All students entering Fall 2020 and after are required to satisfy an Abstract Structures requirement, which might be a MATH course. With the exception of MATH 111 and MATH 115, every 100-level MATH course satisfies the Abstract Structures requirement. Below, you will read about the prerequisites for MATH courses that satisfy the Abstract Structures requirement.

All students entering prior to Fall 2020 are required to satisfy proficiency in mathematics as well as complete a MATH course for the Common Curriculum.  With the exception of MATH 111, MATH 115, and MATH 180, every 100-level MATH course satisfies the MATH requirement for the Common Curriculum. 

The Mathematics Department offers a variety of mathematics courses which fulfill the Core Mathematics Requirement.  With the exception of MATH 111 and 115, all 100-level mathematics courses assume students have successfully completed at least three years of college preparatory mathematics, including two years of algebra. Our calculus courses assume four years of college preparatory mathematics.

Though you may opt not to enroll in a MATH/Abstract Structures course your first semester, you are asked to read the following thoroughly as it includes information valuable for your entire four years at CSB/SJU.

The Mathematics Proficiency Requirement

Proficiency in mathematics and placement in mathematics courses will depend on your performance in high school: including your overall high school GPA, your last math course taken, and your grade in that course. Below is a summary of the proficiency levels for each course. Please contact the Director of the Math Center, Brian Nyholm at [email protected] if you have questions or think you may have met the requirements in another way.

For students entering CBS/SJU before Fall 2020:

Course	Requirements to register	If you haven’t met the requirement:
Math 114 or 121	17 on Math ACT or 470 on Math SAT	Email Director of Math Center
Math 119	21 on Math ACT or 530 on Math SAT	Take Math 115 (2 credits)
Math 120	Calculus I (Math 119 or equivalent)	Take Math 119
Math 124 or 125	21 on Math ACT or 530 on Math SAT	Take Math 111 (2 credits)
Math 180	Math 121 (or equivalent)	Take Math 121

For students entering CSB/SJU Fall 2020 or after:

Course	Math Readiness Score
Math 119	5 or 6
Math 124	4 or 6
Math 125	3 or 6
Math 121	2 or higher
Math 114	2 or higher
Math 115	Any score
Math 111	Any score

If you are not granted proficiency at the time of registration, you will usually be placed in a 2 credit module of math with the intent of strengthening your math skills, depending on your math scores, grades, and noted area of interest. Once you have passed the proficiency requirement, you will be eligible to enroll in mathematics courses. A practice exam can be found at the Math Center website.

If you need some review of mathematics in order to prepare to pass the math proficiency requirement, or to prepare for a Core math class, or brush up on math skills in preparation for other courses, the following courses are available: (Note: This course is for preparation only; it does not satisfy a proficiency or Core requirement.)

Math 111

For students who wish to further their mathematical and problem-solving skills, with emphasis on questions relevant to statistics and finite mathematics. Students will: create and interpret data from graphs and tables; understand several representations of quantitative data and articular the connections among them; use and understand mathematical notation; model relationships in data with linear functions and graphs; apply basic counting principles to elementary discrete probability. Does not satisfy the Abstract Structures requirement for the Integrations Curriculum.

Math 115

Properties of polynomial, trigonometric, exponential functions.  For the student who needs further preparation for Calculus.  Prerequisites:  three years of college preparatory mathematics. Does not satisfy the Abstract Structures requirement for the Integrations Curriculum.

Note for Pre-medicine Students

Medical schools have traditionally required one to two semesters of Calculus. Recently, some medical schools have started to replace this requirement with a semester of statistics. Calculus is still needed for some science majors. If you are considering medical school, please plan to consult with the pre-medicine adviser.

Calculus

Because calculus is required for many majors and it is generally needed early on, taking calculus in your first semester is an important option for you to consider. If you are not sure whether your math skills are strong enough for you to succeed in calculus, you can find out by taking our Calculus Readiness Exam at the Math Center.

If you do need to improve your math skills before you take calculus, you can get help at the Math Center or take our Precalculus course. (Note: this Precalculus class does not fulfill the Core Mathematics Requirement.)

If you took Calculus I in high school but did not receive AP credit for it, you can still register for Calculus II if your Calculus I background is strong enough. You are encouraged to discuss this possibility with a member of the mathematics department. If you do begin with Calculus II and you earn a grade of C or better in the course, the mathematics department will grant you credit at that time for Calculus I.