When you complete a major in mathematics, you’ll develop a firm grasp of algebra. Not only will you have to pass algebra courses, such as linear algebra or modern abstract algebra, but you’ll also take a range of math classes in which algebra will be helpful. A typical sample of courses math majors take includes calculus, differential equations, statistics and even some computer science courses. You’ll also need to earn elective credits; many universities allow students to choose algebra courses to fulfill these requirements.
If you’d like to become a high school math teacher, you can choose to major in secondary education with a focus on math education. In these programs, you’ll most likely need to pass a linear algebra course. These courses prepare potential teachers to educate students on principles studied in linear algebra, such as the use of matrices and vectors. You’ll also take several other math courses, usually including geometry, calculus and foundational mathematics, along with courses related to math pedagogy.
Whenever you collect and interpret data as numerical information, you are working in the field of statistics. As a statistics major, you’ll need to be familiar with all types of mathematical concepts, many of which you’ll learn in algebra courses, such as applied linear algebra. Learning algebra as a statistics major will prepare you to work in fields such as medical research, health care, biotechnology and academia. However, for many high-level statistics jobs, you’ll need to earn at least a master’s degree.
Physics is the study of matter and energy and their physical properties. Although physics is technically a branch of science, you’ll need to be well-versed in a range of mathematical concepts to perform any work in the field. To this end, you’ll take linear algebra and calculus along with science courses. Many universities also encourage students to take advanced mathematics courses to complete their elective requirements for this major.
The science of computing is complex, and if you decide to major in computer science, you’ll take courses in several fields of study. Math is one of these, which means you’ll need to pass courses related to linear algebra and calculus. You’ll put your mathematical knowledge to work while completing the rest of your coursework in this major, which includes programming, computation, data structures, computer architecture and operating systems.