The Courses and Curricula Committee approved a proposal this week to change the prerequisites for Math 1550.
Under the new proposal, students will have to pass an online test with at least a 65 percent to gain placement in Math 1550.
A third party company ALEKS – Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces – will provide online testing services.
The test is taken at home, costs $25 and can be repeated as many times as necessary to achieve an acceptable score.
There is no repeat fee if the test is retaken within a six week period.
The ALEKS program also offers tutoring at no additional charge for students who wish to improve scores.
Lawrence Rouse, chair of the Courses and Curricula Committee, said testing is a more accurate method of determining if students have had proper preparation for Math 1550.
“It lets us know that students have a reasonable chance of getting a C or better in calculus,” Rouse said.
Thomas Rodgers, student representative on the Courses and Curricula Committee, previously told The Daily Reveille he was concerned the proposal set a dangerous precedent by replacing college courses with a third party exam.
“You have to take tests to place into courses already,” Rouse said. “[ALEKS] is very similar to other exams; it’s just a test created outside the