Math Placement

Math Placement and Testing 

The Mathematical and Statistical Science department has mechanisms to determine which math course students are prepared to take.  They also provide ways for students to improve their math skills and to become better prepared for certain classes. 

Specific recommended ALEKS scores​ for individual classes are established by the Math Department.

​CU Denver places the utmost importance on high-quality education and student success. For those reasons, we have implemented the ALEKS Placement, Preparation and Learning Assessment (ALEKS) for all students requiring a STEM math pathway course. The STEM math pathway consists of four possible course levels: College Algebra, Trigonometry, Pre-Calculus, and Calculus. This assessment is designed to help you take the highest level math course for which you are prepared to succeed.

ALEKS is more than a placement assessment; it is a tool that supports your learning. It is designed to help you recall previously learned material and build your math skills. After you complete the assessment, a set of modules will be created for you based on your areas for mathematical growth. You can work through those modules and retake the assessment up to four more times, and the highest score you earn is the one that will count.

Depending on the math requirements for your degree, making use of ALEKS could save you a semester of math, and possibly valuable tuition dollars. It is a study tool designed to help you succeed in getting where you want to go most efficiently. 

When you are ready, please access the ALEKS Placement Assessment. For more information on the ALEKS, please see the ALEKS informational document​. 

For further details about math placement, training and testing visit the Undergraduate Academic Advising website