Every branch of science draws upon mathematics; It forms the foundation for all technical scientific work. On its own, it stands as an elegant, fascinating, varied, and endlessly challenging field of inquiry. At Tufts, students take courses and participate in faculty research that extends from pure to applied mathematics.

While some mathematics majors go on to graduate work in the field, many apply the challenging intellectual program to a wide variety of careers. Graduates of the Department of Mathematics at Tufts work in government, law, engineering, corporations, and medicine, for instance. Students who major in computer science, mechanical engineering, even psychology or philosophy often find that mathematics complements their educational experience as a second major or as a minor.

Every week, the mathematics department meets to discuss current issues related to mathematical theories or innovations. Economics, computer science, and physics students and professors often attend this colloquium, just as math majors and professors attend presentations by other departments at Tufts. Once a year, the department hosts the Norbert Wiener Lectures, named after perhaps the most well-known mathematician to graduate from Tufts. Tufts has an active Putnam Exam team and a student chapter of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics.

Sample Classes:

• Math of Social Choice
• Calculus III
• Number Theory
• Linear Algebra
• Computational Geometry
• Probability

Photo credit: Department of Mathematics Website from Flickr