Apply the laws of mathematics and computer science to the world around you.
The most pressing problems facing society require breakthrough ideas. With a BS in Mathematics with a concentration in applied and computational mathematics from Michigan Tech, you’ll learn the fundamental laws of mathematics and computer modeling to find those breakthroughs.
You’ll have the flexibility of free credits to explore an area of interest where you’d like to use your skills. And you will learn by doing. You’ll acquire the specialized knowledge, quantitative skills, and research experience to help you find breakthroughs in engineering, science, and technology. Prepare yourself for graduate study or an in-demand career that matters.
Use Your Learning Anywhere
You can create your future in virtually any field. Want to use algorithms to bring images to life and create stunning special effects that captivate their audiences, like in Avatar, Lion King, or Avengers: Endgame? Uncover how a shark’s hunting patterns take the shape of a fractal? How can we use mathematical modeling help surgeons decide which procedure is best for a heart patient or predict hurricane patterns, saving thousands of lives? These are just a few of the spaces you might decide to explore with your degree from Michigan Tech. Apply your strong quantitative background to any of these application areas.
- Biology
- Business
- Climatology
- Computational Biology and Bioinformatics
- Computational Chemistry and Chemical Informatics
- Computer Animation and Digital Imaging
- Ecology
- Economics
- Engineering
- Finance
- Health
- Materials Science
- Physics
Get the Most From Applied and Computational Mathematics
There are a number of ways to optimize your time in the degree program. Contact your advisor to talk about your options and read these tips to help you prepare for your career.
Use Free Electives To Customize Your Education
Use your free electives wisely to get the strongest possible degree. Free electives allow you to pursue an area of interest. Some options to consider:
- Minor in computer science (highly encouraged).
- Minor in engineering , biology, chemistry, physics or another science.
- Consider a second major.
- Considering graduate school in applied or computational mathematics? Take MA 4450 Real Analysis and MA 4330 Linear Algebra, if possible.
Speak to your advisor about the best way to use your free credits.
Get Summer Research Experiences
There are many summer undergraduate research opportunities to explore. Besides gaining experience, participation in undergraduate research is a great way to decide if you want to go to graduate school (and it looks great on a graduate school application)! Consider:
- The National Science Foundation (NSF) sponsors many Summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) programs. Students participating in such a program work on research projects and typically receive free or greatly discounted room and board, along with a stipend of $2500–$4000.
- Michigan Tech faculty members also mentor student recipients of Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF). Recipients get a stipend to work on a research project.
If you are planning to enter the workforce upon graduation, you will be much more marketable if you do an internship or participate in Enterprise. For information about internships, contact University Career Services or your advisor.
Join a Professional Organization
Professional organizations offer learning and networking opportunities. The premier professional organization for applied mathematicians is the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM). Michigan Tech students can join SIAM for free.
Requirements
In addition to your core mathematics degree requirements, the following courses are required to complete your concentration in applied and computational mathematics:
Courses:
You must complete each of the following 18 credits, although MA 4900 can be satisfied with any 4000-level course in science or engineering:
Electives:
You must complete one of the following 3-credit courses to meet your requirement:
Tomorrow Needs Applied Mathematicians With Strong Quantitative Backgrounds
As the challenges facing business, government, and research continue to grow in urgency and the amount of data available continues to explode, the need for professionals with analytic and computational skills to design and implement innovative data-driven solutions has never been higher. A concentration in applied and computational mathematics is a pathway to a challenging, successful, and rewarding career.
Career Opportunities
You can find lots of career opportunities combing your love for math and computer science. In fact, your future career options are diverse with a degree in mathematics with a concentration in applied and computational mathematics. Career opportunities include:
- Budget Analyst
- Business Analyst
- Computer Modeling Specialist
- Consultant
- Credit Analyst
- Data Analyst
- Data Scientist
- Industrial Research and Development Specialist
- Investment Analyst
- Mathematician
- Operations Research Analyst
- Pharmaceutical and Biomedical R&D Scientists
- Quantitative Finance and Risk Analyst
- Simulation and Software Developer
Get Hired By
These are just some of the companies hiring mathematics majors with a concentration in applied and computational mathematics:
- Apple
- Idaho National Laboratory
- Intuit
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
- Meta
- Northrop Grumman
- Honda Research Institute
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory
- National Library of Medicine
- Novartis
- U.S. Forest Service