Mathematics

Policies

Admission to Major. Admission is granted by the Department. Admission requirements are:

• A minimum of 32 earned semester credit hours and a 2.0 minimum cumulative GPA
• Completion of 8 credits of mathematics in courses numbered MATH 121 or higher
• A minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA in mathematics courses.

Contact the College of Science, Engineering and Technology Student Relations Office for application procedures.

Accelerated Combined Degree (BS and MA/MS) Program. Students intending to complete their Bachelor’s and Master’s degree at Minnesota State Mankato may be granted permission to take classes that count toward their graduate program during their undergraduate studies. Admission to the program is conducted through the department. Upon being accepted, students will be assigned an advisor to aid in the design of an accelerated program of study (generally 5 years). Students must maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA overall and a 3.6 in major (as an undergraduate) to continue in the program. Please contact the Department Graduate Coordinator for detailed information

Course Application Policy. Within each major or minor, no course may be applied to more than one requirement.

Residency Policy. At least 3 credits applied to the mathematics minor must be earned at Minnesota State Mankato.

GPA Policy. Mathematics majors or minors must earn a grade of “C” (2.0) or better in all courses taken for grade that are applied to the major or minor, respectively.

P/N Grading Policy. Not more than one-fourth of the credits in mathematics courses numbered MATH 121 or above can be taken under P/N and applied to a major or minor. All 300 and 400 level courses are offered for grade only with the exception of MATH 487, MATH 498, and MATH 499, which are available for both P/N and letter grade. 

Credit by Examination. Credit by examination will not be approved for courses in which a student has already received a grade.

Credit Limitations. A student may accumulate a maximum of six credits from MATH 110 and the College Level Examination Program (CLEP). After completing MATH 122 with a grade of “C” or better, a student may not receive credit for MATH 110, MATH 112, MATH 113, MATH 115, or MATH 180 without the consent of the department. Since the following courses have some common content, credit is not allowed for both MATH 115 and either MATH 112 or MATH 113. A student may not receive credit for MATH 354 or STAT 354 after completing MATH 455 or STAT 455.

Policy: Students seeking enrollment in Math 112: College Algebra or Math 201: Elements of Mathematics must demonstrate readiness to succeed in the course through one of the following means:

• ACT mathematics sub-score of 22 or higher, or
• ACCUPLACER Intermediate Algebra Test score of 60 or higher 

Students not meeting one of these requirements are placed in Math 098: Intermediate Algebra.

Students seeking enrollment in courses beyond those listed above must demonstrate readiness to succeed in the course through one of the following means: ACT score, SAT score, ACCUPLACER score(s), or satisfactory completion (i.e. grade of C or better) of prerequisite coursework, according to the chart below.

ACT, MCA, SAT scores can be used to satisfy placement providing they are not over 5 years old.

Students who earned a Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (MCA) score of 1158 or higher are eligible to place in Math 112 as a minimum.  An earned MCA score of 1148 or higher is eligible to place in STAT 154. Please contact the Department of Mathematics & Statistics for further placement information when using MCA scores.  *New SAT is June 16 or later.  **The 2-digit SAT Score is also called the SAT Math Composite Score.

Procedures: Students may substitute for the above requirements based on documentation of:

1. equivalent or higher scores on standardized college admissions tests, such as SAT quantitative scores, that report a separate mathematics sub-score within two calendar years;
2. successful completion of equivalent prior post-secondary education, such as course transfer evaluations or Cambridge International Examinations; or
3. enrollment exclusively in non-credit courses or programs.

Substititions. Students requesting such substitutions should submit the documentation to the Chair of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics for evaluation. The evaluation will be based on nationally accepted concordances between the testing instruments and/or courses. The Chair of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics or designee should respond in writing to student requests within three weeks of receiving them.

Procedure for Waiver:

1. Students not meeting the requirements for enrollment in Math 112, Math 201 or Stat 154 may request a waiver to this policy.
    
2. Written requests for waivers to the policy must be submitted to the Chair of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, and should include evidence of alternate means of demonstrating readiness for college algebra including but not limited to:
   a. High school or recent post-secondary coursework which would indicate adequate preparation (transcripts or other records which include course titles, levels and grades are acceptable), or
   b. Verification of extenuating circumstances which may have affected performance on previous exams.
    
3. Requests for waivers should be submitted by the following deadlines:
   a. August 5th for fall semester enrollment,
   b. December 1st for spring semester enrollment, and
   c. May 1st for summer session enrollment.
    
4. The Chair of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics or designee should respond in writing to student requests within three weeks of receiving them.
    
5. Students whose initial requests are denied may submit a written appeal to the Dean of the College of Science, Engineering and Technology. The Dean should respond in writing, with a copy to the Chair of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics.
    
6. The Dean’s decision is the final step in this appeal process

Policy Rationale: The purpose of the policy is to place students in a course that is developmentally appropriate to help ensure their long term success. Data suggests students not meeting these guidelines have a higher likelihood of having to repeat a course.