Academics | Howard University Department of Mathematics

The undergraduate program at Howard consists of a general education courses, such as Patterns in Mathematics, College Algebra, Precalculus, and Calculus, and a large variety of upper division courses leading to a major or minor in mathematics.

A math major at Howard may choose an area of concentration from among Pure Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, Actuarial Science, Mathematics Education, and Pre-medical/Pre-dental Studies. Each of these has a full-fledged program aimed at producing competent professionals in the area.

For example, a concentration in actuarial science prepares you for the foundations of actuarial practice, which involves statistically calculating risks, premiums, etc. for insurance. A concentration in mathematics education prepares you for teaching mathematics at the elementary and secondary level.

A concentration in pure and applied mathematics, the more traditional course of study, ordinarily attracts students who expect to pursue higher degrees in mathematics, as well as those preparing for careers as mathematicians in industry and government.

The undergraduate program page contains information about the mathematics placement exam and more details about the major and minor program in mathematics, including course requirements by concentration, example four-year sequences, and information about the senior comprehensive examination.

The list of all undergraduate math courses can be found on the Mathematics Courses page.

Undergraduate Program

The mathematics graduate program offers an opportunity to do research in both pure and applied areas of mathematics. Our program is designed for students who expect to pursue a career in academia as well as those preparing for careers as mathematicians in industry and government.

The Department of Mathematics offers programs leading to the Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in both pure and applied areas of mathematics. Faculty research interests include algebra and number theory, applied mathematics, combinatorics, differential equations, functional analysis, geometry, mathematical biology, numerical analysis, probability and statistics, and topology, among others.

The graduate program page contains information on the admission requirements, core courses for the M.S. and Ph.D. programs, and graduation requirements.

The list of all graduate courses can be found on the Mathematics Courses page.

Graduate Program

In addition to their listings in the university course catalog, the department maintains brief catalog descriptions of all undergraduate and graduate mathematics courses.

Undergraduate and Graduate Math Courses

Need help outside of class to understand course material?

To help students outside of class and supplement instructor office hours, the department maintains a math tutoring lab with a schedule that aims to keep it open for 8-12 hours on weekdays and 3-5 hours on weekends, subject to availability of student tutors.

Caveat: The tutors won't do your homework for you (it's your homework, after all), but they can help you understand how to solve problems similar to the ones assigned to you, so that you can succeed in doing your homework on your own and mastering the course material.

The department also maintains an extensive list of past final examinations for most lower division courses and some higher level courses (currently, MATH 005, 006, 007, 009, 010, 026, 156, 157, 158, 159, 180) as well as several recent senior comprehensive exams.

In addition to the information about the tutoring lab and a repository of selected past final exams, the resource page also contains some links for the mathematics faculty.

Math Support Resources