Mathematics

As part of the College of Arts and Sciences, the Department of Mathematics and Computer Sciences prepares students for careers as engineers, actuaries, scientists, educators, and technicians, while concurrently striving to inspire our students to love the subject itself.

The study of Mathematics is a balancing act between application and theory. Mathematicians enjoy pattern seeking, conjecture making, and articulate arguments, and we want our graduates to go into the world motivated by curiosity and armed with the skills that are hallmarks of mathematicians.

Versatile Major

Research & Internship Opportunities

Abundance of Career Potential

Meet the Mathematics Department

Are you interested in visiting with the Mathematics Department, but can't make it to campus?

Check out this video to learn a little about the department and what we offer!

Welcome to the Math Department Video

Welcome to the Math Department Video

2020 Graduation Celebration

Did you miss our celebration of the 2020 graduates from the Mathematics Department?

Check out the video to see how we celebrated their successes.

Misericordia University Mathematics Ambassadors

Do you want to know what it is really like to be a Mathematics Major at Misericordia University?

Talk to one of our Misericordia University Mathematics Ambassadors. These students will share the up and downs, expectations, and their general experiences with you. Please reach out to one (or more) of the ambassadors to hear the real story of being a Mathematics Major at Misericordia University.

Alec Aversa aversaa@misericordia.edu

Kaitlyn Bigos bigosk@misericordia.edu

Julia Slater slaterj@misericordia.edu

Mathematics Department News

Dr. Steven Tedford, Professor of Mathematics and Department Chair, wins the Bruckman Prize

The Bruckman Prize is named in honor of Paul Bruckman who had a long and distinguished association with Fibonacci numbers. Two prizes are awarded each even-numbered year commencing with 2016 for papers which develop a new approach or expand results in the area of generalized Fibonacci numbers and related areas of mathematics. The program is funded by a grant from George A. Hisert of Berkeley, California.

Dr. Tania Hazra, Assistant Professor of Mathematics, has been named a Project NExT Fellow through the MAA (Mathematical Association of America)

Project NExT (New Experiences in Teaching) is a professional development program for new or recent Ph.D.s in the mathematical sciences. It addresses all aspects of an academic career: improving the teaching and learning of mathematics, engaging in research and scholarship, finding exciting and interesting service opportunities, and participating in professional activities. It also provides the participants with a network of peers and mentors as they assume these responsibilities. Since 1994 there have been over 1700 Fellows, who have appeared in all capacities in the academic mathematical profession.

Other Department News

Other Department News

Pat McGinty (2018) and Tara Koskulitz (2018) received their M.A. in Mathematics from Binghamton University in May, 2020. Congratulations!

Michael Gottstein (2017) received his M.A. in Mathematics from Binghamton University in May, 2019. Congratulations!

The Mathematics Department at MU extends a hearty congratulations to our 7 Mathematics majors who graduated in May 2018. Shown in the photo above are 3 of our May graduates who are headed to graduate school in fall 2018. They are (l to r) Pat McGinty (Binghamton University, Mathematics), Tara Koskulitz (Binghamton University, Mathematics), and Blake Smith (Boston University, Biostatistics).

Austin Galiardo passed the Society of Actuaries Exam P (Probability) in Spring 2016 and Exam FM (Financial Mathematics) in Summer 2016

Miles Westrich (class of 2016) also passed the Society of Actuaries Exam P (Probability) in Summer 2016

Michael Gottstein and Tara Koskulitz, (students) presented "A Mathematical Approach to the Game of Kami" at the EPADEL Section of the Mathematical Association of America's Annual Spring Meeting at Kutztown University in April 2017.

The Department of Mathematics at Misericordia University welcomed two new full-time faculty members. Dr. Tania Hazra and Dr. Michael Floren joined our department in the fall 2018 semester. Dr. Hazra’s research interests are in Scientific and Statistical Computing, and Computational Biology. Dr. Floren’s research interests are in (Applied) Statistics and Statistics Education.

Female student with hat in classroom — Our curriculum is structured to encourage students to take a variety of courses ranging from Abstract Algebra, Real and Complex Analysis (appropriate for students interested in Graduate School) to Statistics and Actuarial Sciences (appropriate for students interested in a career in industry).

With the availability of directed readings and independent studies, students have the ability to customize their mathematical studies to suit their personal interests.

Students who choose a Bachelor of Arts must complete two semesters of physics.

Learn More

Female student on laptop — Students may choose to pursue either a BS or BA degree in mathematics. The required mathematics courses for either degree are the same. Students choosing to pursue the BS in mathematics must complete two semesters of physics and either two semesters of chemistry or of biology.

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Male student with glasses in classroom — In recent years, the increased use of statistics and quantitative methods, combined with the computer revolution, have caused mathematics to pervade not only the physical sciences, but the life and social sciences as well.

The mathematics major prepares students for careers in business, industry or government, or for future study in graduate or professional school.

Students have the option to complete a BA in Mathematics prior to entering the entry-level Doctor of Physical Therapy program.

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Female student in Cougar shirt — The secondary education program is designed to prepare teachers of mathematics for grades 7 to 12. Our program is continually refined to keep pace with developments in the profession; for example, the program prepares teachers to effectively deal with students with disabilities. It is approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and leads to a PA Instructional certificate. The University's recommendation and the successful completion of other requirements established by the state, including meeting the pass scores specified by PDE on the required battery of certification tests, qualify graduates for a PA Instructional I Certificate.

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Students in classroom — The computer revolution and the growing reliance on statistics and quantitative research have broadened the application of mathematical principles. The minor program in mathematics exposes students to both classical and contemporary mathematical techniques.

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Program Options

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B.A. in Mathematics
B.S. in Mathematics
B.A. in Mathematics (Pre-DPT Specialization)
B.A. in Mathematics (Secondary Education Certification)
Mathematics Minor

Double Major

Thanks to the high number of electives within the mathematics major, many students double major in another field, most commonly a science, but also disciplines within the humanities.

The Mathematics major combines well with others majors like Statistics or Computer Science.

We are glad that so many students opt to double major, as we believe that this contributes to a well-rounded education that not only prepares students for a variety of careers, but also shapes students into articulate and hospitable citizens.

Math Club

The Math Club gives students an opportunity to discuss and investigate mathematics outside of the classroom.

The current leadership of the club:

President: Sarah Netchert
Vice President: Julia Schneider
Treasurer: Lindsay Kane
Secretary: Kaitlyn Bigos

Recent and ongoing research projects include:

Tara Koskulitz and Mike Gottstein were awarded a Summer 2016 stipend research on the game KAMI and its relationship to graph theory
Taylor Rupp, Mike Gottstein, and Craig Siekierka are some of the previous Summer stipend recipients.

Other projects include:

Fundraising for the club and for local charities
A series of tutorial videos (posted to youtube) designed to help lower level mathematics students at the university
A meal paid for and delivered by the club to a needy family at Thanksgiving

From the Mountain Top Eagle -

Misericordia University Teacher Education and Math Club students offered lessons on sorting, patterns, symmetry and fractions during a fun and entertaining Math Day at St. Jude School in Mountain Top. More than 30 Misericordia students provided fun and engaging ways for 200 students in pre-k through 8th grades at St. Jude to learn about and appreciate mathematics.

Steven Tedford, Ph. D., of Mountaintop, associate professor of mathematics at Misericordia University, and his wife, Veronica, a former collegiate professor of mathematics, coordinated the program.

Mathematics Symposium

The Department of Mathematics at Misericordia University hosted the 10^th annual Luzerne and Lackawanna Counties Mathematics Symposium on Saturday, October 5, 2019.

The symposium began at 8:15 am with a continental breakfast. Talks began at 9:00 am and continued until 2:30 pm.

List of Speakers and Talks:

1. Dr. Daniel Blessner (Misericordia University)

Title: Optimum Number of Homework Problems

2. Dr. Steven J. Tedford (Misericordia University)

Title: A Combinatorial Approach to the Padovan Numbers

3. Meagan Osborne (University of Scranton - student)

Title: Probability Modeling of HIV Viral Blips

4. Meagan Scheider (University of Scranton - student)

Title: Mathematical Model of the Adaptive Immune Response to Chronic Hepatitis B Virus

5. Charles Kulick (University of Scranton - student)

Title: Exploring Preference Orderings Through Discrete Geometry

6. Lindsay Kane (Misericordia University - student)

Title: To be announced

7. Joseph Broghamer (Misericordia University and King’s College)

Title: Mathematics in Classical and Modern Cryptography

8. Dr. Ronald Pryor (Wilkes University)

Title: Sets: Characteristically Speaking

Student Testimonials

It Starts At The Arch

Lindsay Kane

I would not be where I am today without Misericordia and our wonderful math department. Our professors gave me the confidence I needed as an incoming freshman that has strengthened my performance in the classroom and overall experience.

Cassie Silveri '19

The faculty here really care about your well being, the club is very involved on campus, and my fellow students are like family. The math department has given me wonderful opportunities from hands-on to personal experiences that will further advance me in my math career.

Tara Koskulitz '18

I will be starting a doctorate program in mathematics at Binghamton University this fall, and I attribute a significant portion of my preparedness to my hard-working, caring professors at Misericordia University

Fast Facts & Outcomes
Careers in Mathematics

Fast Facts & Outcomes

The study of Mathematics is a balancing act between application and theory. Our curriculum is designed to provide a diverse and solid background in various areas of Mathematics. Current faculty research interests are wide-ranging and include Approximation Theory, Statistics, Topology, Logic, Chaos Theory, Computational Biology, Scientific Computing, Graph Theory, and the History of Mathematics; we also have a faculty specialist in Actuarial Science.

What makes Misericordia’s Mathematics program stand out from all the rest:

Our students will study cutting-edge modern Mathematics while also learning classical mathematical results and techniques and their history. By way of Mathematics electives, our major program can be tailored to lead you to a wide variety of career choices such as Actuarial Science, Secondary Education, Statistics, Applied Mathematics, or to prepare you for further studies in graduate school mathematics.

Mathematics Minor: Students from other majors can complete a minor in Mathematics by taking 6 MTH courses as described in the catalog.

Double Major: The Mathematics major combines well with others majors like Statistics or Computer Science.

Program degree options:

Mathematics Bachelor of Arts
Mathematics Bachelor of Arts, (Pre-DPT Specialization)
Mathematics Bachelor of Arts, (Secondary Education Certification)
Mathematics Bachelor of Science

Job opportunities for a Mathematics degree include the following fields:

Teaching
Cryptographer
Mathematician
Actuary
Financial Planner
Statistician
Investment Analyst/Control
Government
Systems Engineer
Budget Analyst
Operations Research
Accountant
Purchase Agent
Insurance Underwriter
Market Researcher
Cost Estimator
Software Tester

Research/internships and other opportunities available via:

Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF)
Internships are available with many local businesses and organizations including the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Railriders; Berkshire Hathaway Guard Insurance Co.; and Masonic Villages
Student Clubs/Activities: Math and Computer Science Club

Mathematics alumna have gone on to achieve employment at:

Telcordia Technologies
AT&T
Schott Glass of North America
General Electric
Alltel Information Services, Inc.
New York Life Investment Management
Juniper Networks
Metropolitan Life
IBM Corporation
Procter & Gamble, Inc.
Prudential Insurance Corp.
Numerous School Districts across the U.S.
Honeywell Hometown Solutions

Misericordia Mathematics majors have also continued on to graduate programs at:

Binghamton University (Mathematics)
Boston University (Bio Statistics)

Careers in Mathematics

Contact

For more information regarding the Mathematics program, contact Dr. Steven Tedford, Mathematics Department Chair, at stedford@misericordia.edu.

Meet the Mathematics Department Faculty