Quantitative Reasoning Courses at COA

Why did you stop giving the assessment test to incoming students??

Numerically, how do I interpret my score on assessment test? How did I get a score higher than the number of questions on the test??

What Math Courses are Offered and When?

When are Calculus and Physics Offered?

Physics I and II will be offered offered this year (2001-02) and next year (2002-03).

Plan accordingly! Note that Calc I and II and Physics I and II are required by almost all graduate biology programs, as well as medical and veterinary schools. Calculus is also required by economics and, perhaps, public policy graduate programs.

What's the deal with the Quantitative Reasoning Requirement?

Many students delay taking a QR course. This is certainly understandable, and I'm well aware of the other requirements that entering students must complete: Core course, writing, and history. However, there are some reasons why I think it's better to take a QR course sooner rather than later:

1. With a solid math and quantitative reasoning background, students will get much more out of some classes, especially science and economics classes.
2. Students with weak math skills worry that a QR course will be difficult and/or unpleasant. However, waiting to take a QR course won't make it any easier. I think it's better to take a math course before too much high school math is forgotten.

   
   

Do AP credits fulfill the Quantitative Reasoning Requirement?

Do any non-math classes fulfill the Quantitative Reasoning Requirement?

What Math is Needed for Other Classes?

What math is needed for graduate school?

• This depends, of course, on what sort of graduate school you're interested in. I believe that almost all science grad schools as well as medical and veterinary schools require two terms of calculus. These programs also usually require at least two terms of physics too. Some social science/economics programs probably also require some calculus and also a term or two of statistics. For a more definitive answer, you should consult the grad school(s) you're interested in. Most graduate programs list admissions requirements on their website.

  
  

Who should take The Nature and Language of Mathematics?

Who should take Introduction to Chaos and Fractals?

Should I take Nature and Language of Mathematics or Intro to Chaos and Fractals?

Do math courses taken at other colleges "count"?

• In general, yes. (But to be sure, you should check with me and/or the college registrar.) Taking a course at another college is a good option for some students, especially those who are having a difficult time fitting all the COA requirements into their schedule and/or who might rather take their math at a less expensive college.

Can I place out of the QR requirement?

• No. Regardless of whatever math you've had before you came here, you need to take one QR course while at COA (unless you're a transfer student.) The idea is that all students, as part of their interdisciplinary B.A. in human ecology, should take at least one course that requires quantitative reasoning or working symbolically.

Should I take Calculus?

• Many students who are good at and/or like math feel they are ``supposed to'' take calculus. Perhaps their parents or siblings took calculus in college, or maybe they want the challenge, or maybe they just feel it's next in line. For many of these students, calculus is indeed an appropriate and fun course. However, statistics is another option. Statistics is, arguably, more important for a human ecologist than calculus. And statistics is certainly used more in other classes at coa than calculus.

I've taken Calculus before, can I start in Calc II? Should I take Calculus at all?

• If you had calculus before, I recommend that you not take calculus I, unless you had a really bad calculus experience. If your calc experience was in the ok to pretty good range, then you might consider taking Calc II. In Calc II we cover techniques of integration, applications of integration, and sums and series. We also do a fair amount of review of derivatives. If you had a good, solid calculus experience, then it's probably in your best interest to skip Calc I and II. By solid experience, I mean that you felt like you "got" many of the things you covered in calculus, not that you remember tons of formulas.

  The above is just a set of guidelines, however. If you had calc before, it's probably a good idea to talk with me about what Calc, if any, you should take at COA.

What advanced math courses will be offered?

Is computer programming offered?

• Yes. There is an introduction to c++ course offered as a tutorial. See me if you're interested.

Is astronomy offered?

• It is unlikely that astronomy will be offered as a course this year or next. However, there are great opportunities for independent studies and tutorials. See me if you're interested. You could also talk to John Visvader; he's led astronomy tutorials in the past and also takes care of the college's telescope. Astronomy tutorials and independent studies can be designed for students with any sort of a math background.