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Lasell University

Applied Mathematics

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What You'll Learn

The Applied Mathematics major provides you with a strong multi-disciplinary foundation in mathematics, data science, and physics. While in the Applied Mathematics program, you will have the opportunity to develop the conceptual understanding, computational and technology skills, and drive required to use quantitative reasoning and analysis effectively in your career.

The program features many extracurricular opportunities to give students leadership/team experience and portfolio material. Take part in a semester off-campus field experience that provides professional interaction and training in your chosen area of career focus. Learn to apply mathematical analysis and problem-solving skills in a range of applications in biological, physical, social sciences, and in public or private services. Develop real world skills in computer technology, software, and algorithmic processes necessary in quantitative analysis and mathematical modeling.

 

From your first day, you’ll take courses in your major and advance towards graduation with a yearly plan. Not sure what classes to take? We’ll help you create the perfect plan. 

WRT101
Writing I

In this course, students gain understanding of and confidence in strategies for effective writing by composing and reading in a variety of genres. The course emphasizes writing as a process and focuses on the rhetorical choices writers make. Students engage critically with sources by examining how genre, context, purpose, credibility, and bias work together to create meaning and impact audiences. Students who choose to take Writing I Workshop are provided with time during class to work on their writing while the instructor and a writing tutor are present to provide assistance. Students must earn a “C” or higher in order to pass this course

The First Year Seminar (FYS) is part of the Core Curriculum and a requirement for all incoming first year students and transfer students with fewer than 15 credits. The First Year Seminar is a theme-based inquiry course that engages students in a specific area of interest while providing support for a smooth transition into the Lasell University community and the Connected Learning philosophy. Through studying an academic topic, students develop and apply core intellectual skills and receive an introduction to the core knowledge perspectives. At the same time, students connect to the experiences and people that make up the Lasell University Community. Course outcomes are accomplished through engaging activities including reading, writing, class discussions, presentations, team projects, field trips, and exploration of campus resources. Civic engagement and service-learning activities are often part of this course as is participation in the Connected Learning Symposium. Through the seminar, students develop close ties with faculty and peer mentors who serve as advocates for first year students' academic success. Past course titles have included: The Immigrant Experience, Fashion & Film of the 20th Century, The Social History of Rock & Roll, Exploring Cultures & Languages, The Spark of Creativity, Women and Sports, and Latin America: Food And Traditions. This requirement may be fulfilled by taking either FYS103 or HON101 (for students enrolled in the Honors Program).

This course prepares students for the study of calculus, physics and other courses requiring precalculus skills. Included is solving systems of equations, the analysis and graphing of linear, quadratic, polynomial, exponential, logarithmic, rational functions, the unit circle, and triangle (right and non-right) trigonometry. Prerequisite: MATH 106 with a grade of C or better or demonstrated competency through placement testing. Restrictions: not open to students who have completed 205, 206, or any 300 level mathematics course successfully.

This is the first semester of a one-year course that surveys the field of physics at a non-calcu­lus level. Topics include motion in one and two dimensions, force, uniform circular motion, work and energy, and statics of rigid bodies. The laws of thermodynamics are introduced. Laboratory experiments are conducted to complement the material covered in lecture. Prerequisite: MATH 203 or equivalent with a grade of C or better. Corequisite: PHYS111L, PHYS111R.

KP (Knowledge Perspective) Course

This course is a continuation of Writing I and focuses on research and public writing. Theme-based courses provide students with lenses to explore issues of interest and develop their reading, research, and writing skills. Students work with a topic of their choice, broadly based on the course theme. Assignments build upon each other, lead up to a researched position paper, and culminate in a public piece. Students who choose to take Writing II Workshop are provided with time during class to work on their writing while the instructor and a writing tutor are present to provide assistance. Students must earn a grade of “C” or higher in order to pass this course. Prerequisite: WRT 101

Equity & Intersectionality(KP)

This course is an introduction to limits, continuity, and methods of differentiation. Application to problems in business management and physical science is emphasized. Prerequisite: MATH 203 with a grade of C or better or demonstrated competency through placement testing. Restrictions: not open to students who have completed MATH 206, or any 300 level mathematics courses.

This is a continuation of PHYS111. Topics include waves motion, electric potential, electric current, resistance, capacitance, and magnetism. Geometrical and wave optics are introduced. Atomic and quantum theory are also included. Laboratory experiments are conducted to com­plement the material covered in lecture. Prerequisite: PHYS 111 with a C or better. Corequisite: PHYS112L, PHYS112R.

MATH215
Discrete Math

Topics will include elementary logic and set theory, equivalence relations, functions, counting arguments, inductively defined sets, recursion, graphs and trees, Boolean algebra and combinatorial circuits, and countability arguments. Prerequisite: MATH203 with a C or better.

In this project-based course, students explore a social or intellectual problem using at least two knowledge perspectives. Faculty and students follow a collaborative process of exploration, discussion, and problem solving that integrates knowledge perspectives and core intellectual skills.

This is an introductory course in descriptive and inferential statistics. Topics include: data analysis, and graphical methods of describing data, measures of central tendency and variability, probability, the normal distribution, sampling distributions, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, correlation, and regression analysis. Prerequisites: MATH 106 with a grade of C or better or demonstrated competency through placement testing and ENG 102.

This introduction to computer science, emphasizes problem solving and data analysis skills along with computer programming skills. Using Python, students learn design, implementation, testing, and analysis of algorithms and programs. And within the context of programming, they will learn to formulate problems, think creatively about solutions, and express those solutions clearly and accurately. Problems will be chosen from real-world examples such as graphics, image processing, cryptography, data analysis, astronomy, video games, and environmental simulation. Students get instruction from a world-class computer science professor, delivered remotely through video and interactive media and attend class for collaborative team projects to solve real-life problems. Prior programming experience is not a requirement for this course. Formerly: INTC102

Choose an Elective or Minor course

This Knowledge Perspective course will provide students with the opportunity to interpret and analyze the complex interrelationships and inequities in human societies in a global historical context. Emphasizing the interrelatedness and mutuality of influence between East and West, we examine questions of exclusiveness, intolerance, and cooperation. Prerequisite: ENG101 with a C or better

This is a continuation of Calculus I. Includes graphical and analytic integration, partial differentiation, and solving differential equations. Applications include business, biological sciences, and physical sciences. Prerequisite: MATH 205 with a grade of C or better or demonstrated competency through placement testing. Restrictions: not open to students who have completed MATH 320, MATH 328, or MATH 330.

Quantitative statistical tools for modern data analysis are used across a range of disciplines and industries to guide organizational, societal and scientific advances. Using data sets from across a variety of fields, the focus will be on applications and analysis. Topics include two sample confidence intervals, Chi Square tests, multiple regression analysis, ANOVA, non- parametric tests, sampling, and simulation. Prerequisite: Math 208 or Math 209

Choose an Elective or Minor course

Choose an Elective or Minor course

PHIL302
Ethical Reasoning

This course will address the interaction between the lives we lead and the application of traditional (and some nontraditional) ethical theories and principles to important decision points in our lives. Students will take on real-life ethical problems and dilemmas for each class; each student will be responsible for presenting a number of issues, as well as for guiding the discussion of those issues in class. The problems we address will largely span a lifetime of experiences and concerns. Students will also write several papers that evaluate formal arguments, using standard tools of critical thinking and philosophy. The course is discussion based, so a willingness to read carefully, to think critically, and to engage in classroom presentations and discussions is essential. Prerequisite: Junior standing, MDSC203 & ENG102.

This course introduces students to research method techniques and common statistical applications of importance to healthcare managers. Emphasis is placed on the study of statistical techniques for problem-solving and decision-making including the theoretical and applied statistical and quantitative skills required to understand, conduct and evaluate managerial research. Students will learn to distinguish between types of research (quantitative and qualitative) with an emphasis on the use of quantitative analysis in healthcare organizations. Basic research methods are described, including surveys, observational studies, experimental and quasi-experimental design; and the use of primary and secondary data sets. Statistical techniques for analyzing and interpreting data will include descriptive statistics, hypothesis testing, probability, sampling, t-tests, ANOVA, chi-square analysis, correlation, and linear regression. Prerequisite: MATH208 or MATH209

This course is an introduction to sequences and series, parametric and polar curves, vector functions, advanced techniques of differentiation and integration. Prerequisite: MATH 206 with a grade of C or better.

Choose an Elective or Minor course

Choose an Elective or Minor course

This course provides students with the opportunity to write useful Python applications in the ETL, web, and data analysis domains and knowledge of industry-standard tools and techniques for working within a development team. The course goes further into Python’s powerful advanced features, such as user-defined classes, object-oriented design, decorators, and generators. Students will learn to employ the most widely used algorithms and libraries to solve common problems in the field and gain a working familiarity with statistical analysis and visualization using Pandas, NumPy, and Matplotlib. Query and parse HTML, XML, and JSON are used. Students will learn to apply industry-standard tools and techniques for working within a development team, such as Git for versioning and code review. The course concludes with a discussion of common interview questions and pathways for gaining experience and eventually securing a position in the field. Prerequisites: DSCI102, DSCI202 and DSCI204.

The focus of this course is to develop mathematical models and to demonstrate the utility of various mathematical techniques that are most applicable to the creation of computer algorithms. Topics include functions and models, linear regression, solving systems of linear equations using matrices, matrix algebra and Leontief Input-Output models, linear programming (graphical and simplex methods), principle of duality, estimated and theoretical probability and Markov Chains. Prerequisite: MATH205 with a grade of C or better.

Choose an Elective or Minor course

Choose an Elective or Minor course

Choose an Elective or Minor course

WRT101
Writing I

In this course, students gain understanding of and confidence in strategies for effective writing by composing and reading in a variety of genres. The course emphasizes writing as a process and focuses on the rhetorical choices writers make. Students engage critically with sources by examining how genre, context, purpose, credibility, and bias work together to create meaning and impact audiences. Students who choose to take Writing I Workshop are provided with time during class to work on their writing while the instructor and a writing tutor are present to provide assistance. Students must earn a “C” or higher in order to pass this course

In this capstone course, Students investigate mathematics from a variety of fields and choose a topic for a mathematics project in their Field of Application. Mathematical methods for analysis, modeling, prediction, and/or problem solving are discussed. Students demonstrate knowledge of a substantial area of mathematics and present their work at a department seminar or the Connected Learning Symposium.

This is an introductory course in linear algebra blending the requirements of theory, problem solving, analytical thinking, computational techniques, and applications. Topics include in-depth treatment of matrix algebra, linear systems, vector spaces, linear transformations, determinants. Applications and modeling of real phenomena in transportation systems, economics, connectivity of networks, and graph theory. Prerequisite: MATH 206 with a grade of C or better.

Choose an Elective or Minor course

Choose an Elective or Minor course

Choose an Elective or Minor course

The internship seminar is a work or research experience where students combine theory and practice.

Choose an Elective or Minor course

Choose an Elective or Minor course

Choose an Elective or Minor course

This example four-year plan is provided as a broad framework that you can follow in order to complete your degree within four years. Be sure to always consult your academic advisor before registering for classes.

4 Year Plan

Learning Outcomes

  • Develop logical thinking and analytical skills needed for mathematical problem solving.
  • Develop quantitative reasoning and analysis skills needed for mathematical modeling.
  • Apply mathematical analysis and problem-solving skills in a range of applications in biological, physical, social sciences, and in public or private services.
  • Develop real world skills in computer technology, software, and algorithmic processes necessary in quantitative analysis and mathematical modeling.
  • Communicate effectively and collaborate well in multidisciplinary projects.

For a complete list of courses and learning outcomes, view the Academic Catalog

Career Outlook

Our students have interned with:

  • Newton Public Schools
  • Boston Renaissance Charter School
  • America Counts
Beyond the Classroom
VR/AR Lab

Lasell's new virtual reality lab enhances classroom experience by with cutting edge virtual reality/artificial intelligence technology.

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