Special Information for Advisors

Which Math Course Should a Student Take?

Area A

Any student who enters CSU with two years of high school algebra may take Modeling, College Algebra or Analytic Trigonometry, depending on the student's major and interest.

If a student enters CSU with two years of high school algebra and one year of trigonometry, the student may take Analytic Trigonometry, Pre-Calculus, or Calculus 1, depending on the student's major, interest, competence and confidence level.

Certain majors require specific math courses in Area A:

Area D

If the student elects or is required to take a math course in Area D, here are the student's options:

If the student took Modeling in Area A and had not had two years of high school algebra, the student may take Statistics in Area D.

If the student took Modeling in Area A and had two years of high school algebra, the student may take Analytic Trigonometry, Applied Calculus, or Statistics in Area D.

If the student took College Algebra in Area A, the student may take Analytic Trigonometry, Applied Calculus, or Statistics in Area D.

If the student took Analytic Trigonometry or Pre-Calculus in Area A, the student may take Applied Calculus, Calculus 1, or Statistics in Area D.

If the student took Applied Calculus in Area A, the student may take any area D math course except Calculus 1 or Calculus 2.

If the student took Calculus 1 in Area A, the student may take Calcu-

lus 2, Computer Assisted Problem Solving, or Statistics in Area D.

Certain majors require specific math courses in Area D:

Biology--requires Introductory Statistics,
Chemistry--requires Calculus with Analytic Geometry 1,
Geology-- requires Calculus with Analytic Geometry 1,
Computer Science-- requires Calculus with Analytic Geometry 1,
Mathematics-- requires Calculus with Analytic Geometry 1,
Mathematics Education-- requires Calculus with Analytic Geometry 1,
Pre-engineering-- requires Calculus with Analytic Geometry 2,
Applied Mathematics--requires Calculus with Analytic Geometry 1.

The Area D math course is optional for some majors. If allowable in the major, the student may elect to take one of the following instead of a math course:

Formal Logic,
Technological Solutions, or
any 3-hour science course.

What Should I Tell Students About Sequences?

The most important idea to convey to students is that they should complete all course sequences begun on the quarter system before the conversion to the semester system. Some three-course sequences on the quarter system will become two-course sequences on the semester system. Some four-course sequences on the quarter system will become three-course sequences on the semester system.

Here is an example. On the quarter system, a year of calculus is divided into three courses. On the semester system, a year of calculus is divided into two courses. The first calculus course on the quarter system is called Calculus 1 with Analytic Geometry and covers one-third of a year of calculus. The first calculus course on the semester system is also called Calculus 1 with Analytic Geometry, but it covers one-half of a year of calculus.

Though the names are the same, the courses do not cover the same amount of material. Calculus 1 on the quarter system covers less than Calculus 1 on the semester system. Thus there will be a significant gap of information between where Calculus 1 ends on the quarter system and where Calculus 2 begins on the semester system. Students cannot take Calculus 1 on the quarter system and assume they can continue with Calculus 2 on the semester system.

If students have started a sequence on the quarter system, they should try to finish it on the quarter system. This is imperative for sequenced courses in math, certain sciences, and foreign languages:

NUR 101, 102, 103 2 semester courses
CHE 121, 122, 123 2 semester courses
MAT 131, 132, 133, 235 3 semester courses
foreign language 101, 102, 201, 202 4 semester courses.

Other sequence problems could exist for certain music courses, the PED 195/196/197 sequence, accounting courses, physics sequence, and CSC 111/112/113.

What if a Student Fails to Complete a Sequence?

See Special Sequencing Charts.

Which Course Level of Foreign Language Should a Student Take?

All B.A. programs require that students study one foreign language through the 2001 level. Some require it through the 2002 level.

The course level of foreign language instruction that a student can enter depends on many factors: how long ago the student graduated from high school, how many years of foreign language study the student had in high school, how competent the student's command of the language is, and whether the student wants to continue studying the same language or wants to start a new language.

If a student has a foreign language deficiency from high school to complete, the student must take FL 1001 but will receive no credit toward graduation.

If a student wants to continue studying the same language in college, no credit toward graduation will be given for the first semester of foreign language (FL 1001).

If a student wants to start a language not previously studied in high school, the student will receive credit toward graduation for the first semester of foreign language (FL 1001). The course will be counted as a General Elective (Area I).

If the student is a recent high school graduate and has had two years of foreign language instruction in high school, the student should enroll in either FL 1002 or 2001, depending on proficiency.

 

How Do the Quarter System Core Curriculum and the Semester System Core Curriculum Differ?

They differ in many ways, but here is a summary of the key differences:

Students who will graduate after December 1997 will be given the option to satisfy Area II and Area III of the quarter system core curriculum as follows:

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