About Mathematics at St. Norbert College
The mathematics program is designed to be personally and intellectually challenging and has three objectives: 1) to introduce students to the methodology and applications of mathematics; 2) to provide students in all disciplines with the mathematical competency required in their studies; and 3) to train professional mathematicians for graduate school, teaching or other careers.

Outcomes of the major program

1. Each student should have a firm grounding in calculus, set theory, logic and strategies of mathematical proof and problem solving.
2. Each student should have a working knowledge of at least five of the following mathematical areas: linear algebra, abstract algebra, differential equations, numerical analysis, operations research, probability and statistics, modern geometry, real analysis, and complex analysis.The precise combination of areas will depend on the student’s particular interests and career objectives.
3. Each student should understand the connections and the differences between pure and applied mathematics. Students should be able to reason rigorously in mathematical arguments and students should be able to use mathematical models and algorithms to solve problems.
4. Each student should master the language, symbology and form used in mathematical proof and develop the ability to communicate mathematics clearly.
5. Each student should develop the ability to use technology to reason numerically, symbolically, graphically and verbally. Students should be able to write computer programs or use appropriate software to solve mathematical problems.
6. Each student should develop the ability to be a self-learner in mathematics in order to maximize the student’s future success as a professional mathematician, an actuary, a high school teacher, a computer scientist, etc.

Why Study Mathematics?
Mathematics is a discipline and art that is elegant and challenging, requiring ingenuity as well as logic. First of all, mathematics is a fascinating study in its own right. Based upon pure reasoning, it has a permanence not found in other fields—the Pythagorean Theorem is as valid now as it was thousands of years ago. However, far from being an exercise in cold computation, mathematics is a creative endeavor. It deals with real numbers as well as complex numbers, three dimensions as well as infinite dimensions (even fractional dimensions).

Mathematics is relevant in today's society. Its properties and methods are used to address and solve a myriad of real-world problems. It has applications in everyday life as well as a wide variety of fields such as physics, business, art, chemistry, music and economics. With its combination of imagination and formal logic, a major in mathematics helps prepare students for careers in education, actuarial science, engineering, computer science and law.

Math

Phone: (920) 403-3856
Fax: (920) 403-4098
E-mail: math@snc.edu