Programs
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Kathryn Temple
509-963-1389
Kathryn.Temple@cwu.edu
Studying mathematics isn’t just about numbers. It’s also about recognizing patterns and understanding the logic of shapes, quantities, and arrangements. It is the building blocks of everything around us whether its money, architecture, electronics, or even sports.
Let’s face it—mathematicians are the rock stars of computer science, economic forecasting, energy resources, risk management, medicine, finance, and other businesses. Careers in fields with a solid basis in mathematics are among the fastest growing and rewarding.
CareerCast ranked careers involving mathematics (data scientist and statistician) as the top two jobs in 2016. It also projected a 23 percent increase in job growth for mathematicians by 2022.
Dr. Brandy Wiegers
509-963-2125
brandy.wiegers@cwu.edu
The applied mathematics program is your chance to connect the theory of mathematics with real-world applications because studying mathematics isn’t just about numbers. Studying applied math is also about recognizing patterns and understanding the logic of shapes, quantities, and systems. Mathematics provides the building blocks to understand the world around us whether it is money, architecture, electronics, or sports. From the distribution of prime numbers (useful for encrypting communications and an important area of ongoing research here at CWU) to signal processing (useful for analyzing photos and sound, as well as picking out important patterns hidden in immense data sets), mathematics has applications everywhere. This degree asks you to draw connections between the theoretical and the real world.
Let’s face it—mathematicians are the rock stars of computer science, engineering, economic forecasting, energy resources, risk management, medicine, finance, and other businesses. Careers in fields with a solid basis in mathematics are among the fastest growing and rewarding.
Here are just a few of the experiences in this major to make sure you are ready for these careers:
* Written and verbal communication: All mathematics majors learn to communicate complicated ideas clearly and precisely, an important skill in all technical fields. You will regularly present project results in a manner that you can describe for your future employer.
• Honors seminars: You can enroll in an honors seminar every quarter, with each seminar being a new mathematical topic to explore. Past topics included mathematical biology, 3-D printing, cryptology, mathematical games, and more.
* Research : Students are encouraged to continue individual research projects based on the ideas presented in the honors seminars. Past undergraduates have done work in differential equations, cryptology, mathematical modeling, analysis, and more.
• Social Opportunities: Join the Math Club, help at the Kittitas Valley Math Circle, or challenge yourself with the Putnam Exam, the Kryptos competition, or the Mathematical Competition in Modeling.
CareerCast ranked careers involving mathematics (data scientist and statistician) as the top two jobs in 2016. It also projected a 23 percent increase in job growth for mathematicians by 2022. Graduates in this program are in graduate school, working in industry, and teaching in local schools.
James Bisgard
509-963-2823
James.Bisgard@cwu.edu
Studying mathematics isn’t just about numbers. It’s also about recognizing patterns and understanding the logic of shapes, quantities, and arrangements. It is the building blocks of everything around us whether its money, architecture, electronics, or even sports.
Let’s face it—mathematicians are the rock stars of computer science, economic forecasting, energy resources, risk management, medicine, finance, and other businesses. Careers in fields with a solid basis in mathematics are among the fastest growing and rewarding.
CareerCast ranked careers involving mathematics (data scientist and statistician) as the top two jobs in 2016. It also projected a 23 percent increase in job growth for mathematicians by 2022.
Peter Klosterman
509-963-1398
Peter.Klosterman@cwu.edu
Math teachers will tell you that few things are as satisfying as seeing a student figure out a difficult mathematical equation for the first time. CWU’s middle level mathematics and science teaching program is designed for students who want to teach math and science at the middle school level (grades 5-8).
Students in the middle level mathematics teaching program gain valuable instruction in linear algebra, geometry, statistics, discrete mathematics, and beginning calculus. Students will also learn pedagogy in courses that encompass student assessment, teaching in the classroom, and managing classrooms.
Central Washington University's Endorsement-Only Program is available to certified teachers who hold the Washington State initial, residency, continuing, or professional teaching certificate and who wish to add a teaching endorsement to their certificate.
Mark Oursland
509-963-2100
oursland@cwu.edu
Mathematics secondary teaching is for a person who enjoys mathematical inquiry and social engagement—and wants to share that enthusiasm with high school students. Our program is built off the expertise and experiences of our highly esteemed professors. CWU provides an excellent environment to prepare you for a rewarding and successful career in teaching secondary mathematics.
Academically talented students majoring in a STEM discipline (which includes math) have an opportunity to apply for a two-year SOLVER scholarship totaling $20,000. The scholarship is funded by a National Science Foundation grant and is meant to help promising students through the last, most difficult years of their degree programs.
Graduates of CWU’s mathematics secondary teaching program are highly sought after. According to the Washington Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, there is a serious shortage of mathematics and science teachers in the state.
Why math at CWU?
At Central Washington University, math students work one-on-one with professors, performing research in state-of-the-art facilities and present results at national and international conferences.
The Mathematics Honors program is an exciting new program designed to take mathematics undergraduates and introduce them to the world of mathematics beyond the classroom, providing excellent preparation for graduate school or for work in a mathematical field.
Undergraduate students partner with faculty on research that other institutions reserve for graduate students. CWU students are researching the mathematics of Mozart sonatas and learning how to build mathematical models to solve real world problems. They are interpreting the statistical data of food resources and hunger.
In fall 2018 the program will move into a new state-of-the-art Samuelson Union Building. When finished, it will also house online learning and the departments of Computer Science and Information Technology and Administrative Management.
Central’s Center for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Education (CESME) was created to form a professional learning community of math and science educators and to support best practice teaching, learning, and assessment.
Being an actuary is one of the top-ranked jobs in America, according to a number of job satisfaction surveys. CWU is the only institution in Washington--and one of only three in the Pacific Northwest--that offers a bachelor’s of science degree in actuarial science.
Connect with CWU Math
Career Opportunities
Computer modeling
Finance
Cryptography and security
Biomathematics
Engineering
Actuarial Science
Operations Research
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Points of Pride
Stuart Boersma received the Pacific Northwest Section of the Mathematics Association of America’s 2016 Meritorious Service Award. The organization previously honored him with a Distinguished Teaching of Mathematics Award in 2013.
Dominic Klyve was given the national Henry L. Alder Award for Distinguished Teaching by the Mathematics Association of America in 2014. He also was awarded a share of a $1.5 million National Sciences Foundation grant to test whether teaching math using early math scholars like Euclid and Archimedes, will make it easier for college students to grasp math concepts.