All students, regardless of their chosen concentration, will complete a core set of applied mathematics courses and have the opportunity to undertake a senior capstone project involving independent research in a chosen area of interest.
The full program is offered at the Surrey campus, with some first and second year courses offered on the Richmond campus.
Associate of Science in Mathematics
The Associate Degree is designed to provide an educational experience that prepares students for work, citizenship and an enriched life as an educated person, and to lay a solid foundation for further study in the field of Mathematics.
Minor in Mathematics
The Minor in Mathematics allows a student the option of completing a Bachelor's degree in another subject area and still demonstrating the depth of their abstract reasoning and numerical skills by adding on a designation in mathematics. This will be helpful for any students who are planning professional careers for which a sound foundation in formal or mathematical reasoning is required as well as for students with a specific interest in mathematics.
Bachelor of Science, Major in Applications of Mathematics
In the BSc in Applications of Mathematics program, traditional mathematics courses are combined with specialized courses that enable students to apply their mathematical skills in diverse fields, providing a broad range of options for careers or further education. Students can choose from among three concentrations, Biomathematics, Computational Mathematics, and Mathematics Education, that are not readily available at the undergraduate level elsewhere in Canada.
Bachelor of Science (Honours), Major in Applications of Mathematics
In the BSc in Applications of Mathematics program, traditional mathematics courses are combined with specialized courses that enable students to apply their mathematical skills in diverse fields, providing a broad range of options for careers or further education. Students can choose from among three concentrations, Biomathematics, Computational Mathematics, and Mathematics Education, that are not readily available at the undergraduate level elsewhere in Canada.
What is Mathematics?
To those who do not know Mathematics, it is difficult to get across a real feeling as to the beauty, the deepest beauty of nature... If you want to learn about nature, to appreciate nature, it is necessary to understand the language that she speaks in.
— Richard Feyman. 1918-1988. American physicist.
The Character of Physical Law
If you ask a dozen mathematicians what mathematics is about, you're likely to get a dozen answers. One common view is that mathematics is the study of abstraction—how we create, manipulate, and apply structures. While many people associate math with numbers or geometry, these are just some of the abstract objects it explores. Mathematicians also study sets, functions, graphs, categories, and more.
Abstraction means focusing on certain aspects of a complex idea while ignoring others. For instance, numbers allow us to think about "three" without needing to imagine three of any specific thing. We learn to use such concepts independently of real-world objects, and then apply them back to real situations.
As we go deeper, we create abstractions from abstractions—like systems that act like numbers but obey different rules, or geometries where parallel lines meet, or spaces with many dimensions. This extends far beyond arithmetic or geometry, offering tools to describe anything with structure.
Mathematics values logic and proof, but also uses observation, simulation, and experimentation. Surprisingly, even highly abstract mathematics often proves useful in understanding the real world. It uncovers hidden patterns and has shown remarkable effectiveness in sciences.
New mathematical applications continue to emerge across science, technology, medicine, business, and more—underpinning advances in everything from finance and genetics to computer graphics and medical devices.
Where Can a Math Degree Take you?
A degree in Applications of Mathematics opens doors to careers in technology, finance, educations, health, the environment, and more. Current labour market projections in Canada suggest a balanced outlook for mathematics-related occupations overall, and demand remains steady in areas such as data science, analytics, and secondary education, where mathematical and analytical skills are especially valued. The broad problem-solving and quantitative skills developed in this program position graduates well for long-term career adoptability in a changing job market.
Mathematics: Powering Tomorrow's Artificial Intelligence
Some of the biggest changes we are seeing in the job market due to advance in Artificial Intelligence. Behind ever AI breakthrough lies the power of mathematics. From the linear algebra that drives neural networks to the probability and statistics that guide machine learning decisions, mathematics forms the foundation of intelligent systems. By studying in our programs—whether in Computational Mathematics, Mathematics Education, or Biomathematics—you'll gain the analytical and problem-solving skills that AI demands. Our courses equip you not just to use AI tools, but to understand and shape how they work. If you want to be part of building the future of AI, start with the mathematics that makes it possible.
Careers
Here's a sample of what you can do with a bachelor's degree in Applications of Math.
- Software Developer
Build the systems and apps behind today's digital world. - Machine Learning Technician
Help develop AI models by applying linear algebra and data analysis. - Data Scientist (Entry-level)
Uses statistics and coding to uncover insights from data. - AI Ethics Analyst
Tackle fairness and transparency in automated decision-making. - Cryptographer
Keep digital systems secure with math-based encryption.
- Actuary
Model risk in insurance, pensions, and finance. - Quantitative Analyst
Apply math to forecast financial trends and investment strategies. - Financial Analyst
Evaluate market performance and company health. - Business Intelligence Analyst
Transform data into decisions using dashboards and reports. - Risk Analyst
Assess threats in business and cybersecurity contexts.
- Statistician
Design studies and analyze data in medicine, social science, and beyond. - Biostatistics Technician
Support public health research through quantitative analysis. - Climate Data Analyst
Model and monitor environmental change. - Operations Research Analyst
Optimize systems in transportation, energy, and planning.
- Mathematics Educator
Inspire the next generation of problem-solvers. - Technical Writer
Explain complex systems with clarity and precision. - Research Assistant
Contribute to cutting-edge work in science, technology, or education.
- Market Research Analyst
Turn survey and sales data into strategic advice. - Logistics Analyst
Design smarter supply chains and delivery networks. - Policy Analyst (Quantitative)
Evaluate the numbers behind impactful decisions.
Research Opportunities
The KPU Applications of Mathematics program has opportunities for applied research and learning. Please reach out to our faculty members for research opportunities.
Faculty Members
KPU Office of Research Services
Student Research and Innovation Grant Opportunities
Affiliated Programs and Research Centres
- Bachelor of Physics for Modern Technology
- Engineering First Year Certificate
- Diploma in Engineering Physics
- Institute for Sustainable Horticulture
- Applied Genomics Centre
Student Feature
As part of her final project in Graph Theory and Applications at KPU, mathematics student Elise Mozaffari developed an original solution to a complex problem in network expansion.
She determined the minimum number of nodes required to add to a circular network so that every node has the same specified number of connections—while preserving desirable properties for network design. Elise shared her findings at the Atlantic Association for Research in the Mathematical Sciences (AARMS)–Canadian Mathematical Society (CMS) Student Poster Session, held during the CMS Conference in Richmond in November 2024. Her innovative work earned her first place in the competition and the prestigious AARMS Prize for excellence in research and presentation.
