Mathematics at Simpson

The countless opportunities for our majors include: high-quality instruction, undergraduate research, math-related internships, and mathematical competitions.  These experiences give our students a competitive edge in the job market and in graduate school.  Math majors can do anything!

• Simpson offers three math majors: Mathematics, Actuarial Science and Honors in Mathematics.  The curriculum gives students a mathematical foundation so they can analyze complex systems such as the actions of enzymes on DNA, stock market trends, the effects of invasive insect species and the evolution of human cooperation.
• Every student who studies math at Simpson completes an undergraduate research project or math-related internship.  Other opportunities for undergraduate research in math include our Bryan Summer Research Program, research experiences for undergraduates (REUs) and semester-abroad programs.
• Simpson math students participate in activities beyond the classroom that improve their teamwork, leadership, communication, and time management skills, including mathematical competitions, the Math Club, the Differential Analyzer Club, tutoring and teaching assistantships.  For example, 60 Simpson students competed in the international math modeling contests sponsored by COMAP this year, more than any other institution in the United States.  Our student profiles feature some of their accomplishments.
• Alumni of our math program have been very successful.  Our alumni profiles feature some of their positions, including Actuary, Medical Doctor, Lawyer, High School Teacher and Vice President of Information Management.
• The five professors in the our math department have a wide variety of mathematical interests, including game theory, mathematical modeling, statistics, chaos theory, geometry, knot theory, graph theory, and differential equations.  They are also interested in interdisciplinary applications of math in fields such as political science, economics, education, biology, chemistry and physics.

More Reasons to Study Math at Simpson

• Almost every industry, business, and government agency needs math majors because they are versatile problem-solvers.  Mathematical training is marketable, regardless of the state of the economy.
• Many studies have shown that college graduates who studied math generally have higher salaries and greater job satisfaction than graduates in other fields.  In addition, they have a better chance of getting into graduate school in any field.