I’m applying to transfer credit and have been asked to provide course outlines. What are these?
A syllabus or course outline must include:
- Information about the institution’s grading system and interpretation of grades.
- The institution’s definition of a normal full-time year of study, and the requirements for completion of the qualification undertaken.
- Information about the content of the course, required hours of study, the title of prescribed textbooks and method of assessment.
This information is likely to be found on the institution’s website or in their course calendar.
The following is an example of the level of information that we generally require to assess external tertiary study for transfer credit eligibility:
MATHS 102 Semester One 2014
This 15 point course focuses on the development of mathematical skills and concepts leading up to calculus through active participation in problems involving real life contexts. The content is organised around the key idea of a function, and examines different kinds of functions and their characteristics. The course aims to build confidence and foster enjoyment in mathematics, as well as preparing you for further study. There is an emphasis on modelling and a variety of techniques are employed including the use of technologies.
Pre-requisites:
The course is intended for those students who have achieved fewer than 12 credits in Calculus or Statistics at NCEA Level 3, or who have achieved at least 18 credits in Mathematics at NCEA Level 2 and fewer than 12 credits in Calculus or Statistics at NCEA Level 3 (or equivalent).
Restrictions:
MATHS 102 may not be taken concurrently with any other pure mathematics course, nor can it be taken after having previously passed any other pure mathematics course except MATHS 101. An A- pass grade or better in MATHS102 is the prerequisite for progressing to MATHS 150.
Learning Outcomes
A student who successfully completes this course will:
- Recognise and use various forms of function notation, and be able to write down and graph the inverses of functions, and identify the domain and range of functions;
- Be able to identify, model and interpret the algebraic or graphical forms of polynomial, exponential, logarithmic, and cyclic relationships in both mathematical and real world contexts;
- Be able to relate rational functions with their graphs, identifying asymptotes and intercepts;
- Be able to use algebra to solve equations, including problems involving trigonometry;
- Be able to perform arithmetic on complex numbers;
- Be able to find the derivative and integral of polynomial, power, exponential, logarithmic, and trigonometric functions, including the use of product, quotient and chain rules;
- Understand the relationship between integration and differentiation;
- Be able to identify when a derivative is an appropriate mathematical model, and use it to solve optimisation problems;
- Know when and how to use technology appropriately for mathematical problems in this course;
- Know several strategies for approaching problems with no obvious solution method;
- Have the ability to communicate mathematical ideas and problem solutions orally and in writing.
A student who has taken this course can also expect to have developed mathematical habits of logical thinking, persistence, problem-solving, modelling, proving, conjecturing, symbolism, abstraction and generalisation.
Expectations
Pre-requisite Knowledge
Students taking this course are expected to have a working knowledge of the basic elements of Year 11 and Year 12 Mathematics. Assumed knowledge for each module is stated in the Course Book. The Canvas skills quizzes will test students on pre-requisite knowledge. Students who experience difficulties with this knowledge are expected to spend some time learning it outside of lectures, using the sources of help suggested at the start of each module in the supplementary course notes.
Course-load
A semester course at the University of Auckland are assumed to require approximately 10 hours per week of student time. In MATHS 102, the normal pattern of student study is expected to be (each week approx.):
3 hours lectures
1 hour tutorial
3 hours lecture preparation/revision
3 hours assignments/quizzes/test preparation