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College
College of Arts and Sciences

Department
Department of Mathematical Sciences

Mathematics and Computer Science Building
E-mail: math@math.kent.edu
Tel: 330-672-2430
Fax: 330-672-2209
Web: http://www.kent.edu/math

Description

Mathematics provides an  excellent means for developing strong analytical and critical-thinking skills.

The Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics emphasizes the tools most useful in science, engineering and technology applications: mathematical modeling, scientific computing and probability and statistics. The B.S. in Applied Math at KSU offers the follows four concentrations.

Applied Mathematics concentration emphasizes the classical aspects of the discipline, which are rooted in mathematical modeling and applications in the sciences. It couples well with Physics as a minor or double major.

Computational Mathematics  concentration is designed for students with interests in numerical modeling and scientific computing; it pairs well with Computer Science as a minor or double major.

Financial Mathematics  concentration prepares students for graduate programs in mathematical or computational finance or financial engineering, such as Kent State's interdisciplinary Master of Science in Financial Engineering.

The Applied Mathematics- Probability and Statistics concentration emphasizes the mathematics underlying processes that involve randomness and the mathematical tools used in the analysis of data.

Career Opportunities

A degree in mathematics opens the door to a very wide range of satisfying and lucrative career opportunities. Many of them are consistently top-ranked in annual job satisfaction surveys which take into account key components including salary, work environment, job stability, and benefits. For example, a 2009 survey by the Wall Street Journal found that the top three jobs among the 200 they surveyed were; Mathematician, Actuary and Statistician. Each of these careers begins with a mathematics degree (and several others in the top ten also pair well with a math minor or double major). 

Indeed, in our technology and information-driven society, the ability to analyze and solve quantitative problems is naturally a key factor which distinguishes the most valuable employees and highest earners. Contrary to a popular misconception (which is not shared worldwide), mathematicians develop problem-solving skills far beyond the domain of textbook problems in arithmetic and algebra—their analytical skills have always been highly valued in the business world. For this reason, mathematics-related careers tend to be less stressful and offer greater work-life balance than most other careers with comparable salaries.

The good news is that earning a degree in mathematics is not as difficult as others would have you believe. It is challenging, yes, but not more so than most science programs; and the long-term rewards speak for themselves!

Admission Requirements

General Admissions for Freshman Students: Students most likely to be admitted and succeed at the Kent Campus are those who have graduated with at least 16 units of the recommended college preparatory curriculum in high school, who have achieved a cumulative high school grade point average of 2.5 or higher (on a 4.0 scale), and whose composite ACT score is 21 or better (980 combined critical reading and math SAT score). For more information on admissions, visit the admissions website for new freshmen.
General Admissions for Transfer Students: Generally, a transfer applicant who has taken 12 or more semester hours with a college cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 on a 4.0 scale may be admitted. An applicant who has taken fewer than 12 semester hours will be evaluated on both collegiate and high school records. For more information on admissions, visit the admissions website for transfer students.

Graduation Requirements

Minimum 121 total credit hours  and  42 upper-division hours for graduation. Minimum 2.000 GPA overall and 2.000 GPA in major required for graduation.

Study Abroad/Away Opportunities

There are many Study Abroad/Away Opportunities, for more information contact the Office of Global Education.

Advanced Degree Programs

Applied Mathematics (M.A. and M.S.), Business Administration: Finance (M.B.A.)