she will have a mailbox in the department, often have morning coffee with department members in the department common room and otherwise participate in a different way in the life of the department.

Mathematics Department Tulane University 6823 St. Charles Ave New Orleans, LA 70118 phone: (504) 865-5727 fax: (504) 865-5063

last updated: April 21, 2008