FAQs on Math Placement

For All Students  

1. I don't know my AP score yet, and it's time for me to select my courses for the fall. What math course should I enroll in?
2. I have credit for Math 31. How can I decide whether to take Math 32 or Math 32L or Math 41L? What is the difference?
3. I have had a year (or more) of calculus, but I don't have AP credit or precollege credit for any calculus course. Should (or may) I take Math 32 (or Math 41L or Math 102 or Math 103) or should I start over with Math 31L?
4. May I forego my AP credit and enroll in the course for which I could have received AP credit?
5. My AP score has not been reported to Duke, yet I made a score sufficient to earn credit and place in a higher level course. May I go ahead and enroll in the advanced course?
6. Does Duke administer any kind of calculus placement test whereby I can "challenge" a course for credit and place in a higher level course?
7. What is Math 102? I'm considering an econ major, and I read something about it in the requirements posted by the Economics Department.
8. I only scored a 3 on the BC test, but I would like to go ahead and take Math 103 anyway. May I get permission to do so, or may I take a placement test for Math 103?

For Trinity Students  

9. Will my AP credit for calculus satisfy the "Quantative Studies" curriculum requirement at Duke?
10. I have studied multivariable calculus while I was in high school, but I cannot receive "pre-matriculation" credit because the course appears on my high school transcript. Can I get the requirement for taking Math 103 waived based on my work in high school?
11. How many math courses do I have to take at Duke?
    
12. Are there any courses besides calculus and higher-level math courses which satisfy the "Quantative Studies" field of knowledge curriculum requirement?
13. I am interested in a major which has a calculus prerequisite. Will AP credits for calculus satisfy those prerequisites?

For Engineering Students  

14. I have studied multivariable calculus while I was in high school, but Duke will not grant me official transfer credit because the course appears on my high school transcript. May I "skip" Math 103 based on my work in high school?
15. I'm an engineering student, and I plan to "skip" Math 103 as described in the previous question/answer. Assuming I do well in Math 107 and all my other math courses, will the number of math courses I am required to take at Duke be reduced by one?
16. I am an engineering student, and I have pre-matriculation credit for multivariable calculus. I'm also considering studying mathematics as a double-major. What math course should I take?

Answers

For All Students  

1. I don't know my AP score yet, and it's time for me to select my courses for the fall. What math course should I enroll in?
   If you feel good about your calculus course and your performance on the AP test, then go ahead and sign up for the course following the one for which you could get credit. For example, if you took the AB test, then you can enroll in Math 32 or Math 32L or Math 41L. If it turns out that you don't score high enough for that placement, then you can email the Supervisor of First-year Instruction to inform him of the necessary correction. Or, you can simply wait and change your math course after you meet with your advisor in August.
2. I have credit for Math 31. How can I decide whether to take Math 32 or Math 32L or Math 41L? What is the difference?
   A comparison of the courses can be found in the document The Choice: Math 32 or Math 32L or Math 41L.
3. I have had a year (or more) of calculus, but I don't have AP credit or precollege credit for any calculus course. Should (or may) I take Math 32 (or Math 41L or Math 102 or Math 103) or should I start over with Math 31L?
       If your SAT score is over 680 and if your calculus background was thorough, then it would be a reasonable risk for you to enroll in Math 32 or Math 41L (or perhaps even Math 103, if you confirm that you're actually prepared for Math 103) . But it's your risk! For example, if you did not take the AP test, but you made an A in a demanding calculus course, and your SAT score is about 700 or higher, then if you want to take the risk of enrolling directly in Math 32 (or a higher level course), you may do so. Or perhaps you did take the AB AP test and your score was 4 (so no advance credit) but your SAT score is over 700; then enrolling in Math 32 (or even Math 41L) would be a reasonable risk. Again, it's your risk!
       If you have a very strong math background that includes learning Taylor polynomials and infinite series and convergence theorems, and if you still want to take a higher level course with no advance or precollege credit, then you should write to the Supervisor of First-year Instruction to ask about the suitablility of enrolling in Math 103--or perhaps in an even higher level course if you've had a strong preparation in multivariable calculus.
        On the other hand, if you took the AB AP test and scored 3 or less, then you should enroll in Math 31L--assuming your SAT score is at least 680. If your SAT score is much less than 680 and if your AB AP score is less than 5, then you should enroll in Math 25L. Note that completing Math 32 or a higher level course does NOT entitle you to credit for the "skipped" course(s). But you should be aware that if you do not have AP credit for Math 31, the safer academic route would be for you to enroll in Math 31L (or Math 25L, if your SAT score is less than 680).
        There is another issue here. If you choose a major that requires Math 31L (and any other "skipped" course), then you will need to ask the Director of Undergraduate Studies in your major department to waive their requirement for the "skipped" course(s). Most departments will do this, as long as you complete the next higher math course with a C or better. Engineering students should also be aware that the total number of math courses that they are required to take will not be reduced; that is, eventually a higher level math course must be taken to replace the "missing" course(s). Furthermore, if you skip to a higher level and then make less than a C, then the Engineering School will require you to start your math over with the lowest "skipped" course.
4. May I forego my AP credit and enroll in the course for which I could have received AP credit?
   Yes. For example, if you have a 5 on the AB AP test, you may choose to forego your AP credit and enroll in Math 31L. If you have a 4 or 5 on the BC AP test, you can forego your AP credit for Math 32 and enroll in Math 32.
5. My AP score has not been reported to Duke, yet I made a score sufficient to earn credit and place in a higher level course. May I go ahead and enroll in the advanced course?
   Yes. But you should make sure that the score will eventually be reported to the Registrar. It would also be helpful to send an email message to the Supervisor of First-year Instruction at sfi@math.duke.edu and provide him with the information on your AP score and your placement intentions.
6. Does Duke administer any kind of calculus placement test whereby I can "challenge" a course for credit and place in a higher level course?
   No, that is contrary to Duke's policy on course credits.
7. What is Math 102? I'm considering an econ major, and I read something about it in the requirements posted by the Economics Department.
   Math 102 was first offered in the spring of 2007. Please refer to the document Math 102 for information on the content of the course and who should take it.
8. I only scored a 3 on the BC test, but I would like to go ahead and take Math 103 anyway. May I get permission to do so, or may I take a placement test for Math 103?
   You do not need permission to enroll in Math 103. If that's what you want to do, then you can simply enroll in Math 103 through ACES. But that doesn't mean that it's a good idea to do so. You should be aware of several issues:
   • Most first-year students in Math 103 have scored a 5 on the BC test and they also have math SAT I & II scores well above 700.
   • Completing Math 103 will NOT entitle you to official credit for Math 32.
   • If your major requires Math 32, then you'll have to get a waiver for that requirement from the Director of Undergraduate Studies in your major department. Most Directors will grant that waiver if you make a C or better in Math 103 (but that is up to your major department--not the Math Department); however, if you do not do well in Math 103, then you will have to go back and take Math 32 (or 32L or 41L).
   • If you are an engineering student, then "skipping" Math 32 will not necessarily reduce the total number of math courses which you must take. Thus, if you "skip" Math 32 and then complete Math 103 successfully, then you won't have to take Math 32 but you will have to take some other (higher level) math course.

For Trinity Students  

9. Will my AP credit for calculus satisfy the "Quantative Studies" curriculum requirement at Duke?
   No, advance credits do not satisfy any field of knowledge or mode of inquiry requirements in the curriculum. If you have AP credit for calculus and don't want to pursue higher level math courses, you can satisfy the "QS" requirement by taking a course such as introductory statistics or computer science.
10. I have studied multivariable calculus while I was in high school, but I cannot receive "pre-matriculation" credit because the course appears on my high school transcript. [For more information on this policy, you can read the "Pre-Matriculation Credit" paragraph in the "AP,IPC, and PMC" page of T-Reqs.] Can I get the requirement for taking Math 103 waived based on my work in high school?
    There is no way for you to receive official Duke credit for the multivariable calculus course you took as a high school course. On the other hand, some departments may let you "skip" Math 103, provided that you that take a higher-level math course for which Math 103 is a prerequisite and that you make at least a C in that course. In some cases a department may waive their Math 103 requirement provided the Math Department confirms that you have studied the equivalent of Math 103 and that you could place into a math course for which Math 103 is a prerequisite. But those decisions are not made by the Math Department; rather, the Director of Undergraduate Studies in the department which requires Math 103 for their major must make such decisions on a case by case basis. But here's the WARNING: if a department allows you to "skip" Math 103 and take a higher level math course, and if you do not do well in that course, then you will be required to start over wtih Math 103. Above all, you should keep in mind that each Department will make its own decision about such cases, and a student considering "skipping" a course required for a major should get written approval from the Director of Undergraduate Studies in that department.
11. How many math courses do I have to take at Duke?
    Well, maybe none. Trinity College students must complete two "Quantative Studies" courses as part of the curriculum's Area of Knowledge requirements. But those two QS courses could be courses in statistics, computer science, or in some other department. (See the following question/answer for directions on how to find courses with the QS designation) Of course, any two math courses will satisfy the QS Area of Knowledge requirement. An excellent summary of Trinity College's requirements is posted here, and in particular this page contains links to excellent summaries of curriculum matters. This matrix gives a graphical summary of the numbers of courses of each type which Trinity students must take.
12. Are there any courses besides calculus and higher-level math courses which satisfy the "Quantative Studies" field of knowledge curriculum requirement?
    Yes, there are many statistics and computer science courses which carry the "QS" designation. Note that most statistics courses are taught by the Department of Statistical Science. You can search for all courses with the "QS" designation by using the Registrar's class search , which can be used to find all QS courses offered in a particular semester.
13. I am interested in a major which has a calculus prerequisite. Will AP credits for calculus satisfy those prerequisites?
    Yes. AP credit for Math 31 will satisfy another department's Math 31 (or Math 31L) prerequisite, and AP credit for Math 32 will satisfy a Math 32 (or Math 32L) prerequisite. But these credits do not satisfy the Quantative Studies reguirement in the University Curriculum.

For Engineering Students  

14. I have studied multivariable calculus while I was in high school, but Duke will not grant me official transfer credit because the course appears on my high school transcript. May I "skip" Math 103 based on my work in high school?
    The Engineering Dean will usually let you "skip" Math 103 under these circumstances:
    • The Math Department can confirm that your course contained all of the topics in Math 103.
    • You take a higher-level math course for which Math 103 is a prerequisite and that you make at least a C in that course.
    For example, if the Math Department confirms that your course did indeed cover all of Duke's Math 103, then you could go ahead and enroll in Math 107. But here's the WARNING: if an engineering student "skips" Math 103 and then does not do well in Math 107, then that student will have to start over with Math 103 in the following semester and then re-take Math 107 only after successful completion of Math 103. Also keep in mind that any waiver of the Engineering school's requirement for a particular math course cannot be granted by the Math Department. Any student considering "skipping" a course should get written approval from the dean for first-year students in the Engineering School. And be sure you read the next question, because it's about an important implication of this issue.
    [For more information on the transfer credit policy, you can read the paragraph on Transfer Credit in the Pratt School of Engineering statement of policies and procedures.]
15. I'm an engineering student, and I plan to "skip" Math 103 as described in the previous question/answer. Assuming I do well in Math 107 and all my other math courses, will the number of math courses I am required to take at Duke be reduced by one?
    No. In most cases the Engineering school will require you to take the same number of math courses that they require of all students in your particular major. The effect of this policy is to replace Math 103 with a higher level math course (but in a later semester).
16. I am an engineering student, and I have pre-matriculation credit for multivariable calculus. I'm also considering studying mathematics as a double-major. What math course should I take?
    Although Engineering students normally take Math 107 and Math 108 after multivariable calculus (Math 103), math majors should take Math 104 to prepare them well for upper-level math courses. (Both Math 107 and Math 104 include linear algebra.) Following Math 104, the engineering/mathematics student should take Math 131 (differential equations).

.....................................

Other questions?

If you have other placement questions which are not covered here, you can send an email message to the Supervisor of First-Year Instruction, Lewis Blake, at sfi@math.duke.edu.