Mathematics

Kevin Woods, Professor and Chair
Robert Bosch, Professor
Jack Calcut, Associate Professor
Susan Colley, Andrew and Pauline Delaney Professor
Colin Dawson, Assistant Professor
Matt Evans, Visiting Assistant Professor

Nathan Gray, Visiting Assistant Professor

Benjamin Linowitz, Assistant Professor
Christoph Marx, Associate Professor
James Walsh, Professor
Elizabeth Wilmer, Professor
Jeffrey Witmer, Professor

Visit the department webpage for up-to-date information on department faculty, visiting lecturers and special events.

Mathematics is both a technical and cultural field of study. The Department’s curriculum has several objectives: (1) to introduce students to a central area of human thought; (2) to prepare students for graduate study in pure or applied mathematics, or in related fields, including statistics and operations research; (3) to support students studying fields that use mathematics, such as the physical, biological, social and information sciences; and (4) to provide liberal arts students with an introduction to the kinds of mathematical and quantitative thinking important in the contemporary world.

Students with any questions about course selection are strongly urged to consult the Department Chair or any member of the Mathematics Department.

See information about Research, Internships, Study Away and Experiential Learning (RISE).

Advanced Placement

Students who have taken a College Board Advanced Placement Program examination in Calculus, or an International Baccalaureate examination in Mathematics (Higher Level) will receive credit as follows:

Students scoring 4 or 5 on the BC Advanced Placement examination, or a 6 or 7 on the IB Mathematics HL, receive credit for two full academic courses, equivalent to MATH 133 and 134.
Students scoring 3 on the BC Advanced Placement examination with an AB sub-score of 4 or 5 receive credit for one full academic course, equivalent to MATH 133.
Students scoring 4 or 5 on the AB Advanced Placement examination, or a 5 on the IB Mathematics HL, receive credit for one full academic course, equivalent to MATH 133.

The Department discourages students from repeating courses for which they could have received credit for work prior to Oberlin. Students who repeat coursework will have to relinquish AP or IB credit.

Students who have taken Calculus or more advanced mathematics for credit at another college or university should consult with the Registrar’s office and the Department Chair about transfer of credit and appropriate course placement.

Students who have studied advanced mathematics under any other circumstances should also consult with the Department Chair about course placement.

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Majors and Minors

Initial Placement and Course Sequence Suggestions

Potential Computer Science majors should work towards taking MATH 220, Physics majors towards taking MATH 231, and Mathematics majors towards taking both MATH 220 and MATH 231, in either order (followed by MATH 232). Any Mathematics Professor is happy to talk to you about your options. If potentially majoring in a social or biological science, you may find a STAT class more directly relevant to your major.

Courses

Mathematics

Statistics