Expand your skills beyond your major

If you’re interested in complementing your major with upper-level math courses or exploring a math-related field, the Mathematics and Computer Science Department offers minors and certificate programs to enhance your studies. These programs provide opportunities to expand your skills beyond your primary discipline, building a strong foundation in mathematics, computer science or data science. Earning a minor or certificate can prepare you for careers in fields such as software engineering, finance, data analytics, artificial intelligence and more—giving you valuable quantitative and computational skills to expand your professional horizons.

 

Skills For STEM Success

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"I've further developed my understanding of the application of mathematics in solving real-world problems, strengthening my computation and scientific communication abilities and giving me a head start in the development of my professional research skill set."

Kayla Kraeuter, MCS '24
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"The Department of Mathematics and Computer Science has amazing mentors who helped me flourish in geospatial data science and land a job as a Director of GIS. The many research opportunities set students up for the next stage—whether it's employment or graduate school."

Ethan Shearer, MCS '25
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Minors and Certificates

Actuarial Science Certificate Requirements

Courses required for the certificate in actuarial science will position you for successful completion of two actuarial exams before graduation, while simultaneously giving you at least four courses that count toward the Validation by Educational Experience (VEE) requirements as stipulated by the Society of Actuaries.

Required Courses
  • ECON 201 Principles of Microeconomics
  • ECON 202 Principles of Macroeconomics
  • MATH 301 Introduction to Probability and Statistics I
  • MATH 302W Introduction to Probability and Statistics
  • FINC 313 Business Finance
  • FINC 338 Derivatives
Prerequisite Courses for the Certificate in Actuarial Science
  • ACCT 214 Financial Accounting
  • MATH 115 Calculus I
  • MATH 116 Calculus II

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Computer Science Minor Requirements

The computer science minor requires the fulfillment of 15 credits of Computer Science coursework and 3 credits of mathematics coursework.

Required coursework:
  • MATH 135 Discrete Mathematics
  • COSC 160 Computer Programming: Java and COSC 215 Data Structures in Java OR COSC 170 Computer Programming: Python and COSC 216 Data Structures in Python
  • For students with prior programming experience, COSC 161 (Java Essentials for Experienced Programmers) may be taken instead of COSC 160.
  • 6 credits of Computer Science at the 200 level or higher (Note: students who take COSC 161 instead of COSC 160 will need to take 8 credits.)
  • 3 credits of Computer Science at the 300 level or higher

CS BS Program Details

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Cybersecurity Studies Minor Requirements

The Cybersecurity Studies minor requires the fulfillment of 15 credits.

Required courses:

Students are required to take four of the following courses.

  • IR 404 Introduction to Information Awareness
  • IR 432 Network Situational Awareness
  • IR 462 Applied Threat Systems
  • IR 470 Cybersecurity Leadership and Strategy
  • COSC 160 Computer Programming: Java
  • COSC 215 Data Structures in Java
  • MATH 135 Discrete Math

In addition, students are required to take one of the following courses:

  • COSC 300 Algorithms
  • IR 405 Transnational Organized Crime
  • IR 406 Homeland Security
  • IR 407 Terrorism
  • IR 422W American Defense Policy
  • IR 423W Comparative Intelligence Agencies

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Data Science Minor Requirements

The Data Science minor requires five courses beyond the pre-requisite Computer Science requirement.

Pre-requisite course:
  • COSC 170 Computer Programming in Python (Can be waived with appropriate experience.)
Required courses:
  • DTSC 110 Introduction to Data Science
  • DTSC 220 Data Exploration and Visualization
  • DTSC 330 Big Data Analysis
One of the following two statistics sequences:

Non-Calculus statistics sequence:

  • MATH 225 Intro to Biostatistics l
  • MATH 335 Intro to Biostatistics II

Calculus-based statistics sequence:

  • MATH 301 Intro to Probability and Statistics I
  • MATH 302W Intro to Probability and Statistics II

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Mathematics Minor Requirements

To mathematics minor requires the completion of 17 credits of mathematics course work.

Required courses
  • MATH 115 Calculus I
  • MATH 116 Calculus II
  • 6 credits of mathematics coursework at the 200 level or above
  • 3 credits of mathematics coursework at the 300 level or above

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Mathematics BS Details

Quantitative Finance Certificate Requirements

The quantitative finance certificate requires 32 credits of coursework in Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science, and Finance. For individual students, requirements vary depending on major:

  • Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, Data Science, Computer Science, and Physics students can earn the certificate with their major by completing an additional 15 credits in Finance.
  • Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Biomedical Engineering students can earn the certificate with their major by completing an additional 15 credits in Finance plus 3 credits in Computer Science.
  • Finance students can earn the certificate with their major by completing additional 17 credits in Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science. Seven of these credits can be counted toward university and business core requirements.

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WHEN SOFTWARE COSTS RISE, DUQUESNE STUDENTS RISE HIGHER

When the cost of scheduling software doubled, Professor and Department Chair Dr. Jeffrey Jackson turned it into a hands-on learning opportunity by tasking his Software Engineering class with building a custom solution from scratch. The result—DuqSchut—is a student-built tutoring scheduler now used across multiple departments.

See How Students Build DuqSchut

Benefits of Choosing a Minor

Choosing a minor in college can offer several benefits and perks!

A minor can complement your major and make you more versatile in the job market. It can open up new career pathways or enhance your qualifications for specific roles.

Computer science is one of the most in-demand fields, with a growing need for professionals skilled in programming, software development, data structures, algorithms and computer systems. Having a minor in computer science can significantly enhance your employability and open up diverse career opportunities in technology, finance, healthcare and beyond.
Minors often allow you to specialize in a particular area within a broader field, providing you with focused knowledge and expertise.

A minor in data science can offer significant benefits. By pursuing this minor, you'll develop practical skills in data analysis, data visualization, machine learning and statistical modeling. These skills complement a variety of majors, including computer science, mathematics, business, economics and social sciences.
A minor in math and computer science provides numerous opportunities for networking and hands-on experiences through faculty and student networks. By actively engaging with professors, peers, student organizations, research projects, internships, alumni, and industry contacts, you can expand your professional network, enhance your skills and position yourself for success in your academic and career endeavors.
If you plan to pursue graduate studies or professional programs, a minor can provide valuable background knowledge and preparation in a related field.

An Actuarial Science Certificate can provide a solid foundation of quantitative skills, specialized knowledge in risk management, and professional development opportunities that can enhance your readiness for further graduate studies in related fields. Whether you're interested in pursuing advanced degrees in finance, economics, mathematics or related disciplines, the skills and experiences gained through an actuarial science certificate can be invaluable for your academic and career advancement.

Questions? Contact Us!

Jeffrey Jackson, Ph.D.

Department Chair, Professor

Mathematics and Computer Science

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