Program Overview

Introduction to the Applied Mathematics Program

The Applied Mathematics program at Western Washington University is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of mathematical concepts and their applications in various fields. Mathematics is a diverse discipline that deals with data, measurements, and observations from science, inference, deduction, and proof, as well as mathematical models of natural phenomena, human behavior, and social systems.

Why Consider an Applied Mathematics Major?

The special role of Mathematics in education is a consequence of its universal applicability. The results of Mathematics - theorems and theories - are both significant and useful; the best results are also elegant and deep. Through its theorems, Mathematics offers science both a foundation of truth and a standard of certainty. In addition to theorems and theories, Mathematics offers distinctive modes of thought which are both versatile and powerful, including modeling, abstraction, optimization, logical analysis, inference from data, and use of symbols.

Student Resources

• Department website: Mathematics
• Department advising: See the Advising section of the Mathematics website
• Degree Works: Current students should also log on to Degree Works to check student-specific program progress.
• Career Services Center: Connect major to a career
• Sample Careers: Actuary, Research Analyst, Statistician, Biostatistician, Math Teacher, Demographer, Database Administrator, Information Scientist

How to Declare the Major

Students who intend to complete a major in Mathematics are urged to declare the major formally at an early point in their Western career so that a program of study can be planned carefully in collaboration with a departmental advisor.

Grade Requirements

A grade of C- or better is required for a student’s major or minor courses, and supporting courses for majors and minors.

Program Requirements

The Applied Mathematics program requires a total of 84-95 credits.

Major Core (58-63 credits)

• Choose either:
  • MATH 124 - Calculus and Analytic Geometry I (5 credits)
  • MATH 125 - Calculus and Analytic Geometry II (5 credits)
  • or
  • MATH 134 - Calculus I Honors (5 credits)
  • MATH 135 - Calculus II Honors (5 credits)
  • or
  • MATH 138 - Accelerated Calculus (5 credits)
• Choose either:
  • MATH 204 - Elementary Linear Algebra (4 credits)
  • MATH 331 - Ordinary Differential Equations (4 credits)
  • or
  • MATH 203 - Linear Algebra and Differential Equations I (4 credits)
  • MATH 303 - Linear Algebra and Differential Equations II (4 credits)
• MATH 224 - Multivariable Calculus and Geometry I (5 credits)
• MATH 225 - Multivariable Calculus and Geometry II (4 credits)
• MATH 226 - Limits and Infinite Series (4 credits)
• MATH 304 - Linear Algebra (4 credits)
• MATH 312 - Proofs in Elementary Analysis (4 credits)
• M/CS 375 - Numerical Computation (4 credits)
• M/CS 475 - Numerical Analysis (4 credits)
• One course from:
  • MATH 302 - Introduction to Proofs Via Number Theory (4 credits)
  • MATH 309 - Introduction to Proof in Discrete Mathematics (4 credits)
• Choose either:
  • MATH 341 - Probability and Statistical Inference (4 credits)
  • MATH 342 - Statistical Methods I (4 credits)
  • or
  • MATH 441 - Probability (4 credits)
  • MATH 442 - Mathematical Statistics (4 credits)
• One course from:
  • CSCI 140 - Programming Fundamentals in C++ (4 credits)
  • CSCI 141 - Computer Programming I (4 credits)
  • MATH 307 - Mathematical Computing (4 credits)

Supporting Sequence Courses (8 credits)

Must complete one of the three supporting sequence courses blocks for a total of 8 credits:

Differential Equations (8 credits)

• MATH 438 - Introduction to Complex Variables (4 credits)
• One course from:
  • MATH 430 - Fourier Series and Applications to Partial Differential Equations (4 credits)
  • MATH 432 - Systems of Differential Equations (4 credits)

Optimization (8 credits)

• M/CS 335 - Linear Optimization (4 credits)
• M/CS 435 - Nonlinear Optimization (4 credits)

Modeling (8 credits)

• One course from:
  • MATH 410 - Mathematical Modeling (4 credits)
  • MATH 415 - Mathematical Biology (4 credits)
• One course from:
  • MATH 444 - Categorical Data Analysis (4 credits)
  • MATH 447 - Multivariate Statistics (4 credits)
  • MATH 456 - Applied Time Series Analysis (4 credits)

Supporting Non-Math Courses (15-21 credits)

Must complete one of the four supporting non-math courses blocks for a minimum total of 15 credits:

Chemistry (15 credits)

• CHEM 161 - General Chemistry I (5 credits)
• CHEM 162 - General Chemistry II (5 credits)
• CHEM 163 - General Chemistry III (5 credits)
• or
• CHEM 175 - General Chemistry I, Honors (5 credits)
• CHEM 176 - General Chemistry II, Honors (5 credits)
• CHEM 225 - General Chemistry III, Honors (5 credits)

Computer Science (21 credits)

• CSCI 141 - Computer Programming I (4 credits) (The Supporting Non-Math Courses CSCI 141 requirement is fulfilled if completed in the Major Core requirements.)
• CSCI 145 - Computer Programming and Linear Data Structures (4 credits)
• CSCI 241 - Data Structures (4 credits)
• CSCI 301 - Formal Languages and Functional Programming (5 credits)
• and one course from:
  • CSCI 305 - Analysis of Algorithms and Data Structures I (4 credits)
  • CSCI 330 - Database Systems (4 credits)
  • CSCI 345 - Object Oriented Design (4 credits)
  • CSCI 401 - Automata and Formal Language Theory (4 credits)

Economics (16 credits)

• ECON 206 - Introduction to Microeconomics (4 credits)
• ECON 207 - Introduction to Macroeconomics (4 credits)
• ECON 306 - Intermediate Microeconomics (4 credits)
• One course from:
  • ECON 333 - Introduction to Game Theory (4 credits)
  • ECON 375 - Introduction to Econometrics (4 credits)
  • ECON 470 - Economic Fluctuations and Forecasting (4 credits)
  • ECON 475 - Econometrics (4 credits)

Physics (15 credits)

• PHYS 161 - Physics with Calculus I (5 credits)
• PHYS 162 - Physics with Calculus II (5 credits)
• PHYS 163 - Physics with Calculus III (5 credits)

400-Level Elective (3 credits)

At least 3 credits are required from the following 400-level courses:

• 400-level MATH courses
• 400-level M/CS courses
• CSCI 405 - Analysis of Algorithms and Data Structures II (4 credits)
• CSCI 480 - Computer Graphics (4 credits)

University Graduation Requirements

• General University Requirements
• Writing Proficiency Requirement (WP)
• 180 Minimum Total Credits
• 60 Minimum Upper Division Credits
• Residency Requirement
• Minimum Grade Requirements
• Final Quarter Requirement