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Undergraduate Major Mathematics (BA)

Become a Versatile Asset as a Mathematics Major at SNHU

Math majors are versatile, a big plus if you value the freedom to explore a variety of career paths in your lifetime. As a math major you can apply your quantitative, analytical and problem-solving skills in an almost unlimited number of fields and positions. SNHU's mathematics BA lets you take your passion for numbers, proofs and problem solving to the next level and prepare for careers that are not only command high salaries, but also have a high degree of job satisfaction.

When you earn your undergraduate degree in mathematics at SNHU, you'll develop an advanced ability in mathematical methods, reasoning and problem solving in three main areas of math: analysis, algebra and statistics. In addition to a broad base of mathematical knowledge, you'll become proficient in communicating about math, both orally and in writing.

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See Yourself Succeed in Mathematics

Whether you want to land a position in a quantitative field such as finance, economics, computer programming or statistics, or further your studies so you can ultimately pursue a career as a mathematician, the BA Mathematics degree program provides a strong foundation for building your future in some of the fastest growing careers.

During your studies, you'll gain an understanding of:

  • How to solve real-world problems involving calculus, including integration, trigonometric functions, differential equations, Taylor polynomials and infinite series
  • Direct, contrapositive, contradiction and induction methods of proof, as well as the relationship between problem-solving and the process of proving
  • Applying statistical techniques to a variety of applications in business and the social sciences, including probability distribution functions, sampling distributions, estimation, hypothesis testing and linear regression
  • Mathematical topics related to the design, programming and application of computers: propositional logic, number systems, algorithms and pseudocode, encryption, matrix manipulation, combinatorics and other topics
  • Regression analysis and related topics, by hand and with a statistical software package.
  • Applied linear algebra and matrices topics that could be used to model applied mathematics problems in business, science, computer science and economics
  • Real analysis, addressing the transition from computational to theoretical calculus, with an emphasis on problem-solving and proof writing

As a private, nonprofit university, SNHU has one mission - to help you see yourself succeed. The benefits of earning your bachelor's degree in mathematics at SNHU include:

  • Supportive community. Join the SNHU campus community of students who are closely connected with faculty and staff dedicated to your success.
  • Affordability. SNHU is one of the most affordable private, nonprofit universities in New Hampshire, and students who qualify could receive up to $20,000 in grants and scholarships. (This scholarship amount is only for students who do not need a visa to study in the U.S.)
  • Innovative programs. Study abroad at little or no extra cost.
  • Accessible faculty. Learn from highly credentialed faculty who are experts in their fields and interact with you in the classroom, dining hall, fitness center and the stands.
  • Opportunity. Tap into our nationwide network of alumni and strong connections with employers for internship and career opportunities.
  • Campus experience. Enjoy more than 50 student clubs, champion Division II athletics and fun events on our 300-acre campus in Manchester, NH, named a "Best Place to Live" by Money magazine.

​Internships & Outcomes

Employers in a range of industries seek college graduates with quantitative, analytical and problem-solving skills. Whether you earn a math degree online or on campus at Southern New Hampshire University, you'll have the quantitative and critical-thinking skills that are valued in the workplace. With a college degree in math, you'll be prepared for a career in variety of fields:

  • Business
  • Actuarial Firms
  • Financial Services Firms
  • Utility companies
  • Consulting
  • Operations Research Firms
  • Insurance Agencies
  • Technical Journals

Mathematics majors enjoy a high degree of job satisfaction. A recent survey by CareerCast determined that actuaries, mathematicians and statisticians rank near the top of the nation's 200 best jobs list, when considering environment, income, outlook, physical demands and stress. People in these jobs often begin their studies with an undergraduate degree in math.

Mathematicians often find job opportunities in scientific research, as well as in scientific management and technical consulting services. Approximately 30 percent of mathematicians work for the federal government, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The bureau also estimates that job opportunities for statisticians will increase 21 percent through 2024. Actuaries are also in demand, with employment projected to grow by 18 percent from 2014-2024. They also work for insurance agents and brokers, as well as managing companies.

Math majors command high salaries. A recent National Association of Colleges and Employers study showed that those in STEM disciplines are expected to be among the top paid graduates in the class of 2017.

Curriculum

From calculus to abstract algebra to statistics, the courses included in the mathematics major will help you develop advanced abilities in math. The skills you gain in this program are transferable across many industries and positions, allowing you to pursue a variety of career paths. If you decide to continue your studies with a graduate degree, your BA in math is good preparation. Advanced studies in math have been correlated to higher scores on graduate entrance exams, including the GMAT, GRE and LSAT.

SNHU faculty who teach in the mathematics program have years of experience as mathematicians and educators. They are well skilled in applying theories, principles and concepts of mathematics to real-world situations across a broad range of fields, such as business, economics, natural sciences and social sciences. Classes are highly engaging and use a variety of teaching strategies to keep classes stimulating, among them participatory lectures, group work and fun, math-themed events featuring guest lectures and panel discussions.

Required Core Courses
General Education Program

Free elective Credits: 33

Degree Courses

General Education Courses Must Include:
MAT 230 Discrete Mathematics

Discrete mathematics is the study of mathematical structures that are fundamentally discrete rather than continuous. That is, in contrast to the real numbers that vary continuously, the objects of study in discrete mathematics take on distinct, separated values. Topics include operations on sets, logic, truth tables, counting, relations and digraphs, functions, trees and graph theory. A significant goal of this course is to improve students' critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.
MAT 240 Applied Statistics

This is a fundamental course in the application of statistics. In this course, students will learn to apply statistical techniques to a variety of applications in business and the social sciences. Students will learn how to solve statistical problems by hand and through the use of computer software. Topics include probability distribution functions, sampling distributions, estimation, hypothesis testing and linear regression.

Art and Science Courses

9 credit(s) from the following: 
CHM 101 Fundamentals of Chemistry

An introductory, general education course for the non-science major emphasizing the contribution of chemistry in our everyday lives. This course will enable students to look at various aspects of the world around them through the lens of chemistry. It will introduce basic concepts and applications of chemistry as well as chemical topics and their relationship to matters of societal concern.
COM 230 Graphics and Layout in Print Media

This course is an introduction to the principles and practices of graphic design. Students are introduced through lecture, demonstration and hands-on computer work to the basic elements of graphic visual communication. Adobe Illustrator is used as a primary tool in exploring visual perception through a variety of creative exercises that familiarize the student with basic visual principles such as figure/ground manipulation, shape grouping, letterform shape creation, and grid and system creation. Formal elements of graphic design such as line, shape, color, texture, pattern, balance, symmetry, rhythm, space and unity are thoroughly explored by example and hands-on computer exercises; special topics included are: designing with type, layout strategies, logo design, symbol and pictogram development and stationery systems.
COM 341 Technical Writing

This course trains students to produce documents of a technical nature commonly found in a business context. Students are required to prepare a variety of technical reports, including audits, technical manuals and feasibility studies.
ENG 330 Nonfiction Writing Workshop

This course introduces students to the basic skills and principles of writing creative nonfiction and magazine feature articles. Student-centered workshop critiques and frequent conferences with the instructor are the primary methods used in the course. The course includes significant reading assignments in nonfiction genres.
FAS 226 Digital Photography

Photography as a visual medium is integral to the study of contemporary communication. This course introduces students to the history and practice of producing photographic images. The course is a combination of lecture and the hands-on practice of both the analog and digital methods of photographic image-making. The traditional darkroom is dispensed with, giving over to the computer the role of dark- room, with the student using Adobe Photoshop and other image editors to process traditional film and digital image captures. The student is taught to use various digital cameras techniques to capture, process, and print a portfolio of several original photographic images. Lectures on pictorial composition, subject matter choice, and methods of presentation display will accompany hands-on technical exercises.
GAM 110 Game Programming I

Students will learn the basis of computing as well as the fundamentals of programming. Students will be taught the correlation between math and programming languages and how they are used in games. Students will get a firsthand introduction on how C# and C++ are used in game engines. A student will be introduced to scripting languages, object oriented languages and functions. Students will have an understanding of multiple types of classes that include base, abstract, and concrete, as well as class hierarchies.
GAM 211 Interactive Animation

This course focuses on programming capabilities to enhance graphic animations and user interfaces to provide spectacular interactive results. Those benefiting from this course include students in game development, advertising, marketing, education, web development, art and other fields that can benefit from interactive animated graphics helping to convey concepts. The course is intended for those with no programming experience as well as those with some programming background. The use and creation of animations will be covered at a level of interest to both those new as well as experienced. The results can be displayed by a browser from the internet or as standalone results displayable on a range of operating systems. This is a hands on computer based course in which the students create a number of individual projects based on their interests and capabilities, focusing on creativity and programming aspects of interactive animation. The course utilizes emerging technologies in interactive animation.
GAM 312 Scripting for Games

This course is going to be covering scripting fundamentals as well as how to script in a game engine. Students will learn how to create basic script files and get an understanding for variables, functions, events, loops, conditional statements, and classes. This course will also cover scripting solutions in multiple game engines.
GAM 330 Physics for Games

This course looks into the basics of Physics techniques specific for games from a programming perspective. Students will learn the basics of physics on Objects, Characters, Vehicles, Crowds, and Weather. Topics will also include collision objects and detection. Students will also get an introduction to AI with Character, Crowd and World Behaviors.

GAM 405 Artificial Intelligence for Games

Students get an introduction to AI inside a game engine. Using Action scripting, C++, or C# students will be introduced to Path finding, Crowd Control, Character Control, Non Player behavior, World behavior and Object behavior. Students will also be introduced to game play algorithms designed to create immersive reactive worlds.
GAM 415 Graphics Game Engine

Students get an introduction to advanced graphics topics including skeletal animation, ray tracing, particle integration, lighting, shaders and materials. Projects are introduced to implement these important visual effects. The knowledge obtained will be assimilated and applied to a wide range of usages and application. Linear Algebra algorithms will be refreshed and/or introduced specific to the topic at hand. Students will learn the basics of Direct X, Open GL, and Rendering solutions (forward and deferred).

GEO 200 World Geography

This course examines the implications of global location and topography for the people of planet Earth. Students will explore how geography shapes the dynamics of human societies, with an emphasis on the geoenvironmental, geopolitical, and geosocial phenomena that help to define the modern world.
GRA 220 Introduction to Digital Imaging

Using industry standard image editing software software, this course is an introduction to professional computer graphics creation and to the software and hardware typically used in the graphic design, video, photography and interactive Web/multimedia industries. Image editing and color management systems will be discussed and demonstrated. The important differences between vector and bitmap graphics will be defined, as will the significant differences in preparing images for print, broadcast and Web distribution. Students will be encouraged to experiment with their own and preexisting images using sophisticated digital editing techniques such as layering, channel masking, filtering, cloning and montaging. Special attention will be paid to copyright awareness in the age of the digital image.
HIS 101 The Ancient World: Exploring the Past

A skills-oriented introduction to the study of history for majors and non-majors alike. Through the study of a key episode or event in the Ancient period, students will develop foundational historical skills: reading, writing, analysis, creative and critical thinking, and problem solving. Students will learn how to handle both primary and secondary historical sources, to evaluate historical evidence, and to analyze historical arguments.

HIS 102 The Medieval World: Exploring the Past

A skills-oriented introduction to the study of history for majors and non-majors alike. Through the study of a key episode or event in the Medieval period, students will develop foundational historical skills: reading, writing, analysis, creative and critical thinking, and problem solving. Students will learn how to handle both primary and secondary historical sources, to evaluate historical evidence, and to analyze historical arguments.
PHL 214 Formal Logic

This course is a study of the fundamental principles of correct and incorrect argument, historical forms of deductive logic, and the significance of language and clear verbalization.
PHY 101 Principles of Physics

Principles of Physics is an algebra based course that explores the major topics in physics, such as motion and forces, gravity and projectiles, energy and work, thermodynamics, vibrations and waves, electricity and magnetism, solids and fluids, light and optics, and atomic and nuclear physics.

PHY 105 Geology

This course surveys the major themes in geology. Students will examine topics such as plate tectonics, the rock cycle, surface processes, and concept of geologic time.
POL 375 Weapons of Mass Destruction

This course will explore the significance of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons to US foreign policy and world politics, including the nuclear rivalry between the US and USSR during the Cold War and more recent international security threats related to the spread of these so-called weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Special attention will be paid to the complex policy and technical challenges concerning these weapons. This course will also examine the politics of arms control and disarmament as they relate to WMD.
SCI 220 Energy and Society

This course surveys the various forms of energy available to our industrial society. The environmental impact and depletion of each energy form is discussed with emphasis on the development of clean and inexhaustible alternative sources for the home and business. Topics include traditional and renewable energy sources, greenhouse effects, transpiration, nuclear power, and economies.

Major Courses
MAT 225 Calculus I: Single-Variable Calculus

Calculus is the mathematical study of change that has widespread applications in science, engineering, economics and business. This course provides a rigorous introduction to single-variable calculus. Topics include limits, continuity, differentiation and integration of algebraic, trigonometric, exponential, and logarithmic functions, applications of derivatives, and integration, including the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. This course will encourage students to think beyond memorizing formulas and to work towards understanding concepts. Students may not take both MAT 210 and MAT 225 for credit.
MAT 275 Calculus II: Integration & Series

This course is a continuation of MAT 225 that deepens a student's understanding of single-variable calculus. Students will learn new techniques of integration, including substitution, integration by parts, partial fractions, and integration tables. This course will also extend a student's knowledge of addition. That is, students already know how to add two, three, or n numbers together but, in this course they will learn how to add an infinitely many numbers together. This will enable students to represent differentiable functions-including exponential, trigonometric and logarithmic functions-as functions that look like polynomials with infinitely many terms. In doing so, students will enhance their abilities to evaluate and estimate integrals. Finally, students will also learn about parametric curves and polar coordinates-both useful tools for describing the motion of moving objects such as projectiles, planets, or satellites-in order to apply single-variable calculus skills in additional settings. Students may not take both MAT 211 and MAT 275 for credit.
MAT 299 Mathematical Proof and Problem Solving

This course introduces students to the language and methods used to create and write mathematical proofs and solve problems. Methods of proof will include: direct, contrapositive, contradiction, and induction. Methods of problem solving will be based on Polya's four steps for problem solving. Students will learn about and utilize the many functions of proof including: verification, explanation, communication, discovery, justification, and inquiry. The course will also explore the relationship between problem solving and the process of proving. Students will explore fundamental abstract concepts in mathematics including: functions and relations, set theory, number theory, and logic.
MAT 325 Calculus III: Multivariable Calculus

Many real-world applications of calculus in science, engineering, economics, and business employ functions with many variables. This course extends the basic concepts of single-variable calculus developed in MAT 225 and MAT 275 to functions of several variables. Topics include vectors, the geometry of space, vector-valued functions, motion in space, partial derivatives and multiple integrals.

MAT 330 Differential Equations

Differential equations are useful in modeling real-world phenomenon involving rates of change such as the spread of disease, the change in a population, the free fall of an object, and the decay of a radioactive substance. This is a first course in differential equations. Topics include solving first- and higher-order differential equations and modeling with first- and higher-order differential equations.
MAT 350 Applied Linear Algebra

This is a first course in linear algebra and matrices. Topics include systems of linear equations, linear independence, matrices of linear transformations, matrix algebra, determinants, vector spaces, eigenvalues and eigenvectors. After mastering the basic concepts and skills, students will use their knowledge of linear algebra to model a selection of applied mathematics problems in business, science, computer science and economics.
MAT 415 Abstract Algebra

Algebra is concerned with sets of objects and operations on these sets. This course will take students beyond the real number and polynomials to groups and other algebraic structures. In a modern, or abstract algebra course, one assumes a small number of basic properties as axioms and then proves many other properties from the axioms. This will assist the student in becoming more proficient at proof-writing.
MAT 470 Real Analysis

This course provides a theoretical foundation for single-variable calculus concepts. Topics include the structure of the real numbers, sequences, continuity, differentiation and Riemann integration. This course will be run as a seminar that emphasize problem solving, proof writing and orally defending proofs.

Major Electives

9 credit(s) from subject(s): MAT, excluding: 
MAT 101 Culinary Mathematics

This course reviews the fundamental computation skills required for accurate food service preparation, operation and management. Topics covered include operations with whole numbers, fractions, decimals, percents, weights and measures, recipe conversion, menu pricing, inventories, food costs basic break-even analysis, financial statement content, and employee related expenses. Enrollment limited to students majoring in the following programs: AS in Culinary Arts, AS in Baking and Pastry, BS in Culinary Management.
MAT 106 Math for Elementary Education I

This is the first course of a two-semester sequence which explores the mathematics content in grades K-6 from an advanced standpoint. Topics include: problem solving; functions and graphs; and numbers and operations.
MAT 130 Applied Finite Mathematics

This course is designed to prepare students for other courses in the core curriculum and in their majors and to provide a basis for making decisions in life after graduation. Topics include mathematics of finance, probability and counting, descriptive statistics and basic linear regression. (Students who have successfully completed MAT 120 or MAT 150 may not register for MAT 130).
MAT 140 Precalculus

This course emphasizes the algebra and concepts of functions. Students will learn the properties and graphing techniques for different types of functions including: linear, polynomial, rational, trigonometric, exponential, and logarithmic functions. Students will also learn to solve a variety of real world problems that rely on a number of different problem solving strategies and an understanding of these different types of functions. This course is intended for those students who wish to prepare for Calculus.
MAT 206 Math for Elementary Education II

This is the second course of a two-semester sequence which explores the mathematics content in grades K-6 from an advanced standpoint. Topics include: descriptive statistics; probability; algebra; geometry and measurement.
MAT 360 Statistics and Probability for Teachers

In this course students will study topics in data analysis including: descriptive statistics, probability, odds and fair games, probability distributions, normal distributions, estimation, and hypothesis testing. The course format will include: hands-on activities; computer-based simulations; creating and implementing student developed investigations; and actual middle school mathematics classroom activities. Throughout the course students will be given opportunities to relate the mathematical concepts studied in this course to the mathematical concepts they will be teaching. This course is not appropriate for students who have completed MAT-240, MAT-245 or MAT-250.
MAT 362 Algebra for Teachers

This course will examine concepts in algebra including: Patterns, arithmetic sequences, geometric sequences, arithmetic and algebra of the integers, least common multiple and greatest common divisor, The Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic, The Division Algorithm and Euclidean Algorithm, modular arithmetic and systems of numbers, properties of groups and fields, the field of complex numbers, polynomial arithmetic and algebra, The Fundamental Theorem of Algebra, linear equations, matrix algebra determinants, and vectors. Students will engage with these concepts through proofs, problem solving and through activities used in middle school mathematics. Throughout the course students will be given opportunities to relate the mathematical concepts studied to the mathematical concepts they will be teaching.

MAT-200 Level Mathematics

Excluding: MAT-206, MAT-210, MAT-211, MAT-360, MAT-362, MAT-490, MAT-495, EDU-441 and any math courses already required as part of the mathematics major.

Program Outcomes

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