NIU Department of Mathematical Sciences

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General Education Courses

All students must fulfill a Core Competency requirement in the mathematical sciences in order to graduate with a Bachelor's degree from Northern Illinois University

Every semester a number of unfortunate students must delay their graduation simply because they left this requirement until their final year, and something went wrong. Don't let this happen to you!

In this document we summarize

1. the goals of Core Competency in Mathematics,
2. how these goals are met in specific courses,
3. the university's graduation requirements involving these mathematics courses.

Note that General Education at NIU includes two components: Core Competency and Distributive Studies. There are Core Competency requirements in English, Communications, and Mathematics. There are Distributive Studies requirements in four broad areas, one of which (Science and Mathematics) includes two courses from this department as options: MATH 229 and STAT 208. So in this document we also discuss
  4. Distributive Studies courses in the department.

More information is available in other web pages for individual courses and for sources of assistance for students in math courses. Students who intend to fulfill the NIU Core Competency requirement with coursework transferred from another institution are encouraged to read the web pages about transfer credits.

Core Competency Goals

    Without "proficient" skills, or those needed to perform more complex
    tasks, students fall behind. They cannot interpret a table about
    exercise and blood pressure, understand the arguments of newspaper
    editorials, compare credit-card offers with different interest rates
    and annual fees or summarize results of a survey about parental
    involvement in school.

The following is a literal extract of a 1984 document which outlines what minimal mathematics competencies which the NIU General Education Committee expects graduates of this university to have. (This document was re-affirmed by that committee in April 2001.)

Core Competency is defined to mean strength in four broad mathematical areas:

1. Elementary Skills and Facts

Percents, ratio, decimals, and proportion. Different units of measurement. Elementary geometric ideas (square, circle, angle, parallelism and perpendicularity...). Equations and their solutions, particularly linear and quadratic. Systems of equations. Elementary inequalities. Graphing data (pie charts, histograms...). Means and average rate of change. Elementary counting principles, combinatorics and probability. Basic statistical notions -- mean, median, mode, standard deviation, and the normal curve.

2. Logical statements and Arguments.

Conditional statements, Inverse, converse, and contrapositive. Valid arguments. Logical fallacies.

3. Abstract thinking.

Spatial relationships (for example, figures formed by distance relationships -- circles, ellipses, ...). Estimation, approximation, judging the reasonableness of results. Geometric interpretation of problems (for example, a pair of equations in two variables represents a parit of lines, and the solution of the system is the point where the lines intersect). The notion of function. Sequential thinking and the formulation of algorithms.

4. Problem Solving.

The ability to state a problem clearly and concisely in the English language. How to formulate a problem in mathematical terms, solve it mathematically and interpret the solution in the original context.

These four areas are by no means independent. To analyze and solve a problem demands the technical skills in (1), the ability to think through the problem in (3), the formulation of a logically correct argument in (2) and, pre-eminently, the problem solving ability in (4).

Courses pertaining to Core Competency

More information is available on each course. Consult the Course Information Page

MATH 101. CORE COMPETENCY IN MATHEMATICS (3). Mastery of elementary skills and facts, understanding of logically correct arguments, abstract thinking, and problem solving ability.

• PRQ: Intermediate algebra, and geometry. No Placement Test required
• Meets Core Competency if passed
• The Physical Education program requires its majors to earn a C or higher if satisfying Core Competency with this course.
• Primary audience: V&PA, H&HS, and LA&S B.A. students needing ONLY Core Comp. math; some EDUC students needing math hours
• The number '101' is unfortunate: this is definitely NOT a 'basic math' course or a 'math appreciation' course; Students have to master substantial mathematics!
• 3 lectures per week (with 120-240 students) plus 1 recitation (with 30)
• NIU's MATH 101 is designed for the needs of NIU students who do not require a specific math course for their degrees. Because of its unique goals, it is NOT usually similar to courses at other institutions. While it is possible to take a course elsewhere which transfers in as NIU's MATH 101, these transfers must be approved by this department. Among public institutions within the state of Illinois, only those courses which carry an IAI code of M1 901 will transfer to NIU as MATH 101.

MATH 110. COLLEGE ALGEBRA (3). Algebraic and exponential functions, basic linear algebra. Requires skills and knowledge of intermediate algebra and plane geometry.

• PRQ: Placement Test group C, or a Community College Intermediate Algebra course (such as Kishwaukee's MATH 098) with a grade of C or better.
• Does NOT meet Core Competency Alone. Usually, Use to prepare for MATH 155, 206, 210, 211.
• Intended audience is only students preparing for a subsequent courses.
• 3 lectures per week (with 120-240 students) plus 1 recitation (with 30)

MATH 155. TRIGONOMETRY AND ELEMENTARY FUNCTIONS (3). Polynomials and rational functions, review of exponential and logarithmic functions, trigonometry, and complex numbers.

• PRQ : MATH 110 with grade of C or better, or Placement Test group B
• Meets Core Competency if a grade of C or better is attained.
• Intended audience is students intending to take MATH 229 (Calculus I), typically science and engineering students. This is not recommended as a terminal math course.
• Offered in Fall semesters in large lecture format (3 meetings per week plus weekly recitation sections with TA in groups of 30; multiple-choice exams). Offered in Spring and Summer semesters in small-class format (4 hour meetings per week; standard exams)

MATH 201. FOUNDATIONS OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL MATHEMATICS (3). Introduction to sets, geometry, measurement, logic, structure of mathematical systems, and the real number system.

• PRQ: 1 yr of high school algebra and 1 yr of high school geometry.
• Meets Core Competency if a grade of C or better is attained.
• Audience limited to future elementary teachers; this course is prerequisite for MATH 402.
• Now offered in small sections only
• Typically articulated from community colleges only after a 2-semester sequence is completed.

MATH 206. INTRODUCTORY DISCRETE MATHEMATICS (3). An introduction to sets, algorithms, induction, recursion, relations, graphs, trees, and algebraic structure, with applications, many of which are in computer science.

• PRQ: MATH 110 or Placement Test group B
• Intended audience: computer science majors.
• Meets Core Competency if a grade of C or better is attained.
• Offered Spring and Fall in small sections

MATH 210. FINITE MATHEMATICS (3). An introduction to mathematical topics with applications to business, social science, and other fields. Includes such topics as functions and graphs, matrix algebra and solutions of systems of linear equations, inequalities and linear programming, elementary combinatorics, and probability.

• PRQ: 1yr HS algebra + 1 yr HS geometry + Placement Test group B or MATH 110
• Intended audience: open to all. Meets prerequisite for Stat 301, commonly taken by social science students.
• Meets Core Competency if a grade of C or better is attained,
• Large lecture format (except in summer)

MATH 211. CALCULUS FOR BUSINESS AND SOCIAL SCIENCE (3). An elementary treatment of topics from differential and integral calculus, with applications in social science and business.

• PRQ : MATH 110 with a C or better, or Placement Test group B
• Intended audience: business students and B.S. students not in sciences
• Meets Core Competency if a grade of C or better is attained.
• Students who must complete this course for another university requirement, such as the Business Students' Core, may do so with a grade of D but will not have met Core Competency requirements. (They must retake this course for a higher grade, or meet Core Competency another way such as by passing MATH 101.)
• Typically meets in classes of 90, and weekly with a TA
• Trigonometry not required, but strong algebra skills a must
• Students who are considering a major or minor in the sciences or engineering and who take MATH 211 will typically have to later take MATH 229 and will then lose credit for MATH 211; please consult an advisor before taking MATH 211 if there is any possibility you will pursue such a path.

MATH 229. CALCULUS I (4). A first course in calculus. Properties of limits, theory and application of derivatives, and an introduction to integration. Applications taken primarily from science and engineering.

• PRQ (requested): MATH 155 with C or better, or Placement Test group A
• First of a three-course sequence. This is the basis for higher mathematics courses; MATH 229 is designed both to showcase key mathematical ideas and to prepare students to take MATH 230 and beyond.
• Meets Distributive Studies requirement for students with a major in another area than Mathematical Sciences.
• Intended audience: Nominal starting point for math, science, and engineering majors.
• Meets Core Competency if a grade of C or better is attained.
• Honors sections available in Fall semesters
• Offered in small sections, four meetings per week.

Core Competency Graduation Requirements

There are several ways to meet the mathematics Core Competency requirement, as outlined in the university catalogue.

• Passing MATH 101, or
• Obtaining a grade of C or better in MATH 155, 201, 206, 210, 211, or 229, or
• Obtaining credit for one of the mathematics courses listed above, except MATH 101, through credit by examination (Advanced Placement), or
• Obtaining a grade of C or better in STAT 208, 301, 350, ISYE 335, or UBUS 223; AND obtaing a grade of C or better in MATH 110, or an ACT mathematics score of at least 24, or as SAT mathematics score of at least 560, or an A- or B-level placement on the mathematics placement examination, or
• Passing the Mathematics Core Competency Examination, or
• Fulfilling the transfer requirements specified in compacts with community colleges. (In particular, students with A.A. or A.S. degrees from Illinois Community Colleges have met this requirement.)

It is highly recommended that students complete all their Core courses during their first two years of college. Few students report that mathematics courses become easier after an absence from these courses!

All of the courses in the General Education list, above, fulfill other requirements for specific majors and minors. Please consult with an advisor early in your program in order to make the best selection of mathematics courses to complete all requirements as expeditiously as possible. The Department of Mathematical Sciences cannot guarantee that students will be able to complete their required mathematics courses in a short time. It is thus the student's responsibility to begin the required mathematical sciences courses in a timely way.

Listed below are some programs which require specific mathematics courses. We cannot guarantee at this time that this list is complete; please contact your program advisor.

• Business: The Business Core requires either MATH 211 or MATH 229. Note that students may not be permitted to enroll in upper-division business courses until the Business Core is completed. This requires UBUS 310, which must follow UBUS 223, which requires MATH210, 211, or 229, which in turn have MATH 110 (or more) as prerequisites. Students (including transfer students) who do not take the necessary math courses steadily and early in their college program will find it difficult to graduate in a timely fashion.
• Education: MATH 201 and another math course typically required. MATH 201 is a prerequisite for the methods courses (MATH 402, 410) required for Elementary Education and other majors. Space is limited in mathematics education courses. Students are strongly encouraged to register for these courses as soon their schedules permit.
  Physical Education majors must have a C or better in a mathematics Core Competency course other than MATH 201 in order to complete KNPE 445 and 446.
• Engineering: Math courses required for graduation vary by major:
  • Electrical Engineering: MATH 229-230-232-336 and (STAT 350 or IENG 335)
  • Industrial Engineering: MATH 229-230-232-336; math/stat courses in menu
  • Mechanical Engineering: MATH 229-230-232-336 and (STAT 350 or IENG 335)
  • Engineering Technology: MATH 155-229-230 and (STAT 208 or STAT 301)
  • Industrial Technology: MATH 155 and (STAT 208 or STAT 301)
  In addition, math courses numbered as high as MATH 336 and STAT 350 are listed as prerequisites for various CEET courses. Engineering students who require one or more pre-calculus courses should expect difficulty completing their programs within the usual time frame
• Health and Human Sciences: Mathematics requirements vary greatly by major.
  • Physical Therapy requires (MATH 155 or MATH 229) and (STAT 208 or STAT 301)
  • General Community Health requires (STAT 208 or STAT 301)
  • Health Administration requires (MATH 210 or 229) and (STAT 301 or UBUS 223)
  • Communicative Disorders requires (MATH 210 or MATH 229) and (STAT 208 or 301)
  • Family and Child Studies requires (MATH 155 or 210 or 229) and (STAT 208 or 301)
  • Textiles, Apparel and Merch. requires MATH 210 and (STAT 208 or UBUS 223)
  • Dietetics, Nutrition and Food Systems requires the same (allows Stat 301)
  • Nursing requires "an introductory statistics course"
• Visual and Performing Arts: Majors and minors have no mathematics requirement beyond the university-wide general education requirements.
• Liberal Arts and Sciences: many departments offer both B.A. and B.S. degrees. All LA&S students pursuing a B.S. degree must complete one of these packages (with a minimum GPA):
  1. (MATH 206 or MATH 210) + MATH 211 + STAT 301 + CSCI 2x0
  2. MATH 229 + MATH 230 + (MATH 240 or STAT 350 or CSCI 2x0)
  3. (MATH 206 or MATH 210) + MATH 211 + (2-semester science sequence)
  4. MATH 229 + (2-semester science sequence)
  5. MATH 211 + STAT 301 + (2-semester science sequence)
  Other required math courses, by department/emphasis:
  • Biological Sciences: (229+230) or (211+STAT 301)
  • Chemistry: MATH 229, 230. For emphasis 1 add (232 or 336); 334 recommended
  • Computer Science: (206 + 211) or (210 + 211) or (229 + 230); (S 301 or 350)
  •   Theoretical Computer Science requires instead:
  • 229, 230, 232, 240, S350, and two of (434, 435, 444, S 473)
  • Economics: For B.A.: (STAT 208 or 301 or UBUS 223)
  •    For B.S.: (210, 211, Stat 301) or (229, 230, Stat 350)
  • Geography: For B.A. add: (MATH 210 or 211 or 229) and Stat 301
  •   Meteorology: MATH 229, 230, 232, 336, Stat 301
  • Geology: 229 or (210 and 211)
  • History: For B.S. add: (210 + 211 + 301) or (229 + 230) or (229 + 301/...)
  • Physics: varies by emphasis
  •   1. 229, 230, 232, 336
  •   2. 229, 230, 232
  •   3. 229, 230, 232, 336
  •   4. 229, 230, and one from a menu containing S350
  • Political Science: For B.S. add (210+211+S 301) or (229+230+S 350)
  • Psychology: For B.A. add (MATH 206 or 210 or 211 or 229) and STAT 301
  •   For B.S. add (229+230+S 350)
  • Sociology: For B.A. add (STAT 208 or 301)
  •   For B.S. add (MATH 210 + 211 + Stat 301) or (MATH 229+230+Stat 350)

Distributive Area Courses

All NIU undergraduates must fulfill the General Education distributive studies requirements. Transfer students with an earned Associate's degree from an Illinois community college are considered to have completed these requirements. All other students must complete 29 semester-hours of courses chosen from specific options listed in the Undergraduate Catalogue, none of them in the department of the student's degree. These hours must include at least 7 semester-hours in Science and Mathematics. Among the options are two courses in the Department of Mathematical Sciences:

• MATH 229 (4 semester-hours)
• STAT 208 (3 semester-hours)

Specific restrictions apply to the completion of the General Education requirements; consult the catalogue for details.

Student who earn at least a C in MATH 229 will have completed both the Core Competency requirement in mathematics and (except for mathematical sciences majors) four hours of the Distributive Studies requirement.

Director of Undergraduate Studies: Dr. Qingkai Kong
E-mail: ugradprog@math.niu.edu

• Registration and Records (course schedules etc.)
• Official Catalog Course Descriptions
• Calculators used in math courses
• Information about transferring to NIU
• Placement exam information

• A math study guide by Peter Alfeld
• Undergraduate programs in the NIU Department of Mathematical Sciences