“Everyone can benefit from studying mathematics”
The Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science (MSCS) department at St. Olaf College blends rigorous theory and applied learning with an inclusive, student centered approach. Working within one of the largest math programs of any undergraduate college in the nation, MSCS faculty foster what they call a “big-tent” philosophy, welcoming students with varied backgrounds, experiences, and aspirations — whether or not they excelled in math before college.
“We really have the attitude that everyone can benefit from studying mathematics at a higher level,” says Associate Professor of Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science Matthew Wright. “It doesn’t matter if they excelled in math in high school or hated it — here, they have the resources and tools they need to explore it more holistically and find ways to accomplish their goals with it.”
Faculty take pride in encouraging MSCS majors to extend their skills beyond the classroom, whether through summer undergraduate research, internships, or interdisciplinary projects.
“We really strive to support and prepare our students for success,” says Associate Dean of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and Professor of Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science Kristina Garrett. “In our Center for Interdisciplinary Research, students get hands-on experience working with faculty and thinking about ways they can apply data to real-world problems, so they already have that familiarity with the process when they enter the workforce or go on to other research-based opportunities and post-grad study.”
The MSCS Department emphasizes curiosity, persistence, and precise communication, pairing technical expertise with the broad perspective of a liberal arts education. More than half of all math majors combine their studies with disciplines like biology, economics, or the humanities, enhancing their academic experience and building on career interests.
“Mathematics is really about patterns and abstraction. It’s about taking questions that we don’t know the answer to and applying different types of analysis and creative problem-solving strategies to make headway on complex problems, to identify patterns, to make generalizations, to figure out what are good questions to ask. All of that involves creativity,” adds Wright.
Recent years have seen growth in applied and computational offerings, including courses like Mathematical Biology, Algorithms for Decision Making, and Modern Computational Mathematics. Cross-curricular classes, international study opportunities, and upper-level seminars deepen students’ skills and perspectives.
“Most of our students are more interested in taking our applied math courses, and pairing mathematics with statistics and data science,” Garrett says. “The experiences and technical skills they learn by dealing with data and computation help them to be successful in fields such as business, finance, medicine, health sciences, technology, and education.”
“Businesses and industries want people who can analyze data and solve quantitative problems, and our graduates are some of the best at doing that.”
– Matthew Wright, St. Olaf Associate Professor of Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science
Graduates are well-prepared for diverse futures. In the Class of 2025 alone, 72 Oles left the Hill with degrees in mathematics, a third of whom went on to graduate programs — with 13 having been accepted into Ph.D. programs in areas including mathematics, biostatistics, engineering, chemistry, and neuroscience. Others have begun work in the financial and tech sectors, with a small percentage entering positions in teaching and nonprofit spaces.
Behind these disparate post-graduate paths is a shared foundation in the values of the St. Olaf MSCS Department.
“I think our program teaches students to work collaboratively, to think linearly about how to make arguments and use evidence to back it up, and to write and speak very precisely and clearly about their process and outcomes,” Garrett says. “That is what I hear from students after graduation — that their ability to communicate effectively helps them the most in their work life.”