Calculus Courses

MATH 211: Survey of Calculus 1

MATH 211 is a first-semester survey of calculus course without trigonometry.

MATH 211 is only a prerequisite for MATH 213, and no other math courses. Students with credit for MATH 221 are not eligible for MATH 211. 

• Students cannot take the MATH 211/213 course sequence and then continue into the “main” calculus sequence (MATH 222 and MATH 234). For this reason, students should take MATH 221 if there is even the slightest chance they will require or want further mathematics courses.
• Students who take MATH 211 and change their mind later will be required to go back to MATH 221. Students who complete MATH 211 but did not place directly into MATH 221 will need to go back and take the MATH 221 prerequisite coursework or retake the placement test. MATH 211 is not a prerequisite to MATH 221.

MATH 211 is primarily taken by students whose majors or programs of interest do not require MATH 221 and will accept MATH 211—such as some programs in the Wisconsin School of Business and the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences—or who are certain do not need MATH 221 to meet course prerequisites (like those for MATH 222, MATH/COMP SCI 240, PHYSICS 201 or 207, etc.).

Who should take MATH 211?

MATH 211 is great for students who…

• would like to take a calculus course but do not need MATH 221 for satisfying course prerequisites or major requirements.
• are not planning on taking the “main” calculus sequence (MATH 221, 222, or 234) or further math coursework (like MATH 340) besides MATH 213.
• have had a conversation with their academic advisor and have determined that MATH 211 is satisfactory for their needs.

Important Considerations

Pre-business students (those looking to apply to the Wisconsin School of Business but as of yet are not admitted) should strongly consider MATH 221 as an alternative to MATH 211. MATH 211 has less utility outside of the Wisconsin School of Business as it is often not accepted as an alternative course to MATH 221 for program requirements and course prerequisites. MATH 211 is also not an acceptable prerequisite course for MATH 221, and if a student takes MATH 211 they may need to complete MATH 221’s prerequisite coursework (depending on placement).

Students should have a conversation with their academic advisor if they are uncertain about which course is most appropriate for them.

MATH 213: Survey of Calculus 2

MATH 213 is a second survey-level calculus course designed to follow MATH 211. The course covers further topics in calculus, including some topics from differential equations. As with MATH 211, this course does not use trigonometric functions.

Who should take MATH 213?

This course is primarily designed for finance majors in the Wisconsin School of Business. Students with credit for MATH 234 are not eligible for MATH 213.

MATH 221: Calculus and Analytic Geometry 1

MATH 221 is a first-semester calculus course with trigonometric functions. It covers differential calculus and the beginning of integral calculus.

MATH 221 is the most commonly taken calculus course at UW-Madison, and is accepted as a prerequisite for MATH 222, which then leads to the rest of the mathematics curriculum (MATH 234, 340, etc.).

Who should take MATH 221?

MATH 221 is great for students who…

• are interested in a widely-applicable and flexible first-semester calculus course which satisfies many course prerequisites or program requirements that require calculus.
• are interested in pursuing further math coursework, such as MATH 222, MATH 234, MATH 319, MATH 340, etc.

MATH 222: Calculus and Analytic Geometry 2

MATH 222 is a second-semester calculus course with trigonometric functions. It covers techniques of integration, sequences, and series. It also includes a brief introduction to differential equations and a brief introduction to vectors.

Who should take MATH 222?

MATH 222 is great for students who…

• are interested in a widely-applicable and flexible second-semester calculus course which satisfies many course prerequisites or program requirements that require calculus.
• are interested in pursuing further math coursework, such as MATH 234, MATH 319, MATH 340, etc.

MATH 234: Calculus–Functions of Several Variables

MATH 234 is a third-semester calculus course. It is the study of multivariable functions, including an introduction to vectors and concluding with topics in vector calculus that are essential in physics and certain areas of engineering.

Who should take MATH 234?

MATH 234 is great for students who…

• are interested in studying calculus of more than one variable, which is frequently required by course prerequisites or program requirements that require calculus.
• are interested in pursuing more advanced mathematics courses, including possibly majoring in mathematics.

MATH 375/376: Topics in Multi-Variable Calculus & Differential Equations

MATH 375/376 is a year-long, rigorous, proofs-based honors calculus sequence.

MATH 375/376 serves as a more theoretical and advanced alternative to multi-variable calculus (MATH 234), differential equations (MATH 319), and linear algebra (MATH 341). The goal of these courses is to provide highly motivated and well-prepared students with an opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of these fundamental areas of mathematics.

Who should take MATH 375/376?

MATH 375/376 is great for students who…

• are looking for a rigorous challenge.
• do not have credit for any of MATH 234, 319, 320, 340, or 341 (due to content overlap).
• are interested in pursuing higher-level mathematics coursework for which proofs experience is required.

The Honors Calculus: MATH 375/376 page has more detailed information on enrollment requirements, considerations, FAQs, and how to enroll.