The Mathematics Department of Santa Monica College has created a variety of courses in particular sequences designed to serve as many students as possible. Your individual goals and transfer plans determine which sequence is appropriate. Please carefully review the information provided by the Counseling Department. In particular, you should start with "Welcome and Getting Started." Another area that you might want to review is "Areas of Study." If after reviewing this information, you are still in doubt as to which sequence of classes to pursue, you should seek the advice of a knowledgeable transfer counselor before you start a transfer-level sequence.
If your initial placement is for a Pre-Collegiate Level Course, then the student must complete the Pre-Collegiate Track prior to beginning a transfer level sequence.
Transfer Level Course Sequence Information
Traditional College Trigonometry based Calculus Sequence
| Pre-Collegiate Course Needed | Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 | Term 4 and 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Math 20 (Intermediate Algebra) and Math 32 (Plane Geometry) | Math 2 (Pre-calculus) Or Math 3 (Trigonometry) and Math 4 (College Algebra) |
Math 7 (Calculus 1) |
Math 8 (Calculus 2) |
Math 10 (Discrete Structures), Math 11 (Multivariable Calculus), Math 13 (Linear Algebra) or Math 15 (Differential Equations) |
This sequence is appropriate for students who intend to major in computer science, engineering, mathematics, one of the physical/natural/life sciences, or most UC-bound Business majors. The Mathematics Department recommends that Math 11 and Math 15 are completed prior to Math 13. What, if any, courses in terms 4 and 5 need to be completed is dependent on the student's major and transfer institution.
Non-trigonometry based Calculus Sequence
| Pre-Collegiate Course Needed | Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Math 20 | Math 26 (Functions and Modeling for Business and Social Science) | Math 28 (Calculus 1 for Business and Social Science) | Math 29 (Calculus 2 for Business and Social Science) |
This sequence is appropriate if you intend to major in economics, business or one of the social sciences at CSU and some private colleges that do not need trigonometry-based calculus. Not all colleges will require all three courses and some have an additional requirement of Math 54 (Statistics).
Elementary School Teacher
| Pre-Collegiate Course Needed | Term 1 |
|---|---|
| Math 20 | Math 41 (Mathematics for Elementary School Teachers) |
This sequence is intended for students interested in becoming an Elementary School Teacher. Additional information can be found on the K-12 Teacher Education page or in a comprehensive guide provided by the Teacher Preparation Advisement Guide. Math 41 (Mathematics for Elementary School Teachers) - DOES NOT fulfill the Math requirement for admission at some CSU's or Area B4 on the CSU E Pattern. Students may need to also take Math 54 (Statistics).
Liberal Studies
| Pre-Collegiate Course Needed | Term 1 |
|---|---|
| Math 50, Math 18 or Math 20 | Math 21 (Finite Mathematics) or Math 54 (Statistics) |
This sequence is appropriate for students who intend to major in the liberal arts or the social sciences and who are not planning on majoring in one of the above fields. Students who know they will need only Math 21 or Math 54 for transfer may take Math 49, Math 50, Math 18 or Math 20. If however, the student additionally plans to take a non-math course that has Math 20 as a prerequisite or advisory such as Chem 11, CS 42 or Acctg 1, the student should take Math 20 instead.
Pre-Collegiate Level Course Sequence Information
If your initial placement is for a Pre-Collegiate Level Course, then the student must complete the Pre-Collegiate Track prior to beginning a transfer level sequence. It is important to choose the Transfer Level Sequence before choosing the pre-collegiate track.
Traditional Pre-Collegiate
| Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 | Term 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Math 81 (Basic Arithmetic) | Math 84 (Pre-Algebra) | Math 31 (Elementary Algebra) |
Math 20 OR Math 20 and Math 32 OR Math 18 (Do not take if your plans include a class that lists Math 20 as the prerequisite such as Chem 11, CS 42 or Acctg 1) |
Accelerated Pre-Collegiate - for students who need Math 20
This includes those students who need Math 41, calculus, STEM majors or who are undecided.
| Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Math 85 (Arithmetic and Pre-Algebra) | Math 31 (Elementary Algebra) | Math 20 OR Math 20 and Math 32 |
Accelerated Pre-Collegiate - for students who do not need Math 20
| Term 1 | Term 2 |
|---|---|
| Math 50 (Pre-Statistics) | Math 54 (Statistics) |
OR
| Term 1 | Term 2 |
|---|---|
| Math 50 (Pre-Statistics) | Math 21 (Finite Math) |