General Education Information

What is Math Pathways?

Math Pathways is a national mathematics reform movement that empowers students by providing a modern mathematics education. Research from the Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR) and from the Mathematical Association of America has identified math courses as the most significant barrier to degree completion. KBOR seeks to implement proven practices that remove these obstacles by working with the Charles A. Dana Center at the University of Texas at Austin. Kansas is now one of 22 states participating in this movement.

Math Pathways includes key components such as the selection of gateway math courses to fulfill the general education requirement, multiple placement measures, and corequisite developmental support when needed, all focused on equipping students with the skills that align with the learning outcomes and requirements of their major.

All public, post-secondary institutions in Kansas are launching Math Pathways in Fall 2025.

How Can It Help?

A student’s math pathway ensures their math experiences are designed to be relevant to their academic program and career.

Here's how it works:

• We collaborate with faculty in a student’s major to select a gateway math course with content that’s relevant to the student’s future.
• We offer various ways for a student to demonstrate their readiness for college-level math—it's not just about a score on a single standardized test!
• If a student needs support during their gateway math course, we’ve got them covered with additional resources available while they take the math general education course. They won’t have to take another course first just to prepare.

Math Pathways Courses

The PSU gateway math pathways courses include:

• MATH 113 College Algebra
• MATH 143 Elementary Statistics
• MATH 133 Quantitative Reasoning

Several Engineering Technology, Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics programs require Calculus I in their curriculum. For these programs, KBOR has granted an exception, allowing them to begin their four-year degree maps with MATH 150 Calculus I. Students not Calculus-ready will begin with the gateway math course identified for their program.

The PSU list of math gateway courses by program is available here.

Math Corequisite Support

PSU will pilot math corequisite support in Fall 2025 with full implementation in Fall 2026.  The pilot program will include the addition of a limited number of corequisite math courses. Some students will be required to enroll in a corequisite math course during the pilot program. 

Enrollment in corequisite math support will be determined by such measures as ACT scores, high school GPA, high school course grades and placement tests.

English and Math Corequisite Support Education

Students needing additional help in ENGL 101 or their gateway Math Pathway course will take a corequisite course. Corequisite courses are taken alongside ENGL 101 or the gateway Math Pathway course, allowing students to enroll without completing a pre-requisite course.

All public, post-secondary institutions in the state of Kansas will implement corequisite support education in Fall 2026 with a pilot program beginning in Fall 2025 with a select group of students.

Who Completes Corequisites?

Enrollment in corequisite support education will be determined by such placement measures as ACT scores, high school GPA, high school course grades, and placement tests. Based on these measures, some students will be required to enroll in corequisite courses for ENGL 101, their gateway Math pathway course or both. If a student needs support, we’ve got them covered with addition resources available while they take the course!

Statewide Placement Measures

PSU offers various ways for a student to demonstrate their readiness for college-level English and Math – it’s not just about a score on a standardized test.

Statewide placement into ENGL 101 without corequisite support

Needs to have one of the following:

• ACT sub-score of 18+ in Reading and 18+ in English
• 3.0 unweighted cumulative high school grade point average
• ACT sub-score of 16+ in Reading and 16+ in English and B (not B-) in most recent high school English course
• 2.7 unweighted cumulative high school grade point average and B (not B-) in most recent high school English course
• SAT Evidence-based Reading and Writing of 500+
• Accuplacer Reading and Writing scores of 255+ (PSU does not provide this test)

Statewide placement into MATH 113 without corequisite support

Needs to have one of the following:

• ACT sub-score of 22+ in Math
• 3.25 unweighted cumulative high school grade point average (PSU designated placement)
• B- or higher in second semester Algebra II or Integrated Math III (PSU designated placement)
• SAT Math of 540+
• ALEKS PPL 46 or higher (PSU does not provide this test)
• Accuplacer QAS score of 263+ (PSU does not provide this test)

Statewide placement into MATH 133 and MATH 143 without corequisite support

Needs to have one of the following:

• ACT sub-score of 19+ in Math
• 3.00 unweighted cumulative high school grade point average (PSU designated placement)
• C- or higher in second semester Algebra II or Integrated Math III (PSU designated placement)
• SAT Math of 510+
• ALEKS PPL 30 or higher (PSU does not provide this test)
• Accuplacer QAS score of 255+ (PSU does not provide this test)