Information for Incoming Students

What math courses at Baruch can/should I take?

Your placement is the name of a course, and you can take the named course.  For the majority of Baruch students, taking that course is recommended, with the following important exceptions:

– if your placement is MTH 2009 or MTH 2003, and you wish to take Calculus, you can take MTH 2001, and it is recommended that you do so.  This is the best course of action for students who are interested in majoring or minoring in Mathematics, Computer Science, Statistics (including Statistics and Quantitative Modeling), the Sciences, Economics, or Computer Information Systems.

– if your major and minor do not require College Algebra, Precalculus, Calculus or Statistics, and you do not have college credit for a 2000-level math course, you can take MTH 2140 or MTH 2160.  MTH 2140 and MTH 2160 are good choices for these students who wish to take a less technical math course. 

– if you have transfer credit for MTH 2001 with a grade of B or higher, you may take MTH 2610 instead of MTH 2207.  If you are planning to take mathematics beyond Calculus I or pursue a Computer Science major or minor, it is recommended that you take MTH 2610. (If you do not have knowledge of trigonometry, we recommend MTH 2207.)

– if you have completed a college-level or AP Calculus course, and wish to take more math or computer science, speak to a math faculty advisor. (Students with a 4 or 5 on the AP Calculus AB exam should start with MTH 3010; students with a 4 or 5 on the AP Calculus BC exam should start with MTH 3020.)

What does my math placement mean?

Your math placement is an indication of the highest mathematics class in the Algebra-Precalculus-Calculus sequence that you are prepared to successfully complete.  It is computed using multiple measures, including performance on the Math Placement Exam (students entering Fall 2023 and later). 

Note that if you have college credit for a course at the Precalculus level or higher, then this will supersede the calculated placement.   For example, if your calculated placement is MTH 2003 (Precalculus and Elements of Calculus), but you either have transfer credit for a college Precalculus course or received a score of 4 or 5 on an AP Calculus exam, then you will be able to start with Calculus.

Some students will be placed out of mathematics, that means their placement is calculus, and they have satisfied the Zicklin math requirement. Students who opt to major in a quantitative business major are encouraged to register for calculus, it will be useful in their upper-level business courses, and it is generally a requirement for most graduate programs in business. Moreover, any students who did well in high school mathematics are encouraged to take additional mathematics, no matter what their major.  We recommend you take this course as early as possible while your high school math skills are fresh in your mind.

If I have questions about my math placement or which math courses to take, who can I contact?

Questions about math placement can be addressed to evan.fink@baruch.cuny.edu .

Questions about which math class to take can be addressed to math faculty advisors during one of the scheduled Math Faculty Advisement Zoom sessions.  

What is the difference between MTH 1023 and MTH 1030?

MTH 1023 is a combined course in Intermediate and College Algebra, designed to prepare students to go from Intermediate Algebra to Precalculus in one semester.  MTH 1030 is just College Algebra, and is appropriate for students who have mastered Intermediate Algebra

MTH 1030 meets twice a week.   MTH 1023 meets three days per week for lecture and once per week for Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL), during which the class splits into small groups, to gain hands-on practice solving problems.

What is the difference between MTH 2001, MTH 2003 and MTH 2009?

MTH 2001 is Precalculus.  It discusses the properties of functions, including exponential functions, logarithms, and trigonometric functions.  MTH 2001 is recommended for students who expect further study in mathematics: in particular, students who are interested in majoring or minoring in Mathematics, Computer Science, the Sciences, Economics, Computer Information Systems, or Statistics.

MTH 2003 is a course in Precalculus and Elements of Calculus.  This is an appropriate course for most students who wish to enter the Zicklin school of business, as well as students who need Precalculus but not a full Calculus course.  The course discusses properties of functions, with special emphasis on quadratic functions and applications to economics, as well as introduction to differential calculus.  Trigonometry, exponential functions and logarithms are NOT included in this course. 

MTH 2009 covers the same content as MTH 2003, but includes additional embedded support in the form of a weekly Recitation.  Again, this is an appropriate course for most students who wish to enter the Zicklin school of business, as well as students who need Precalculus but not a full Calculus course.

What is the difference between MTH 2207 and MTH 2610?

MTH 2610 includes trigonometry and some more theoretical topics, while MTH 2207 is more business oriented. 

I have transfer credit for MTH 2000 or MTH 2001.  What does that mean?

If you simply need credit for Precalculus (for example, as a prerequisite for statistics, or to enter the Zicklin school), then congratulations! You have that credit.

If you wish to take more math beyond Precalculus: with credit for MTH 2000 or MTH 2001, you can take MTH 2207.  In addition, if you have credit for MTH 2001 with a grade of B or higher, then you may also take MTH 2610, which is recommended if you wish to pursue math beyond Calculus I or Computer Science. (If you do not have knowledge of trigonometry, we recommend MTH 2207.)