Virginia Tech® home

Mathematics

Students in the Department of Mathematics acquire a broad background in pure and applied mathematics and learn how to analyze and solve problems. In the junior and senior years, students choose mathematics courses relevant to their career goals and interests.

Major Options

Traditional Option

The most flexible of our degree options. It ensures a comprehensive, well-rounded curriculum of foundational courses in analysis and algebra, while allowing the student the largest range of choices at the advanced level. Accordingly, students find the traditional option great preparation for graduate study, and it can also be adapted to a wide range of careers.

Applied Computational Option (ACM)

This option focuses on advanced courses in numerical analysis, scientific computing, and differential equations. This reflects its original development in collaboration with engineers, but if fact, these required courses are the course mathematical concepts behind a wide and growing collection of applied sciences.

Applied Discrete Option (ADM)

Techniques which employ combinatorics and discrete mathematics are being used in almost every area where mathematical computations are found. In response to this area's increased importance and utility, the Department developed the Applied Discrete Mathematics (ADM) option, in which the student is given exposure to fundamental ideas and techniques in discrete mathematics and combinatorics. Since computers are central in these applications we also require the students in this option to develop a strong foundation in Computer Science.

Math Education Option (MSTR)

A five-year program that leads to a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics (after the fourth year) and a Master of Arts in Education degree (after the fifth year). The program is designed to prepare future teachers of mathematics in secondary grades 6-12. The program is open to all students admitted into the Department of Mathematics. Students who have graduated from our program have received numerous awards, scholarships, and recognition for their excellence in teaching mathematics, such as theĀ  Edward A. Anderson Scholarship, which our students have won six years in a row.

Career paths

  • Actuary
  • Software Engineer
  • Data Analyst
  • Consultant
  • Teacher
  • Mathematician
  • Systems Engineer
  • Financial Analyst
  • Scientist
  • Market Researcher
  • Research Engineer
  • Cybersecurity
  • Data Science
  • Data Processing
  • Mathematical Modeling
  • Image Processing