Applied Mathematics (BS)

Undergraduate Program in Applied Mathematics

The applied mathematics program is flexible and intensive. A student must take the required courses listed below, or prove equivalent standing, and then may elect the other courses from mathematics, computer science, physics, earth and environmental sciences, biophysics, economics, business and finance, or other application fields.

Each student tailors their own program in close collaboration with an adviser and should confer with their adviser on a regular basis to make sure they are on track for graduation. In particular, all required courses listed in the table must be taken to graduate, however, the specific sequence in which they are taken may depend somewhat on the student’s area of specialization. In general, each student should always check with their adviser. They must also register for the applied mathematics seminar during both the junior and senior years. During the junior year, the student attends the seminar lectures for 0 points; during the senior year, they attend the seminar lectures as well as tutorial problem sessions for 3 or 4 points.

While it is common for students in the program to go on to graduate school, many graduating seniors will find employment directly in industry, government, education, or other fields.

Of the 27 points of elective content in the third and fourth years, at least 15 points of technical courses approved by the adviser must be taken. The remaining points of electives are intended primarily as an opportunity to complete the absolutely mandatory four-year, 27-point nontechnical requirement for the B.S. degree, but if this 27-point nontechnical requirement has been met already, then any type of coursework can satisfy these elective points.

Transfers into the applied mathematics program from other majors require a GPA of 3.0 or above, and the approval of the applied mathematics program chair.

Applied Mathematics Program

An overview of the degree track in PDF format can be found here. 

¹

Students with advanced standing may start the calculus sequence at a higher level (see Advanced Placement Credit Chart, in which case students are suggested to add linear algebra in the first two years.

²

Transfer students who have not fulfilled the physics requirement prior to enrolling at Columbia may substitute this course with PHYS BC3001 CLASSICAL WAVES - LECTURE LAB.

³

Or a lab course in Astronomy, Astrophysics, Biology, or Chemistry.

⁴

Applied mathematics majors should satisfy their ODE requirement with the Mathematics Department (ordinarily MATH UN2030 ORDINARY DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS). Students who take APMA E2101 INTRO TO APPLIED MATHEMATICS prior to declaring their major in applied mathematics may use this course to satisfy their ODE requirement with the permission of the faculty adviser.

⁵

MATH UN2010 LINEAR ALGEBRA or COMS W3561 may be substituted for APMA E3101 APPLIED MATH I: LINEAR ALGEBRA; MATH UN3028 PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS may be substituted for APMA E3102 APPLIED MATHEMATICS II: PDE'S; MATH UN3007 COMPLEX VARIABLES may be substituted for APMA E4204 FUNCTNS OF A COMPLEX VARIABLE; MATH UN2500 ANALYSIS AND OPTIMIZATION may be substituted for MATH GU4061 INTRO MODERN ANALYSIS I.

⁶

Any course in science, math, or engineering at the 3000 level or above qualifies as a technical elective, except for required or elective courses in the minor in entrepreneurship and innovation which do not count as technical electives unless authorized by an adviser. Elective courses may be chosen from other departments in SEAS and Arts and Sciences, e.g., the Departments of Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, and Statistics.

⁷

One course from Group A (Probability) and one course from Group B (Applied Probability/Statistics) required for graduation.

Group A - Probability

Group B - Applied Probability/Statistics