Regarding Math, General Education and Elective Courses

For freshmen registering for the fall semester.

Any questions?  Please contact Dominic Beccari, the advisor for math majors, or Nikolaus Vonessen, the Math Department's Associate Chair for the Undergraduate Program.

The Department of Mathematical Sciences basically offers three different majors:

• The mathematics major, all concentrations except mathematics education. This includes concentrations in both pure and applied mathematics as well as the concentration in statistics and data science.
• The mathematics major with the concentration in mathematics education, intended for future high school math teachers.
• The combined major in mathematics and computer science (which requires less course work in mathematics than a regular mathematics major, but also substantial course work in computer science). One could describe this as a “2/3 mathematics, 2/3 computer science” major.

For which courses you should register depends partly on the major you choose.

All Mathematical Sciences Majors:

The first mathematics course required for your major is Calculus I (M 171).  Based on your performance on the Mathematics Placement Exam (and any Dual Credit math courses you took), Dominic Beccari will pre-register you for Calculus I or some other appropriate mathematics course (for example College Algebra or Precalculus).  He'll reach out to you to discuss your classes; but feel free to contact him at any time.

• If you are placed into a course below Calculus I (M 171), you still have the opportunity to take a higher-level math course during your first semester.  To explore this, first take the EdReady Math Placement Exam.  Once you complete the initial placement diagnostic, EdReady Montana generates a customized study plan to provide an opportunity for you to learn, fill in any gaps, and improve your placement level.  If you have questions, please contact Dominic Beccari.
• AP Calculus:
  • If you took AP Calculus in high school (but not the AP exam) and are confident in your mathematics background, consider changing your registration to Calculus II (M 172).  If you are interested in doing this, please talk with Nikolaus Vonessen about a prerequisite waiver.
  • If you earned a score of 3 or higher on the Advanced Placement Calculus AB Exam, you will get credit for Calculus I (M 171) – no need to take it again.  Change your registration to Calculus II (M 172). 
  • If you earned a score of 3 or higher on the Advanced Placement Calculus BC Exam, you will get credit for both Calculus I and II.  Change your registration to Linear Algebra (M 221) or Multivariable Calculus (M 273).
• If you took an International Baccalaureate (IB) Math Exam, please contact Nikolaus Vonessen for correct placement.
• If the Math Placement Exam placed you into Precalculus (M 151) but you are confident in your mathematics background, consider changing your registration to Calculus I (M 171).  If you are interested in doing this, please talk with Nikolaus Vonessen about a prerequisite waiver.

Registration Advice Depending on Your Specific Major

A. Mathematics Majors (except Mathematics Education Majors)

During your freshman year, take at least some of the following courses:

1. One or two courses from the following areas:  astronomy, biology, chemistry, computer science, economics, forestry, geosciences, and physics.  One of them should be a general education science course with a lab. 
   (These courses count towards the Science Requirement for math majors.  Math majors less interested in the sciences can instead opt to complete a minor or a second major.)
2. As a mathematics major, you must either take two semesters of a foreign language, or an appropriate computer science course.  Begin taking courses to fulfill this requirement during your freshman year.  If you decide to take a computer science course and have no programming experience, you should take the introductory course CSCI 150 (Introduction to Computer Science).  If you have programming experience, please discuss with Dominic Beccari which course to take.
3. Otherwise, fill your schedule with general education courses.

B. Mathematics Education Majors

During your freshman year, take at least some of the following courses:

1. PSYX 100S (Intro to Psychology) – this is a strongly recommended course for which you should be pre-registered.  (Consider not taking PSYX 100S if you already have 3 "S-credits" counting towards General Education Group VII (Social Sciences).)
2. COMX 111A (Intro to Public Speaking) and NASX 105H (Intro to Native American Studies).   These courses are not required, but strongly recommended.  You will likely be pre-registered for one of them.
3. If you are bringing in college-level credit equivalent to WRIT 101 (e.g. English Language and Composition Advanced Placement credit, college-level coursework taken while in high school, etc.), we recommend that you take one of LIT 110L (Intro to Literature) or LIT 120L (Poetry), since these courses are double-dippers (they are Intermediate College Writing courses and L-courses).
4. A general education science course from one of the following areas:  astronomy, biology, chemistry, computer science, economics, forestry, geosciences, and physics.

C. Combined Mathematics/Computer Science Majors

During your freshman year, take at least some of the following courses:

1. Based on your programming experience, you should be pre-registered for an appropriate computer science course.  Otherwise, if you have no programming experience, you should take the introductory course CSCI 150 (Introduction to Computer Science).  If you have programming experience, please discuss with Dominic Beccari which course to take.
2. You should also be pre-registered for the required courses CSCI 106 (Careers in Computer Science) and COMX 111A (Intro to Public Speaking).  If not, sign up for them.
3. Beyond this, fill your schedule with general education courses.

Any questions?  Please contact Dominic Beccari or Nikolaus Vonessen.