
Department of Mathematics
The Mathematics Department at UND educates undergraduate and graduate majors in mathematics.
It also provides courses designed to meet the needs of students in business, engineering, elementary and secondary education, meteorology, and the physical, social and biological sciences. There are usually 80 to 100 undergraduate math majors at UND (including double majors) and about 9 to 15 graduate students in math.
Math Academic Programs
Learn more about admissions, tuition and fees, financial aid, courses, and more.
Minors
UND also offers a Minor in Mathematics as well as a Minor in Mathematics for Elementary Educators.
Department Mission
Mathematics is a unique discipline which is neither an art nor a science. However, mathematics, being the language of our natural world, shares many characteristics of the social and physical sciences as well as the fine arts.
Like artists, mathematicians are extremely creative and appreciative of beauty and elegance in their work. As mathematician G.H. Hardy stated, “Beauty is the first test. There is no permanent place in the world for ugly mathematics.” Unlike a work of traditional art, which can be appreciated by many, training is needed for an observer to appreciate a fine piece of mathematics.
Mathematics is used to model the world around us. Mathematicians look for patterns and then develop tools to analyze and understand these patterns. Experimentation, which is the basis of most research in the physical and social sciences, is not typically a feature of research in mathematics.
The mission of the Mathematics Department at the University of North Dakota is multi-faceted. We serve as advocates and promoters of the discipline. We believe all people can learn to appreciate mathematics if given the proper support and guidance.
- We are dedicated to the education and training of our undergraduate and graduate majors in Mathematics and our graduate majors in Applied Statistics. We also offer courses designed to meet the needs of students in business; engineering; physical, social, and biological sciences; and elementary and secondary education.
- The main fields of opportunity in mathematics today are teaching, statistical data analysis, mathematics in industry, mathematics in government, actuarial mathematics, data science and machine learning.
- Research in contemporary theoretical and applied mathematics and statistics is another key contribution of the Mathematics Department in support of the university’s mission. Collaborative research with other departments and colleges which addresses one of UND’s Grand Challenges is of particular importance.
- Faculty in the department are active in service at the local, regional, state, and national levels. The department’s annual Math Track Meet offers an opportunity for teams of students from schools in the Grand Forks area to spend a day at UND in friendly competition on math exams. Active participation in mathematical organizations such as the Mathematical Association of America and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics by faculty members keeps the department apprised of current trends and practices in the discipline and maintains a line of communication with our colleagues across the country and internationally.