Universitas Negeri Padang (UNP) is the result when IKIP Padang (Institut Keguruan dan Ilmu Pengetahuan – Teacher Training and Science Institute) transformed into a university,which was originally named as Teacher Education College (PTPG-Perguruan Tinggi Pendidikan Guru), which has undergone many changes since its establishment on September 1, 1954. In its’ history of development, the changes that have been made include many things. Not only the name and position, but also the status and educational programs which had been developed in accordance with government policies to meet the demands of educational development in the country.
The Faculty of Mathematics and Sciences is one of the faculties at UNP, which was formerly known as the Teaching Faculty of Exact Sciences (FKIE-Fakultas Keguruan Ilmu Eksakta) which was founded in 1964. In 1965, FKIE opened several departments, namely the Department of Exact Sciences, Department of Life Sciences, Department of Natural Science, and Department of Chemistry. With the Decree of the Minister of Education and Culture on March 14, 1983, the name FKIE was replaced with Faculty of Mathematics and Sciences Education (FPMIPA-Fakultas Pendidikan Matematika dan Ilmu Pengetahuan Alam).
The change of the name from IKIP Padang to Universitas Negeri Padang (UNP) was stipulated by Presidential Decree Number 93 of 1999 dated August 24, 1999. However, since the academic year of 1997/998, UNP has started to organize various non-educational study programs as an extension of the mandate given by the government, through a decree Director General of Higher Education, Ministry of Education and Culture No. 1884 / D / I / 1997. August 1, 1997. With this change, the name FPMIPA was replaced with FMIPA (Fakultas Matematika dan Ilmu Pengetahuan Alam-Mathematics and Science Faculty) which currently has six departments consisting of eleven study programs as follows:
1. Department of Mathematics with:
a. S1 Mathematics Education Program
b. S1 Mathematics Program
2. Department of Biology with:
a. S1 Biology Education Program
b. S1 Biology Program
3. Department of Physics with:
a. S1 Physics Education Program
b. S1 Physics Program
4. Department of Chemistry with:
a. S1 Chemistry Education program
b. S1 Chemistry Program
5. Science Education Department with:
a. S1 Science Education Program
6. Department of Statistics with:
a. S1 Statistics Program
b. D3 Statistics Program