Top 10 Math Majors or Programs at Small Liberal Arts Schools TKG

Top 10 Math Majors or Programs at Small Liberal Arts Schools Some students may assume that if they want to study math in college, larger universities make more sense because of their graduate-level programs. Math courses at larger schools are often bigger ones that get split into small groups taught by TAs (and TAs can be great!) and not by the research professors themselves. Students often don’t get the opportunity to work across disciplines in the same way they do at liberal arts colleges (LAC). It’s important to know that you can still find advanced, rigorous math courses at small LACs, and the advantage of a LAC is that you can then study subjects that aren’t math, too.  Still, sometimes it can be hard to distinguish between the best math programs and majors considering there are so many small LACs to choose from. We’ve gone ahead and made a list for you to try to point out some of the more unique aspects of the math programs at these smaller schools.    Harvey Mudd CollegeHarvey Mudd is unique in that it’s a liberal arts college with a focus on engineering, science, and mathâ€"â€"so the math program is both top-notch and really popular. Academically, the department offers advanced graduate-level courses as well as a higher number of math classes than most other colleges because students can take courses across all five colleges in the Claremont Colleges consortium. Seniors have the opportunity to use their senior capstone project to complete a “clinic,” where a team of students are paired with an industry sponsor who proposes a real-world problem, and then the team works with a faculty member to solve that problem. Outside of classes, students can participate in weekly colloquium events where speakers are brought in to discuss current topics in math, apply for funding to travel, and participate in various research experiences.  Pomona CollegeJust across Harvey Mudd’s campus is Pomona College, where the math program is just as strong. Math is a big department at Pomona, but it’s set up in a way that makes it still highly accessible and supportive. Students choose from four tracks (general, pure, applied, and statistics), and like at Harvey Mudd, classes are shared across all five Claremont Colleges, meaning there are more to choose from in any given semester. Pomona hosts a variety of seminars through colloquia at the Claremont Center for Mathematical Sciences (history of math, applied math, topology-geometry, etc) as well as evening mentor sessions and department retreats to the outdoors. Students frequently participate in summer research, including through the Pomona-exclusive Kenneth Cooke Summer Research Fellowship. First-generation and low-income students are encouraged to take part in cohort-based programs like their Learning Communities and Pomona Scholars of Math.  WilliamsWilliams is one of the most rigorous small LACs in the country; as such, its math program is rigorous, too. The student chapter of the Association for Women in Math meets for weekly dinners and focus groups, while other students can attend colloquia and monthly department dinners or participate on the Student Math and Statistics Advisory Board. Mentorship is strong, with mentor partnerships available in the first two years to help students craft a course of study. In terms of research, most notable is Williams’ unique SMALL Undergraduate Research Project, which is a nine-week residential summer program where students form small groups to investigate open mathematical research problems and get to enjoy the perks of the Berkshire’ outdoor playground during their time off. SMALL is one of the largest programs of its kind in the whole country.  Carleton CollegeCarleton sends a solid number of students on to math and statistics PhDs every year. All seniors at Carleton engage in a senior integrative exercise, or comps, during the last year; in math, students will usually work in small groups (2-4 people) on a research problem, an applied project, or directed reading. They then ha ve to attend several comps talks in their own department and reflect on them. Outside of courses, students have a lot of activities to choose from: they can go to colloquium seminars, join the US honorary math society (Psi Mu Epsilon), contribute to the Goodsell Gazette math newsletter, go to extensive problem-solving activities and groups, compete in the Putnam Exam, attend or speak at the St. Olaf / Carleton Northfield Undergraduate Mathematics Symposium, and more…Colgate UniversityStudents studying math at Colgate can choose from math and applied math as well as a minor in mathematical systems biology. Research is available for students early on and students are often granted coauthor credits, and in the senior year, a thesis is mandatory. Colgate also sponsors several study abroad programs, which can support continued work towards the major, including the Wales Study Group, two programs in Australia, the Singapore Exchange, and Manchester Study.  Wellesley CollegeWellesley has a very robust math department, with 16 faculty members and around 25 to 30 students who graduate in math per academic year. Opportunities for math engagement outside class are rampant, since Wellesley emphasizes research experience for undergraduates, including summer research on campus, while students who go the statistics route can intern at the on-campus Quantitative Analysis Institute. Special lectures are held through department colloquia while students can celebrate their own achievements through the yearly Ruhlman Conference. On the competitive end of things, teams can compete in the annual Putnam Exam (as at many other LACs), but also in the lower pressure Wellesley Math Games. And every year they can play the physics department in a friendly softball game (math vs. physics)!  Reed CollegeReed offers pure math and computer science degrees, a concentration in statistics, and a handful of interdisciplinary majors. The department helps students procure research positions, atte nd conferences and present papers, and also encourages studying abroad through two programs in Budapest and one in Moscow.  Amherst CollegeMath and statistics majors at Amherst have plenty of opportunities to engage in summer research, internships, and teaching, but unlike at other schools, Amherst places a particular emphasis on teaching, especially in New England middle schools and high schools, as a valuable experience for undergrads. The department also lists and helps mentor students about off-campus research opportunities, but there are some on-campus REU programs, like Amherst College SURF.Wheaton CollegeStudents studying math at Wheaton take an interdisciplinary approach, with four concentrations to choose from and over 30 courses. As at most other small LACs, studying abroad through the math program in Budapest is encouraged, but in Massachusetts, math majors can participate in Arithmos, the student-sponsored math club, tutor younger local students in math during the year, and act as teaching assistants at the college itself.  Bryn Mawr CollegeThe math program at Bryn Mawr has been nationally recognized by the American Math Society. It’s distinguished by the opportunity for students to take graduate-level courses and the fact that students can complete an AB/MA degree in just four years.  The list doesn’t need to end here. If you want more information about math majors at small liberal arts colleges or you’re having trouble deciding what program is right for you, contact us and we can help out.