Southern State offers a solid selection of sophomore level math courses comparable to that found in many universities and four-year colleges. These are taught at the university content level using university textbooks, so they have been found to transfer to any university.
Click here to jump ahead to the listing of these courses: here.
What are the advantages of taking these courses at Southern State instead of at a four-year institution?
--Manageable class size, thirty students or less.
--You can ask questions in class.
--Discussions are possible and encouraged.
--Teaching is the full-time commitment and interest of your professor.
--You can get individual help.
--It's affordable.
What are the disadvantages?
--You can't hide in a large crowd.
--Your professor knows who you are.
--Your professor grades your homework and tests.
Seriously, the one disadvantage is that because SSCC is small, each class is offered only once a year at most. You will need to plan ahead.
Are these classes easier at Southern State than at a four-year institution? Only in the sense that the learning environment makes learning easier than at the large research-oriented universities. We do not sacrifice content or standards. Because our standards are high, our classes transfer well and our students are well-prepared and competitive when they reach the university.
To be fair, you may also be able to find excellent learning conditions at smaller, teaching-oriented four-year colleges and universities. But those institutions usually cannot compare in cost.
Below is the list of SSCC's more advanced math courses. Each link will take you to a page devoted to that course.
Math 221 - 224: Calculus I, II, III & IV. This is the traditional full year of calculus, the launching point to all higher mathematics. Calculus I runs each fall quarter on Mondays & Wednesdays from 4:30 to 6:45. Calculus II and Calculus III run at the same time during the winter and spring quarters, respectively. Calculus IV is scheduled each summer at a time agreed upon by students in Calculus III who are taking IV.
Math 230 Differential Equations. A traditional introductory course, this covers analytical and numerical methods of solving ordinary differential equations and their applications. Differential equations are calculus equations that arise anytime there is a need to solve for a function involving continuously changing quantities. Math 230 serves the needs of all math, physics and engineering majors, and some chemistry majors. It is scheduled each summer at a time convenient to those also taking Math 224 Calculus IV.
Math 250 Linear Algebra. This introductory course is an advanced, detailed look at simultaneous systems of linear equations. Linear algebra is a hot topic of research in mathematics because of its usefulness in solving many advanced problems in engineering, the sciences, economics, even business. This course is currently scheduled during the spring quarter in even-numbered years.
Math 241 Calculus for Business, Social & Life Sciences, or "Business Calculus" for short, is an introductory course in calculus methods without trigonometry with an emphasis on applications. Students pursuing a four-year degree in business, accounting, computers, biology, and psychology might need a course like this and should check with their transfer institution. We are currently offering this course in the fall quarter.
Math 290 Research Topics in Pre-calculus. This unusual course has no textbook and no tests. The purpose is to give students an opportunity to explore and collaborate on large, advanced problems under the guidance of the professor, sometimes up to two weeks on a single problem. Often these problems come from a line of research the professor is pursuing. This gives students valuable experience at creating or discovering mathematics on their own--raw creative problem-solving, not learning from a textbook. Topics vary greatly in the course and can come from diverse areas such as combinatorics, trigonometry, number theory, complex numbers, geometry, and abstract algebra. Knowledge of calculus is an option, not a requirement. This course is currently scheduled during spring quarters whenever the math faculty is convinced there are enough students interested.
For more information about these courses please contact a member of the math department.