First Year Student Registration

Mathematics Course Requirements and Academic Majors

It is no surprise that first-year students often have a hard time selecting appropriate mathematics courses, considering that there are several calculus courses and other options.  To help inform yourself, use the chart below to find your current academic area of interest and its mathematics requirement. If you need to study mathematics, you should definitely do so during the fall semester of your first year, while your mathematics skills are still sharp. 

To help us guide you in your course selection, we are requiring all members of the class of 2012 to complete our short, online Mathematics Survey. In addition, to help us gauge your mathematics background and decide on an appropriate mathematics course:

• If you are thinking of taking any mathematics course numbered 141 or higher, then you must take the online Mathematics Placement Test A.
• If you are thinking of taking any mathematics course numbered 162 or higher, then you must take both the online Mathematics Placement Test A and the online Mathematics Placement Test B.

These online tests must be taken by June 30.  The Mathematics Department will use these results to help in deciding on proper course placement and will contact you by phone or through your Lafayette email account in July or August if your initial choice of mathematics course is not appropriate for your background.  Additional information concerning mathematics course offerings may be found at the Mathematics Department’s web site.  Questions regarding mathematics placement may be emailed to L. Thomas Hill, Professor of Mathematics, or call 610-330-5282.

Two Years of College Mathematics

Each of the following major programs requires completion of at least two years of college mathematics.  First-semester students with sufficient mathematical background are strongly advised to take Mathematics 161 (or 165), 162, or 263, as appropriate.  See “Mathematics: Frequently Asked Questions”.

Two Mathematics Courses

Mathematics 161 (or 165), or 141, and at least one other mathematics course

First-semester students with sufficient mathematical background and without advanced placement credit for Mathematics 161 are strongly advised to take161(or 165), or 141 if planning on majoring in Economics and Business).  See “Mathematics: Frequently Asked Questions". Students with advanced placement credit for Mathematics 161 may consider other mathematics courses, as appropriate.

Mathematics 125 or 161 (or 165), and at least one other mathematics course

First-semester students without advanced placement credit for Mathematics 161 are strongly advised to take Mathematics 125, 161 or 165. See the section on “Mathematics: Frequently Asked Questions”.  Students with advanced placement credit may consider other Mathematics courses, as appropriate. This advice is also given to students who plan to enter the health professions, regardless of their majors.

One Mathematics Course

Mathematics 125 or 161 (or 165)

First-semester students without advanced placement for Mathematics 161 are strongly advised to take Mathematics 125, 161 or 165.  See “Mathematics: Frequently Asked Questions."

Common Course of Study Mathematics Unit

All other major programs may be satisfied by taking a course in Mathematics (see List) or any one of the following: Advanced Placement (AP) credit in calculus, computer science or statistics, Philosophy 150, or Computer Science 102.  Many students who don't satisfy this requirement by studying calculus choose Mathematics 103 (Patterns and Order), in which students discuss and write about a variety of mathematical topics, or Mathematics 110 (Statistical Concepts).  Students without appropriate AP credit are strongly advised to satisfy this requirement as early in their college careers as possible, and preferably during the fall semester of the first year.