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HAPPY HOLIDAYS — Fairmont State University is closed for Winter Break

Happy Holidays from Fairmont State University. The University is closed from 4 p.m. Friday, December 20 through Thursday, January 2. Fairmont State will reopen on Friday, January 3.

View the Falcon Center Winter Break Hours

Mathematics Impact

Mathematics

Come join our Mathematics majors at Fairmont State University.
Prepare for immediate employment or graduate school.

Many students double major in Mathematics and another area, such as Computer Science, Business, or Science.  The Mathematics and Computer Science programs work closely to ensure that this highly sought-after double major can easily be completed in four years.  Students who are pursuing a teaching certificate and would like to also earn a BS in Mathematics, use Education as their double major.  

From 2018 -2023, 40 students graduated with a mathematics B.S. degree, averaging 8 graduates yearly.  Fairmont State University boasts the highest number of mathematics graduates per capita from 2018-2023 of any public institution in the state of West Virginia.

In addition, the numbers of graduates with math related degrees for 2018-2023 are listed below:

  • 14 students with a math minor
  • 8 with BAE in Mathematics grade 5-Adult
  • 9 with Mathematics grades 5-9 specialization
  • 1 Master of Arts in Teaching in Mathematics
  • 7 students served as Clinical Teacher of Record for the public schools in grades 7-12

Students are trained to apply the universal language of mathematical methods and reasoning to address problems in mathematics and other fields, to become self-reliant learners, and to communicate ideas effectively.  Students are encouraged to take Foreign Language courses as electives.  Mathematics BS majors are required to have a minor or a double major to be more employable.

According to the National Academies of Sciences, Mathematics is a bridge between many disciplines and makes connections between:

  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Biology and Chemistry
  • Communications
  • Defense and National Security
  • Economics and Finance
  • Engineering
  • Geosciences
  • Healthcare
  • Manufacturing
  • Physics and Astronomy

More information can be found on the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine site.

Career Opportunities

Mathematics graduates work with diverse employers like the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. Navy, banking, manufacturing, chemical, computer, and statistics firms. Nearly all recent graduates who are not in graduate school have found employment in mathematics or related fields. Mathematics majors can work in:

  • Data Science
  • Education
  • Finance
  • Cryptography
  • Computer science
  • Biomathematics

Recent graduates hold teaching positions in public schools throughout West Virginia.  Many graduates have attended graduate school for their masters and doctorate degrees and are employed as professors at various universities in the US and in China. Others work in research industries, such as Los Alamos labs and local software companies.

In 2021, the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics estimated that the median salary for Mathematicians and Statisticians with a master's degree was $96,280 per year or $46.29 per hour.

Contact Info

Dr. Joe Riesen

Professor of Mathematics

 424 Engineering Technology Building

 304-367-4505

 jriesen@fairmontstate.edu

Mathematics Students Learn in Large and Small Group Settings

Students paying attention in class
 
Students at Whiteboard