Math Placement Information
Placement
The main objectives for advising students taking math courses are to:
- Determine the developmental math status of the student.
- Determine the level of courses they are prepared to take.
- Determine which courses they should take.
- Help students get registered.
Developmental Math Status
The Texas Success Initiative requires the university to provide mathematical development for students who earn below a 950 or a Diagnostic Level 6 on the TSI assessment in Math. Students identified in this way are called Developmental Math Students and are required to register in designated corequisite sections alongside their college-level math courses.
Students move from Developmental Math status to College Level Math by scoring 950+ or Diagnostic Level 6 on the MATH TSI assessment or by passing a college-level Mathematics course.
The Placement Process
Initial placement in MATH courses is based on multiple measures. The overall placement is the highest result from the individual criteria, which may include:
- Math TSI score
- SAT Mathematics score
- ACT Math score
- Precalculus or Calculus in high school with a grade of C (70) or higher
- Previous college or university credit in MATH courses
- Math Placement Test
MATH Placement Grid
Use this grid to find the best course of action for you:
| Level | Course(s) | Title | SAT | ACT | MPT | TSI/TSIA2 (TSI Status) | College Course | HS Course |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | MATH 1314 MATH 0214 |
College Algebra w/Corequisite Support |
- | - | - | (TSI=Not College Ready) | - | - |
| MATH 1332 MATH 0099 |
Contemporary Mathematics w/Corequisite Support |
|||||||
| MATH 1442 MATH 0242 |
Statistics for Life w/Corequisite Support |
|||||||
| MATH 1324 MATH 1024 |
Business Mathematics w/Corequisite Support |
|||||||
| 1 | MATH 1314 MATH 1014 |
College Algebra | 530 | 22 | 250 | TSI math score 350, TSIA2 950+ or TSIA2 Diagnostic Level 6 (TSI=College Ready or Exempt/Waived) |
- | - |
| MATH 1332 | Contemporary Mathematics | |||||||
| MATH 1442 | Statistics for Life | |||||||
| MATH 1324 MATH 1024 |
Business Mathematics | |||||||
| 2 | MATH 1316 | Trigonometry | 580 | 24 | 263 | *** | MATH 1314 or ≈ | Pre-Calculus* |
| MATH 2312 | Pre-Calculus | *** | MATH 1314 or ≈ | Pre-Calculus* | ||||
| SMTE 1350 | Fundamentals of Math I | *** | MATH 1314 or ≈ | Pre-Calculus* | ||||
| MATH 1325 MATH 1025 |
Business Calculus | - | - | - | *** | MATH 1324 or ≈ | - | |
| 3 | MATH 2413 | Calculus I | 640 | 27 | 276 | *** | MATH 1316 or MATH 2312 ≈ | Calculus* |
| 4 | MATH 2305 | Discrete Math | - | - | - | *** | MATH 2413# | AP/Dual Credit |
| MATH 2414 | Calculus II | - | - | - | *** | MATH 2413 | AP/Dual Credit |
^ Minimum scores for New SAT Math test taken March 2016 and forward per Admissions and SAT Concordance Tables.
+ Students must have completed an entire year of high school coursework with a C or better average to earn placement.
* STEM students only
# MATH 2305 can be taken concurrently with MATH 2413
*** Students MUST be college-ready at Levels 2 and above, in addition to meeting at least one other placement criteria. If a student is NCR in Math, that status overrides all other placement criteria.
Notes
- Placement is at the highest level by any indication for students who are college ready in Math based on TSI status.
- Students not college ready in Math may retest on the TSI or complete college readiness requirements. Contact our College Readiness Team at college.readiness@tamucc.edu for details on becoming college-ready.
- Placement can be challenged through a Math Placement Test (MPT). Contact Academic Testing 361.825.2334.
- Any “≈” must be determined by the Department of Mathematics and Statistics.
Math Placement Test
The Office of Academic Testing administers a Math Placement Test that can be used to challenge placement into higher-level MATH courses. For more information, visit the Math Placement Test page on the Office of Academic Testing website.
Registration
Prerequisites for MATH classes are listed in the university catalog and are enforced through registration controls. Students incorrectly excluded from courses for which they meet the prerequisites should contact the Mathematics Program at 825‑2459 or math@tamucc.edu and be prepared to show documentation.