The Department of Mathematics offers an undergraduate major with a high degree of flexibility. A solid background in mathematics provides an excellent foundation for any quantitative discipline as well as many professions–many students go on to professional studies in law, medicine, or business.
Program of Concentration in Mathematics
Three tracks are available.
Program I (Standard Track) is intended for most mathematics majors in the College of Arts and Science, Blair School of Music, and Peabody College.
Program II (Applied Track) is intended for students in the School of Engineering who elect a second major in mathematics but is also available for other students.
Program III (Honors Track) is intended for highly qualified students who either are preparing for graduate studies in mathematics or plan to graduate with departmental honors. Students who complete this program and, in addition, complete a senior thesis will graduate with departmental honors.
Requirements for the three tracks are summarized below.
Program I (Standard Track)
At least 32 credit hours in mathematics including at least 15 credit hours taken at Vanderbilt, as follows.
- A calculus sequence: 1300–1301-2300, 1300-1301-2310, or 1300–1301–2500–2501.
- Linear algebra and differential equations: 2600 or 2500–2501, and 2610.
- At least 15 additional credit hours from 2800 or above.
- The remainder of the credit hours must be chosen from 2800 or above.
Program II (Applied Track)
At least 29 credit hours in mathematics including at least 15 credit hours taken at Vanderbilt and 6 credit hours outside the department, as follows.
- A calculus sequence as in Program I.
- Linear algebra and differential equations–one of the following:
- one of 2410, 2600, or 2500–2501, and one of 2420 or 2610; or
- 2400 and either 2600 or 2500–2501.
- At least 12 additional credit hours from 2800 or above, excluding 3000.
- The remainder of the credit hours in mathematics must be chosen from 2800 or above.
- At least 6 credit hours of advanced, mathematically based science or engineering courses approved by the director of undergraduate studies. This requirement is automatically fulfilled by students who complete a physics major or a major in the School of Engineering.