B.S. in Mathematics

A strong foundation in mathematics provides the effective thinking and communication skills needed to succeed in any technical endeavor. Whether it is the physical or social sciences, education, law, business, medicine or government, a math degree will take you anywhere.

At Siena, mathematics majors have learning experiences that extend far beyond the classroom. Our students attend and present at national math conferences. They get accepted to programs and internships sponsored by the National Science Foundation, the American Mathematical Association, and The George Washington University. They conduct research with professors. And they enroll in semester-long math programs at Penn State and Smith College, and in Moscow and Budapest.

Math Education at Siena

Siena’s math education program is a regional leader in mathematics education. Nearly 100 percent of our math alumni are employed as math teachers. In our math education program, you will major in mathematics and earn New York State Secondary Teaching Certification in mathematics. Our program is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education—the gold standard for teacher preparation.

Program Highlights

• Faculty are dedicated to teaching and advising undergraduate students and they carefully advise students on both their academic experience and future careers.
• Students develop creative, critical thinking and technical communication skills in an active, supportive classroom environment. In class, students wrestle with new concepts, present their ideas to their peers and work together to tackle complex problems.
• Faculty publish articles in well-respected research journals and are invited speakers at national and international conferences. By staying active in cutting-edge research, they are able to develop courses that build strength in the current active areas of mathematics.
• Through summer research experiences, students acquire mathematical maturity and problem-solving skills valued in the workplace and by graduate programs. They speak on their work at regional and national conferences and publish in research journals.
• Four courses have a lab component in which students explore mathematics in an activity-rich, collaborative environment.
• Upper-level mathematics courses typically have an enrollment cap of 16 students so that faculty can craft courses that fit the needs of each student.

Requirements for the Major (37 credits)

• MATH110 - Calculus I 4 credits
• MATH120 - Calculus II 4 credits
• MATH191 - Mathematical Problem Solving 1 credits
• MATH210 - Calculus III 4 credits
• MATH230 - Linear Algebra 3 credits
• MATH301 - Foundations of Mathematics 3 credits
• MATH310 - Intro to Modern Algebra 3 credits
• MATH320 - Mathematical Analysis 3 credits

AND

Students must complete twelve credits of Mathematics electives, with at least three classes between MATH325 and MATH499 (12 credits)

Auxiliary courses (23 credits)

• CSIS110 - Intro to Computer Science 3 credits
• CSIS120 - Intro to Programming 4 credits
• PHYS130 - General Physics I 4 credits
• PHYS140 - General Physics II 4 credits

AND

Students must successfully complete the requirements for a minor or major in biology, chemistry, physics or computer science.

OR

Students must successfully complete 9 additional credits in biology, chemistry, physics, or computer science that count for the degree in that major. Of these 9 credits, students must successfully complete 6 credits from one of the following sequences:

PHYS 250, 310, 320, 410 or 440

OR

CHEM 310 and 320

OR

CSIS 310 and 385

Math Education Program Highlights

• Even in a difficult education market, almost 100% of graduates are employed as math teachers.
• Over the last 30 years, approximately 200 of our mathematics majors have become secondary mathematics educators. While 50% of new teachers quit the teaching profession in their first five years, over 90% of Siena’s math graduates are still teaching.
• When one of our students arrived at a school to work with her cooperating teacher she was told: “You’re from Siena so you must be good.” Our mathematics students student-teach in almost every school system within 25 miles of campus.
• The Association of Mathematics Teachers of New York State awards four scholarships per year to the most promising new mathematics teachers from 75 New York colleges and universities. Siena students have been awarded 5 out of the last 70 scholarships.
• The college’s education program is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, the teaching profession’s gold standard in establishing high-quality teacher preparation.

What our Students Say

“Doing math research has been an eye-opening experience to all of the opportunities a career in math has to offer. Six weeks of research has given me more problem-solving skills than sitting in a classroom for four years would, and these skills are applicable to all kinds of situations. Because of the research I did, I am now determined to go on and receive my Ph.D. in mathematics.” - Francesca Romano ‘14

“While interviewing at Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory, my interviewer was very interested in my independent research project. My math background taught me to be disciplined in my work ethic and quickly assess if an approach to solving a problem will work. These skills are invaluable in my line of work and really gave me an advantage over the other candidates.” - Matt Farrelly ‘08

“This experience was an irreplaceable glimpse into what graduate research entails. Fully analyzing an open problem to find new approaches was a completely new concept to me. Now that I am applying to graduate schools, it is very helpful to have already worked with faculty on research, written and published a paper, and presented my results. I also traveled to Shanghai, China with Dr. Bannon to attend a mathematics conference!” - Maureen Jeffery ‘13

“Not only did my summer research experience clarify and enhance my understanding of number theory and other areas of math by allowing me to think critically on problems that I thought were interesting outside of the classroom setting, but it also gave me skills valuable for any career path. These skills include the ability to read and understand complex papers and the ability to communicate clearly ideas and results in both written word and oral presentation.” - Lindsay Kulzer ‘12

Employers/Graduate Schools of our Graduates

• CommerceHub
• Knolls Atomic Power Labs
• SUNY College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering
• Syracuse University

A Siena education is an education with soul. Located in Loudonville, New York—just 10 minutes from the state capital of Albany—the Siena experience is built for a new generation of leaders eager to create a more just, peaceful, and humane world. It empowers them through a transformative journey of intellectual, spiritual, and personal discovery.

At Siena education isn’t something you get, it’s something you get to do. With 40 majors, 80-plus minors and certificates, and prestigious joint-degree programs in liberal arts, science, and business, Saints have over 1,200 unique ways to reach their personal and professional goals. But that’s just the beginning. Our 3,000 Saints engage personally with top scholars in a dynamic, customized learning environment. From internships to research to service, they get real-world experience now, not later. The result: sought-after graduates prepared to succeed in an ever-changing global society.