31 courses with the subject MATH, each shown exactly as we captured it from the college's catalog, with every element we hold. Where the wording looks broken, that is our reading of the catalog, not the college's text.
MATH 100INTRODUCTION TO QUANTITATIVE REASONING4
This course is for students who need practice in applying fundamental mathematical skills (algebra, graphing, geometry, data analysis, and linearity) to real-life applications. The goal of the course is to develop quantitative skills that promote problem solving with confidence.
This course focuses on the application of mathematics to the students’ personal and social issues. It is designed to prepare students for the mathematics they will encounter in other college classes, particularly in the social and natural sciences such as problem solving, financial management, and growth. The course provides students with critical thinking and quantitative reasoning skills needed to understand major issues in life. It develops students’ ability to reason with quantitative information necessary to achieve success in a career.
Emphasis is on the application of algebra, precalculus, and mathematical models to many exciting real-world problems in art, music, business, economics, statistics, biology, and other sciences. Recommended for prospective teachers and non-mathematicians. Hollins University 2026–27 Undergraduate Catalog Page 315
A study of precalculus involving the application of functions and mathematical models to real- world problems in the natural sciences as well as art, music, business, economics, and the social sciences. Provides a minimal preparation for the calculus sequence. Recommended for prospective teachers.
q or appropriate score on Math/QL assessment. (Q, QL)
MATH 211SYMBOLIC LOGIC4
The study of valid reasoning. Course goals include the basic grasp of three areas of logic (propositional, Aristotelian, and predicate/quantifier) and familiarity with the metatheory of propositional logic, which concerns truth. Also listed and described as PHIL 211. Open to first-year students. Prerequisite: q. Offered Term 1. (Q)
The calculus of real functions of one real variable with emphasis on application of concepts to real world problems. Calculus I: functions, limits, continuity, the derivative, and applications of the derivative. Calculus II: antiderivatives, integrals, applications of the integral, improper integrals, sequences, and series. Open to first-year students. Prerequisites: for MATH 241: q and MATH 140 or equivalent; for MATH 242: MATH 241. MATH 241 meets daily and satisfies QL. MATH 241 offered every fall, MATH 242 offered every spring. (Q, QL)
MATH 246LABORATORIES IN MATHEMATICAL EXPERIMENTATION2
A course in mathematical discovery. Students “do” mathematics by designing mathematical experiments, obtaining mathematical results, analyzing data, and making mathematical conjectures. Topics include fractals, cryptology, function iteration and chaos, strategy of games, and graph theory.
MATH 241. Open to first-year students. Offered every spring.
MATH 255METHODS OF MATRICES AND LINEAR ALGEBRA4
Properties of matrices; methods of finding an inverse; matrix equations and solutions; characteristic roots, important matrix forms; applications in social and physical sciences. first-year students. (Q) Hollins University 2026–27 Undergraduate Catalog Page 316
An introduction to the standard methods of mathematical proof and their validity. Methods of proof are examined in detail, and examples of each method are analyzed carefully. The emphasis is on enhancing students’ ability to write and understand mathematical proofs.
The calculus of functions of several real variables: vector spaces; differentiation of vector functions; partial derivatives; maxima and minima; and multiple integrals.
An introduction to combinatorics, with potential topics including basic counting principles, recursions, permutations, graph theory, and partially ordered sets.
An introduction to ordinary differential equations with an emphasis on applications. The course topics include first order differential equations, separable equations, linear second order differential equations, the Laplace Transform, series solutions, and numerical methods.
An introduction to algebraic coding theory using finite fields and number-theory. Codes studied include binary, hexadecimal, ASCII, the error-correcting Hamming codes, BHC, and Reed-Solomon codes.
An introduction to complex analysis, with topics including the algebra of complex numbers, analytic functions, elementary functions, contour integrals, and Laurent series. (Ana) Hollins University 2026–27 Undergraduate Catalog Page 317
An introduction to advanced calculus. Students will be reading and writing mathematical proofs that provide the theoretical basis for important topics from single-variable calculus, including limits, continuity, differentiation, integration, sequences, and series. (Ana)
This course is intended for students conducting independent mathematical research. In conjunction with a faculty member, the student will formulate and execute an original research project that will culminate in a paper and/or presentation. Registration for this course must occur before the semester in which the research is to take place. This course will count as a 300 level elective towards the major.
MATH 397TEACHING MATHEMATICS IN THE ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS4
This course will address content knowledge, curriculum development, methodologies, assessment and evaluation, using resources and technology, and approaches to teaching elementary and middle school mathematics, within the framework of the NCTM Standards of Learning, the VA Standards of Learning, and VA Early Learning and Development Standards. Attention will be given to problems that students have in learning and understanding mathematics and ways to address those problems.
Emphasis is on written and oral communication of mathematical ideas. Senior mathematics majors complete a mathematics portfolio based on select assignments from previous mathematics, computer science, and statistics courses. Hollins University 2026–27 Undergraduate Catalog Page 318
In this course students have an opportunity to explore advanced and/or new mathematical topics. Students may suggest projects to departmental faculty for their approval and guidance. Students will present completed projects at the end of the semester. Offered every spring.
Open to majors with permission. Required both regular terms and Short Term. Interested majors should consult with the chair of the department no later than the end of the second term of their junior year. Application must be made with faculty prior to registration. COURSES IN STATISTICS:
This course will examine the historical development of mathematics from ancient to modern times with a focus on the contributions made by great mathematicians. The course will emphasize mathematical development, reasoning problem solving, and communication. The aim of the course is to strengthen the graduate students' foundational knowledge of mathematics by learning about the evolution of mathematics over the past 5000 years.
This course will focus on strengthening the calculus concepts of graduate students. Topics include limits, continuity, the Intermediate Value Theorem, differentiation, the Mean Value Theorem, L'Hospital's theorem, integration, sequences, series, convergence, and Taylor's theorem. The aim of the course is to strengthen the graduate students' foundational knowledge by applying the tools of calculus to a variety of problem situations and express the concepts and solutions graphically, numerically, and analytically.
This course will examine the various aspects of discrete mathematics, which includes several branches of mathematics that deal with objects that can assume only distinct values. Set Theory, Graph Theory and Number Theory are just a few of the branches that would be classified as “discrete”. Topics include formal logic notation, proof by induction, proof by contradiction, set theory, Boolean algebra, combinatorics, and graph theory. The aim of the course is to strengthen the graduate students’ knowledge of the various principles associated with discrete mathematics fields.
This course will focus on strengthening the probability and statistical concepts of graduate students. Topics include sample spaces, axioms of probability, independence, conditional probability, random variables, discrete and continuous probability distributions, descriptive statistics, and hypothesis testing. Applications of probability and statistics will allow students to ask informative questions, evaluate results, and provide solutions. 94
This course will examine Euclidean and Non-Euclidean geometries. Euclid’s’ parallel postulate will be discussed as to how it impacts the axiomatic structure of Euclidean geometry and how changes to that postulate results in other geometries. The aim of the course is to strengthen the graduate students’ knowledge of geometric concepts by emphasizing the difference between the principles of Euclidean and non-Euclidean geometries.
MATH 550Special Topics: Hyperbolic Trigonometry and Special Relativity4
Trigonometry deals with relationships among lengths of sides of triangles and arcs of circles. Hyperbolic trigonometry is an analogous field, with two crucial sign changes: 1) We flip a sign in the defining equation of a circle to we obtain a hyperbola. 2) We flip a sign in the Euclidean distance formula to obtain the Minkowski distance formula. We then study relationships among Minkowski lengths of sides of triangles and arcs of hyperbolas. Hyperbolic trigonometry is the natural mathematical framework for Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity.
