6.4.2. Mathematics Prerequisites and Co-Requisites, and Mathematics Placement Testing, for Science Courses

All introductory-level science (biology, chemistry, physics) lecture courses have mathematics prerequisites and/or co-requisites.

Science Lecture Course*Prerequisites (all with a grade of C- or better) or Co-requisites*
BIO 110 Biological InquiryPrerequisite: MAT 120 Introduction to Functions
Co-requisite: BIO 111 Biostatistics
BIO 111 BiostatisticsPrerequisite: MAT 120 Introduction to Functions
Co-requisite: BIO 110 Biological Inquiry
CHM 101 General Chemistry IPrerequisite: MAT 120 Introduction to Functions
CHM 102 General Chemistry IIPrerequisites: MAT 120 Introduction to Functions and CHM 101 General Chemistry I
PHY 101 General Physics IPrerequisite: MAT 130 Advanced Functions
PHY 102 General Physics IIPrerequisites: MAT 130 Advanced Functions and PHY 101 General Physics I
PHY 201 College Physics IPrerequisite: MAT 130 Advanced Functions
Co-requisite: MAT 131 Calculus I
PHY 202 College Physics IIPrerequisites: MAT 131 Calculus I and PHY 201 College Physics I
Co-requisite: MAT 132 Calculus II

* Please note that each introductory-level chemistry and physics lecture course has a separate lab, whereas BIO 110 Biological Inquiry bundles the lecture and lab together. In all cases students must take the lecture and corresponding lab simultaneously. For example, those enrolled in CHM 101 must also be simultaneously enrolled in CHM 101L General Chemistry Laboratory I.

As an example, a student who wishes to take BIO 110 Biological Inquiry and/or CHM 101 General Chemistry I must satisfy the mathematics prerequisite in any of the ways outlined in Sec. 6.4.1.  Among all possible ways, the easiest and most broadly-applicable method of satisfying the prerequisite is to make sure that every entering student who may wish to take introductory-level science classes first takes the mathematics placement exam. If the results indicate that the student is exempt from taking MAT 120 Introduction to Functions, then such a student can register for BIO 110 and/or CHM 101 even their first semester at Oglethorpe. On the other hand, if the mathematics placement exam indicates the student must take MAT 120 Introduction to Functions, then the student will have to satisfactorily complete that course with a grade of C- or better before enrolling in either BIO 110 or CHM 101. The situation is similar for PHY 101 General Physics I, except that the prerequisite is MAT 130 Advanced Functions rather than MAT 120 Introduction to Functions. If the mathematics placement test indicates that the student is exempted from MAT 130 then the student can register for PHY 101 whenever he/she/they wishes. Or the mathematics placement test may indicate that the student must pass MAT 130 (and possibly even MAT 120, as well) with a grade of C- or better prior to enrolling in PHY 101.

The mathematics prerequisites are the same for CHM 102 and PHY 102 as they are for CHM 101 and PHY 101, respectively. Thus, to cite one example, even students who might exempt CHM 101 (based on an Advanced Placement exam score, for instance) still must satisfy the mathematics prerequisite in order to enroll in CHM 102.

The situation is slightly more complex for those wishing to take PHY 201 College Physics I. Here there is a co-requisite of MAT 131 Calculus I. This means that the mathematics placement exam not only indicates that the student is ready to take MAT 131 (without taking MAT 120 and/or MAT 130 first), but also that the student is actually enrolled in MAT 131 at the same time he/she/they is enrolled in PHY 201. It is also possible that the student has already satisfactorily completed (or received credit for) MAT 131, in which case the co-requisite has automatically been satisfied ahead of time. The mathematics co-requisite for PHY 202 College Physics II is MAT 132 Calculus II. Thus, a student who enrolls in PHY 202 must have satisfactorily completed both PHY 201 and MAT 131, and must be concurrently enrolled in MAT 132.