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 21(31). How can I decide whether to take Math 122(32) or Math 112L(32L) or Math 122L(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 122L(41L) (or Math 112L(32L) or Math 202(102) or Math 212(103)) or should I start over with Math 111L(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 202(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 212(103) anyway. May I get permission to do so, or may I take a placement test for Math 212(103)?

For Trinity Students  

9. Will my AP credit for calculus satisfy the "Quantitative 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 212(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 "Quantitative 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 212(103) based on my work in high school?
15. I'm an engineering student, and I plan to "skip" Math 212(103) as described in the previous question/answer. Assuming I do well in Math 216(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 122L(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 21(31). How can I decide whether to take Math 122(32) or Math 112L(32L) or Math 122L(41L)? What is the difference?
   If you're going to enroll in a calculus II course in your first semester, then you should take Math 122L(41L). Math 122(32) is no longer being offered; furthermore, in the fall semestsers, Math 112L(32L) is reserved for students continuing from Math 111L(31L) or Math 106L(26L) at Duke. You can find more information about these course in the document Second-semester Calculus.
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 122L(41L) (or Math 112L(32L) or Math 202(102) or Math 212(103)) or should I start over with Math 111L(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 122L(41L) (or perhaps even Math 212(103), if you confirm that you're actually prepared for Math 212(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 122L(41L) (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 122L(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 212(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 111L(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 105L(25L). Note that completing Math 122L(41L) 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 21(31), the safer academic route would be for you to enroll in Math 111L(31L) (or Math 105L(25L), if your SAT score is less than 680).
        There is another issue here. If you choose a major that requires Math 111L(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 111L(31L). If you have a 4 or 5 on the BC AP test, you can forego your AP credit for Math 22(32) and enroll in Math 122L(41L).
   
   Generally speaking we recommend that students not do this.  Your AP scores indicate that you are sufficiently prepared to move on to the next level, and going backwards is probably not worth it.  On the other hand, if you are not confident in your knowledge of the material in such a course and feel it will be important to your successful completion of future courses to solidify that knowledge and hone those skills, then you are allowed to do so.
   
   On the other hand, if you are considering taking such a course for which you already have credit "for the easy A", note that this is almost certainly not a good idea.  The overwhelming majority of students in Math 111L(31L) and Math 122L(41L) have already had a full year of calculus in high school, have strong SAT scores, and many of them have waived AP credits to take the course again for the serious purpose of honing their skills further, as per the discussion above.  The level of performance and competition in these courses is very high.  So, while you might get an "A" (and you might not), it is unlikely that it will be "easy".
   
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 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 202(102)? I'm considering an econ major, and I read something about it in the requirements posted by the Economics Department.
   Please refer to the document Math 202(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 212(103) anyway. May I get permission to do so, or may I take a placement test for Math 212(103)?
   You do not need permission to enroll in Math 212(103). If that's what you want to do, then you can simply enroll in Math 212(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 212(103) have scored a 5 on the BC test and they also have math SAT I & II scores well above 700.
   • Completing Math 212(103) will NOT entitle you to official credit for Math 122(32).
   • If your major requires Math 122(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 212(103) (but that is up to your major department--not the Math Department); however, if you do not do well in Math 212(103), then you will have to go back and take Math 122L(41L) (or perhaps Math 112L(32L) in the spring).
   • If you are an engineering student, then "skipping" Math 122L(41L) will not necessarily reduce the total number of math courses which you must take. Thus, if you "skip" Math 122L(41L) and then complete Math 212(103) successfully, then you won't have to take Math 122L(41L) but you will have to take some other (higher level) math course.

For Trinity Students  

9. Will my AP credit for calculus satisfy the "Quantitative 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 212(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 212(103), provided that you that take a higher-level math course for which Math 212(103) is a prerequisite and that you make at least a C in that course. In some cases a department may waive their Math 212(103) requirement provided the Math Department confirms that you have studied the equivalent of Math 212(103) and that you could place into a math course for which Math 212(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 212(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 212(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 212(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 "Quantitative 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.
12. Are there any courses besides calculus and higher-level math courses which satisfy the "Quantitative Studies" field of knowledge curriculum requirement?
    The Mathematics Department is offering a new course (Math 181(81)) in 2012 Spring that gives a significant yet accessible discussion of several interesting topics in mathematics; this course has the QS designation, no calculus prerequisites, and would be an excellent choice for students whose majors do not require calculus.  For more information on this course, please see https://www.math.duke.edu/courses/mth81/.  There are also 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 21(31) will satisfy another department's Math 21(31) (or Math 111L(31L)) prerequisite, and AP credit for Math 22(32) will satisfy a Math 122(32) (or Math 112L(32L) or Math 122L(41L)) prerequisite. But these credits do not satisfy the Quantitative 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 212(103) based on my work in high school?
    The Engineering Dean will usually let you "skip" Math 212(103) under these circumstances:
    • The Math Department can confirm that your course contained all of the topics in Math 212(103).
    • You take a higher-level math course for which Math 212(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 212(103), then you could go ahead and enroll in Math 216(107). But here's the WARNING: if an engineering student "skips" Math 212(103) and then does not do well in Math 216(107), then that student will have to start over with Math 212(103) in the following semester and then re-take Math 216(107) only after successful completion of Math 212(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 212(103) as described in the previous question/answer. Assuming I do well in Math 216(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 212(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?
    Engineering students normally take Math 216(107) and Math 353(108) after multivariable calculus. These courses cover the parts of three subjects (linear algebra, ordinary differential equations, and partial differential equations) that are most important to engineering students. However, a student planning to major in math will need a stronger foundation and should instead take full semester courses covering these subjects -- Math 221(104) (linear algebra), Math 356(131) (differential equations), and Math 453(133) (partial differential equations). Note that Math 221(104) is a prerequisite for the math major, and both Math 356(131) and Math 453(133) will count toward the required number of courses for the math major. Interested students can confirm with the Engineering School that they will accept these courses in place of Math 216(107) and Math 353(108).

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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.