Math Placement

Who should read this?
This document addresses placement questions for incoming students and for undergraduates who have not yet taken a math course at Duke.

Note for potential math majors:
If you are considering a major in mathematics, and if you have advance credit for first and second semester calculus (Math 31 and Math 32), then you should read about  Math 105. Potential math majors should also contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies in Mathematics,  Professor Chad Schoen or the Associate Director of Undergraduate Studies in Mathematics,  Dr. Clark Bray.  (If you have placement questions, please use the SFI Placement Advice contact page.)

Course codes:
The placement information below refers to math courses by number. If you wish to see a detailed description of a course, then you should refer to the Bulletin of Undergraduate Instruction for descriptions of all math courses.

Quick Index

First-year Seminars

• Applications of Mathematics to Physiology
• Game Theory and Democracy
  
• Introduction to Cryptography
• Tilings, Symmetry, and Geometry

Information for Students who have had little or no calculus

The entry level for mathematics is Math 25L or Math 31L. The following table provides guidelines for making the choice between these two courses:

If your SAT and SAT-II scores do not indicate consistent placement in this table, or if your scores indicate borderline qualification for Math 31L and you've had no calculus whatsoever, then it would be advisable to start with Math 25L.

Information for Students who have had a year of calculus

For students who have taken the AP test: If you have earned credit based upon your Advanced Placement score, then generally you should enroll in the next higher course; however, we have found that students may have difficulty in second-semester calculus unless they also meet certain minimum SAT and Achievement score levels.

For Students Who Have Taken an International Entrance Exam: Requests for credit based on an internationally recognized entrance examination, such at the International Baccalaureate, the British A-level, the French Baccalaureate, and the German Arbitur, should be sent to the Registrar. A student can receive up to two credits for one of these tests. In general if Duke grants you credit for a course, then you should enroll in the next higher math course. For example, some international students score high enough on the higher level IB math exam to receive credit for Math 31 and Math 32, and will then be placed into Math 103 (or  Math 102 or   Math 105). Students who receive credit for Math 31 can enroll in Math 41L (in fall semesters) or Math 32L (in spring semesters). If your situation is different from these cases, or if you desire some other placement based upon work out of the country, then you should meet with the Supervisor of First-year Instruction to discuss placement.

For students who have not taken the Advanced Placement Test or an International Entrance Exam: If your SAT score is at least 700 and your SAT-I or SAT-II score is at least 700, and if you feel you have a strong background in calculus, then you may enroll in a second-semester calculus course (see Second-semester Calculus  for more information) if you are willing to accept the inherent risk--although the safer academic route would be to enroll in Math 31L.

On the other hand, if you are in this situation but wish to place beyond second-semester calculus, then you should write to the Supervisor of First-year Instruction, and describe the contents of the math courses you have had (e.g., textbook and chapters covered), how well you did in those courses, your SAT and Achievement scores, and a statement of the placement you desire. It is especially helpful if you can FAX (919-660-2821) or email a copy of the syllabus, including the title of the textbook you used and the sections you studied.

If your SAT score is below 700, you should enroll in either Math 25L or Math 31L, according to the table above.

Information for students who have completed a course in multivariable calculus or higher level mathematics

First, you should be aware that our multivariable calculus course, Math 103, includes an important chapter on vector calculus, including line integrals, Green's Theorem, surface integrals, and Stokes' Theorem. This material accounts for approximately a fourth of our course; thus, if your multivariable calculus course did not include these topics and if you plan to continue taking math, then you should enroll in Math 103 (You may also want to consider Math 104, to be followed by Math 105, if you're interested in being a math major.)

If you have been granted "pre-matriculation" credit for Math 103, and if you want to proceed to a higher level math course in your first semester, then you can simply enroll in the appropriate course when your registration window opens in the summer. For example, if you are an engineering student, then you would normally take Math 107 next. (Unless you plan on getting a double major with math. Please see FAQ #14 below.)

If you do not have credit for Math 103, but you have studied all of the topics in Math 103 and you feel you should take a course numbered above Math 103, then write to the Supervisor of First-year Instruction. In your email message you should describe the contents of the courses you have had (e.g., textbooks and chapters covered), the name of the school where you took the courses, how well you did in the courses, your SAT and Achievement scores, and a statement of the placement you desire. It is especially helpful if you can email copies of the syllabi, including the titles of the textbooks you used and the sections you studied.  Note, Math 103 covers multivariable calculus at a level that is more rigorous and substantial than high school courses; so, even if have studied all of the topics in Math 103, you should still expect to find Math 103 to be a challenging course.

Questions

If you have placement questions not covered in the FAQs above, you can send an email message to the Supervisor of First-Year Instruction.

Additional web pages:
Information for First-Year Students