Mathematics Department

Courses in the mathematics discipline are developed to encourage students to understand the methods of assimilating information using mathematical, quantitative, and information-processing skills, to promote development of skills which may contribute to career opportunity and success, and to provide the basis and foundation upon which a major in a mathematics-related field may be built.

PLACEMENT IN MATHEMATICS COURSES

Students who graduated from high school in the spring of 1989 or thereafter, and who are seeking an associate degree for transfer, must comply with the 1989 admission requirements. The high school units required in mathematics are one unit each in Algebra I and Algebra II and one unit in Geometry or other advanced mathematics with Geometry as a major component. Students admitted without the indicated credits are deficient in these and must remove the deficiencies before enrolling in courses for which these subjects are prerequisites and before receiving an associate degree designed for transfer.

Students deficient in algebra are required to take the math portion of the COMPASS test unless they have a valid ACT composite score of 19 or greater. Successful performance on the COMPASS examination meets the requirements for removal of the deficiency in this subject area. If COMPASS assessment indicates deficiency based on existing cutoff scores, the student will be required to enroll in Learning Support mathematics courses. Successful completion of required Learning Support mathematics course(s) meets the requirements for removal of the deficiency in this subject area.

ASSESSMENT AND PLACEMENT IN MATHEMATICS COURSES

Beginning in 1985, all Tennessee Board of Regents colleges, universities, and technology centers implemented the Developmental Studies Program as a condition for enrollment. The purposes of the program are to identify students who are under prepared for college level studies, provide instruction to address deficiencies, and prepare students for entry into the college-level curriculum.

Listed below are applicant categories subject to assessment/placement provisions in mathematics:

1. Students who are under 21 years of age whose ACT mathematics sub scores are 19 or greater are eligible to enroll in college-level mathematics courses without assessment/placement providing they have met high school criteria under the 1989 admission requirements. See above for information on removing high school deficiencies in mathematics.
2. Students who are under 21 years of age whose ACT mathematics sub-scores are 18 or below are placed into learning support level math courses according to the Placement Chart located in the Learning Support Assessment and Placement Procedures section of this Catalog.
3. All new students who are 21 years of age or older as of the first day of classes of their admitting term and who seek regular admission must take the math portion of the COMPASS test unless they present valid\ ACT sub-scores in mathematics whereby they will be placed according to the Learning Support Assessment and Placement Procedures section of the Catalog.
4. Returning/readmit, transient, and transfer students who have not previously taken the COMPASS test in mathematics or who have not previously earned credits in mathematics must also take the mathematics portion of the COMPASS test unless exempt by ACT scores. Students who have previously taken the AAPP test must re-take the math portion if the previous test scores are three or more years old and if the students have not completed their requirements at the admitting institution or any other TBR institution. Students who have not met applicable 1989 admission requirements must follow the 1989 admission requirements as outlined above.

a. All students who earned high school equivalency diplomas through GED testing must take the mathematics portion of the COMPASS test.

Assessment results indicate whether students are eligible to enroll in college-level mathematics courses or must enroll in learning support courses. Students may not register for learning support courses without being assessed. College-level mathematics courses are denoted with MATH discipline code and have course numbers greater than 1000.

PROGRESSION STANDARD FOR COMPLETING THE DEVELOPMENTAL MATHEMATICS REQUIREMENT

A first-time college student requiring learning support mathematics who is registering as a full-time student (12 or more semester hours) must register for the appropriate learning support course within the full-time load during the first semester of attendance and remain in a mathematics course each semester until the appropriate learning support mathematics requirement is completed.

DOCUMENTED ELIGIBILITY FOR COLLEGIATE MATHEMATICS

“Documented eligibility for collegiate mathematics” is a prerequisite for every college-level mathematics course and for selected courses in other disciplines for which mathematics skills are necessary. This eligibility is based upon the provisions of the Learning Support program as described above.

The documentation will be in the form of one of the following:

1. Appropriate ACT sub-scores which permit enrollment into collegiate-level mathematics or
2. Sufficiently high scores on COMPASS mathematics examinations to place at the collegiate level in mathematics
3. Successful completion of learning support courses required as a result of COMPASS test performance.

SELECTION OF COLLEGIATE MATHEMATICS COURSES TO MEET GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

Mathematics courses identified in each major and area of emphasis are recommended by the mathematics faculty, but other courses may be appropriate to meet the general education requirement. Students choosing mathematics courses to meet the general education requirement in the University Parallel major should select courses appropriate for the baccalaureate-granting institution and the major which they intend to pursue after graduating from Motlow College. If there is doubt about the proper choice of courses, see a member of the mathematics faculty.