Math Degree

What is Math?

Mathematics is a language and methodology for classifying, studying, and predicting patterns: patterns of quantity, of structure, of change, of logic. Mathematics typically encompasses applied mathematics and computational mathematics.

This program offers specializations in actuarial science and data science.

What does a mathematician do?

Above all else, a mathematician is a problem solver, and as a mathematics major at South Dakota Mines, you will learn to be just that.

An applied mathematician uses mathematical theory and technique to critically analyze and solve problems in business, government, engineering, and the social sciences.

Mathematics is the most popular double major at Mines.

Courses for this Degree

• Partial Differential Equations
• Advanced Linear Algebra
• Abstract Algebra
• Complex Analysis
• Data Analysis
• Design of Experiments
• Math Modeling
• Probability Theory and Statistics
• Communicating Mathematics
• Advanced Calculus

Course Curriculum

Catalog Links: Mathematics

Internships and Co-ops

On average, 73% of South Dakota Mines students have applicable work experience when they graduate thanks to internships and co-ops. For these co-ops and internships, students receive an average salary of $22.62/hour. Some of the places our math majors have interned include:

• National Renewable Energy Laboratory at the National Wind Technology Center
• Black Hills Energy
• Dartmouth College

Career Outlook

Math grads in the 2021-2022 academic year earned average starting salaries of $77,000. For the 2021-22 academic year, the job placement rate for applied and computational mathematics graduates was 93%.

Careers

A degree in math from South Dakota Mines will give you a firm understanding of mathematics and its applications to science and engineering in the 21st century. The degree will prepare you to work in such areas as:
• defense technology
• business
• robotics
• public policy
• biomedicine
• data analysis and statistics
• actuary and banking
• industrial processes, manufacturing
• market research, IT
• telecommunications
• aerospace, space exploration
• pharmaceuticals, drug trials
• agriculture
• military, weapons systems testing
• hedge funds, financial analysis

Employers

South Dakota Mines mathematics graduates go on to work for such companies as:
• Assurant
• Microsoft
• Bluestem Brands
• Boeing
• Garmin
• National Information Solutions Cooperative (NISC)
• Google
• U.S. Department of Justice
• Halliburton
• Raven Industries
• S&P Global Inc.
• Lambda Chi Fraternity
• Northwestern Mutual
• T3 Trading Group
• Travelers Insurance

Math Research

As a math major at South Dakota Mines, you won’t have to wait to get involved in research. From the first day students step on campus, you will have many opportunities to be involved in mathematical research, in collaborations with department faculty and in interdisciplinary teams with faculty and students from other departments.

The primary research focus areas of our faculty are:
• Numerical linear algebra and multilinear algebra
• Non-parametric statistics, computational statistics, time series forecasting, and massive data streams
• Parameter estimation, decision theory, and non-parametric statistics
• Combinatorial matrix theory and graph theory
• Mathematical modeling, mathematical biology, applied math, and Bayesian statistics
• Finite geometry and non-associative algebras
• Complex analysis and formal power series theory
• Mathematical pedagogy and history
• Mathematics, history, and astronomy (particularly celestial mechanics)