Major in Mathematics

Students who entered Johns Hopkins in the current academic year should refer to the current Academic Catalog for a current list of major requirements. Students who entered Johns Hopkins University in a previous academic year should refer to the catalog of that academic year.

Major Requirements

The listed requirements for the BA degree in mathematics are in addition to the university’s general requirements for departmental majors. Courses used to meet requirements must be completed with a grade of C- or better.

Calculus: Calculus I, II, and III. Majors are encouraged but not required to take honors variants.

Linear Algebra: 110.201 Linear Algebra OR 110.212 Honors Linear Algebra

Analysis: 110.405 Real Analysis I OR 110.415 Honors Analysis I AND one of

  • 110.311 Complex Analysis
  • 110.406 Analysis II
  • 110.407 Honors Complex Analysis
  • 110.413 Introduction to Topology
  • 110.416 Honors Analysis II
  • 110.417 Partial Differential Equations
  • 110.421 Dynamical Systems
  • 110.427 Introduction to the Calculus of Variations
  • 110.439 Introduction to Differential Geometry
  • 110.441 Calculus on Manifolds
  • 110.443 Fourier Analysis

Algebra: 110.401 Advanced Algebra I OR 110.411 Honors Algebra I AND one of

  • 110.304 Introduction to Number Theory
  • 110.412 Honors Algebra II
  • 110.413 Introduction to Topology
  • 110.422 Representation Theory
  • 110.423 Lie Groups for Undergraduates
  • 110.435 Introduction to Algebraic Geometry
    (Note: Students may take both 110.401 and 110.411 for credit, but only one will be used for the major requirements.)

Elective: One more course at the 300-level or above.

Outside course requirement: Two terms in any one of the following areas of applications of mathematics. (Note: Other appropriate, advanced, quantitative-based courses may be chosen from these or other department with the approval of the director of undergraduate studies in mathematics.)

  • Physics: 171.204 Classical Mechanics, 171.301 Introduction to Electromagnetic Theory, 171.302 Topics in Advanced Electromagnetic Theory, 171.303-4 Introduction to Quantum Mechanics, 171.312 Statistical Physics and Thermodynamics, 171.405 Condensed Matter Physics
  • Chemistry: 030.345 Chemical Applications of Group Theory, 030.453 Intermediate Quantum Chemistry, 030.302 Physical Chemistry II
  • Applied Mathematics & Statistics: 550.391 Dynamical Systems, 550.420 Introduction to Probability, 550.426 Introduction to Stochastic Processes, 550.430 Introduction to Statistics, 550.453 Mathematical Game Theory, 550.471 Combinatorial Analysis, 550.472 Graph Theory
  • Economics: 180.301 Microeconomic Theory, 180.302 Macroeconomic Theory OR 180.402 Advanced Microeconomic Theory, 180.334 Econometrics OR 180.434 Advanced Econometrics
  • Philosophy: 150.420 Mathematical Logic I, 150.421 Mathematical Logic II, 150.422 Axiomatic Set Theory
  • Computer Science: 601.271 Automata and Computational Theory, 601.464 Artificial Intelligence, 601.442 Modern Cryptography, 601.433 Introduction to Algorithms, 600.438 Computational Genomics, 601.488 Foundations of Computational Biology, 601.461 Computer Vision, 601.457 Computer Graphics, 601.475-6 Machine Learning

Department Honors

Department Honors are awarded to all recipients of the Bachelor of Arts degree who have also completed the following 6 courses at the combined minimum GPA of 3.6.

  • 110.415-416 Honors Analysis
  • 110.411-412 Honors Algebra
  • 110.407 Honors Complex Analysis OR 110.607 Complex Analysis
  • One more 400-level or above course

Advice:

  • Honors Analysis and Honors Algebra do not depend on each other and can be taken in any order, or at the same time. However, if your plan is to take one honors course at a time, we suggest taking these courses in the order listed above.
  • Students considering graduate school in mathematics are strongly encouraged to take a course from the Topology/Geometry category.