Think of all the careers that depend on numbers: Accounting. Finance. Computer science. Insurance. Gain the analytical skills employers crave with a degree in mathematics.
Why Study Mathematics?
Even if you're good with numbers, you'll find it hard to count just how many doors a mathematics degree will open. That's because this major will sharpen your problem-solving abilities and analytical skills. Employers value those traits because they're hard to train. You'll be in demand as a result.
And you'll have your pick of fields. Applied mathematicians put theories to work, solving problems in economics, science, medicine, engineering and management. Research mathematicians create new theories and techniques. Other Mathematics majors become math teachers or pursue additional education.
You can even go into fields that don't seem math-oriented. Law and medical schools, for example, value the analytical skills math-minded individuals bring to the table, which makes a mathematics degree valuable.
Why Study Mathematics at CSUN?
Bringing Math to the Equation
Big problems don't fit into neat categories. Mathematics, science and engineering researchers come together at the Interdisciplinary Research Institute for the Sciences (IRIS) to solve real-world problems.
As an undergraduate, you'll have a chance to participate in some of this groundbreaking work.
Represent!
Mathematics is for everybody. IRIS is especially focused on bringing more students from underrepresented groups into STEM graduate programs and careers.
Help When You Need It
The Mathematics Tutoring Center provides live and virtual tutoring sessions for students in nearly 30 classes. Just drop by whenever the center is open. No appointment necessary.
What You'll Learn
Every Mathematics major at CSUN takes the same core of required courses including introductory and upper-level work in calculus, linear algebra, computer programming, mechanics and more.
From there, you'll tailor your program to meet your interests. The B.A. option is ideal if you want a general overview of the subject. B.S. options provide for more specialized study.
Graduates of the Mathematics program will learn to construct proofs and how to approach a real-life problem from a mathematical point of view.
As a mathematician, you'll find your skills in demand across a wide range of careers. While research mathematicians create new theories and techniques, applied mathematicians use those concepts to solve problems in economics, science, medicine, engineering and management.
The B.A. program provides a general overview of the Mathematics major and can lead to flexible career paths or a basis for graduate work.
You could also pursue a career in teaching at the K-12 level or in academia, where you'll add to the knowledge in the field. You might also be interested in our Mathematics for Teaching major option.
The B.S. degree provides the foundation to go further in the field of mathematics through theoretical research, or prepare for grad work in pure math.
This degree gives you the skills you'll need for a career involving statistics, such as data analysis or actuarial science. It's also good preparation for graduate work in statistics.
This degree will give you the tools to use your math skills in other fields, such as biology, physics, engineering and healthcare, or prepare for graduate work in applied math.
Careers & Outcomes
Lists of the country's best jobs often bear one thing in common: The top spots are taken by careers that lean heavily on math. Our graduates find opportunities in graduate school and across a range of jobs.
Employers of recent alumni include:
- Northrop Grumman
- Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD)
- Janssen Pharmaceuticals
- Disney Animation
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
- SoCalGas
Graduates of the mathematics program find jobs in fields including:
- Teaching
- Insurance
- Computer science
- Engineering
- Climatology
- Medicine
- Law
- Business
Saluting women in math.
Recognizing the contributions of women to mathematics is vital to promote inclusion and visibility, and CSUN professor Silvia Fernandez is leading the way. In May 2022, she and colleagues from Brazil, Chile and Mexico held a research workshop on Latin American and Caribbean Women in Mathematics.