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About Mathematics / Explore Mathematics

Explore Mathematics

The mathematics undergraduate program (MATH) offers two degrees, BA and BS in Mathematics, each with two options:

  • Option A — Mathematics, which is a general degree for students interested in teaching or in continuing with a graduate education and
  • Option B — Mathematical Sciences, which is more focused on applied mathematics.

A math degree teaches critical thinking, reasoning and problem-solving skills. These skills are highly valued by industry, government, and academia. In fact, career opportunities for math majors are numerous and varied. Some of the possible careers that a math major may choose include:

  • Data scientists
  • Logistics
  • Actuaries
  • Financial analysts
  • Operations research analysts
  • Cryptoanalysts
  • K-12 Teachers
  • Graduate studies and academia

Math majors typically have one of the highest median incomes of those who graduate from college. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median salary for math occupations is well above $90,000 per year. Of course, your specific salary may depend on factors such as what industry you're working in and how much experience you have. Moreover, the BLS also reports that overall employment in math occupations is projected to grow 29% from 2021 to 2031 – much faster than the average for all occupations. This increase is expected to result in about 82,000 new jobs over the decade.

You can take a wide variety of interesting and cutting-edge courses. Here at UK, in addition to all the classical courses in the traditional math curriculum (abstract algebra, applied mathematics, mathematical analysis, topology) we have recently added a variety of new courses in cutting-edge areas of math that are geared to provide a focused emphasis for some of the careers mentioned above. Just some of these courses are:

  • MA 327 — Strategic Decision Making: An Introduction to Game Theory
  • MA 323 — Mathematical Introduction to Data Science
  • MA 420G — Introduction to Stochastic Processes
  • MA 421G — Mathematical Introduction to Deep Learning
  • MA 427G — Financial Mathematics

The following links provide a detailed description of the program including the various opportunities for engagement (Math Club) and undergraduate research (UK Math Lab and REUs):

       Undergraduate Program Overview

       Math Club

       UK Math Lab

       4-year plan

       Minor

       Education Abroad

       Undergraduate Research

       AP/IB/Dual Credit

       Transfer Equivalencies — https://admission.uky.edu/transfer/equivalencies

       UK Core — http://catalogs.uky.edu/content.php?catoid=7&navoid=294

Time for prospective students to meet with faculty: 1pm on Mondays beginning September 4th. Please e-mail in advance Dr. Corso (Director of Undergraduate Studies for Math) at alberto.corso@uky.edu to confirm that you are attending one of these Monday meetings:

https://uky.zoom.us/j/84074362822?pwd=Lzl2MVNsWit0bTlaWisvZGltK1UwQT09