Starting in fall 2010, two new classes will be added for Economics and Business majors that plan on applying to Cal State Universities.

In the fall California State University of Long Beach and California State University of Fullerton will no longer accept the two core transferable economics classes without an intermediate algebra prerequisite, Math 80.

Keenan stated, “the old prerequisite was Math 40 so it is jumping up there.”

“It started with Cal State University of Long Beach making a request to community colleges that they will only accept Economics 201 and 202, which is Principals of Macroeconomics and Principals of Micro economics with and intermediate algebra prerequisite,” Diane Keenan, chair of economics stated.

“Then Cal State Fullerton indicated the same position since we send so many transferring students,” she added.

A student looking into transferring into a Cal State University will need to register into the M section of Economics 201 and Economics 202 after meeting the Math 80 requirement.

Business majors will also be affected by the change because they need the two classes to transfer as well as Economics majors.

Keenan stated, “they are arguing that our students are not mathematically prepared enough for the level math they have in the upper division.”

The M sections will have more mathematical types of case studies that will have students apply more algebra which will help them when they get to the upper division.

“We have a sentence in the summer catalog to give students a heads up that by the Fall of 2010 the Cal State University system will require intermediate algebra as a prerequisite for Economics 201 and 202,” she said.

The change in math prerequisite can potentially slow down some students.

“Let’s say you don’t have the math and you thought you were going to take your economics in the fall, it’s going to slow you down,” Keenan stated.

Keenan continued, “if a student gets in the wrong section it’s not a big deal, we will just change a section for them.”