Mathematics (BA)

This program was approved for students entering the university in the Summer 2025-Spring 2026 catalog year. For more information about catalog year, go to Catalog Year Information.

Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics
Unit: College of Arts and Sciences (AS)
Department: Mathematics
Academic Plan Code(s): MATHBA

The Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics is designed for students wishing to obtain a broad yet substantial background in mathematics as well as general education. The Bachelor of Arts covers a wide variety of topics such as algebra, geometry, and probability. This breadth is particularly well-suited for students preparing for secondary certification in mathematics.

Completion of this degree requires work to be submitted for the department’s Learning Outcomes Measurement. For details, contact the department.

Degree Summary

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Some credit hours from the General Education Requirements may be satisfied by courses defined by the program, in which case additional electives will be required to complete the minimum hours for the degree. 

Specific coursework information can be found on the Degree Requirements tab.

Accelerated BA-BS/MA Option in Mathematics

Mathematics majors who are considering pursuing a master’s degree (MA) in Mathematics can speed up the process by applying some of their undergraduate credit hours toward a master's degree.  Students accepted into the Accelerated BA-BS/MA take 9-12 credit hours (depending on the graduate option selected) as an undergraduate that apply toward both the the bachelor’s degree and the the eventual master's degree. 

Interested students must apply to the program during their Junior year (i.e., when they have accumulated 60-90 hours of credit). Applicants must have completed MATH 205, MATH 206, MATH 301, and MATH 325, or equivalent courses, prior to application. Applicants must have a minimum overall GPA of 3.5, and minimum GPA of 3.66 in mathematics courses.

Undergraduate students interested in participating in an accelerated dual bachelor's/master's degree offered through the Soaring Scholar program must first meet with their Academic Advisor and be accepted into the program. Once accepted, students will receive an official admission letter outlining program policies and details. They will then work with their department and academic advisor to register for classes each semester, ensuring they meet the milestones and academic progress requirements of the Soaring Scholar program.

A Soaring Scholar student is considered an undergraduate until their bachelor's degree is conferred. In their final undergraduate semester, they are expected to apply for admission to their respective master's program.

Early Start Program (Jointly with the College of Education and Human Development)

The Master of Arts in Teaching program in conjunction with the undergraduate programs in Chemistry, Biology, and Mathematics offers a comprehensive and professionally-focused program leading to an additional degree of MAT Middle or Secondary Education. This early start program enables superior students to receive two degrees within five years. A total of 148 credits are required for the dual degrees: 121 credits of coursework devoted toward the baccalaureate degree and 36 credits toward the MAT, with nine hours double-counted. This program will be available for students who are entering their junior year. They may take graduate level courses in the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) in their 4th year of study.

The current qualifications for the joint degree program have been agreed upon by discipline faculty from the Colleges of Arts and Sciences and Education and Human Development. The criteria vary by discipline. Students enrolling in the accelerated program will be non-thesis students and must adhere to all policies pertaining to Graduate Students. All interested students must submit an application to the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) MAT program and meet the admission criteria.

Departmental Admission Requirements

Admission to the BA in Mathematics requires the following:

• enrollment in a mathematics course beyond MATH 205;
• a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0; and
• a minimum grade point average of 2.0 on all courses in the major. 

The Change Major Request form can be found under the Academic Progress tile on ULink.

Admission and Application to the Accelerated BA/MA in Mathematics

Students interested in applying to the Accelerated BA/MA in Mathematics should follow the application process outlined in the Soaring Scholars application checklist (URL here).

Students must apply for admission to the program no later than the end of the junior year and must have completed MATH 205, MATH 206, MATH 301 and MATH 325, or equivalent courses, prior to application.

Applicants must have a minimum overall GPA of 3.5, and minimum GPA of 3.66 in mathematics courses. In addition applicants must met the minimum requirements of the Soaring Scholars program listed in the application checklist (url here)

Admission to a Soaring Scholar program does not guarantee admission into the associated master's degree program. Soaring Scholar students must apply to the associated graduate program in their last semester, before graduating with the bachelor's degree, to be considered for the Accelerated Master's graduate program. They must meet all the requirements for admission to the graduate program at the time of application to be admitted. Learn more about the admission requirements for the MA in Mathematics at Mathematics (MA) | University of Louisville Academic Catalogs.

General Education Requirements

*All degrees require the completion of the University-wide General Education Program (link provided above).  Some General Education requirements may be met in the requirements for the major or supporting coursework, in which case additional electives may be required to complete the minimum hours for the degree.

College/School Requirements

Program/Major Requirements

Mathematics courses at the 100 level do not count toward hours in the major. 

At least 50 of the total minimum hours required must be at the 300 level or above.

A minimum of 9 hours in courses numbered 311 or higher must be successfully completed in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Louisville. 

Students in the accelerated BA/MA program must register for 9 hours of courses numbered 500 or higher at the graduate level.

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Completion of the intermediate level of a single foreign language

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In addition to courses counted toward General Education; 6 hours must be at 300 level or above

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May be incorporated into other degree requirements

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Fulfills General Education requirement.

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Students who satisfy General Education Requirements by courses defined by the program will require additional electives to complete the minimum hours for the degree.

Flight Plan

Students in the accelerated BA/MA program will follow the same flight plan, although 9 hours of courses numbered 500 or above must be at the graduate level.

The Flight Plan outlined above is intended to demonstrate one possible path to completing the degree within four years.  Course selection and placement within the program may vary depending on course offerings and schedule, elective preferences, and other factors (study abroad, internship availability, etc.). Please consult your advisor for additional information about building a flight plan that works for you.

Degree Audit Report
Degree Audit reports illustrate how your completed courses fulfill the requirements of your academic plan, and which requirements are still outstanding. Degree audits also take transfer credits and test credits into account. "What-if" reports allow you to compare the courses you have completed in your current academic plan to the courses required in another academic plan.  Should you have questions about either report, please consult with your academic advisor.

Flight Planner
The Flight Planner tool is available for you to create a personalized Flight Plan to graduation.  Advisors have access to review your Flight Planner and can help you adjust it to ensure you remain on track to graduate in a timely manner.

To create these reports:

1. Log into your ULink account.
2. Click on the Academic Progress tile.
3. Select the appropriate report.
   1. To run a Degree Audit report, click on "View my Degree Audit."
   2. To create a What-if report, click on "What-if Advisement Report."
   3. To run a Flight Planner report, click on "Use My Flight Planner."

Click here to run a Degree Audit report, create a What-if report, or run a Flight Planner report.

Accelerated BA-BS/MA Option in Mathematics

Mathematics majors who are considering pursuing a master’s degree (MA) in Mathematics can speed up the process by applying some of their undergraduate credit hours toward a master's degree.  Students accepted into the Accelerated BA-BS/MA take 9-12 credit hours (depending on the graduate option selected) as an undergraduate that apply toward both the the bachelor’s degree and the the eventual master's degree. 

Interested students must apply to the program during their Junior year (i.e., when they have accumulated 60-90 hours of credit). Applicants must have completed MATH 205, MATH 206, MATH 301, and MATH 325, or equivalent courses, prior to application. Applicants must have a minimum overall GPA of 3.5, and minimum GPA of 3.66 in mathematics courses.

Undergraduate students interested in participating in an accelerated dual bachelor's/master's degree offered through the Soaring Scholar program must first meet with their Academic Advisor and be accepted into the program. Once accepted, students will receive an official admission letter outlining program policies and details. They will then work with their department and academic advisor to register for classes each semester, ensuring they meet the milestones and academic progress requirements of the Soaring Scholar program.

A Soaring Scholar student is considered an undergraduate until their bachelor's degree is conferred. In their final undergraduate semester, they are expected to apply for admission to their respective master's program.