Welcome to the Department of Math and Computer Science
Give
To make a gift to the Mathematics and Computer Science Department, please visit our secure online giving site at ja0h.vivendaoriente.com/giving, and include "Mathematics and Computer Science Department Fund" as a designation.
Or you can mail your check or money order, payable to Colorado College, to: Office for Advancement Colorado College P.O. Box 1117 Colorado Springs, CO 80901-9897 Please include the designation "Mathematics and Computer Science Department" in the memo line of your check.
We foster a supportive and inclusive learning community of faculty and students who share a passion for mathematics and computer science. It is our goal to provide a nurturing learning environment that stimulates growth and intellectual exploration.
Teaching. The block plan provides a framework for collaborative learning and innovative teaching. We offer a wide range of classes for non-majors and majors to explore our distinct but closely related disciplines. In our courses, we place an emphasis on mathematical and computational thinking, proof-writing and coding, and prepare students to tackle challenging problems that our modern world faces.
Scholarship. Our faculty are active scholars with diverse research interests in computer science and mathematics. Students often get involved in our research projects as summer research assistants. Many students present their work at professional conferences, and in some cases, summer research projects evolve into a senior thesis. Some faculty-student collaborations have even led to peer-reviewed publications with student co-authors.
Community. We foster a lively and friendly community of scholars and learners in mathematics and computer science. The department sponsors a public lecture series (Fearless Fridays) and encourages all our students to participate and learn about computer science and mathematical ideas beyond the classroom. Department members are frequently invited to present at regional and national conferences and often serve on committees of professional organizations in their fields.
Explore Our Programs
Computer Science
The study of computer science develops many skills that are central to a liberal arts education: analytical thinking, creativity, and communication. Computer science majors and minors at Colorado College study classical ideas and cutting-edge technologies in close collaboration with their peers and faculty. The computer science program is inclusive and welcoming, with the aim of helping every student achieve his or her full potential. Our students have ample opportunity to work with faculty here and elsewhere on research projects, as well as to put their skills to use in internships. Our alumni are in high demand in the tech sector and other fields, and many earn advanced degrees from top-flight universities.
The study of mathematics has always been central to the liberal arts, and mathematics has never been more vital for understanding our world than it is today. At Colorado College, mathematics courses emphasize both the practical applications of the subject and its inherent beauty. Majors and minors in mathematics receive a broad perspective on mathematical ideas, working closely with their peers and faculty in small classes. Faculty in the department maintain active research programs, and students have ample opportunity to work on research projects in diverse areas of pure and applied mathematics and statistics. Our alumni have gone on to graduate school and academic careers in mathematics and other disciplines, as well as careers in finance, K-12 education, medicine, law, engineering, and information technology. A degree in mathematics opens many doors, and closes none.
Students majoring in Mathematical Economics (ME) must successfully complete no fewer than 16 units of listed courses in Mathematics (MA) and Economics (EC), including a senior thesis. To solidify basic problem solving skills, all majors must initially take a common set of required courses in economic theory, calculus, statistics, and linear algebra. Contingent on individual course prerequisites, majors may then directly fulfill the elective requirement which undertakes a more advanced treatment of mathematical economics, or complete a sequence of courses that provide exposure to the statistical modeling of data. This major provides strong training for students pursuing private sector careers in investment banking, forecasting, applied mathematics, or finance, as well as graduate work in economics, operations research, and financial engineering.
Department Opportunities
The department is known for being inclusive and welcoming, and it takes pride in helping each student achieve their potential. Students in our department participate in many enriching activities, including Study Abroad Programs (Such as the Aquincum Institute of Technology (AIT) Budapest or Budapest Semester in Mathematics, Mathematics and Computer Science contests,research experiences with faculty, either internally or in Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs), and our own blockly pizza problems, where students can solve a problem for a chance to win a pizza. We also conduct a weekly research seminar–our “Fearless Friday” series, with many talks aimed specifically at a student audience.