Education Preparation Concentration

Prepare for a Fulfilling Career as a Teacher

Get the mathematical background essential to teaching high school and college mathematics. With a Bachelor of Science in Mathematical Sciences and a concentration in general education, you’ll be on the way to a rewarding career—High School Teacher is the #1 Best Education Job according to US News and World Report.

The general education concentration lays a broad foundation in modern mathematics including calculus, linear algebra, differential equations and modeling, statistics, geometry, and number theory. You’ll be introduced to the theory of algebra and calculus and learn the history of the development of mathematics, as well as the fundamentals of computer programming. You’ll graduate prepared to teach in private schools, enroll in teaching credentialing programs, or obtain graduate degrees and teach at public high schools, community colleges, and universities.

Why is Teacher Development Important?

Education Preparation programs provide you, the educator-to-be, with the tools, mentors, and hands-on experience you'll need once you begin your career. Work alongside peers seeking similar careers in education and begin building your network today.

Get The Most From Education Preparation

Degree requirements in education preparation are intentionally kept low to maximize the flexibility of the program. Contact your advisor to talk about your options and read these tips to help you prepare for your career.

Use Free Electives To Customize Your Education

Use your free electives wisely to get the strongest possible degree. Free electives allow you to pursue an area of interest. A minor in psychology or leadership can help prepare you to better deal with students, parents, and colleagues. Adding science minors could help you to expand your teaching into other subject areas. Speak to your advisor about the best way to use your free credits.

Get Summer Research Experiences

There are many summer undergraduate research opportunities to explore. Besides gaining experience, participation in undergraduate research is a great way to decide if you want to go to graduate school (and it looks great on a graduate school application)! Consider:

The National Science Foundation (NSF) sponsors many Summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) programs. Students participating in such a program work on research projects and typically receive free or greatly discounted room and board, along with a stipend of $2500–$4000.
Encourage Undergraduate Research
Michigan Tech faculty members also mentor student recipients of Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF). Recipients get a stipend to work on a research project.

Complete an Internship or Participate in Enterprise

An internship or Enterpriseexperience helps you to build communication, teamwork, and critical thinking skills you will need as an educator. For information about internships, contact University Career Services or your advisor.

Join a Student Organization

Get involved with any number of student organizations on campus. There’s over 215, like Mind Trekkers Quiz Bowl Undergraduate Student Government and more

Requirements

In addition to your core mathematics degree requirements, the following courses are required to complete your concentration in applied and computational mathematics:

Courses

You must complete each of the following required 12 credits:

MA 1910 - Exploring Symmetry Groups

Mathematical discovery and invention in group theory: transformations, finite figures, strip patterns, wall patterns, finite groups, and Cayley diagrams. Develops the ability to find and describe patterns, to generalize from observations, to formulate conjectures, and to support conjectures with analysis and, when possible, formal proof.

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-3-0)
Semesters Offered: Fall, in even years

MA 3924 - College Geometry with Technology

Review of Euclidean geometry. Introduction to geometric constructions, conjecturing of theorems, methods of proof, 3-D geometry, finite geometries, and non-Euclidean geometries. Integrates computer software (e.g. Geometer's Sketchpad) throughout the course.

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-2-2)
Semesters Offered: Fall
Restrictions: May not be enrolled in one of the following Class(es): Freshman, Sophomore
Pre-Requisite(s): MA 2160 or MA 2330

MA 4908 - Theory of Numbers with Technology

Mathematical induction, Euclid's algorithm, prime and composite integers, algebra of congruences, Chinese remainder theorem, quadratic reciprocity law, number theoretic functions, first degree Diophantine equations, Pythagorean triples, Fermat and Mersenne numbers, factoring algorithms, tests for primality and various applications. Projects use Mathematica and EXCEL software packages.

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-3-0)
Semesters Offered: Spring
Pre-Requisite(s): MA 3210 or MA 3310 or MA 3924

MA 4945 - History of Mathematics

Survey of the development of mathematics from ancient times to today. How cultural, mathematical, and technological developments have influenced one another throughout history. Course provides all necessary historical background.

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-3-0)
Semesters Offered: Fall
Pre-Requisite(s): UN 1015 and (UN 1025)

Electives

You must complete two 4000 level math courses (6 credits) to meet this requirement. Speak to your advisor about the best electives to choose for you.

Tomorrow Needs Math Teachers

As the rate of teacher retirements increases at alarming rates, the need to fill the backlog is great. Plus, the students of tomorrow are motivated and inspired to master mathematics in order to compete for 21st-century jobs in emerging fields like artificial intelligence, business analytics, data science, to name a few. A concentration in education preparation starts you on a pathway to a challenging, successful, and rewarding career.

The mathematics degree with a secondary education concentration provides fantastic preparation for careers in teaching and education. In addition to the option of teaching high school mathematics, options for jobs in diverse fields include business, finance, industry and technology. Graduates can also choose to pursue graduate studies in mathematics or mathematics education.

Career Opportunities

Your future career options are unlimited with a degree in mathematics with a concentration in education preparation. You’ll graduate prepared to teach in private schools. You will need to enroll in teaching credentialing programs, or obtain a graduate degree in order to teach at public high schools, community colleges, and universities. Career opportunities include:

Data Analytics Manager
Financial Advisor
Mathematician
Math Lecturer
Math Professor
Math Specialist
Math Tutor
Postsecondary Math Instructor