One Semester Courses

The majority of the mathematics courses are one-semester in duration.  However, there are a variety of other formats with which you should be familiar.

Two Semester Courses

Some students need two semesters to complete a course.  Students with certain learning disabilities, a weak background, a history of poor performance in prerequisite courses or some combination of these might find it advantageous to take a course over a longer period of time.  Courses that are offered with this option are Mat-010, Mat-013, Mat-014, Mat-129 and Mat-131.  In each case, the first part of the course is ‘A’ and the second part of the course is ‘B’.  For example, a student taking precalculus in two semesters instead of one would sign up for Mat-129A for one semester and then Mat-129B for the second semester. Both the A and B parts of the course must be completed.

How are students placed into the two-semester courses?  

Some students are advised to sign up for a two semester course by an advisor, a previous instructor, or choose to do so on their own at the time of registration.  There are students who begin a course as a one-semester course.  By the first week or two of the semester, they might feel they want to drop down to the two-semester version.  They might realize that the course is too fast for them or their first assessments in the course are poor. Often it is the instructor who realizes very soon that the student is not performing at a level that will lead to success in the course and speaks with the student about dropping down to the ‘A’ version of the course.  If students who are in a one-semester course decide that they would do better in a two-semester version, they may transfer to the ‘A’ section of the course.  This transfer must take place within the first three weeks of the course. No student is allowed to drop down to a two-semester course after the three week period.

How will I know if I should recommend that a student transfer to the two-semester version of the course?

On the first day of class, it is a good idea to include in your introduction the fact that a two-semester version of the course is an option.  You want to tell students that they have three weeks to make the decision.

In order to properly spot students who might need to go to the slower version of your course within the three week time allowed,  it would be a good idea to do a few assessments of student learning quickly.  If you wait too long to assess your students’ performance, the three week deadline might pass and the student will not be able to make a change that might have been advantageous.

There are some students who would do better in the two-semester course, but are resistant to transferring.  They are often afraid that they will waste time.  If you really feel that they are making a mistake, you can explain that failure in a one-semester course will also be a waste of time and more anxiety-producing.  If the student is still insistent on staying, that is his or her choice.

What is the procedure for a student who wants to change from a one-semester course to the ‘A’ form of the course within the three week time period?

Students who want to make the transition to the ‘A’ course from a one-semester course should go to the Mathematics Department office in Center II to get a signature from the Chairperson and then to L'Hommedieu Hall to get a signature from the Dean.

Summer Session

Middlesex County College offers an extensive summer program.  Courses might be offered during the day in an intense four or six week version or in the evening over a six to twelve week period. The students taking summer courses are both Middlesex students and students from other institutions.

Students who take a summer course should be advised that the speed is much faster than a course taken during the regular semester (especially for an intense four-week day course).  If they plan on taking one of these courses, they should be advised to make sure they are not working many hours during the week, leaving little time for study or sleep and decreasing the chance for success.

Both full-time and adjunct faculty members teach these courses.  If you are interested in teaching during the summer, let Dr. DeLucia  know toward the end of the spring semester

Winter Session

Middlesex County College offers a three week winter session from late December through the third week in January. Only select courses are offered during the winter session. 

Students who take a winter session course should be advised that the speed is much faster than a course taken during the regular semester.  If they plan on taking one of these courses, they should be advised to make sure they are not working many hours during the week, leaving little time for study or sleep and decreasing the chance of success.

Both full-time faculty members and adjunct faculty members teach during the winter session.  If you are interested in teaching during the winter session, let Dr. DeLucia know sometime during the fall semester.

One-Week Courses

Basic Mathematics and Algebra I are offered in intense one-week sessions.  The Basic Mathematics course is Mat-009 (Basic Mathematics Alternative) and the Algebra I course is Mat-080 (Algebra I Alternative).  These courses are one contact-hour, non-credit courses and will be explained more fully in the section on developmental courses.

Internet Courses

Several mathematics courses are offered online each semester.  The developmental courses offered are Mat-010, Mat-013 and Mat-014.  These courses use an interactive multimedia software program, Academic Systems.  (More information can be found in the section of the manual on the developmental courses).  Other courses which are offered are Statistics I and II , Precalculus and Calculus.

Instructors who teach these courses will make use of one the many available management systems (WebCT is used extensively on campus).  Most publishers of texts that are used in the mathematics courses offer full course management systems and training for the faculty who want to use them.