Engineering Math Placement

College of Engineering Math Placement Information

Representatives from the College of Engineering and the Math Department have established math placement strategies to best support students choosing to pursue a degree within the College of Engineering.

The College of Engineering has additional program requirements (outlined here - See Programs with Additional Requirements) and students admitted to the University that do not meet the additional requirements are placed into a Student Success Program Career Track. This program assists and prepares students for entry into the engineering program of their choice as long as they meet certain academic milestones along the way.

We have outlined each path forward for students who selected one of the College of Engineering majors when applying to the University. Additionally, we've provided recommendations for newly admitted students to challenge their placement and a list of commonly asked questions to help.

Resources

College of Engineering Math Placement based on ACT Math subscore & Math Sequence by Major
Options to Challenge your Math Placement
Other Commonly Asked Questions

College of Engineering Math Placement

Students expecting to receive any credit (including Advancement Placement, Dual Enrollment, etc), information will be reviewed by their academic advisor once it is officially received by the university to allow any course adjustments to be completed.

Additionally, the following guide will be used to assist students in registering for the appropriate math courses during their first year.

If your ACT Math subscore is...	You will start in...
27+ (or SAT Math 630+)	Math 1910 Calculus I
25-26 (or SAT Math 590-620)	Math 1730 Pre-Calculus Mathematics
22-24 (or SAT Math 540-580)	Math 1710 Pre-Calculus Algebra AND Math 1720 Pre-Calculus Trigonometry
19-21 (or SAT Math 510-530)	Math 1710 - Pre-Calculus Algebra
<19 or no test score (or SAT Math <500)	L section MATH 1710 - Pre-Calculus Algebra

In reference to the table above, the image below shows the progression for students based on their ACT Math subscore.

Progression to Math 1910 Calculus 1 or Math 1845 Technical Calculus

Image of arrow showing progression of math sequence for College of Engineering majors

Math Sequences listed by College of Engineering Major

Computer Science	Engineering Technology (ET)	All other ENGR majors
Math 1910 Calculus I	Math 1710 Pre-Calculus Algebra and Math 1720 Pre-Calculus Trigonometry OR Math 1730 Pre-Calculus Mathematics	Math 1910 Calculus I
Math 1920 Calculus II	Math 1845 Technical Calculus	Math 1920 Calculus II
Math 2010 Linear Algebra		Math 2110 Calculus III
Math 3070 Statistical Methods or Math 3470 Intro to Probability and Statistics		Math 2120 Differential Equations
		*Additional requirements recommended by advisor*

Options to Challenge your Math Placement

Admitted students have some options to challenge their math placement.

1. Students may retake the ACT (or SAT) to obtain a higher math subscore than initially received. Once a higher math subscore is achieved, students should send Tennessee Tech their latest scores to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions (steps available here).

2. Students may choose to take the Accuplacer Placement Assessment. To schedule to take this assessment, please visit https://www.tntech.edu/testing/accuplacer.php. For other questions about scheduling and other testing location options, contact Tennessee Tech’s Testing & Learning Center at tlc@tntech.edu.

3. Students enrolling during Summer or Fall term may participate in the College of Engineering's RAMP (Reinforce Advanced Math Placement) Program. This academic bridge program is designed to help incoming first-year students prepare for their engineering, engineering technology, or computer science major. RAMP is hosted before fall semester classes begin. Registration is required and a limited number of spots available. For more details, eligibility requirements, or additional questions, visit www.tntech.edu/ssc/engineering/ramp.php.

Commonly Asked Questions

» I was admitted to the University but do not meet the College of Engineering's additional program requirements.

Congratulations on being admitted to Tennessee Tech! Although you may not have met the additional program requirements upon your admission to Tech, the math placement path shared above helps guide and prepare students to be proficient in mathematics for any of the engineering programs Tech offers. You will be guided by professional academic advisors along the way to ensure you are progressing towards your academic goals.

Additionally, you are temporarily placed within the College of Interdisciplinary Studies within a Career Track "Interest ENGINEERING" designation, where "ENGINEERING" is displayed showing your intended major. During this time, you are advised to complete coursework necessary for your engineering major with special consideration related to math placement and each curriculum's prerequisite courses.

Upon successfully completing the academic milestones (completion of Pre-Calculus with a "C" or better as well as a 2.0 Cumulative GPA), you will then transition into the engineering major within the College of Engineering.
» Who will my academic advisor be?

All first-year engineering students and those within the Student Success Program Career Track for engineering will be advised by an academic advisor within the Launchpad Student Success Center. This academic advisor advises course selection and helps students navigate their pursuit of an engineering degree. They are an expert in assisting engineering majors through the math sequence necessary for their major.

If you are a new transfer student admitted into the College of Engineering, please refer to the advisement information provided before the start of your first semester. This will be provided at orientation.
» Who should I contact regarding questions about my admission application status or any test scores received?

If you have questions regarding your admission application status, test scores or transcripts received by the University, or any expected credit (from Advanced Placement (AP), Dual Enrollment, etc) before enrollment, please contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at admissions@tntech.edu or via phone at (931) 372-3888 to speak with an Admissions Counselor.

You may also choose to review information readily available on the Admissions website at www.tntech.edu/admissions/index.php.
» If I am placed into Math 1710 or 1720, will I still graduate "on time" in my program of study?

It is not uncommon for students to begin their coursework within one of these classes. Your academic advisor will assist you with options to navigate your first few semesters and may include outlining how many courses and credits to take a semester while identifying summer courses available to help balance coursework to best fit your needs. The most important item is that we help prepare you for your academic journey and the progressive coursework within engineering.