May 05, 2024  
Spring 2023 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
Spring 2023 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Mathematics and Statistics


Entry Level Courses

The selection of a mathematics course should reflect the student’s college requirements, major requirements, mathematics preparation, and interests. Flexibility should also be considered, since students often change majors or colleges. The information below provides an overview of the 1000-level mathematics courses to assist the student in making an informed course selection. Students are encouraged to contact a representative of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics or their academic advisor. Additional information is available at the Department of Mathematics and Statistics website: http://www.bgsu.edu/arts-and-sciences/mathematics-and-statistics.html.

The Math Course Maps show the sequencing of Math courses. MATH 1310 , the first course in the standard calculus sequence, is required for all students in the Bachelor of Science degree program in the College of Arts and Sciences. In addition, it satisfies the mathematics requirement for the B.S. in Business Administration degree and is required or recommended for a variety of additional majors. MATH 1310  provides a high degree of flexibility in meeting requirements and is prerequisite to the higher-level mathematics curriculum and courses in other areas.

The MATH 1340 -MATH 1350  sequence includes all the topics from MATH 1310 . Completion of this sequence is equivalent to completion of MATH 1310  in terms of requirements and prerequisites.

MATH 1280  serves as a preparatory course for calculus students and also satisfies some program or degree requirements. MATH 1280  satisfies the prerequisites for MATH 1340  and MATH 1310 , and many other courses including BA 1600 . It should be noted that students who complete BA 1600 /BA 1700  or MATH 1260  and subsequently change to a program of study in computer science, mathematics, statistics, or any of the natural sciences may be required to take MATH 1340  and/or MATH 1350 , or MATH 1310 . Because MATH 1340 /MATH 1350  and MATH 1310  satisfies all requirements met by BA 1600 /BA 1700 , the Department of Mathematics and Statistics recommends that qualified students take MATH 1340 /MATH 1350  or MATH 1310 , since it provides greater flexibility in meeting requirements and prerequisites.

MATH 1290  satisfies some program requirements and, in combination with MATH 1200  or MATH 1220 , prepares students for MATH 1310  or MATH 1340 . It is offered only at BGSU Firelands College.

MATH 99  is offered for students who are not prepared to enter college-level mathematics courses. This course is offered without credit toward any degree program. MATH 1220  is a college algebra course. MATH 99  and MATH 1220  are offered in the mathematics emporium on main campus. MATH 1200  is also a college algebra course and is offered only at BGSU Firelands College. MATH 99  plus MATH 1220  is equivalent to MATH 1200  in terms of requirements and prerequisites.

MATH 1200  or MATH 99  and MATH 1220  prepare students for MATH 1280  and also satisfy some program or degree requirements. In general, MATH 1280  will satisfy any requirement or prerequisite satisfied by MATH 99  and MATH 1220  or MATH 1200 , so qualified students are advised to take MATH 1280  instead of MATH 99  & MATH 1220  or MATH 1200 .

MATH 1150  is an introductory statistics course and is taken by students in various colleges to satisfy programmatic requirements or for general background purposes.

Mathematics Placement

The mathematics placement examinations are designed to determine an appropriate first mathematics course. Placement testing and advice on course selection are available at Orientation and Registration sessions.

On main campus, a math placement score will be generated automatically once students have submitted ACT scores and high school GPA data. If a student has an ACT-M score at or above 22, the student will be eligible to take MATH 1150  or MATH 1220 . Higher level courses require requisite placement scores. Transfer students also will receive an automatic placement score. If the transfer student transfers in a sequenced math course with a grade of C or higher, the student will be placed into the next course in the sequence. On the BGSU Firelands campus. placement is made using recent (less than one year old) ACT scores or by taking the COMPASS test. Students who want to take the COMPASS test for placement should contact the BGSU Firelands Student Services Office (101 West Building).

Students are not allowed to take a course above their mathematics placement. This policy is strictly enforced for the benefit of the individual student and for the benefit of other students with appropriate placements. Historically, students who have taken a course above their mathematics placement have done worse than students who placed into the course.

Students are encouraged to review material and can take a paper and pencil placement test if they believe their placement is inappropriately low. On main campus, students may take the placement test a total of three times. Students on the BGSU Firelands campus who believe that their placement (via ACT or COMPASS) is inappropriately low are permitted to take (or retake) the COMPASS test only once in order to obtain a better placement.

Students are allowed to take a course that comes later in this list than the course they placed into: MATH 1310H, MATH 1310 , MATH 1280 , MATH 1230 , MATH 1220 , MATH 99 .

Prerequisite Policy

Prerequisites are strictly enforced with exceptions made only by the instructor. A grade of A, B, C, or S must be earned in the prerequisite course(s).

Advanced Placement

Students who have taken a calculus course in high school may be eligible to enter the calculus sequence (MATH 1310 , MATH 2320 , MATH 2330 ) at the MATH 2320  or MATH 2330  level and may be eligible for credit for one or more calculus courses. These students are advised to take the Calculus AB or Calculus BC advanced placement examinations from the College Entrance Examinations Board given at their high school. Credit and placement depends on the test taken and the score received; see Registration Policies and Records Policies: Advanced Placement for full details and procedures.

Students who have taken the Statistics AP exam may get credit for MATH 1150 . See the link above for details.