Advising

Introductory Courses

Which Courses Do I Have to Take?

You may have to take mathematics courses at UNLV for a number of reasons.

Satisfying Your UNLV Core Requirements

All students at UNLV need to satisfy certain core curriculum requirements. Part of most of these requirements is some amount of mathematics. In addition many majors require more mathematics than just the core requirements.

Most 100 level courses satisfy the core mathematics requirements. The exceptions are MAT 115 and MAT 122. In addition, MAT 132 can be used to satisfy the core logic requirement. For students enrolled before Fall 2000, any statistics course, such as STA 161, can be used to satisfy the Computing and Statistics core requirement.

Satisfying Requirements for Your Major or Minor

Some majors have additional mathematics requirements.

• Calculus: Most majors in the Colleges of Science and Engineering require the Calculus sequence of MAT 181 and MAT 182 (and usually more at the 200 level as well). The exceptions are Biological Sciences and Construction Management (Standard Concentration) majors who require only MAT 181, and Earth Science majors who require only MAT 128. Environmental Studies (BS) majors are also required to take the MAT 181/182 sequence.
• Honors: Honors majors must take either HON 140/141 or HON 181 to satisfy the honors mathematics requirement. HON 140 or the HON 181/182/283 sequence also serve to satisfy the core logic requirement.
• Statistics: STA 161 satisfies the statistics requirements in the Bachelor of Science programs in Chemistry and Geology, but these requirements can also be satisfied by upper division statistics courses.
• Finite Mathematics: MAT 132 satisfies the core logic requirement for most majors. Business majors (except BA in Economics) and Construction Management (Standard Concentration) majors are required to take MAT 132 to satisfy the logic requirement.
• Precalculus: The following majors are required to take the pre-calculus sequence of MAT 126/127 or MAT 128:
  • Architecture
  • Comprehensive Medical Imaging
  • Earth Sciences
  • Environmental Studies (BA)
  • Health Physics
  • Health Sciences
  • Nuclear Medicine.
• College Algebra: The following majors are required to take MAT 124 by their departments:
  • Business
  • Clinical Lab Science
  • Culinary Arts Management
  • Health Care Administration
  • Hotel Administration
  • Nursing
  • Nutrition Science
  • Social Work.
• Math for Elementary School Teachers: Elementary Education majors must take MAT 122 and 123.
• Fundamentals: All other majors can satisfy their core mathematics requirements with MAT 120.

Only minors in Mathematical Sciences are directly required to take any courses in mathematics, but course prerequisites from other minors, such as Physics and Computer Science may require mathematics courses. See the prerequisites for courses in your minor program.

Satisfying Prerequisites for a Course

Certain courses outside of mathematical sciences require 100-level mathematics courses as either pre- or co- requisites.

• MAT 096: This is a prerequisite for ACC 451, ENG 101, CSC 115.
• MAT 123: This is a prerequisite for ICE 452.
• MAT 124: This is a prerequisite for ECO 261, ECO 401, ECO 402, HPS 102.
• MAT 127 or MAT 128: Either one of these is a prerequisite for ENG 102, ENG 130, CEG 121, CSC 135, EEG 114, AAI 332, AAL 341, HPS 128, CHE 115, CHE 116, GEY 330, GEY 341, GEY 430, PHY 155, PHY 156, ENV 130.
• MAT 132: This is recommended for ECO 261.
• STA 161: This is a prerequisite for HPS 401.
• MAT 181: This is a prerequisite for ENG 307, CEM 330, CSC 117, GEY 462, GEY 474, PHY 180.
• MAT 182: This is a prerequisite for ENG 300, CEG 206, EEG 208, EEG 291, MEG 207, MEG 302, HPS 470, .

Additionally:

• ESP 472: This course requires one of MAT 120 or MAT 124 or MAT 123 as a prerequisite.

What Courses Should I Take?

Most students outside Engineering and the Sciences need only take the mathematics which satisfies their core and degree requirements. Students who are unsure about what they want to major in should take the highest level mathematics they are likely to need for a potential major to avoid taking a course which may not fit their final degree.

If you intend to take any mathematics at a higher level, you should ensure that you take the Calculus sequence of MAT 181/182. Students who intend to take introductory statistics should take Precalculus, while those students interested in a deeper treatment of Statistics should take the Calculus sequence.

For students in Science and Engineering, most choices about mathematics courses are between higher level courses. Students in Physics, Chemistry Computer Science and Electrical Engineering will likely find great benefit from taking a variety of upper division mathematics courses, and these will require a solid foundation in Calculus.

What Mathematics Should I Take at High School?

If you intend to attend UNLV, you should make sure that you have at least three years of high school mathematics at the level of algebra or above, no matter what major you intend to take. If you do not have this background you will need to take many remedial mathematics classes before you can satisfy the UNLV core mathematics requirement. The more mathematics you take, the more likely you are to score well on the ACT or SAT, and the less likely you are to have to have to take introductory or remedial courses.

If you intened to take a major in Science or Engineering, you would be well advised to take an advanced placement calculus course. If you do well on the AP tests, you will be able to take more advanced mathematics courses sooner, and your knowledge of calculus will serve you well in introductory Science and Engineering courses.

What are the Prerequisites for the Courses I Need?

The mathematics courses you may enroll in are determined by your background and ACT or SAT scores. All mathematics courses except MAT 095 require at least three years of high school mathematics at the level of algebra or higher. In addition, you need the following minimum scores on the ACT or SAT for placement in a freshman mathematics course, or to have the appropriate prerequisite UNLV courses:

Courses with a "-" for their ACT or SAT scores require course or advanced placement prerequisites.

Do I Need to Take Calculus at UNLV If I Took AP Calculus?

If you took AB Mathematics with a score of 3-5, then you will be given credit for MAT 181 and you may enrol in MAT 182 (or any other course which has MAT 181 as a prerequisite).

If you took BC Mathematics with a score of 3-5, then you will be given credit for MAT 181 and MAT 182 and you may enrol in MAT 283 (or any other course which has MAT 182 as a prerequisite).

I Don't Have a Prerequesite. What Do I Do?

As a freshman, you may not have the required background or SAT scores to enroll in the courses you need. In this case, you will need to take some courses to build up to the course you need.

This table gives the sequences which lead up to the various courses:

MAT 128 can also be used as a prerequisite for MAT 132.

To determine what courses you need to take, trace the line from the course you need back to the first course that you have the prerequisites for.