Undergraduate
Studying math at NC State means opportunity, variety, community and a high-quality education.
The Value of a Mathematics Degree
At a research university like NC State, math is foundational. And in the world-renowned, STEM-centric Research Triangle area of North Carolina, math skills open doors. Studying math at NC State equips you with tools to use in a variety of careers in in-demand fields such as technology, finance, actuarial science, and biomathematics.
Our department offers majors in mathematics and applied mathematics, and a minor in mathematics, with a diverse selection of courses to introduce students to the fundamentals of mathematics and provide them with opportunities to master subjects of interest in both math and applied math. A concentration in financial mathematics allows students who are interested in finance, actuarial science or portfolio management or in further graduate study to focus their learning even further.
Our students enjoy a close-knit environment with all the resources of a major research university. The department’s size — more than 60 faculty — and small class sizes means that each student has access to personal attention from faculty and many opportunities to succeed and resources readily available.
Our graduate program provides our undergraduates with opportunities to deepen their learning in a specific area by taking various graduate courses or through the Math Honors Program.
$62,300 Average Starting Salary
The average of starting salaries for mathematics and applied mathematics graduates in 2015 and 2016 is one of the highest reported by departments in the College of Sciences.
A Place to Succeed
The Department of Mathematics is a place where exceptional minds come to collaborate. Our students win major awards like the Goldwater, Fulbright and Churchill scholarships; complete prestigious internships at companies and agencies like Deloitte, the National Security Agency, SAS, Fast Company, and Nuventra; and contribute to research projects across a variety of areas, including consulting, security, advertising, pharmaceuticals, engineering, biology and statistics.
Undergraduate research opportunities in our department are plentiful and diverse. Students work with faculty mentors during the regular academic year or participate in Research Experiences for Undergraduates programs on campus or at other institutions during the summer.
Students also have the chance to participate in many organizations and other enrichment activities on campus and in the community, including the Society for Undergraduate Mathematics (SUM) club, the Association for Women in Mathematics and Undergrads Under Grads. The SUM club sponsors the SUM Series, a weekly series of informal undergraduate talks on math topics that features speakers from both within and outside the NC State community, and members also participate in outreach programs at local elementary schools. And through Undergrads Under Grads, our graduate students mentor math majors, helping them learn about graduate school.
