Math department calculates changes of class sequences
By: Brittany McNeal, Staff Writer
Issue date: 5/1/09 Section: News
Students will see three main changes within the department: a revamping of the precalculus/calculus sequence, creation of a new minor and changing course requirements for math majors, according to Dr. Paul Swets, head of the Department of Mathematics,
"In the past, we have had the following sequence: Math 1361 Precalculus I, Math 1362 Precalculus II, Math 2331 Calculus I, Math 2332 Calculus II and Math 3333 Calculus III," Swets said. "That meant at least five semesters even for a well-prepared student to get through the fifteen hour precalculus/calculus sequence."
Instead of taking all five courses, students can take Math 1561 Pre-calculus, Math 2513 Calculus I and Math 3514 Calculus II. These three courses would carry the weight of 15 hours and encompass the same student learning outcomes.
"Now it only takes a well-prepared student three semesters to complete the sequence," Swets said.
Sophomore math major Bradan Ritchey has heard about the new changes with the math classes and is hesitant about the future.
"I think that it's good for people who are just coming in. It's not so good for people who have been here," Ritchey said. "It might end up affecting people who have to retake classes, and it might slow them down."
The department will also be adding a Computational and Applied Mathematics minor.
"This minor will allow students in a variety of majors to acquire computational and numerical mathematics skills without having to take the precalculus/calculus sequence," Swets said. "With the already heavy and still growing demand for professionals with computational problem analyzing and solving skills, learning these skills and being able to document them with a minor on a transcript should be attractive to quite a wide range of students across campus."
Lastly, Swets said there will be a significant change in the required courses for mathematics majors. The current Bachelor's of Science in Mathematics, according to Swets, requires eleven specific math courses for graduation, with only one course left for the student to choose.
"In the new degree program, by contrast, there is a variety of ways for students to complete the course requirements," Swets said. "These changes will affect students both inside and outside the Math Department.
Swets added that although this revamping of the department will help math students to "tailor their coursework to better suit their tastes and career goals," students may also see a negative effect.
"On the negative side, students will need to cope with familiar courses and sequences disappearing," Swets said. "If a students in the precalculus/calculus sequence does not complete whatever the next course for her might be, she may well be caught and have to enter the 'new' sequence. Retaking a course in this sequence to improve a grade previously earned may be difficult, as the courses in the 'old' sequence are phased out."
"In the past, we have had the following sequence: Math 1361 Precalculus I, Math 1362 Precalculus II, Math 2331 Calculus I, Math 2332 Calculus II and Math 3333 Calculus III," Swets said. "That meant at least five semesters even for a well-prepared student to get through the fifteen hour precalculus/calculus sequence."
Instead of taking all five courses, students can take Math 1561 Pre-calculus, Math 2513 Calculus I and Math 3514 Calculus II. These three courses would carry the weight of 15 hours and encompass the same student learning outcomes.
"Now it only takes a well-prepared student three semesters to complete the sequence," Swets said.
Sophomore math major Bradan Ritchey has heard about the new changes with the math classes and is hesitant about the future.
"I think that it's good for people who are just coming in. It's not so good for people who have been here," Ritchey said. "It might end up affecting people who have to retake classes, and it might slow them down."
The department will also be adding a Computational and Applied Mathematics minor.
"This minor will allow students in a variety of majors to acquire computational and numerical mathematics skills without having to take the precalculus/calculus sequence," Swets said. "With the already heavy and still growing demand for professionals with computational problem analyzing and solving skills, learning these skills and being able to document them with a minor on a transcript should be attractive to quite a wide range of students across campus."
Lastly, Swets said there will be a significant change in the required courses for mathematics majors. The current Bachelor's of Science in Mathematics, according to Swets, requires eleven specific math courses for graduation, with only one course left for the student to choose.
"In the new degree program, by contrast, there is a variety of ways for students to complete the course requirements," Swets said. "These changes will affect students both inside and outside the Math Department.
Swets added that although this revamping of the department will help math students to "tailor their coursework to better suit their tastes and career goals," students may also see a negative effect.
"On the negative side, students will need to cope with familiar courses and sequences disappearing," Swets said. "If a students in the precalculus/calculus sequence does not complete whatever the next course for her might be, she may well be caught and have to enter the 'new' sequence. Retaking a course in this sequence to improve a grade previously earned may be difficult, as the courses in the 'old' sequence are phased out."
- The following is the timeline for introducing the new precalculus/calculus sequence. This timeline was designed to allow students currently in precalculus/calculus to complete their current portion of the sequence.
- Math 1561 Precalculus: first offering Fall 2009, and thereafter each long semester and during the summer.
- Math 2513 Calculus I: first offering Fall 2009, and thereafter each long semester and during the summer.
- Math 3514 Calculus II: first offering Spring 2010, and thereafter each long semester (summer offerings to be determined by student demand).
- Last offered in Summer I 2009:
Math 1361 Precalculus I
Math 2331 Calculus I
- Last offered in Summer II and Fall 2009:
Math 1362 Precalculus II
Math 2332 Calculus II
- Last offered in Fall 2009 and Spring 2010:
Math 3333 Calculus III
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