UMass Boston

Learn to use math as a problem-solving tool in industry, laboratory, and technology settings.

This Bachelor of Science degree offered by the Mathematics Department has two possible concentrations:

• Applied and Pure Math
  The Applied and Pure Mathematics Concentration is the most “traditional” concentration and students pursuing it will have a solid foundation for various math careers ahead of them. Students interested in going to graduate school in fields like mathematics or physics or working on mathematical modeling in industry or research laboratories, might want to consider the Applied and Pure Mathematics Concentration.

• Computational Math
  The Computational Mathematics Concentration provides broad math education with an emphasis on computer and mathematical models as tools to solve real-world problems. Students graduating in this concentration would be qualified to look for jobs, for example, in actuarial companies, finance, machine learning industry or apply to grad schools in computational and data-driven sciences, like computer science, engineering or medical research.

Degree Requirements consist of the Core Requirement, Concentration Requirement, Capstone Requirement, and Science Requirement. (Additional requirements for the General BS degree are also listed under Concentration Requirement.) Except for the Concentration Requirement, these requirements are common to all concentrations and to the general BS degree.

Core Requirement

The following eleven courses are required by all concentrations.

• Math 140 - Calculus I
• Math 141 - Calculus II
• Math 242 - Multivariable and Vector Calculus
• Math 260 - Linear Algebra I
• Math 265 - Discrete Structures in Mathematics
• Math 270/310 - Applied Ordinary Differential Equations
• Math 291 Mathematical Software
• Math 314/280 - Introduction to Proofs
• Math 345 - Probability and Statistics
• Phys 113 - Fundamentals of Physics I
• CS 110 - Introduction to Computer Programming

Note: Math 140 - Calculus I may be replaced by Math 145 - Calculus I for the Life and Environmental Sciences.

Concentration Requirement

Six additional mathematics courses are required. These courses are specific to each concentration and are listed on the pages Applied and Pure Math, Computational Math, and General Degree.

Capstone Requirement

The capstone allows a student to demonstrate the ability to use the knowledge, concepts, and methods acquired in the mathematics major. The capstone requirement may be met through any of the courses with numbers between 420-499.

Science Requirement

Students have to take 4 science courses according to the following rules:

• Physics 114 - Fundamentals of Physics II
• Three science courses (excluding Physics 113 and 114 and CS 110) offered by Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Engineering or Physics Department. These courses have to be required courses for a major in a program offered by the respective department; one of these three courses can be a lab.

Further Rules and Requirements

• A minimum of a 2.0 GPA (a C average) in the major is required for graduation. Only courses taken at UMass Boston are included in computing the average.
• No requirement may be taken pass/fail.
• At least 4 (four) Mathematics courses numbered 300 or higher must be taken at UMass Boston.