Why are 2 calc classes required for Mgmt major?

gtyellowjackets

gtyellowjackets

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One of the biggest things we can do to help our athletics program graduate and recruit top athletes is reduce the current calculus requirements from 2 semesters to 1 for management majors.

This was standard practice, in GT's IM and Commerce programs, through the late 1950's. Then a full year of calculus was required and the athletics program took a huge hit. It really soured Dood on our future.

Why do we have to make 2 semesters mandatory? I have a Mgmt degree from Tech and an MBA from Emory. We never took Calc at Emory. I'm also a CPA and I've never used one iota of calculus in my entire working career. Do all business schools require a full year of calculus? Do they requrie any calculus?

I just checked the Wharton undergraduate business ciriculum and only one semester of Calculus is required (and I can guarantee GT's calculus class is harder). I don't think GT's 32nd ranked Mgmt program has anything on Wharton's top 3 three Business program.

If someone could show me the practical neccessity of 2 semesters of calc I might change my mind. I can guarantee you can't...
 
To answer your question....

I have no idea why 2 semesters of calc are required.

And I don't care if we change it to 0 semesters of calc required - IF it's the right thing to do from an academic standpoint. But to change it just to help the athletes is absolutely NOT the right thing to do. JMHO.

BTW, I also have a Mgt. degree from Tech.
 
Two things:

1. For management majors, I think that Survey of Calculus and Finite math are required - not necessarily two calcs.

2. I think a calculus class is required because Tech only gives Bachelors of Science degrees, and calc is required for BS's.
 
Although I would have to agree with the theory of yours, I have to say that the 2 calc requirements are like that everywhere for mgmt majors.

Although I didn't go to tech, I graduated with a degree in Marketing from another in state institution and 2 calc classes were required there as well.

I think that it may be a standard across the board, but I'm not sure on that.
 
Re: To answer your question....

It didn't used to be required - My Mgt degree came with three Math for Management Classes (lots of athletes in there btw) and zero calcs. Granted we covered some Calc 5 material in MFM 1 - but I was glad to get out without having to face Calc.
 
Re: To answer your question....

I was a MGMT major, coming in during quarters, and graduating under semesters. I actually wanted to take real calc for some stupid reason, so did that my first quarter and then decided to switch back to the mgmt math classes. Of the two semester classes, one of them does cover some calc, but when compared to the calc 1 class I had taken, the mgmt class was definitely at a much lower level.
 
Re: Why are 2 calc classes required for Mgmt major

[ QUOTE ]
I'm also a CPA and I've never used one iota of calculus in my entire working career. Do all business schools require a full year of calculus? Do they requrie any calculus?

[/ QUOTE ]

I think pretty much any proffesion could say that. How many people really use calculus on a daily basis, I would bet almost none, but you use a lot of formulas and such derived from it.
 
Re: Why are 2 calc classes required for Mgmt major

[ QUOTE ]
I think pretty much any proffesion could say that. How many people really use calculus on a daily basis, I would bet almost none, but you use a lot of formulas and such derived from it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh come on, now! Are you really trying to make anyone think that you don't find happiness in sitting down with a six pack of Bud, a #2 pencil and a calculus textbook just for the fun of it? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/drinking.gif
 
Re: Why are 2 calc classes required for Mgmt major

Calculus isn't requred, as mentioned earlier a finite math class and a survey of calculus class is required. I don't agree with diluting the requirements for Mgt. majors just for the sake of the athletes. Instead, we should add another major that would be easier than MGT if SA's are really having a problem with MGT, which I find hard to believe.
 
Re: Why are 2 calc classes required for Mgmt major

Why would you find it hard to believe? Most top notch HS football players would have trouble with a mgt degree at most schools, much less Tech's more quantitative model. That's why so many are majoring in the things they do. If you don't think that even the level of math required in Mgt isn't above the capabilities of the majority of today's HS graduates, you haven't spent much time around HS lately. And even if they can do it, they don't want to when they can go elsewhere and avoid math at all or take much more basic courses.
 
Re: Why are 2 calc classes required for Mgmt major

The level of math requirements at GT were and still are above the norm when compared to most schools, I know this from experience.

The main reason I ended up attending UGA over GT was because during my first year of college I wanted to attend a smaller school to adjust to being in college, so I attended West Georgia College in Carrollton (many of my HS friends did the same thing, with plans of moving on to GT, Auburn, Clemson, etc. respectively after a year or two). I was a very good math student and tested well enough that I was placed in an advanced math class right away at WGC ...pre-calculus and advanced trig IIRC.

Anyway, I had friends at UGA who wanted me to room with them, so I applied to both GT and UGA during my freshman year at WGC. The heart of the matter is that UGA accepted me right away and GT was requiring me to take Calculus over the summer in order that I would be accepted.

Even though I was a very good math student (aced the classes I had at WGC) it still wasn't good enough for GT. Well, as my diploma hanging on the wall confirms, I went to UGA, and often look back on what might have happened if I would have taken the summer Calculus class and enrolled at GT. Not that I haven't done well with my Mathematics/Statistics degree from UGA, because I have. But I do look back and wonder how I would have cut it at Tech ...probably the one choice I made in life that I would like to have a do-over on, out of curiousity, not necessity.

Funny that as I think back on it, only the one friend who was planning on transferring to Clemson actually wound up where he had planned to go. Me, the GT guy, and my roommate, the Auburn guy, both ended up at UGA. Another Clemson guy, GT guy and UGA guy, all ended up staying in Carrollton and graduating from WGC.

Didn't mean to hijack this thread and turn it into a story about the college choices of all my HS friends, but I have wanted to post on StingTalk at some point why a lifelong GT fan ends up graduating from UGA. The math topic seemed like the perfect opportunity. So there you have it.
 
Re: Why are 2 calc classes required for Mgmt major

Good posts, '65 and NC. Indeed, the academic difficulty in quantitative courses is much more challenging to most athletes than in the liberal arts courses. My son played football with a great D1 recruit this year who needs his tutoring help to qualify for the ACC school here in this state where he signed in February. Where is his great need for help? Math first, science second. Writing a "C" or "D" paper proves easier than getting a "70" or "80" in a quantitative course.

Our Institute of Technolgy is harder for many of the 4 and 5 star athletes. It is harder to get in and harder to be successful. That is a given.

That is why I believe Tech football over the past 30 years has had its high water marks when the team has displayed an incredible work ethic. We will not out recruit in football. But, we can outwork. Sign good kids, work 'em silly to get bigger, stronger, faster, build a great team spirit, and the success will come.
 
Re: Why are 2 calc classes required for Mgmt major

Good post. My son recently received his acceptance-can wait list or start this summer and is in. He is taking summer at GT over Alabama, FSU, UT and Mercer.

He can do the work but I will encourage Survery of Calc and Finite Math since he is going into the B school. Tech is hard enough without looking for trouble.
 
Re: Why are 2 calc classes required for Mgmt major

And make sure he holds onto that course handbook. I laughed when I was told it was my 'contract' with Ma Tech when I was a freshman, but found it quite useful when Ma told me as a graduating senior that a soph class I took wouldn't count towards graduation (credit rules changed during my time there on some of the classes). Marched in with the handbook, pointed out that it counted and all was fixed.
 
Re: Why are 2 calc classes required for Mgmt major

WoW!, good job. Sounds like some excellent advice.
(Man, that would have sucked!)
 
Re: Why are 2 calc classes required for Mgmt major

Good advice. Never focused on such a thing but I get it.
 
So we can always have a justification for not winning more. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugher.gif
 
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