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university math requirements

updated thu 31 oct 96

 

Louis Howard Katz on fri 4 oct 96

Hello Clayart,
I trying to find out what math courses university students are required
to take. Is it algebra, calculus or are there many courses to choose
from? Is there any math requirement at all. Thanks.
Louis

lkatz@falcon.tamucc.edu

Dannon Rhudy on fri 4 oct 96

>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Hello Clayart,
>I trying to find out what math courses university students are required
>to take. Is it algebra, calculus or are there many courses to choose
>from? Is there any math requirement at all. Thanks.
>Louis
>


Louis, I think it very much depends upon the university. There is a math
requirement in general, at least in Texas, for three hours of Algebra (or
sometimes
something else might be substituted). That's minimum. Then, depending upon
the major and the school, more may be required. Mark Anderson might have
more information.

Dannon Rhudy

Jim Connell or set clayart mail on fri 4 oct 96


WINTHROP UNIVERSITY Electronic Mail Message
Date: 04-Oct-1996 10:25am EDT
From: James Connell
CONNELLJ
Dept: Art and Design
Tel No: 323-2126

TO: SMTP%"CLAYART@lsv.uky.edu" ( _SMTP%"CLAYART@lsv.uky.edu" )


Subject: RE: University Math Requirements

Louis,

At our school we offer "Intro College Mathematics" which is: Elementry set
theory and logic, probabilty and statistics, including set operations, Venn
diagrams, truth tables, conditional probabilty and the binomial and normal
distributions. (gives me a head ache just to write that).

We also offer an option of "Precalculus Mathematics I" or "Geometry for the
Prospective Elementry Teacher".

I was lucky to have gone to school in the 70's when many a school didn't require
a math class to graduate or I might not have made it. Many of our "Right
Brained" students in art have a very difficult time getting through college math
courses and I feel their pain.

Jim

Marcia Selsor & Matt Benacquista on fri 4 oct 96

Louis Howard Katz wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Hello Clayart,
> I trying to find out what math courses university students are required
> to take. Is it algebra, calculus or are there many courses to choose
> from? Is there any math requirement at all. Thanks.
> Louis
>
> lkatz@falcon.tamucc.edu
At MSU-B we do have a math class and a 2 year 14 semester credit
language requirement. The math coure most commonly taken is algebra.
Marcia in Montana
--
Marci Selsor
Matt Benacquista
http://www.imt.net/~mjbmls/
mjbmls@imt.net

BERNARD SMITH on fri 4 oct 96

Math requirements are dependant upon the degree program the student
is in, very few schools have an overall math requirement.

Barney in Minneapolis leaves are turning fast around here - a good
time for outdoors inspiration.

Sue Hintz on fri 4 oct 96

We do have a math requirement. There are courses to choose from but a
minimum course requirements. Students during orientation take placement
tests to determine which course they should take. We do have a pre-college
math course that some students place into to help them to develop their
skills in order to take the minimal requirement.

Talbott on fri 4 oct 96

>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Hello Clayart,
>I trying to find out what math courses university students are required
>to take. Is it algebra, calculus or are there many courses to choose
>from? Is there any math requirement at all. Thanks.
>Louis
>
>lkatz@falcon.tamucc.edu

Hi! - I currently work in the admissions office at a University in Southern
Maine. Our core curriculum does have one math requirement - it can be
statistics, calculus, psychology statistics, or several other college level
math classes. Algebra used to satisfy this requirement, but no longer
does. Then, depending on what the student majors in, there may be
additional math classes required. Also, some majors have a preference as
far as what math a student takes to satisfy the math core requirement.

Marshall Talbott
Pottery By Celia
Route 114
P.O. Box 4116
Naples, Maine 04055-4116
(207)693-6100 voice and fax
clupus@ime.net

LOWELL BAKER on fri 4 oct 96

We here at the U of A have math requirements in our core. they start
out with a college algebra which the student must take if they fail
the math placement test then two additional courses in math from an
extensive smorgasbord of classes inclkuding ones in educational
statistics and philosophy/logic.

a few students in theis department have passed everything but math
and did not get the degree.

Lowell

Maggie McMahon on sat 5 oct 96

Dear Louis, Math requirements are a pretty touchy subject at the
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Students are required to take a
math placement test before their sophomore year. Since it is possible to
have four years of math in public high schools and learn almost nothing
(Basic Math I, II, III and IV), many of the sculpture/clay majors place in
the lowest remedial class - MATH 105: algebra,geometry, intro to basic
trig. They must attain a grade of C before they are permitted to take a
second required remedial class, MATH 106 more trig, some calculus. THEN
they are permitted to take the required course MATH 120, which is in fact
easier than 106 - a course much as Jim Connell describes at Winthrop U.
Many of the 120 instructors are pissed that they have to teach Math Dummies
and make no attempt to really teach - they politely demonstrate. A few of
the 120 instructors are wonderful.
So far all my majors have been able to negociate the gauntlet in part
because I've learned how to work the system ( best instructors,
tutors,etc.). There have been a few students who have not graduated from
the university because they couldn't manage the math - some were otherwise
excellent students.
My frustration lies not only with the second remedial class which seems an
unnessary requirement for non science majors, but also with the poor
preparation and advising that takes place in middle and high schools. My
son graduated from a nearby public school and scored 5 on the calculus AP
exam (that's the top score - his instructor was gifted and demanding and
his parents are educators who eventually retained a lawyer to hold the
school accountable). Many if not most kids literally fall through the
cracks. Maggie

Louis Howard Katz on sat 5 oct 96

Thanks for the reply. I know what is required here and in a few other
schools in Texas. I am looking for information about other programs
across the U.S..
Thanks,
Louis

***************************************************
*Louis Katz lkatz@falcon.tamucc.edu *
*Texas A&M University Corpus Christi *
*6300 Ocean Drive, Art Department *
*Corpus Christi, Tx 78412 *
*Phone (512) 994-5987 *
**************************************************

Louis Howard Katz on sat 5 oct 96

Thanks,
I am just collecting data for an upcoming discussion about our very
specific requirements designed to keep studetns from transfering in math
credits.
Louis

***************************************************
*Louis Katz lkatz@falcon.tamucc.edu *
*Texas A&M University Corpus Christi *
*6300 Ocean Drive, Art Department *
*Corpus Christi, Tx 78412 *
*Phone (512) 994-5987 *
**************************************************

Louis Howard Katz on sun 6 oct 96


Thank you all for the responses to my question. We are about to begin a
discussion about math requirements here at the University.
I remember my calculus well enough for it to contiue to serve a structure
with which to describe pottery form. It frustrates me that so few of my
students can multiply, and have a hard time understanding proportions. I
support generaly University math requirements, but only if the system is
not just more of the same.
We have a course here called math modeling. It is a good course. It shows
how different natural processes fit different kinds of mathematical
models. Unfortunately it relies on equations to explain the models. The
people who don't need a course like this, who could take calculus and
pass or who already have had it high school have no problem undestanding
the abstraction of the equations. Those who have troubles relateing to
equations, are no better off in this class than calculus. Unfortunately
the I believe that the insturctors don't see this. Thinking that since
the equations are related to the real world they are easier to understand
they think the problem is solved.
Until someone has a real world understanding that halving all the
ingredients in a recipe makes a cake taste the same, but just makes a
smaller cake, there is no point explaining if 2A=4B then 1A=2B.@No?
Louis

***************************************************
*Louis Katz lkatz@falcon.tamucc.edu *
*Texas A&M University Corpus Christi *
*6300 Ocean Drive, Art Department *
*Corpus Christi, Tx 78412 *
*Phone (512) 994-5987 *
**************************************************

Kerr - M. Christine on tue 8 oct 96

The state of maryland has made the math requirement for all graduates of
its public 2 and 4 year colleges the same, The required course is
classified as "college level math" (as opposed to high school) and at
Montgomery College (a 2 year college) the course, entitled "survey of
college mathematics" is a 3 credit coursewhich includes linear equations,
matrix algevra, liinear programming, probability, markov chains, and
mathematics of finance. The aplications are primarily from business,
economics, and the life sciences. Empa\hasis is on developiing
analyzing, and interpreting mathematical models. It has an algebra
prerequisite. I have just basically paraphrased the catalog description.

Vince Pitelka on wed 9 oct 96

>I trying to find out what math courses university students are required
>to take.
>Louis

Louis -
At several universities where I have taught the minimum requirement was
college algebra, with a preliminary remedial math course required first for
those who do not achieve a satisfactory score on the SAT. I cannot remember
the particulars beyond that. I also cannot remember a single thing from
college algebra, but then it has been almost thirty years without ever using
that information a single time.
I am absolutely appalled at the post from Marshall Talbott in Maine saying
that in some universities college algebra is no longer considered adequate
and that in those universities they require calculus or statistics or
something equivalent. Sorry to any math geeks out there, but until these
courses can be taught in such a way as to be tangible to the realities of
everyday life they are pure gibberish and a complete waste of time to anyone
who is not a math or science major. So there. I'm exorcising my math demons.
- Vince

Vince Pitelka - vpitelka@Dekalb.Net
Phone - home 615/597-5376, work 615/597-6801
Appalachian Center for Crafts, Smithville TN 37166

J PLEAK on wed 9 oct 96

Vince
Georgia Southern requires 20 hours of math and natural sciences in the core
cirriculum,5 have to be math ,10 bio and then 5 general, which ends up
usually geography or astronomy. I am amazed how the university can flunk so
many students in math. My belief is if so many students are failing then
something is wrong with your teaching. When the same students are using math
in glaze calc or ceramics they seem to understand. I can not remember any of
my college math- the teacher did tell me that I had to learn the new math to
teach my children- the 60's (a bit fresh)to think I would and to think that
this new math would still be around, its not. My guess is the math teachers
are still like the one I had.