Majors

Mathematics Major

For Students who entered Skidmore in Fall 2021 and beyond:

Students majoring in mathematics fulfill the departmental requirements by completing eleven courses. Ten of the courses must be in mathematics or statistics at the 200 level or above, to include MA 200, MA 211, MA 213, MA 215, MA 303, MA 319, MA 376/376A, MS 204, and two additional courses, at least one of which is at the 300 level. Additionally, MS 240, MS 251C Bayesian Statistical Modeling or MS 251C Multivariate Data Analysiscan count towards the mathematics major. Students must also complete CS 106, CS 206, or CS 209. Under exceptional circumstances, and only with the consent of the department, MA 351 C or D, MA 371 A-D, MA 381, MA 382, or MS 351 C or D may be counted as the additional 300-level course. In MA 215, students will acquire writing skills that are necessary to work on advanced material in mathematics and will fulfill the writing requirement in the major.

For Students who entered Skidmore in Fall 2019 and 2020:

Students majoring in mathematics fulfill the departmental requirements by completing ten courses. Nine of the courses must be in mathematics or a designated course in statistics at the 200 level or above, to include MA 200, MA 211, MA 213, MA 215, MA 303, MA 319, MA 376/376A, and two additional courses, at least one of which is at the 300 level. Additionally, either MS 204, MS 240, MS 251C Bayesian Statistical Modeling or MS 251C Multivariate Data Analysiscan count towards the mathematics major. Students must also complete CS 106, CS 206, or CS 209. Under exceptional circumstances, and only with the consent of the department, MA 351 C or D, MA 371 A-D, MA 381, MA 382, or MS 351 C or D may be counted as the additional 300-level course. In MA 215, students will acquire writing skills that are necessary to work on advanced material in mathematics and will fulfill the writing requirement in the major.

Students interested in pursuing graduate work in (theoretical) mathematics should include as many of the following courses as possible in their programs: MA 313 - Introduction to Topology, MA 320 - Abstract Algebra II, MA 324 - Complex Analysis, and MA 302 - Graph Theory.

Students interested in applied mathematics should include as many of the following courses as possible in their programs: MA 270 - Differential Equations, MA 331 - Dynamical Systems, MA 324 - Complex Analysis, and MA 316 - Numerical Algorithms.

Students interested in mathematics education should include as many of the following courses as possible in their programs: MA 214 - Theory of Numbers, MA 309 - Elements of Modern Geometry, MA 310 - History of Mathematics, and MS 204 - Statistical Methods.

**No more than 4 credit hours of S/U can be used toward the major. The following courses must be taken for a letter grade: MA 215, MA 303, MA 319, MA 376/376A, MA 381 , MA 382.

For Students who entered Skidmore prior to Fall 2019:

Students majoring in mathematics fulfill the departmental requirements by completing nine courses. Eight of the courses must be in mathematics or a designated course in statistics at the 200 level or above, to include MA 200, MA 202, MA 215, MA 303, MA 319, MA 376/376A, and two additional courses, at least one of which is at the 300 level. Students must also complete CS 106 or CS 206. Under exceptional circumstances, and only with the consent of the department, MA 351 C or D, MA 371 A-D, MA 381, MA 382, or MS 351 C or D may be counted as the additional 300-level course. In MA 215, students will acquire writing skills that are necessary to work on advanced material in mathematics and will fulfill the writing requirement in the major.

Note: Because MA 202 will no longer be offered after spring 2019, students will need to fulfill this major requirement by taking MA 211 and MA 213 or by fulfilling MA 202 with transfer credit.

See Mathematics and Statistics

Computer Science Major

Effective for students who entered Skidmore in Fall 2020 and beyond:

Students majoring in computer science fulfill the departmental requirements by completing the following:

Required computer science courses: CS 209, CS 226, CS 230, CS 305, CS 306, and CS 318. In CS 305, students will fulfill the writing requirement in the major by acquiring the skills necessary to clearly describe algorithmic processes and argue about their properties.
Required mathematics courses: MA 200; and MA 111 (or both MA 108 and MA 109) or MA 113 or MA 211.
Electives: Three courses as follows:

a. one CS at the 200 level or above (excluding CS 275, CS 275H, CS 371, CS 381, and CS 382) or MA 302, or MA 316. With permission of the department, a student may instead take a course in another discipline that has substantial computer science content.

b. two CS courses at the 300 level (excluding CS 371, CS 381, and CS 382).

No more than 8 credit hours of S/U can be used toward the major.

The following courses must be taken for a letter grade: CS 305, CS 306, and CS 318.

Effective for students who entered Skidmore prior to Fall 2020:

Students majoring in computer science fulfill the departmental requirements by completing the following:

Required computer science courses: CS 206, CS 230, CS 305, CS 306, and CS 318.
Required mathematics courses: MA 200 and MA 215. In MA 215, students will acquire writing skills that are necessary to work on advanced material in mathematics and will fulfill the writing requirement in the major.
Electives: Three courses as follows:

a. MA 302, MA 316 or one CS at the 200 level or above (excluding CS 275, CS 275H, CS 371, CS 381, and CS 382). With permission of the department, a student may instead take a course in another discipline that has substantial computer science content.

b. two CS courses at the 300 level (excluding CS 371, CS 381, and CS 382).

No more than 8 credit hours of S/U can be used toward the major.

The following courses must be taken for a letter grade: CS 305, CS 306, CS 318.

See Computer Science