If you’re looking to take on upper-level math courses to enhance your non-math degree or are contemplating whether a degree in a math-related major is right for you, the Department of Mathematics & Computer Science’s math minors or certificate tracks might be just what you’re looking for.

The department offers a number of our majors in a minor format and also offers niche subjects solely as minors or certificates. So you can stretch your education beyond major-specific courses by adding a minor or a certificate, or both.

A minor in mathematics or computer science can provide you with a strong foundation in either field, beneficial to anyone interested in pursuing a career that requires a knowledge base in such areas as software engineering, data science or artificial intelligence. The skills you’ll gain with a minor or certificate can also provide you with the foundation you’ll need to succeed in fields such as finance, economics and healthcare.

Minors & Certificates

Enhance Any Major

The certificate in actuarial science is an 18-credit program composed of courses from two schools: the McAnulty College of Liberal Arts and the Palumbo School of Business. The certificate is available to any Duquesne University student and can be fully accessed only through 14 additional credits of prerequisite coursework.

The 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.

Prerequisite Courses for the Certificate in Actuarial Science
  • ACCT 214 Financial Accounting
  • ACCT 215 Managerial Accounting
  • MATH 115 Calculus I
  • MATH 116 Calculus II

Required Courses for the Certificate in Actuarial Science
  • 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
Required courses for the 15-credit minor in computer science are:
  • MATH 135 Discrete Mathematics
  • COSC 160 and COSC 215 OR COSC 170 and COSC 216
  • 9 additional credits of computer science courses at the 200 level or above, with at least 3 credits at the 300 level or above.

For the 15-credit minor, students are required to take four of the following classes:

  • 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 (Prerequisites: grade of "C" or better in COSC 160, Computer Programming: Java and MATH 135, Discrete Math)
In addition, students are required to take one of the following courses: COSC 300, IR 405, IR 406, IR 407, IR 422W, IR 423W.

Students must pass the following courses with a C or better:

  • MATH 115 Calculus I
  • MATH 116 Calculus II
  • 9 additional credits of mathematics courses at the 200 level or above, with at least 3 of these 9 credits at the 300 level or above.

Contact for more info

Department of Mathematics & Computer Science