Mathematics
Mathematics and General Education
Helpful Links
Faculty
Committed to developing teacher candidates.
Hands-on Learning
Education Resources, Lesson Plans, Course Descriptions
Learning Outcomes
Philosophy, Mission and Vision
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.
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.