Mathematics
Undergraduate Major & Minor College of Natural Sciences
Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics, and Bachelor of Science in Mathematics Education
Major Minute: Math at PLU Transcript
[video: Professor Ksenija Simic-Muller is sitting in a classroom with computers, desks, and a white board in the background.]Professor Simic-Muller: Hi, I’m Professor Ksenija Simic-Muller. I teach at PLU’s mathematics department, and this is my Major Minute.
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Professor Simic-Muller: Our mathematics department offers diverse math and statistics courses that extend beyond what you encounter in your K-12 education. Math supports various academic fields including natural and social sciences, emphasizing quantitative reasoning. Mathematics has always been part of innovative changes from the invention of the computer to the internet to the recent growth in data analytics, social media algorithms, and AI. And we train the next generation of mathematicians and statisticians who can adapt to these innovations successfully and ethically. PLU’s small math classes foster faculty-student interaction, promoting cooperative learning to maximize each student’s potential. Other opportunities such as the mathematical contest and modeling and Datafest offer engaging team competitions for students. We offer theoretical and applied courses and degrees, including majors in mathematics, applied mathematics, and mathematics education, leading to diverse career paths in teaching, industry, or further education. Our graduates are math teachers, district leaders, financial analysts, engineers, data scientists, actuaries, consultants, lawyers, software engineers, statisticians, government contractors, and scientific researchers.
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About
As a PLU mathematics student, you’ll learn classical and modern mathematical tools and ways of thinking that you need to begin to understand recent developments in and applications of mathematics and statistics. Contemporary mathematics has played an integral role in the development of computer technologies, search algorithms, financial investing strategies, physical models of nature, fair redistricting voting models, and more, while working with data has become central to our society.
Whether your goal is to learn mathematics and statistics for an application – modeling problems in science, engineering, economics or finance; in preparation for a career in elementary or secondary education; or for further study in a graduate program, your studies will challenge, inspire and inform you about mathematics’ and statistics’ beauty and power, as well as their theory and applications.
Graduates from the last 5 years: Their jobs
- High School Math Teacher, school districts across Washington State
- Search Consultant Engineer, Lucidworks
- Data Consultant, Washington State Department of Health Office of People Services
- System Design Engineer, Thermo Fisher Scientific
- Stewardship Associate, Forterra
- Implementation Specialist, SEIU Healthcare 1199NW Multi-Employer Training Fund
- Lead Payroll Specialist, Pacific Lutheran University
- Associate Software Engineer, Southwest Airlines
- Tax Analyst, Vacasa
Graduates from the last last 5 years: Their graduate programs
- Master of Science in Biostatistics, University of Michigan
- Master of Arts in Mathematics, University of Montana
- Master of Science in Data Science, Northwestern University
- Master of Arts in Education, Pacific Lutheran University
- Ph.D. in Economics, University of California - Irvine
- Masters of Science in Biostatistics, University of Michigan School of Public Health
- MS in Engineering Physics/Applied Physics, University of Oregon Graduate School
- MEd, Western Governors University
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