About the Department

Mathematics Faculty

Mathematics Department Website

The Mathematics Department offers a flexible degree in Applied Mathematics as well as minors in Mathematics and in Data Analytics. Our graduates have gone on to successful careers as data scientists, data analysts, actuaries, statisticians, software developers, and teachers and various other careers. Many have also pursued graduate studies to earn advanced degrees.

Our Mission

The Mathematics Department at Seattle Pacific University sees mathematics as a holistic endeavor – logical, beautiful, and useful – not only for our majors, but to all students and departments we serve.  Our calling is to teaching excellence: demonstrating mathematics as a language with which students can understand their chosen fields; and, for math majors, addressing the wide range of mathematical fields of today: pure and applied mathematics, statistics, and data science.  We seek to nurture and support students from a myriad of backgrounds, uplifting those from underrepresented groups.  We value sharing our expertise and wisdom with the community through research, service, leadership, and individualized care for our students.

Students will develop mathematical competency, learn to communicate mathematically in both written and verbal form, and cultivate an ethos of professional, principled behavior, poised to be good stewards as they venture onward.
 

Majors

Minors

Program Learning Outcomes

• Students who have completed a math course at SPU will have an increased appreciation for the beauty and utility of mathematics.
• Graduates will have mastery of, and confidence in, the core materials of mathematics.
• Graduates will serve as mentors to others in mathematical skills and knowledge.
• Graduates will prepare and present a substantial project to the Seattle Pacific community.
• Graduates will be able to solve complex problems using mathematical tools.

Mathematics Placement

All SPU students are required to complete a Ways of Knowing in Quantitative Reasoning (mathematics) course as part of the Exploratory Curriculum. Additionally, many academic majors require one or more mathematics courses. Prior to taking any mathematics course at SPU, you must demonstrate eligibility.

The purpose of established eligibility criteria is to help determine whether you are ready for college-level mathematics and to help you develop any math skills needed to successfully complete Exploratory Curriculum and academic program requirements.

SPU has divided college readiness and Exploratory Curriculum math classes into several groupings. Some departments other than the Mathematics Department may require attainment of a particular Mathematics Placement Level as a prerequisite for courses in their majors.

Eligibility to enroll in a particular course can be demonstrated through: 

• A sufficiently high SAT or ACT math score;
• A qualifying SPU Mathematics Placement Test score;
• A qualifying Calculus Placement Test score;
• Transfer of an approved college mathematics course;
• Completion of a Direct Transfer Agreement (DTA) associate degree or its approved equivalent from Oregon or California;
• Math credit awarded for AP, Cambridge International, IB, or CLEP exam.

Find more information on the Mathematics Placement page.