RUME 28
2026
Alexandria, Virginia
Analysis Paralysis: On the Potential Overemphasis of Calculus and Analysis in the Undergraduate and Graduate Mathematics Curricula
Page: 45
In the United States, students in the K-12 system are often adversely affected by a so-called “race to calculus” that we believe to be caused, in part, by the emphasis on analysis found in the mathematics curriculum at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. This originates partially from a historical need for calculus in industry, a need which is no longer as prevalent as it once was. Here, we examine the curricula at 100 of the top graduate and undergraduate programs in the United States and the prevalence of a variety of topics in these programs, including calculus, analysis, linear algebra, abstract algebra, geometry, and statistics. As expected, analysis was much more prevalent than any other advanced topic. We discuss reasons for this prevalence and how such prevalence should be mitigated in the future.