Skip to Main Navigation

UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES


The Schools of Nursing and Pharmacy operate on both the Oxford and Jackson campuses. The Schools of Dentistry, Health Related Professionals and Medicine, and the Health Sciences Graduate School, are based in Jackson only. (Additional healthcare programs are available through the School of Applied Sciences on the Oxford campus.) Other than these exceptions, the schools above are on the Oxford campus.

B.S. in Mathematics

Take courses in theoretical and applied mathematics while learning to solve problems in creative ways.

There are two paths to study mathematics at the University of Mississippi. Choose between the more broad training of the Bachelor of Arts in mathematics or the more specialized Bachelor of Science in mathematics. The B.S. degree allows students gain more depth in areas such as pure, applied, and discrete mathematics, statistics, or actuarial science.

Key Benefits

Gain facility in the use of technology that transfers easily to other areas of inquiry. From the freshman-level courses with computer lab projects to the advanced statistics laboratory, our courses have evolved with the advances in technology. The B.S. degree best prepares students for graduate school in mathematics or to undertake careers in mathematically oriented professions.

Graduate Outcomes

A liberal arts education prepares graduates to deal with complexity and change. They gain key skills in communication, problem-solving, and working with diverse groups. Related careers in mathematics include education, research, information technology, finance, actuarial science, banking, health care, statistical analysts, national intelligence, and law.

Experiences Offered

The Department of Mathematics provides many opportunities for undergraduate research, conference travel, and participation in local and national academic competitions. They may also participate in seminar talks tailored to their career and mathematical interests.

B.S. in Mathematics Faculty

The Department of Mathematics at the University of Mississippi includes faculty members whose areas of expertise include matroid theory, graph theory, functional analysis, statistics, analytic number theory, complex analysis, commutative algebra, probability theory, dynamical systems, sympletic topology, and mathematical physics.

Qingying Bu
Professor of Mathematics
Gerard J Buskes
Professor Emeritus of Mathematics
Jeremy T Clark
Associate Professor of Mathematics
Donald R Cole
Assistant Provost Emeritus and Associate Professor Emeritus of Mathematics
Xin Dang
Professor of Mathematics
Sasa Kocic
Associate Professor of Mathematics
Thai Hoang Le
Associate Professor of Mathematics
Samuel T Lisi
Associate Professor of Mathematics
Martial Longla
Associate Professor of Mathematics
Micah Baruch Milinovich
Professor of Mathematics
Erwin Diaz Mina
Associate Professor of Mathematics
Dao Xuan Nguyen
Assistant Professor of Mathematics
Talmage James Reid
Chair and Professor of Mathematics
Hailin Sang
Associate Professor of Mathematics
Laura Jean Sheppardson
Associate Chair and Associate Professor of Mathematics
Sandra M Spiroff
Assistant Dean of Professional Development and Communication and Professor of Mathematics
Bing Wei
Professor of Mathematics
Haidong Wu
Professor of Mathematics
Erica Paige Gillentine
Instructional Associate Professor of Mathematics
Julie Kathryn Jones
Senior Lecturer in Mathematics
Michael Wayne Azlin
Lecturer in Mathematics
Cody J Harville
Lecturer in Mathematics
Kayla Denise Davis Harville
Lecturer and Director of Freshman Mathematics
Kelvin Holmes
Lecturer in Mathematics
Robert Hunt
Senior Lecturer in Mathematics and Computer Specialist
Ginger Newsom
Lecturer in Mathematics
Lanzhen Song
Lecturer in Mathematics
Jon-Michael Wimberly
Lecturer in Mathematics
Qin Zhang
Lecturer in Mathematics

A major in mathematics for a B.S. degree consists of 42 hours of mathematics courses as indicated below, plus a computer programming class chosen from:   

  • Csci 111, 251, 256, or 259.

    Core Courses (24 hours)

  • Math 261-264: Calculus I-IV - 12 hours
  • Math 305: Foundations - 3 hours
  • Math 319: Linear Algebra - 3 hours
  • Math 555: Advanced Calculus I - 3 hours
  • Math 525: Modern Algebra I - 3 hours   

    A two-course in-depth sequence

  • 555/556: Advanced Calculus I and II
  • 525/526: Modern Algebra I and II
  • 301/401: Discrete Math/Combinatorics
  • 353/454: Elementary/Intermediate Differential Equations
  • 375/475: Statistics   

    Electives:

    300 level or above to reach the total of 42 credit hours of mathematics courses. The same mathematics course may satisfy more than one category, but students must still complete the total hours for the major.   

    An optional emphasis in statistics requires three courses:

      

  • Math 375 – Introduction to Statistics I
  • Math 380 – Statistical Computing and Data Analysis
  • Math 475 – Introduction to Statistics II   

Admission requirements for the Bachelor of Science in mathematics program are the same as the general undergraduate admission requirements.

Samuel Watson

Samuel (B.S. in Mathematics and Physics, B.A. in Classics, 2008; M.S. in Mathematics, 2009) was an honors student who received a Goldwater and Gates Cambridge Scholarship as well as UM awards in classics and mathematics. He wrote exams for the university's high school math contest and coached the Oxford Middle School Mathcounts team to a state championship. After studying mathematics at the University of Cambridge, he earned a Ph.D. in mathematics at MIT on a National Science Foundation fellowship. Now Director of Graduate Studies in the Data Science Initiative at Brown University, he researches fractal curves and surfaces which emerge from the study of geometric arrangements of microscopic randomness, and trains students in data science.

Why study mathematics at UM?
"Mathematical ideas have recently been leveraged to profound effect in the social sciences, physical sciences, business, finance, and other fields. Honing your mathematical problem solving skills in college puts you at the forefront of these developments. The UM math department in particular provides a welcoming and supportive learning environment. You will have invaluable opportunities for mentorship from professors who care about you as an individual."

Student Organizations

Join Pi Mu Epsilon, the mathematics honor society.