Degree Requirements for Math Majors and Minors

Choose your catalog year:

The degree requirements given below represent recent catalog-years. Every LSU student may choose any catalog-year published during his or her time as an LSU student, and meet all the degree requirements stated in that year's catalog. Thus, new students may use a future catalog instead of the current one, and advanced students may use a past or a future catalog instead of the current one, as long as it is published during the student's career at LSU. A student cannot "mix" two different catalog years for any one curriculum.

A student enrolled in the College of Science may (a) declare a mathematics major (or other major), (b) declare or change a concentration in the math major, or (c) change the catalog-year for determining the requirements to be met for the chosen curriculum or concentration, by filling out the College of Science's “Change/Declaration of Major/Minor” form, and then hitting the “Submit” button at the bottom of that form. To declare a math minor, or if the student is currently enrolled in UCAC or UCFY or another college, the student should consult with his home college.

In case of any conflict between the rules stated here and those stated in the catalog, the catalog prevails.

Choose degree requirements for:

I. Degree Requirements for Math Majors

A. General Education Requirements and Lower-Division Non-math Requirements

The lower-division non-math requirements include the University's General Education requirements (see 2021-2022 Gen Ed requirements), but with some restrictions imposed by the College of Science (45 hrs total).

  1. English Composition: ENGL 1001 or 1004, and ENGL 2000 (6 hrs).
  2. Analytical Reasoning: Math 1550 (or 1551) and Math 1552 (or 1553) (9 hrs). (Math 1530 and Math 1540, together, cover the material of Math 1550, and can replace Math 1550.)
  3. Arts: Any course from the Gen Ed Arts list (3 hrs). (2021-2022 Gen Ed Arts list)
  4. Humanities: 3 courses (10-11 hours), chosen from the Gen Ed Humanities list. (2021-2022 Gen Ed Humanities list.) These 3 courses must be chosen as follows:
    1. One foreign language course. (Students whose native language is not English should check the College of Science's 2021-2022 rule on this.)
    2. One course numbered 2000 or above in ENGL or HNRS (3-4 hours).
    3. One additional course, without restriction.
  5. Natural Sciences: 11 hours chosen as follows:
    1. Either:
      1. a two-semester sequence in Biology chosen from the Gen Ed Natural Sciences list, plus 2 hours of Biology lab, or
      2. a two-semester sequence chosen from the Gen Ed Natural Sciences list in a physical science offered by a department in the College of Science (specifically, Gen Ed courses with the rubrics ASTR, CHEM, GEOL, or PHYS (but not PHSC, "Physical Science")), plus 2 hours of a corresponding lab. (See the 2021-2022 Gen Ed Natural Sciences list.) And:
    2. A one-semester course chosen from whichever list above (a.i or a.ii) was not used for the two-semester sequence.
  6. Social Sciences: Any two courses (at least one of which is at the 2000-level) from the Gen Ed Social Sciences list (6 hrs).
    (2021-2022 Gen Ed Social Sciences list.)
    (Exceptions:
    For the Actuarial Science Concentration, ECON 2030 is required, and counts as the required, 2000-level Gen Ed Social Science course.
    For the Secondary Ed-Mathematics Concentration, EDCI 2500 is required, and counts as the required, 2000-level Gen Ed Social Science course.)

B. Other Lower-Division Math Requirements (12-13 hours)

  • Multidimensional Calculus: Math 2057 or 2058. (The 9 hours of Calculus I and II (Math 1550 or 1551, and Math 1552 or 1553) were already counted in section A.2 above.)
  • Technology Lab: Math 2060.
    (Exception: The Actuarial Science and the Statistics concentrations don't require Math 2060; see section C below.)
  • Linear Algebra: Math 2085.
    (Exception: The Computational Math Concentration allows Math 2090 (plus 2 hours of free electives) to substitute for Math 2085 and Math 2065; see section C below. This substitution is also available, on petition to the Math Department, to students who must (because of another major, for example) take Math 2090.)
  • Two "Bridge courses," or one bridge course and one extra Math course > 2000 (6 hours):
    • Select one course from Math 2020, 2025, 2030, or 2035.
      (Exceptions: The Actuarial Science Concentration and the Secondary Ed-Math Concentration require Math 2020 only.
      The Data Science Concentration requires both Math 2020 and 2035.)
      A student not in the Data Science Concentration may substitute for Math 2020, 2025, 2030, or 2035 a 3-hour-or-more math course at the 2000-level or higher that is not otherwise required, upon passing the Department’s Mathematical Maturity Exam.
    • All concentrations other than the Data Science Concentration also require one, additional, 3-hour-or-more Math course at the 2000-level or higher, not otherwise required; we recommend that this course be chosen from Math 2020, 2025, 2030, or 2035.

    C. Upper Division Math (and Sometimes Non-math) Requirements: Choose a concentration

    Capstone requirement: All concentrations listed below require a "capstone" course. Math 4019 is the required capstone course for the Secondary Education Concentration. Math 4020 fulfills the capstone requirement for the Computational Math Concentration; when Math 4020 is not available, a section of 4997 that has computational content may substitute for Math 4020. Math 4020 or 4997 will fulfill the capstone requirement for the four other concentration in the math major. For the Mathematical Statistics Concentration and for the Actuarial Science Concentration, EXST 4087 is an alternate capstone course; if EXST 4087 is not offered, EXST 4025 may be substituted for it. A student may be released from the capstone requirement by completing any departmentally approved summer REU program (see, for example, the following partial list of REU programs) and consulting with the Associate Chair for Instruction.
    Students in the Actuarial Science Concentration may be released from the capstone requirement by completing a departmentally approved summer actuarial internship, or by completing the Casualty Actuarial Society Student Central Summer Program and obtaining departmental approval.
    A capstone course is to be taken at the end of the student's undergraduate career, after the student has completed several 4000-level mathematics courses or during the student's final semester.

    1.a. Actuarial Science Concentration (2022–2023 and subsequent catalogs; 38 hours):

    • ACCT 2001.
    • ECON 2030 (or 2031). (The 3 hours of this course were already counted in section A.6 above.)
    • FIN 3715 or 3716.
    • EXST 2201, 3201.
    • Math 3050, 3355, and 4056.
    • Select two courses from Math 4040, 4041, 4045, or 4046. (It is recommended to select either Math 4040 and 4041 (which is a sequence), or Math 4045 and 4046 (which is also a sequence). These sequences are offered in alternate years.)
    • Select one course from Math 4020, Math 4997, or EXST 4087.*
    • EXST 4142 recommended (in semester 7) but not required.

    1.b. Actuarial Science Concentration (2019–2020, 2020–2021, and 2021–2022 catalogs; 50 hours):

    • ACCT 2001.
    • CSC 1253, 1254, 3102, and either 3730 or 2730.
    • ECON 2030 (or 2031). (The 3 hours of this course were already counted in section A.6 above.)
    • FIN 3716.
    • EXST 2201, 3201.
    • Math 3050, 3355, and 4056.
    • Select two courses from Math 4040, 4041, 4045, or 4046. (It is recommended to select either Math 4040 and 4041 (which is a sequence), or Math 4045 and 4046 (which is also a sequence). These sequences are offered in alternate years.)
    • Select one course from Math 4020, Math 4997, or EXST 4087.*
    • EXST 4142 recommended (in semester 7) but not required.

    * A minor (APPST) in applied statistics (EXST) requires, in addition to the above concentration requirements, only two more courses, chosen from EXST 3999, 4012, 4025, 4087, and 4142. Of these 5 courses, EXST 4087 can double count for MACTSC and APPST. And EXST 4142 is recommended but not required for MACTSC, and can double count for APPST. EXST 4087 is a projects or advanced topics course; if EXST 4087 is not offered, replace it by EXST 4025. Interested Actuarial Science concentrators should contact the EXST department.

    In the 2022-2023 and subsequent catalogs, the Actuarial Science Concentration requires 28 hours of free electives. In the 2019-2020, 2020-2021, and 2021-2022 catalogs, the Actuarial Science Concentration required 16 hours of free electives.

    Professor Smolinsky has guidance for students in the Actuarial Science Concentration.
    A list of LSU courses approved by the Society of Actuaries for VEE credit is available at the Society of Actuaries website (there search for "VEE").

    2. Computational Mathematics Concentration (33–34 hours):

    • Math 2065,¹ 4025, 4031, 4032 or 4035, 4064, 4065, 4066, and 4020 (24 hours).
    • Electives: Select 3 courses (9 hours) from Math 3355, 4036,  4058,  4340, CSC 4356 (= ME 4573), CSC 4357 (= ME 4583), PHYS 4412, ME 4823, EE 3160, EE 4160, or upper-division courses in engineering and science that have a strong computational component with the approval of the mathematics department.

    ¹ Students may choose to take Math 2090 instead and waive Math 2065 as well as the core requirement of Math 2085. The two-hour difference will be added to free electives.

    The Computational Math Concentration requires 29 hours of free electives (unless you take Math 2090 instead of Math 2085 and 2065, in which case this concentration requires 31 hours).

    3. Data Science Concentration (2023–2024 and subsequent catalogs; 22 hours):

    ¹ Math 4200 may substitute for Math 4023.

    The Data Science Concentration requires 41 hours of free electives.

    4.a. Mathematics Concentration (2023–2024 and subsequent catalogs; 24 hours):

    4.b. Mathematics Concentration (2022–2023 and earlier catalogs; 30 hours):

    In the 2022-2023 and earlier catalogs, the Math Concentration requires 32 hours of free electives;
    in the 2023-2024 and subsequent catalogs, it requires 38 hours of free electives.

    Students planning on graduate study in mathematics are urged to take , 4035, 4153, 4201, and even one or more of the core graduate courses: Math 7210, 7311, and 7510.

    At most six credit hours in this concentration may be from Math 4020, 4997 or 4999.

    5. Mathematics and a Second Discipline Concentration:

    ¹ In the 2022–2023 and earlier catalogs, Math 4056 was inadvertently omitted from this list.

    At most 6 of the 39 hours in this concentration may be from Math 4020, 4997 or 4999.

    This concentration requires 23 hours of free electives.

    6. Mathematical Statistics Concentration (30 hours¹):

    ¹ In the 2022-2023 catalog only, this concentration had 34 hours, since EXST 4050 was also required that year.

    2 If EXST 4012 is not offered, replace it by EXST 3999.

    A student who meets the requirements of the Mathematical Statistics Concentration will also meet the requirements for a minor in applied statistics (offered by the EXST department), at least as that minor is stated in the 2023-2024 catalog and subsequent catalogs; for a minor in applied statistics in the 2022-2023 or earlier catalogs, EXST 4050 would also be required.
    Interested Math Stat concentration majors should contact the EXST department.

    The Mathematical Statistics Concentration requires 33 hours of free electives. (Exception: In the 2022-2023 catalog, this concentration required 29 hours of free electives.)

    7. Secondary Education-Mathematics Concentration (51 hours):

    This concentration is part of the Geaux Teach--Math and Sciences Program. Students will obtain a degree in mathematics and, upon completing this concentration and meeting any additional requirements of the Louisiana Department of Education, will be eligible for certification in the state of Louisiana as teachers in grades 6-12.

    Students interested in this concentration should obtain course advising in the Cain Center.

    • Math/Science GeauxTeach courses: SCI 2010,* SCI 2011,* Math 3002, 4019, and either 3003 or 4024.†
    • EDCI 2500, 3550, 4500, 3136, 4006.
    • BIOL/CHEM/PHYS 4005.
    • Math 3355, 4005, 4031, and either 4158† or 4700.
    • One of the following: Math 4200, 4023, or 4181.
    • MATH 4*** (any 4000-level Math course not otherwise required).‡

    * SCI 2010 and 2011 are 1 hour each. SCI 2012 (introduced in the 2020-2021 catalog) is a one-semester, two-hour course that is equivalent to SCI 2010 + 2011.

    † In the 2022-2023 and earlier catalogs, Math 4024 was not allowed as an alternate to Math 3003, and Math 4158 was not allowed as an alternate to Math 4700.

    ‡ In the 2019-2020 and earlier catalogs, the Secondary Ed-Math Concentration required PHIL 2786 rather than Math 4***.

    EDCI 2500 will count as the required, 2000-level General Education Social Science course.

    Students should plan their course work so that they can take EDCI 4006 (9) and 3136 (3) concurrently in the last semester of the senior year.

    The Secondary Education-Mathematics Concentration requires 11 hours of free electives.

    II. Math Minor Requirements

    Lower Division Requirements

    Upper Division Requirements

    At least nine semester hours at the 3000 or 4000 level, but excluding Math 3903 and 4005.



    Last updated April 4, 2024.