
Mathematics and Computer Science
Why Mathematics and Computer Science at Washington College?
The Department of Mathematics & Computer Science is one of the oldest at Washington College. Our department offers majors and minors in Math and Computer Science, as well as joint minors in Information Systems and Data Analytics with the Business Department. The majors offered by our department pair well with other disciplines for students interested in multiple areas of academic study.
Solid Coursework, Small Classes, and a Liberal Arts Education
Class size is close to 20 in the lower levels, and an upper-level class may contain
as few as seven students. There is a strong emphasis on writing and oral expression
in the content area. The small class size allows for a personalized experience. Many
of our students choose to double major. The liberal arts environment supports students
who wish to earn degrees in seemingly unrelated fields. Although Business Management,
Computer Science, Mathematics, and Physics are often coupled, we have some students
who choose their second major from the Humanities and Fine Arts, as well.
Caring and Engaged Faculty
Student success is the number one priority for the faculty. We strive to push our students towards greatness, while offering them the support they need to achieve their goals.Courses Offered
Students in the MAT major will complete a sequence in Calculus and in proof writing. Elective courses include Number Theory, Complex Analysis, and Geometry.Students in the CSI major will complete a sequence in writing programs as well as a sequence in theoretical computer science. Electives include courses such as Operating Systems, Networks, and Artificial Intelligence.Some recent special topics courses are Calculus of Variations (Fall ’18), Data Science (Fall ’18), History of Math (Fall ’19), and Game Design (Fall ’19).Senior Capstone Experience
All of our students have the opportunity to work one-on-one with a professor on a year-long project in the senior year. Before graduation, each student makes a comprehensive presentation of their work to the students and faculty of the department.Math Is Fun
Each week, all of our students and faculty gather for a seminar. The content of the
seminar varies week to week, and can include presentations by students, faculty, or
a guest speaker.