Gen Ed Proficiency from High School

Policy decisions and questions/answers are listed in order by date of decision, with the most recent listed first.

 

Gen Ed Math requirement revised 12/6/05

Approved by the Faculty Senate 12/6/05

Binghamton University's Faculty Senate approved a change in the Gen Ed Mathematics/Reasoning (M) requirement in December 2005. This change has been made retroactive so that it applies to all students who have not satisfied the M requirement. Effective immediately, the Math requirement will be changed to read as follows:

Mathematics/Reasoning (M) courses include any course in the Mathematics Department numbered 130 or above, any of several designated statistics courses (ANTH 200, BIOL 458, CQS 112, ECON 366, or PSYC 243), or any of several designated logic courses (PHIL 121, 122 or 200). An Advanced Placement (AP) score of 3 or better in Calculus or Statistics may be used to satisfy this requirement.

The Mathematics/Reasoning requirement no longer has a provision that students must demonstrate proficiency by achieving a certain Regents score or by taking MATH 107 or 108. Instead, students who feel they need the lower-level Math courses in order to do well in a designated M course will be able to identify themselves either through advising or through pre-tests given in the Math department. Please note that Computer Science courses will no longer be designated as meeting the Math requirement after the 2006 Summer Session.

 

Are high school math courses such as business math, computer math, etc., acceptable as 4th year math for the purposes of the Math requirement?

Question raised at Gen Ed Implementation meetings 5/14/02 and 5/21/02

The standard that we have been using is as follows:

 

Determining Gen Ed proficiency from high school work

Policy revised by UUCC 4/23/01, based on a document prepared by Jennifer Horowitz, 10/3/00, "General Education Review Process 2000." The 4/23/01 revision changes the grades of 90/A or A-/3.5 in the original document to 85/B/3.0.

Under the General Education program for students entering Binghamton University in Fall 2000 and after, three of the requirements may be affected by high school coursework -- Math, Pluralism in the US/American History, and Foreign Language.


MATH
Students must demonstrate competency in Algebra, Geometry, and Trigonometry and/or Calculus as follows:

Students who have not demonstrated required proficiency must take either MATH 220 or above or take MATH 107 or 108 plus any designated M course to satisfy the Mathematics requirement. Students demonstrating proficiency may take any M course to satisfy the Mathematics requirement. Students demonstrating proficiency via the AP, HIB, or CLEP exam have fulfilled the Mathematics requirement in full and need not take another M course.


PLURALISM IN THE UNITED STATES/AMERICAN HISTORY
In order to fulfill the Pluralism requirement, students must demonstrate knowledge of American History. Adequate knowledge of American History may be demonstrated in the following ways:

Students demonstrating adequate knowledge in the above ways may take any P course. Students who have not demonstrated proficiency in high school must select from a set of Pluralism courses which have a significant American History component. DARS will display a list of these courses for students who are deficient in American History.


FOREIGN LANGUAGE, CATALOG YEARS 2000-2003. Please see the Revised Gen Ed Foreign Language Requirement at http://undergrad.binghamton.edu/policy/fl.html#8 in order to determine proficiency for students matriculating in 2004 or after.
Students must demonstrate competency in foreign language as follows:

Students demonstrating proficiency in the above ways have completed the foreign language requirement in full and need not take any further foreign language coursework at Binghamton University. Students who have not demonstrated required proficiency in high school must successfully complete the third college semester of one foreign language or the second college semester of two different foreign languages.

Students who are native speakers of a language other than English are exempt from foreign language. Students are native speakers if they have ESL English courses on the transcript or have moved to the United States after age 12 (usually 5 years or less in this country).

Students majoring in Engineering are exempt from foreign language requirements.

 

Back to the Gen Ed Policies main page Last updated 1/10/06 by Liz Abate