Mathematics & Statistics Department

For Prospective Students

About the Department

Since antiquity, mathematics has been a cornerstone of the liberal arts. It serves as a model of clear reasoning and expression of thought, and its focus on the study of patterns and structures ensures its continued wide-ranging relevance.

Mathematics is the scaffolding of the physical sciences and has exciting new applications in areas such as information science, network theory, cryptography, biology, and theoretical and applied economics. Meanwhile, tools are being developed to solve some of the great long-standing problems of pure mathematics.

There are several paths through mathematics at Reed College. In addition to the major in theoretical mathematics, we offer a concentration in statistics. There is a standing interdisciplinary major in computer science-mathematics, and recently students have designed ad-hoc interdisciplinary majors such as mathematics-biology and mathematics-political science.

The mathematics and statistics department has a strong record of placing its graduates in highly selective Ph.D. programs in pure and applied mathematics, computer science and engineering, statistics and biostatistics, and related fields such as physics and economics. Graduates also pursue careers in the tech industry, finance, law, medicine, and architecture.

Mathematics majors have the opportunity to conduct summer research projects with faculty, attend conferences and present papers, and participate in Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) programs. Many students from the department have enrolled in the Budapest Semester in Mathematics program in Hungary or the Mathematics in Moscow program in Russia.