Careers Graduates with this major can enter industrial positions that require computer science skills and mathematical problem-solving ability. The combination of mathematics and computer science forms an excellent professional background for secondary-school mathematics teachers, and the major program also provides a solid foundation for actuarial, financial, and related professions. Graduates are also prepared to enter advanced programs of study in either mathematics or computer science, or in applied areas such as biological computational science. A high school student planning to major in mathematics and computer science should pursue a strong academic program with four years of mathematics, including a year of mathematics as a senior. Courses in algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and more advanced topics should be included.
Experience preparing substantial written reports is highly desirable.
College transfer students who have completed a year of calculus should be able to fit the remaining mathematics courses for the degree into just two years, provided that they have already completed the bulk of their general education requirements before they transfer. Transfer students should call or write to the Department of Computer and Information Science to determine whether computer courses they have taken can be counted toward the joint major requirements. Sequential subjects such as mathematics and computer science typically require several years to progress from introductory to senior-level courses. The joint program lets students move forward in both fields at once with limited prerequisites, making it relatively accessible both to transfer students and to students who want to change from other major programs. Students who want to pursue the material in greater depth, however, need to consider prerequisite paths carefully.