2019-2020 Pierce College Catalog 
    
    Mar 28, 2024  
2019-2020 Pierce College Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Mathematics (AA-DTA) Course Map


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Created by Pierce faculty, this map outlines the initial coursework for this career field and for transfer to a four-year institution. It provides you a clear path to complete your degree by listing a specific set of courses relevant to your program and career. The map is designed with the appropriate number of credits and meets degree requirements. Courses are organized in a recommended sequence; please schedule accordingly. If a course is unavailable, select the next appropriate course within the sequence. If you want to change a course on this map you must speak with an advisor to assure you meet all degree requirements. For each course, a purpose statement explains how the content relates to your career field. On this map, there may be instances when you will be required to select a course from several options. Use these purpose statements and notes to choose the course that best aligns with your interests and needs. You will also find action items to complete to assure you progress and graduate on time.  While this map is a great guide to courses required to complete an Associate of Arts - Direct Transfer Agreement (AA-DTA)   Degree, you are responsible for fulfilling all degree requirements. Questions? Your Success Network is ready to help you!

Important note about transfer: colleges and universities may change their requirements at any time, so this map is not a guarantee of transfer. You will need to check transfer requirements with your intended four-year school. 

1. College Success


  • Course purpose: A foundational course to explore and affirm a career choice and build upon the skills, knowledge, and resources that will support you at Pierce College and beyond.

2. Math Course Recommendation


Take one course per quarter until sequence is finished.

3. English Composition I


  • Course purpose: Writing skills will be essential in your future courses and in the workplace. This course will help you learn to write academic essays, develop rhetorical knowledge and critical reading skills, and apply effectively the principles of college writing.

Action Item: Meet with Advisor


Use your Success Network!  In your first quarter, meet with your advisor to revisit your career and transfer path, make adjustments to your goals as needed, and plan for your next steps.  

4. Communications Course Recommendation


Choose one

  • Course purpose: Mathematicians need to be able to communicate with other people, and explain concepts to a general audience. This beginning course in public speaking will allow you to explore your own speaking capabilities, and teach you to analyze your audience, organize and deliver your message.

  • Course purpose: Mathematicians need to be able to work and communicate with small groups. This course will prepare you for effective group communications at work, socially and in the community, by familiarizing you with the principles and processes of oral communication within groups and giving you practice in participating in group presentations and meetings. 

  • Course purpose: Mathematicians need to be able to work and communicate with groups of individuals within and across a variety of cultures. This course will give you the opportunity to experience and analyze your own and others intercultural communication.

5. General Psychology


  • Course purpose: This is a basic course in psychology which will focus on the scientific study of animal behavior and experience. In the course you will get to see examples of quantitative and qualitative research and principles related to learning such as heredity, neurology, motivation, emotion, perception, cognition, learning, and intelligence.  

6. Math Course Recommendation


Take one course per quarter until sequence is finished.

  • Course purpose: This course sequence is core for this degree; Calculus is the foundation for large parts of mathematics and its applications. It is a cornerstone of analysis and an indispensable tool for most of the sciences and engineering. These courses are core for degree.

7. Composition/Technical Writing Course Recommendation


Choose One

Action Item: Decide on Transfer Institution


Decide on a transfer institution to determine science requirements. Think about whether you want to pursue a targeted degree (like an actuarial focus) and/or if you want to develop a secondary discipline focus.  Most math majors take physics as their science, since physics and math are so closely connected, but students interested in chemistry, biology, computer science, or economics could choose to focus in one of those areas.

8. Social Science Course Recommendation


Choose one

  • Course purpose: Economics is the study of how people deploy resources to meet human needs. Studying economics will develop habits of careful thought, the application of mathematics, and practice in clear writing. Studying economics includes learning to use statistics and to read critically. Through this course you will also engage the world of current affairs. If you are pursuing an actuarial focus or financial math, this course is required.

  • Course purpose: In this course you will learn about social problems facing our world, for which you may later use math to address. 

Action Item: Apply for Graduation


Way to go!  It is time to apply for graduation.  Visit the Pierce College Graduation website for details.  https://www.pierce.ctc.edu/graduation

9. Transfer Institution Course Recommendation


Choose one group.

Group A - CWU, WSU Transfer


Group B - WWU Transfer


Group C - Interested in Biology


Group D - Transfer Institutions that do not require Engineering Physics


Group E - HS Physics Completed/Develop Computer Science Knowledge


10. Humanities Course Recommendation


Choose one

  • Course purpose: Through this course, you will learn and appreciate the philosophical foundation of the scientific method. Questions posed include, among others: What is science? What makes one theory better than another at explaining some phenomenon? How do scientists pursue their goals? Are there challenges to traditional scientific methodologies?

  • Course purpose: Acting ethically is very important. This course will enable you to study personal and social moral concerns with an analysis of the distinction between good and evil, right and wrong and an examination of custom, theology, reason, human nature and happiness as standards for solution to moral problems.

11. Calculus 3


  • Note: MATH& 153 may be used as a substitute for MATH& 163.  Please check with your transfer institution to determine how this substitution may impact your transfer-readiness.

  • Course purpose: Calculus is the foundation for large parts of mathematics and applications. It is a cornerstone of analysis and an indispensable tool for most of the sciences and engineering. This course is core for degree.

12. Social Science Course Recommendation


Choose one

  • Course purpose: In this course you will learn about social problems facing our world, for which you may later use math to address. 

  • Course purpose: Economics is the study of how people deploy resources to meet human needs. Studying economics will develop habits of careful thought, the application of mathematics, and practice in clear writing. Studying economics includes learning to use statistics and to read critically. Through this course you will also engage the world of current affairs. 

  • Course purpose: If you are interested in pursuing an actuarial focus or financial math, this course is required.

  • Course purpose: This course will help you to appreciate the historical foundations of the math, science and technology you are studying.

13. Calculus 4


  • Note: MATH 224 may be used as a substitute for MATH& 264.  Please check with your transfer institution to determine how this substitution may impact your transfer-readiness.

  • Course purpose: This course is core for this degree; Calculus is the foundation for large parts of mathematics and its applications. It is a cornerstone of analysis and an indispensable tool for most of the sciences and engineering. 

14. Humanities Course Recommendation


Choose one

  • Course purpose: Provides you with experience interacting with others from other cultures.

  • Course purpose: Acting ethically is very important.  This course will enable you to study personal and social moral concerns with an analysis of the distinction between good and evil, right and wrong and an examination of custom, theology, reason, human nature and happiness as standards for solution to moral problems.

Total Credits 93-95


15. Additional Recommended Courses


Adjusted Total Credits 103-105


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