Which course should I register for after taking the Math Placement Test?

You will work with your advisor to determine your math course requirements for your studies at UMBC, based on the requirements of your major, your STEM and other course requirements, and your career path.  You can learn more about major requirements at https://apps.my.umbc.edu/pathways/ .  You can learn more about the mathematics course pathways at https://mathstat.umbc.edu/undergraduate-programs-of-study/

Some career pathways and post-graduate programs benefit from the concepts and skills associated with calculus. For this reason, some UMBC majors and career pathways require a calculus course.  If you are in a major which requires calculus; or are pursuing a career pathway such as the health professions or commissioning officer that require a calculus course; or plan to take the STEM courses that require calculus, you should follow the guidance in the Calculus Path section.   If you are unsure of your calculus requirements, you may want to consider pursuing the Calculus Path.

If your major, career path, and STEM and other course requirements do not require a calculus course, you are on the Non-Calculus Path and your placement is described in the Non-Calculus Path section.

It is important that you work with your advisor to determine your math course requirements.

The placement process described below is data-informed and based on the analysis of thousands of UMBC students’ mathematics course taking. It is designed to give you a beneficial placement for you to build the foundation for the rest of your mathematical course sequence and to help you be the most successful as you start your course-taking journey at UMBC.

Calculus Path: Placement for First-Year Students and Transfer Students

If you are coming to UMBC directly from high school (First-Year Student) with test (AP/IB/CLEP) credit or are a Transfer Student with transfer credit on file at UMBC for a course in the calculus sequence, you may be able to take the next course in the sequence. For example, if you have test or transfer credit for the equivalent of MATH 150 on file at UMBC, you may be able to take MATH 151.

If you are coming to UMBC directly from high school (First-Year Student) and do not have test (AP/IB/CLEP) credit for math on file at UMBC, your ALEKS Math Placement Score and your unweighted high school GPA will be used to determine placement for your first math course at UMBC. See Table 1 below.

Table 1: Calculus Path for First-Year Students without test credit

Unweighted High School GPA + ALEKS Math Placement Score ⇾ Math Milestone Level ⇾ Math Placement

If you are a Transfer Student and do not have transfer credit for math, your ALEKS Math Placement Score will be used to determine your placement for your first math course at UMBC. See Table 2 below.

Table 2: Calculus Path for Transfer Students without transfer credit

ALEKS Math Placement Score ⇾ Math Milestone Level ⇾ Math Placement

Non-Calculus Path: Placement for First-Year Students and Transfer Students

If you are coming to UMBC directly from high school (First-Year Student) with test (AP/IB/CLEP) credit or are a Transfer Student with transfer credit on file at UMBC for a mathematics or statistics course, you may be able to take the next course in the sequence. For example, if you have test or transfer credit for the equivalent of MATH 106 on file at UMBC, you may be able to take MATH 120 or STAT 121 for your General Education Program (GEP) Math credit.

If you are coming to UMBC directly from high school (First-Year Student) and do not have test (AP/IB/CLEP) credit or are a Transfer Student and do not have transfer credit for math, and are on the Non-Calculus Path, your ALEKS Math Placement score will be used to determine placement for your first math class at UMBC.

Table 3: Non-Calculus Path for First-Year Students and Transfer Students without test or transfer credit

ALEKS Math Placement Score ⇾ Math Milestone Level ⇾ Math Placement

 If you are unsure which course to take, ask your academic advisor.

If you need further assistance, visit https://academicsuccess.umbc.edu/placement-testing-help/.