UMass Boston

The Tanimoto Center is situated in room W-3-154-30, inside the main Mathematics Department space on the third floor of Wheatley Hall, adjacent to the Venture Development Center.

For your convenience, we have posted directional signs around Wheatley Hall and within the Department to help you locate the Tanimoto Center and our study alcoves.

Current Hours of Operation: (Summer Session 2, 2025)

• Monday: 9:00am-11:00am, 2:00pm - 4:00pm
• Tuesday: 9:00am-11:00am, 2:00pm - 4:00pm
• Wednesday: Closed
• Thursday: Closed
• Friday: Closed

The Center is closed on all University holidays.

For the detailed Tanimoto Weekly Schedule, please refer to the provided PDF document.

While drop-ins are welcome, we recommend reserving an appointment, especially during peak usage hours.

he Tanimoto Center is staffed by advanced mathematics students who have excelled in their introductory courses and possess the ability to communicate mathematical concepts clearly to a non-specialist audience. If you need more information about the Tanimoto Center, please reach out to TanimotoCenter@umb.edu.

Am I required to choose a concentration?

Yes, you must choose a concentration from among the following options:

• For Bachelor of Science (BS) students: Applied and Pure Mathematics or Computational Mathematics
• For Bachelor of Arts (BA) students: Mathematics for Teaching

May I change my concentration?

Yes, you may change your concentration as often as you would like, provided that you ultimately complete one of them. Please note that this may impact your faculty advising assignment (more information below) and graduation timeline depending on your course history, program requirements, and our schedule of course offerings.

Changes in concentration are done by completing the General Program Add/Change Form. Please make sure you read all directions carefully to prevent delays in processing your request.

Why do I need to choose a concentration?

Beyond being required for your program, choosing a concentration is essential to ensuring that you are on-track for on-time program completion. For example, your Degree Audit cannot provide precise information on whether you've completed your program if it doesn't know which courses you need to take (i.e., because it doesn't know what concentration-specific courses are required). This may lead you to believe you are done with your program only to find out that there are requirements still unfulfilled. Since concentration-specific courses tend to run only once per academic year, knowing which concentration you are pursuing will allow you to plan accordingly. Not doing so increases your risk of not being able to complete the program within your desired timeframe. 

What is the deadline to choose a concentration?

You must have a concentration declared by the semester after which you are projected to have earned sixty (60) or more credits.

Example: If you have already earned 45 credits, and have 15 credits worth of courses currently in progress, you will be projected to have earned 60 credits at the end of the current semester and must choose a concentration.

What happens if I have not chosen a concentration?

Mathematics majors' progress is frequently checked by Department staff to ensure everyone is progressing smoothly. If it is detected that you have not declared a concentration, then we may proceed as follows:

• If you have less than 60 credits, a Math Concentration Warning (MCW) may be posted to your WISER account. This is only a reminder to declare a concentration.
• If you have 60 or more credits, a Math Concentration Hold (MCH) may be posted to your WISER account. This will prevent you from adding any courses until you declare a concentration (see below).

How do I remove an MCW or MCH?

To remove an MCW or MCH, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Registrar's Office Forms page.
2. Find and complete the General Program Add/Change Form
3. Once it's been completed, please wait 1-2 business days for your request to be processed.
4. Contact math@umb.edu to request a release of your MCH/MCW

Note: More information about advising can be found on the CSM Student Success Center's Website.

Who are my advisors?

For your mathematics major program, you may have up to two (2) advisors:

• Professional Advisor: This is a staff member (e.g., CSM Student Success Center) who helps you navigate the transition to UMass Boston and works with you each semester until you reach fifty (50) credits. They can also connect you to resources on campus and staff members who can help support you with more content/program-specific questions.
• Faculty Advisor: This is a faculty member in the Mathematics Department whose research, teaching, and/or professional interests align with your concentration (see below). They help guide you through the upper-level courses, when you are moving into the more specialized part of the program. You should see them once you have earned fifty (50) credits.

If you have another major (or if mathematics is your second major), or you are part of a specialized program at UMass Boston (e.g., Honors College, athletics, etc.), you may be assigned an additional advisor. You can find your most up-to-date advising assignments in WISER.

How is my faculty advisor chosen?

You will be assigned to a faculty advisor based on your concentration. 

Can my faculty advisor change?

Faculty advising assignments are updated periodically and advising assignments may change based on several factors, including:

• Concentration change: If you change concentrations, your faculty advisor may be updated accordingly.*
• Faculty availability: If your faculty advisor is on a sabbatical or leave, including an appointment to a role in a College or University-level office, your advising assignment may be adjusted.
• Student demand: If there is a sudden change in demand for certain concentrations, assignments may be updated to more equitably balance faculty workloads.

* If changes are made after the posted deadline, an updated advising assignment for the current semester cannot be guaranteed.

My advising assignment changed but I would like to keep my original advisor. What can I do? 

If a faculty member is okay with advising you, you may ask them to write to math@umb.edu. 

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.

• Applied and Pure Mathematics (BS) Program Description - This document describes the program, including the required courses and learning outcomes.
• Applied and Pure Mathematics (BS) Advising Form - This is a fillable PDF form that you can use to track your progress in the program.
• Sample Four-Year Plan - Sample plan provided by the Student Success Center to help you stay on track.

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.

• Computational Mathematics (BS) Program Description - This document describes the program, including the required courses and learning outcomes.
• Computational Mathematics (BS) Advising Form - This is a fillable PDF form that you can use to track your progress in the program.
• Sample Four-Year Plan - Sample plan provided by the Student Success Center to help you stay on track.

The Mathematics for Teaching Concentration provides broad math education with a focus on the development of math ideas and math reasoning. Students who are interested in teaching math, math education, developing educational software or other educational tools for math might consider this concentration.

• Mathematics for Teaching (BA) Program Description - This document describes the program, including the required courses and learning outcomes.
• Mathematics for Teaching (BA) Advising Form - This is a fillable PDF form that you can use to track your progress in the program.
• Sample Four-Year Plan - Sample plan provided by the Student Success Center to help you stay on track.

Whether you wish to pursue an undergraduate degree in preparation for advancement in your career or advancement in your studies, obtaining a minor in mathematics will assist you in your goals. A minor in mathematics can be tailored to complement many different majors and will provide you with analytical and technical skills that will make your résumé stand apart. Obtaining a minor in mathematics requires the completion of just seven courses in the Department of Mathematics.

• Mathematics Minor Advising Form - This is a fillable PDF form that you can use to track your progress in the program.