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.
Math Courses Flowchart
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Transfer Level Course Sequence Information
Traditional College Trigonometry based Calculus Sequence
If you have not taken a trigonometry based pre-calculus or the equivalent in high school the following is recommended:
| Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 | Term 4 and 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Math 2 or Math 2(Pre-calculus) or math 2+2C (Pre-calculus with support) Or Math 3 (Trigonometry) and Math 4 (College Algebra) or Math 3+3C (Trigonometry with support) and Math 4+4C (College Algebra with support) |
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) |
If you have taken a trigonometry based pre-calculus or the equivalent in high school the following is recommended:
| Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 and 4 |
|---|---|---|
| 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
If you have not taken pre-calculus or the equivalent in high school the following is recommended:
| Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Math 26 (Functions and Modeling for Business and Social Science) or Math 26+26C (Functions and Modeling for Business and Social Science with support) | Math 28 (Calculus 1 for Business and Social Science) | Math 29 (Calculus 2 for Business and Social Science) |
If you have taken pre-calculus or the equivalent in high school the following is recommended:
| Term 1 | Term 2 |
|---|---|
| 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
| Term 1 |
|---|
| 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 (opens in new window) . 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
| Term 1 |
|---|
| Math 21 (Finite Mathematics) or Math 21+21C (Finite Mathematics with Support) or Math 54 (Statistics) or Math 54+54C (Statistics with support) |
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.