The pathway below represents an efficient and effective course taking sequence for this program. Individual circumstances might require some changes to this pathway. It is always recommended that you meet with an academic counselor to develop a personalized educational plan.
The courses have been intentionally placed and should be prioritized in
the order
in which they appear. If you are unable to take all the courses in
a semester, you
should prioritize enrolling in the courses in the order below.
Some courses have
been noted as “Appropriate for Intersession” . Should you need (or want) to take
classes
in the summer and/or winter intersessions,
the program recommends these courses as appropriate for the condensed
schedule of
the intersessions.
Some pathways combine a “Certificate of Achievement” and an “Associate
Degree”. If
you are pursuing only the Certificate of Achievement, you are only
required to take
the courses marked “Program Requirement” .
All pathways include at least one “Gateway Course” which introduces you to the program and/or field of study and helps you
decide if you want to continue with this Academic and Career Path.
Most Associate degrees (though not Associate Degrees for Transfer)
require satisfying the SMC Global Citizenship requirement. If the Program
Requirements do not include a “Global Citizenship course” , be sure to select a General Education course that also satisfies Global Citizenship.
Upon successful completion of the Santa Monica College’s AS-T in Mathematics, the student will have a strong academic foundation in the field and be prepared for upper division baccalaureate study. This coursework will satisfy most of the lower-division Mathematics requirements at many institutions at both the University of California and the California State University systems. This degree is intended for students who are interested in the theory of Mathematics and are planning to transfer to a four-year university and majoring in Mathematics, Physics, Engineering, or Computer Science.
Associate Degree for Transfer Requirements:
- Completion of 60 semester units or 90 quarter units of degree-applicable courses,
- Minimum overall grade point average of 2.0,
- Minimum grade of “C” (or “P”) for each course in the major, and
- Completion of Cal-GETC
Upon completion of the program, students will:
- Upon completion of the program, students will demonstrate an appreciation and understanding of mathematics in order to develop creative and logical solutions to various abstract and practical problems. Furthermore, given a mathematical situation, the student will be able to critically analyze it, determine an appropriate strategy to address it, and implement the strategy to find the solution.
Icon Key
-
Gateway Course
-
Program Requirement
-
General Education
-
Appropriate for Intersession
-
Available Online
-
Global Citizenship
NOTE: This transfer and/or degree program utilizes Cal-GETC as the required General Education pattern. If you started college before Fall 2025, you MAY be able to use either CSU GE or IGETC. You should meet with a counselor to discuss which general education pattern is appropriate for you.
Semester 1
14 Units
An intensive preparation for calculus. This course is intended for computer science, engineering, mathematics and natural science majors. Topics include algebraic, exponential, logarithmic and trigonometric functions and their inverses and identities, conic sections, sequences, series, the binomial theorem and mathematical induction.
- Prerequisite: MATH 20 and
- Prerequisite: MATH 32
- 2A: Mathematic
- B4 - Mathematics/Quantitative Thinking
- Area IV-B: Language and Rationality (Group B) Option 1
- Area 2: Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning
- 2: Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning
In this course, students receive instruction in academic reading and writing, including writing processes, effective use of language, analytical thinking, and the foundations of academic research.
- Prerequisite: Placement as determined by the college’s multiple measures assessment process
- 1A: English Composition
- A2 - Written Communication
- Area IV-A: Language and Rationality (Group A)
- Area 1A. English Composition
- 1A: English Composition
Cal-GETC Area 4 Course 3 units

This course provides an exploration of intellectual, psychological, social and physical factors that impact lifelong learning, well-being and success. Topics include motivation and self-efficacy; critical thinking, academic integrity and active study strategies; health issues and lifestyle choices; relating to others as a global citizen; written and oral communication; time management; career exploration; and educational planning.
- E - Lifelong Understanding and Self-Development
Semester 2
14 Units
This first course in calculus is intended primarily for science, technology, engineering and mathematics majors. Topics include limits, continuity, and derivatives and integrals of algebraic and trigonometric functions, with mathematical and physical applications.
- Prerequisite: MATH 2 or
- Prerequisite: MATH 3 and
- Prerequisite: MATH 4
- 2A: Mathematic
- B4 - Mathematics/Quantitative Thinking
- Area IV-B: Language and Rationality (Group B) Option 1
- Area 2: Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning
- 2: Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning
In this course, students receive instruction in critical thinking for purposes of constructing, evaluating, and composing arguments in a variety of rhetorical forms, using primarily non-fiction texts, refining writing skills and research strategies developed in ENGL C1000 Academic Reading and Writing (or C-ID ENGL 100) or similar first-year college writing course.
- Prerequisite: ENGL C1000
- Prerequisite: College-level composition (ENGL C1000/ ENGL C1000H/ ENGL C1000E/C-ID ENGL 100) or equivalent
- 1B: Critical Thinking-English Composition
- 3B: Humanities
- A3 - Critical Thinking
- C2 - Humanities
- Area 1B. Oral Communication and Critical Thinking
- Area 3: Arts and Humanities
- 1B: Critical Thinking and Composition
- 3B: Humanities
US HIST course recommended for CSU graduation requirement
See the full list: Cal-GETC Area 3B Course
Cal-GETC Area 5B Course 3 units
Semester 3
15 Units
This second course in calculus is intended primarily for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics majors. Topics include derivatives and integrals of transcendental functions with mathematical and physical applications, indeterminate forms and improper integrals, infinite sequences and series, and curves, including conic sections, described by parametric equations and polar coordinates.
- Prerequisite: MATH 7
- 2A: Mathematic
- B4 - Mathematics/Quantitative Thinking
- Area IV-B: Language and Rationality (Group B) Option 1
- Area 2: Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning
- 2: Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning
PHYSCS 8 or 21 recommended
See the full list: Cal-GETC Area 5C Course
POLS C1000 ( or POL SC 1) recommended for CSU graduation requirement
See the full list: Cal-GETC Area 4 Course
Transferable Elective Course 3 units
Semester 4
14 Units
Topics include vectors and analytic geometry in two and three dimensions, vector functions with applications, partial derivatives, extrema, Lagrange Multipliers, multiple integrals with applications, vector fields. Green's Theorem, the Divergence Theorem, and Stokes' Theorem.
- Prerequisite: MATH 8
- 2A: Mathematic
- B4 - Mathematics/Quantitative Thinking
- Area IV-B: Language and Rationality (Group B) Option 1
- Area 2: Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning
- 2: Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning
Cal-GETC Area 1C Course 3 units

Cal-GETC Area 3A Course 3 units

Cal-GETC Area 6 Course 3 units
Semester 5
6-8 Units
Topics include matrices and linear transformations, abstract vector spaces and subspaces, linear independence and bases, determinants, systems of linear equations, eigenvalues and eigenvectors.
- Prerequisite: MATH 8
- 2A: Mathematic
- B4 - Mathematics/Quantitative Thinking
- Area IV-B: Language and Rationality (Group B) Option 1
- Area 2: Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning
- 2: Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning
This course is intended for computer science, engineering, and mathematics majors. Topics include proof techniques, cardinality of sets, partial orderings and equivalence relations, symbolic logic and valid arguments, permutations and combinations with repetition, and an introduction to graph theory.
- Prerequisite: MATH 8
- 2A: Mathematic
- B4 - Mathematics/Quantitative Thinking
- Area IV-B: Language and Rationality (Group B) Option 1
- Area 2: Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning
- 2: Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning
This course is an introduction to ordinary differential equations. Topics include first order equations, linear equations, reduction of order, variation of parameters, spring motion and other applications, Cauchy-Euler equations, power series solutions, Laplace transform, and systems of linear differential equations.
- Prerequisite: MATH 8
- 2A: Mathematic
- B4 - Mathematics/Quantitative Thinking
- Area IV-B: Language and Rationality (Group B) Option 1
- Area 2: Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning
- 2: Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning
This course is a calculus-based study of the mechanics of solids and liquids, elastic properties of matter, heat, and wave motion.
- Prerequisite: MATH 7
- 5A: Physical Science
- 5C: Physical or Biological Science LABORATORY
- B1 - Physical Science
- B3 - Laboratory Sciences
- Area I: Natural Science
- Area 5: Natural Sciences
- 5A: Physical Science
- 5C: Laboratory
This course is a calculus-based study of the mechanics of rigid bodies, emphasizing Newton’s laws and its applications. This course includes an introduction to fluids. It is designed for engineering, physical science, and computer science majors.
- Prerequisite: MATH 7
- 5A: Physical Science
- 5C: Physical or Biological Science LABORATORY
- B1 - Physical Science
- B3 - Laboratory Sciences
- Area I: Natural Science
- Area 5: Natural Sciences
- 5A: Physical Science
- 5C: Laboratory


