Flexible + Engaging + Challenging + Personalized = A Math Program Made For You
Here, in Shenandoah’s Bachelor of Science in Mathematics program, you’ll work with faculty on projects that interest you. Shenandoah math majors have created an automated license plate reader using geometry, combined math and physics to study quantum computing and codes, studied how fair board games are using game theory, completed data analysis on student-athletes, and so much more. Once their research is complete students go on to present at conferences and win competitions.
Math students work very closely with faculty. Independent study and special topics courses are regularly offered in areas of faculty expertise. These special courses tend to be very small, individualized, and give students a feel for a higher level of mathematics that they would not normally see in an undergraduate curriculum. Courses have involved math modeling, algebraic coding theory, game theory and advanced linear algebra.
The math department offers many fun mathematical events including origami parties before finals, celebrating Pi Day on March 14, math scavenger hunts, math majors’ lunch at the beginning of the school year, and graduation celebrations for seniors.
Learn More About This Program
Shenandoah University’s College of Arts & Sciences is your direct connection to a classic, broad-based education to satisfy both your intellectual curiosity and career goals. With a 11:1 student-faculty ratio, small classes and individualized learning opportunities, we put students at the center of all our decisions and events.
We blend the liberal arts with pre-professional courses and hands-on learning to prepare you for careers in the natural sciences, the social sciences and the humanities. You’ll learn through small, engaging classes and relationships with faculty mentors; hone your skills to solve problems; and learn to use creativity and critical thinking to make informed decisions.
Minor in This Program
The Mathematics minor offers you a fundamental background in mathematics. You’ll learn basic and advanced mathematical principles, and acquire logic, problem-solving skills and critical thinking skills. We’ll teach you to think logically, analytically and creatively.
Virtually any professional career today utilizes some form of mathematics to perform the necessary work. You’ll find these jobs much easier not because you were trained to solve complicated equations, but because you can adapt to many different styles of mathematics after being taught to think abstractly and analytically.
Shenandoah’s math program program is flexible, engaging, challenging and personalized. You’ll benefit from low teacher/student ratios and individual attention.
Declaring a Minor
Shenandoah students work with their Academic Advisor to declare a minor. Academic Advisors will continue to work with students to ensure that they fulfill all of the requirements to complete the minor.
Incoming students should not indicate their intended minor on their Shenandoah application. Applications are for intended majors only.
Internship Possibilities
The Career & Professional Development staff helps Shenandoah students search and apply for internships related to their major and career goals. Internships differentiate you as an applicant in your future job searches, provide hands-on experience in your field, allow you to sample different career paths for your major, and help you find a specific position that fits your passion before graduation.
Career and Salary Possibilities
The mathematics major is a 39-credit program that provides students with the experience and background necessary to continue their studies at the graduate level, or to pursue a diverse range of occupations in the field of mathematics.
A mathematics major prepares you for a position in business, government, industry or teaching (where there is growing demand at all levels), but virtually any professional career today utilizes some form of mathematics to perform the necessary work. You will find these jobs much easier not because you were trained to solve complicated equations, but because you can adapt to many different styles of mathematics after being taught to think abstractly and analytically.
Career and Salary Examples for Mathematics Majors:
- Actuary: $85,900
- Data Analyst: $57,400
- Secondary School Teacher: $44,300
- Software Engineer: $51,845 – $122,484
- Software Developer: $54,710 – $99,329
- High School Teacher: $29,639 – $79,396
- Data Analyst: $29,639 – $79,396
- Financial Analyst: $36,435 – $82,638
- Senior Software Engineer: $76,340 – $157,143
- Actuarial Analyst: $40,851 – $85,358
- Cost estimator: $57,860
- Surveyor: $54,880
- Operations research analyst: $70,960
- Statistician (post-graduate school): $72,830
Career & Professional Development provides a comprehensive range of services and resources to assist Shenandoah students in their career search. Services offered include resume and cover letter building, mock interviews, and professional dining etiquette workshops.
Classes
You will benefit from low teacher/student ratios and personalized attention. You will have opportunities for interdisciplinary undergraduate learning and research.
Math majors complete research projects on topics that interest them.
Math students have run math homework clubs for local middle school girls. They worked with the girls to do logic puzzles and fun math problems to show that math can be collaborative and fun. They completed a statistical project with them over a couple weeks relating to bottle flipping and deciding which bottle was the best for bottle flipping. The SU students loved the experience.
In upper division courses, students frequently collaborate on proof work or come to the board to present problems. In statistics and programming, we use robots. The robots are used in some of the statistics classes to collect data and then the data is analyzed and in programming to program the robots. Students present and attend conferences where possible. Faculty know their students individually and spend a lot of time with them. Students also have the opportunity to tutor in our math enrichment center.
The most exciting thing about mathematics is its real-world applications that you can see even when you’re just sitting in the classroom. I have learned so many things about numbers that I never knew possible—from the fact that you can’t always assume that numbers exist to realizing that you can multiply two non-zero numbers together to get zero. There are so many things about math that you don’t even touch on in high school and each new skill is just as incredible as the one I learned before it.
Danealia Simmons ’20 | Mathematics Major with a Criminal Justice minor
Learning support services are available to all students in every course at Shenandoah. Free peer tutoring with a student who has previously succeeded in the course is available for any course across the university. The Writing Center is available for every stage of the writing process from thesis development to proofreading and bibliography assistance. The Math Enrichment Center is available for math and science assistance. Professors and Academic Advisors across the university also have office hours and open door policies to ensure Shenandoah students succeed academically.
Become a Math Teacher
Learn more about Shenandoah’s Mathematics education programs:
Join the Honors Program
The Honors Program is a multidisciplinary Honors Program for students who are curious, creative, self-motivated, and eager to engage in their education and community.
Not only do Honors Program students partake in honors courses that emphasize collaboration, service, and communication, but they will also have the opportunity to develop aspects of the program based on their own interests and goals. By participating in the Honors Program you will acquire the tools, knowledge and experiences necessary to make meaningful contributions to your community – whether it be globally, locally, or specific to your life’s work. You will have access to unique courses, exciting experiences and a community of peers and faculty who never stop asking questions and striving for excellence.
Application Information
Shenandoah University works on rolling admissions and accepts applications throughout the year. Applications are reviewed individually and holistically.
Submit your application, review required admission materials, and find our admissions standards.
Shenandoah is special to me because of all the friends I have made here. The small size of the campus makes it possible to meet so many people that I may never have met otherwise. I’ve made from friends from all sorts of backgrounds with incredibly different interest that I probably wouldn’t have ever spoken to if we hadn’t shared a class together.
Danealia Simmons ’20 | Mathematics Major with a Criminal Justice minor
Meet the Faculty
We have very innovative faculty. Most of the math faculty are MAA Project NExT Fellows and Section NExT fellows. These national and regional programs train math professors in becoming innovative teachers and researchers in the field of mathematics.
The faculty are involved in educational research and investigating not only best practices in teaching, but also coming up with new methods of instruction and assessment that are innovative and better for our students.
We use technology in ways that enhance learning in the classroom. We are very active in our use of the iMLearning iPads and MacBooks, incorporating note-taking applications and math applications to help students succeed in math and visually challenging math problems.
I chose Shenandoah because I wanted to attend a small school filled with faculty who really wanted to be a part of their student’s academic success, and after meeting the math faculty here I knew that was exactly what I was going to get. The faculty here at SU are phenomenal. They’re more than just your professors. Every faculty member I have come into contact with has shown a real interest in my future and they’re there to help you achieve the future that you envision for yourself no matter what.
Danealia Simmons ’20 | Mathematics Major with a Criminal Justice minor
Meet Kevin Sinclair, Department Chair & Associate Professor of MathematicsStudy Abroad
Make studying abroad the highlight of your college experience! Whether you go for a year, a semester, or just a few weeks. You will never forget learning in another culture! The Center for International Programs is here to help you plan your study abroad experience. Start your planning early to ensure the courses you complete abroad count toward your degree and you graduate on time.
Global Experiential Learning (GEL) Program
The Global Experiential Learning (GEL) Program offers Shenandoah students a short-term, faculty-led, study-abroad experience for academic credit. These short-term, credit-bearing, faculty-led programs are offered winter break, spring break, and during the summer. If a course is not within your major, it might be used as an elective.
Study Abroad
Shenandoah University is a member of the International Student Exchange Program (ISEP), a global network of 300 universities. This partnership allows students to study for a full semester or year at other member campuses abroad. By working closely with their academic advisors and the study abroad advisor, students can take classes taught in English abroad while receiving Shenandoah credit.
Shenandoah University also maintains direct partnerships with several universities around the world. These relationships allow students from SU to study abroad as exchange students and students from these universities to study at SU. All partner universities offer courses taught in English.
