Some of humankind’s most powerful and beautiful ideas lie in the field of Mathematics. The wide applicability of these ideas and their deep connection with the natural sciences have made this discipline one of the most fruitful arenas of human inquiry. Combining as it does the greatest creative freedom with the most stringent standards of rigour, Mathematics also happens to be the ideal training g
round for learning a broad range analytical and problem-solving skills. Ashoka University’s programme of study for the Major in Mathematics has been designed to meet two primary goals:
Students should be broadly exposed to the primary areas and the central ideas of contemporary Mathematics (as well as their applications); and
Students should develop the skills of rigorous analytic reasoning along with a set of useful problem solving skills and strategies. In addition to the two relevant Foundation Courses (Introduction to Mathematical Thinking, and Critical Thinking in Mathematics), students majoring in Mathematics will take a series of 9 required courses and 3 elective courses within Mathematics. The required courses cover the fields of Analysis, Algebra, Linear Algebra, Differential Equations, Probability and Statistics and Mathematical Modeling. While elective course offerings will vary semester to semester, all students will have the option of pursuing independent study under the guidance of a faculty member, in which they can study a topic in depth or attempt a research problem. At the end of their program of study we expect students to be able to read and understand mathematical proofs, learn and apply new mathematical concepts, and construct and communicate a correct and rigorous argument of their own. Students completing this programme will be well prepared to pursue Mathematics further if they wish to, or to take up positions that call for innovative problem solving in concert with strong analytical abilities.
