The Department of Mathematical Sciences at Northern Illinois University offers programs leading to the Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics. These programs prepare students with diverse career goals, and develop unique strengths and talents which are valuable in an increasingly technical society. A Mathematical Sciences degree prepares students to be innovative and imaginative in complex situations ready for a world of challenges. A mathematics degree demonstrates many obvious career skills: attention to detail, comfort with numbers and computation, and a familiarity with standard mathematical models. Less obvious are the skills which develop during the study of higher mathematics. The student develops rigorous, logical thinking, problem-solving skills, appreciation of and familiarity with complex structures and algorithms, and the ability to learn technical, detailed, or abstract material. The Applied Mathematics emphasis offers a course of study which focuses on the application of mathematics to real-world problems. This is an appropriate choice for students interested in problems arising from industry or engineering, and prepares them for many technical fields. Students in this emphasis also pursue a minor in a related discipline.