Applied mathematicians are often recruited by companies for positions as financial
analysts, technical consultants, systems engineers, meteorologists, software developers,
etc. They must possess the skills to filter theoretical results spanning different
mathematical disciplines in order to formulate models of complicated phenomena; they
must be able to critically analyze the models and run simulations using mathematical
software to test their validity; and they must be able to effectively communicate
mathematical concepts and results to scientists and non-scientists from a wide array
of disciplines.Individuals possessing these skills at the master’s and doctoral levels
are highly sought after by financial and industrial companies at the regional and
national levels.
The ground-breaking SIAM report Mathematics in Industry published in 1995 highlighted
the need for graduates trained in a combination of mathematics, applications, and
computation, and asserted that a master’s degree in applied mathematics is a good
match for many positions in business, government, and industry. It highlights the
following as essential pillars of a marketable applied mathematics graduate program:
Modeling, Teamwork, Computation, Interdisciplinary, and Communication.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics confirms the need of a workforce with more mathematical
training. Employment growth for actuaries, mathematicians, operations researchers,
and statisticians is anticipated to be particularly strong. The Occupational Outlook
Handbook of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics handbook states
that “employment of [master’s level] mathematicians is projected to grow 23% from
2012 to 2022, much faster than the average for all occupations. Businesses will need
mathematicians to analyze the increasing volume of digital and electronic data.”Moreover,
the rate of employment for those with expertise in operations research (who use advanced
mathematical and analytical methods to help organizations investigate complex issues,
identify and solve problems, and make better decisions) is projected to grow at an
even faster rate of 27% from 2012 to 2022. This is one of the content areas in which
the M.S. Program in Applied and Computational Mathematics at WCU focuses.
The M.S. Program in Applied and Computational Mathematics at WCU as many unique features,
including: the project-based curriculum and pedagogical approach (emphasizing team
problem-solving, formal technical reports, and presentations), close interaction with
representatives of local industry throughout the program (rather than through a single,
isolated 14-week long internship), and dual emphasis on applied and computational
mathematics throughout the curriculum.
Yes, you can! In order to ease the transition for those students who may have been
away from an academic environment for a length of time, we have designed the transition
course MAT 500 Fundamentals of Applied Mathematicswhich applicants will be able to take during Fall, Spring, or Summer semester (their
choice) as an independent study with one of our applied mathematics faculty. This
course is an intensive review of calculus, linear algebra, and differential equations,
and exposes you to the use of mathematical software.
The variety of backgrounds of students entering this program is actually a strength
of the program, not a detriment, especially from the viewpoint of team problem-solving.
Investigating problems in an industrial setting requires the background from many
different fields, including the sciences, engineering, finance, economics, and beyond!
Working together with fellow students with a variety of backgrounds will enrich your
experience.
No. We will train you from the ground up in how to use mathematical software, including
Mathematica, MAPLE, MATLAB, and SAS.
