Quantitative Literacy

Quantitative Literacy: Becoming College Ready and Completing the Requirement

Here's the policy:

Students must complete a General Studies Quanatitative Literacy (QL or Math) course as a requirement for graduation from MSU Denver, and for many majors this course is a prerequisite for major coursework. Consequently students must become college ready and complete General Studies Math course within their first 30 semester hours.

Students who get to 30 hours and haven't completed QL receive a hold, and this tutorial is how that hold is removed

Students who get beyond this point and haven't finished QL--that is, if the hold hasn't convinced you to complete the requirement--we may implement a range of consequences, such as requiring an in-person meeting with your advisor, pre-registering you for a course that completes or moves you toward completing the requirement, or even allowing you to register ONLY for a course that fulfills this requirement.

(Quiz alert: the material above is covered on the quiz.)

See the General Studies section of the catalog for the complete policy.

Here's the scoop:

Before we put this policy in place, too many students were putting off taking Math until much later in their academic career than was a good idea. Because of that, at one point we had 1400 Seniors who hadn't completed Math! Many of those students had difficulty completing their degrees without having to come back for 1, 2, even 4 additional semesters. We don't want that to be you.

Think of the hold and this tutorial as a not-so-suble way of getting your attention. We know you have a lot of other things competing for your attention, and sometimes even important things can get lost. The other consequence may sound harsh--and they are--but our experience is that students who get to the end of their degree and this still hasn't been completed are in a MUCH worse situation, so we would rather employ some tough love now. And we do realize that allowing you to register ONLY for a Math class, should you get to that point, could have serious implications for you. That could really mess up your financial aid, veteran's or military benefits, students visa status, or anything that requires you to be enrolled in more than one class. This is a big deal, and we want you to know it's a big deal.

How do you fix this?

Becoming eligible for college-level Math courses (see below for more information if you are not yet at college-level)

1. Enter MSU Denver with an ACT Math score of 19-25 or higher (depending on which Math course is needed), taken within the last 5 years
2. Enter MSU Denver with an SAT Math score of 460-570 or higher  (depending on which Math course is needed), taken within the last 5 years
3. Review your math and take the Accuplacer, which can be taken twice for free at the MSU Denver Assessment and Testing Center.
   1. Review materials and review session information can be found on the Math Department website or the Testing Center website
   2. If you receive a lower score on the Accuplacer than you need to take the course you need, then you must get up to college level at a community college.with either remedial (Basic Skills) courses or a prep lab
   3. MSU Denver students can register through ConnectU for CCD Basic Skills courses and are eligble for their Accuplacer Prep Lab

I am eligible to take a college-level course, but must take "Peer Study." What is that?

The MSU Denver Mathematics Peer Study Program (MPSP) is a series of instructor-supervised learning sessions organized to supplement the course material from MTH 1080, MTH 1110, MTH 1112 and MTH 1310. They are designed to provide a structured environment of small groups where students will study and receive help from an instructor. Studying together is one of the best ways to learn, and MPSP students have a high rate of success in their corresponding math class.

Who takes Peer Study?

• Anyone enrolled in MSU Denver MTH 1080, MTH 1110, MTH 1112 or MTH 1310 can
• Students who do not adequately pass the preassessment exam (given in class) must
• Students who receive a placement score at the "window" level (see below) must
• Students whose scores are in the "window" must see an sign appropriate paperwork in order to register for a Math class
• Students who have completed the prerequisite algebra at CCD or other community college will be required to enroll in MPSP in order to enroll in MTH 1110-College Algebra or MTH 1310-Finite Mathematics for Management and Social Sciences.

KEY:EA=Elementary Algebra, CLM=College Level Math, 1080GPT=MTH 1080 Placement Test

(Quiz alert: the material above is covered on the quiz.)

How do I sign up for Peer Study?

Like other courses, Mathematics Peer Study Sessions have CRN numbers, and you add the sessions to your schedule through web registration. The class does not appear on your transcript. However, students who are registered for Peer Study must attend regularly. Additionally, students required to take Peer Study and who fail to attend will be dropped from their math course. Students needing MPSP may register by meeting with an  Academic Advisor or through the MPSP office.. Schedules for Peer Study Sessions are posted each semester

I have low math test scores. Why not just put off taking my QL course?

First of all, students must complete General Studies Math course within the first 30 semester hours. Eventually you will prohibited from taking any courses at all at Metro if you don't pass your math course.

Secondly, math courses are a gateway to many majors or to required courses in the major.

1. Examples of courses you can't take without being college-ready in Quantitative Literacy:
   • Introductory courses in Biology, Chemistry, Integrated Science, Physics, and Nutrition required or recommended for majors or programs such as
     • Biology
     • Chemistry
     • Nutrition
     • Environmental Science
     • Integrative Therapeutic Practices
     • Nursing
     • Nutrition
     • Criminal Justice
     • Human Performance and Sport
     • Athletic Training
     • Meteorology
     • Hotel, Tourism, and Events
     • Industrial Design
     • Special Education
     • Elementary Education Licensure
2. Examples of courses you can't take without first completing the QL Requirement
   • Business Core courses
   • Most Psychology courses beyond PSY 1001, which could affect your ability to take required courses in
     • Psychology
     • Political Science
     • Recreation Professions
   • ECO 2010 and ECO 2020
     • One or both of these courses are required for majors or programs in
       • Aviation
       • Mechanical Engineering Technology
       • Civil Engineering Technology
       • Behavioral Science
       • Health Care Management
       • Social Studies Licensure programs
   • PHY 2311, required for these majors
     • Physics
     • Civil Engineering Technology
     • Electrical Engineering Technology
     • Mechanical Engineering Technology
3. Research courses required by one or more majors
   • NUR 3400
   • SOC 3590

(Quiz alert: the material above is covered on the quiz.)

Once I am college ready, which math course should I take?

The right math course for you will depend on which courses are allowed, recommended, or required for your major or majors. To determine which is the best course for your particular situation, you should talk to an advisor.

(Quiz alert: the material above is covered on the quiz.)

What do I do next?

• Click Quiz - Quantitative Literacy on the left-hand menu
• The quiz covers the material you have just been reading
• You can refer back to this material as you take the quiz
• You have to get all 5 question right in order to pass the quiz
• If necessary, you can take the quiz up to 4 times
• After passing the quiz
  • You will take a brief survey
  • Then you will fill out a form with your Student ID (your entire 900 number, with no spaces or dashes) and MSU Denver (ConnectU) user name
  • The hold comes off when this last step is complete, the form is submitted, and you see the image below!
  • If you have both the Quantitative Literacy (Q1) and Math Remedial (MR) holds, you will have two forms to fill out, one for each hold

If You Also Have the Math Remedial Hold

Because of some recent changes in the community college system in Colorado, there are actually two quite different ways to do this, depending on whether you will end up in MTH 1080 or in another Math class at MSU Denver. Because this is changing so rapidly, if you're not sure which path will make the most sense, this might be a good reason to come in and speak with an appropriate advisor.

The change in the community college system is geared toward reducing the number of remedial courses a student would take, down from a maximum of 4 to 1 (possibly 2 in some instances). If this new approach works as intended, it may take you signficantly less time to get to college-level. But before they can get from 4 classes to 1, in the next year (2013-2014) there will be "bridges" from where they are to where they're going.

The new system points students in either a "1080" path or a "Non-1080" path. The 1080 path would be appropriate for a student whose MSU Denver major allows MTH 1080 Mathematical Modes of Thought to complete the QL requirement. The Non-1080 path would be appropriate for a student whose major required any Math course other than MTH 1080 (inclduding MTH 1210 Statistics, MTH 1610 Integrated Math 1, MTH 1110/1112 College Algebra, or higher-level Math course). See what path your major requires [link]

How do I find my placement exam score?

If you have already taken the placement exam, but you do not remember what score you received or what basic skills class you need to complete, there are several ways you can find your score:

1. Look up the score in ConnectU:
   1. Login to ConnectU
   2. Click on My Services/Registration Tab
   3. Click on My Services / Registration link
   4. Click Orientation and Assessment Testing Menu link
   5. Click the Get Your Test Results link OR
2. Refer to the results sheet you were given, with your exam score and which course you should take (if you still have it, of course) OR
3. Contact the Assessment and Testing Center

How do I register for Basic Skills classes?

Although you may take any of the Basic Skills courses at any community college, most students choose to take them at Community College of Denver (CCD) because you can register for them as a MSU Denver student. This is generally easier, as you will be using the same registration system, ConnectU, to register for all your classes. You also would not need to apply for admissions to the community college. And for students receiving financial aid, enrolling in Basic Skills classes as a MSU Denver student generally allows these classes to count toward your financial aid hours. (But see information about financial aid Satisfactory Academic Progress for important limitations.) To enroll in CCD Basic Skills classes in Math, follow the directions below.

Registering for the Basic Skills Math Course

1. In the Subject box, select CCD Mathematics (MAT) (not MSU Denver's Mathematical Sciences (MTH) subject--alphabetized with the Cs)
2. Click the Course Search button
3. For the appropriate course, click the View Section button
4. Once you find an open section that works for you, check the box
5. Click the Register button
6. Make sure you look to make sure there are no errors and that you registered for the time and day you intended