Undergraduate Course Registration Guidelines

• Biology majors with an Organismal or General Concentration should take the Mathematics-First Pathway and focus on mathematics strengthening and preparation so they are aptly prepared for General Chemistry in their second year. One must take either MATH 108 or MATH 111 as a degree requirement. For students who have not completed 3 years of high school algebra-based math, we recommend taking MATH 102 in the first semester in preparation for MATH 108 in a subsequent semester.
• Biology majors with a Biomedical or General Concentration should take the Chemistry-First Pathway and register for CHEM 105, if they satisfy the criteria given in the “Guidance in Mathematics” section below. See the “How do I know if I’m ready for General Chemistry?” section below to ensure you take the right Chemistry course.
• Biology majors with Teaching Certification should take the Chemistry-First Pathway and register for CHEM 105, if they satisfy the criteria given in the “Guidance in Mathematics” section below. See the “How do I know if I’m ready for General Chemistry?” section below to ensure you take the right Chemistry course.
• Molecular Biology majors should take the Chemistry-First Pathway and register for CHEM 105, if they satisfy the criteria given in the “Guidance in Mathematics” section below. See the “How do I know if I’m ready for General Chemistry?” section below to ensure you take the right Chemistry course.
• Environmental Science majors should take the Mathematics-First Pathway if they have not completed 3 years of high school algebra-based math. MATH 102, while not a degree requirement for this major, is a recommended preparatory course for later success in CHEM 105.
• Biopsychology majors can elect to take the Chemistry-First or Mathematics-First Pathway. Read the criteria given in the “Guidance in Mathematics” and “How do I know if I’m ready for General Chemistry?” sections below to make the most appropriate registration decisions.
• Sustainability Studies majors are not required to take chemistry.
• Students entering under the Student Success Pathway are strongly encouraged to register for MATH 102 in their first semester and no chemistry course. Although MATH 102 is not a degree requirement, the course is excellent preparation for success in chemistry later.

• Before taking chemistry or calculus, some students benefit from strengthening their mathematical skills. If students have taken and earned an A or B in Advanced Mathematics, Algebra 3, Precalculus, or Calculus, then they can decide to take the Chemistry-First Pathway and register for CHEM 105 - General Chemistry I.
• If they have not taken Algebra 3, Precalculus, or Calculus or have received a C+ or lower, then they should take the Mathematics-First Pathway and are advised to enroll in MATH 102 and NOT IN CHEM 105 in the first semester.
• MATH 102 - The Mathematics of Growth presents essential concepts in mathematical modeling, data analysis, and problem solving through contemporary applications. Course content includes arithmetic, quadratic, geometric, and logistic growth, as well as topics in statistics such as the graphical interpretation of data and statistical techniques.
• Though not a required course for majors in Biology or Environmental Science, MATH 102 provides excellent preparation for success in CHEM 105 and MATH 108 in later semesters. Sections of MATH 102 are offered during both the fall and spring semesters.
• Alternatively, MATH 105 - Precalculus for the Sciences is designed to strengthen and increase the understanding of algebraic and trigonometric concepts in preparation for MATH 111 - Calculus I.
• Topics include inequalities, polynomials, linear and quadratic equations, rational functions, logarithmic and exponential

Students who have never taken high school chemistry must start with CHEM 101 Introductory College Chemistry. Those with a foundation in high school chemistry can register for CHEM 105 General Chemistry I. 

A solid grasp of algebra is critical for success in General Chemistry. On the first day of class, students in CHEM 105 will take a brief math readiness assessment. Those identified as needing additional math preparation may be directed to CHEM 101 or a supporting math course (MATH 102 or MATH 105) For those starting with CHEM 101 or choosing additional math preparation in the fall semester, CHEM 105 is also offered in the Spring and CHEM 106 is taught in the summer. As such, these students can be ‘on track’ to start Organic Chemistry in their sophomore year!

Alternatively, most students in the Biological Sciences can delay General Chemistry until their sophomore year and still graduate on time; talk with your academic advisor about your specific situation.

Biology, Biology with Teaching Certification, and Molecular Biology each require calculus(one semester) and statistics. Environmental Science, Sustainability Studies, and Biopsychology require only statistics. Neither calculus nor statistics needs to be taken in the first semester. Students in Biology, Biology with Teaching Certification, and Molecular Biology should take calculus within their first two years, prior to taking physics. Either MATH 108 or MATH 111 satisfies the calculus requirement (and medical schools). MATH 108 Intuitive Calculus with Applications does not include trigonometric functions. MATH 111 - Calculus I covers a narrower breadth of calculus in more depth and includes an interactive lab component.

General Chemistry I and II at Messiah University are standard, college-level chemistry courses for science and engineering majors, and some health program majors. General Chemistry I (CHEM 105) does have a prerequisite of high school chemistry.   

If you have not taken high school chemistry, you cannot enroll in General Chemistry I.  

In addition to the high school chemistry prerequisite, all students will be required to earn a satisfactory score on a 20-point math assessment on the first day of class. This assessment is taken without a calculator and emphasizes a conceptual understanding of numbers, decimals, units, exponential notation, fractions, multiplication, square roots, some algebra and the balancing of chemical equations.

Those who have not taken high school chemistry or receive a non-satisfactory score on the math assessment, must enroll in our Introductory College Chemistry course, CHEM 101. This class uses the same text as General Chemistry, but moves at a slower pace, focusing intentionally on the mathematics needed for success in chemistry courses.  It is offered in the fall semester.  It does not have a laboratory component and thus CHEM 101 does not meet any general education requirements.

Chemical Science (CHEM 103) is offered every fall semester, and is an introduction to general, organic and biochemistry, and is required for nursing majors and other pre-health professionals.   High school chemistry is strongly recommended as a prerequisite to this course, but it is not an absolute requirement.   There is NO placement process for this course.   However, if you did not take high school chemistry or suspect that your chemistry background is weak, you might consider taking CHEM 101 in preparation for CHEM 103.

The following flow chart will help you make the right decision when registering for your fall chemistry course.

Messiah University offers a traditional Calculus course sequence (MATH 111 Calculus l, MATH 112 Calculus ll, MATH 211 Calculus lll). Each of these courses has an accompanying “L – Lab” section for applied problem-solving work. Proficiency in high school-level algebra and trigonometry is necessary for success in Calculus l.  We offer two supporting courses for those who need to strengthen the mathematical background needed to succeed in calculus. MATH 105, Pre-calculus for the Sciences, is a three-credit traditional pre-calculus course, intended to provide a foundation in algebra and trigonometry before taking calculus. This course also satisfies the general education mathematical sciences requirement. MATH 105 is offered in the fall semester and is also offered online in the late summer session (July 5 - August 15, 2026) at a discounted rate of $150/credit ($450 total) for those who need calculus for their major. Information about summer online courses is available at messiah.edu/summer-online/. June 30 is the last day for incoming students to apply for the summer session in time to start the class on July 5. MATH 103, Supplemental Calculus, is a one-credit course offered in fall and spring that is designed to be taken concurrently with MATH 111. MATH 103 covers important pre-requisite skills in algebra and trigonometry. 

To determine calculus placement, all students registered for MATH 111/111L must complete one of the following three options: 

1) Submit an SAT-MATH score of 600+ or ACT-MATH of 25+. Contact your admissions counselor if you have standardized scores at this level that have not already been submitted to Messiah. If you have already submitted these scores to the university, you do not need to submit them again. Students who have submitted these scores do not need to enroll in MATH 103 in the fall.  

2) Sit for a calculus placement exam on campus during the summer at one of the available placement test proctoring times. The placement exam is a paper exam, without the use of a calculator, that takes no more than an hour to complete. We encourage students to take the exam in June, since this allows the option of registering for MATH 105 Precalculus for the Sciences in the Late Summer online session. 

If your major requires CHEM 105, you may take the chemistry placement exam this summer on the same date as the calculus placement exam.  

3) Sit for a calculus placement exam during Orientation, on Monday, Aug 24, 8:30 am in F349.     

If you have questions, contact Dr. Nicholas Weaver, Department Chair, Computing, Mathematics, Physics neweaver@messiah.edu 717.796.1800 ext. 2248. 

The following flowchart is intended to guide you through the best course sequence for yourself:

Should you have questions, please contact Angela Hare, Interim Department Chair Computing, Mathematics, Physics ahare@messiah.edu or 717-796-1800 ext. 2285.

More information about preparing for Calculus can be found in the "Getting Ready for Calculus" section. 

After registration for MATH 111 (Calculus I), you will get access to an online “Calculus I Readiness” resource site on Canvas (our learning management system). There you will be able to work through a number of review modules, as well as take a self-assessment test to determine on what topics you should spend more time reviewing/learning.

We recommend that you take the self-assessment test in June, in order to leave all options open to brush up your skills over the summer. We will provide recommendations based on your results.

• Self-study—Use the resources and review modules on the Calculus I Readiness Canvas site to self-study the topics you need the most.  
• Register for Messiah’s summer MATH 105, Pre-calculus for the Sciences—This three-credit course is online and asynchronous (no prescribed meeting time) and provides instruction that aligns with our MATH 111/111L course. To enroll in the MATH 105 Summer session (July 5 - August 15, 2026), please visit the Summer Online webpage and follow instructions for registration.  A summer tuition discount in MATH 105 is offered to students enrolled in MATH 111/111L in the fall 2026 semester. The discount rate is $450 for the course. Should you later decide to drop calculus, this course will meet the general education mathematical science requirement, so it will be useful regardless.
• Take a pre-calculus course of your choice— Many universities and community colleges offer pre-calculus courses. 
• NOTE: Asynchronous online instruction offers flexibility and requires good time management skills. Success in any class, especially a challenging math class, requires serious commitment! 

Students registered for MATH 111 will take a Proficiency Test during new student orientation. Please review the schedule for dates and times (results will be communicated to student/advisor the same day). Proficiency test content is similar to the summer Assessment Test, and the score will determine the student’s mathematics course placement. The academic advisor will assist with course placement dependent upon the test outcome.

• Placement in MATH 111/111L—If the score demonstrates proficiency in algebra and trigonometry, student will remain in MATH 111/111L. MATH 103 co-requisite will be automatically dropped by the Registrar. 
• Placement in MATH 111/111L AND MATH 103—If the score demonstrates that the student will benefit from algebra/trigonometry support while progressing with calculus, the student will remain enrolled in MATH 111/111L and MATH 103 (Supplemental Calculus). 
• Recommended for MATH 105—If the score shows that additional algebra/trigonometry support will be needed in order to ensure academic success in calculus, registration in MATH 105 is strongly recommended. 

All students at Messiah University must satisfy a second language requirement. This requirement may be fulfilled by taking courses in Chinese, French, German, Greek, Hebrew or Spanish. If you have already studied one of these languages, we encourage you to continue the study of that language during your first year at Messiah, and we would like to help you in the registration process.

Students with a background in Chinese, French, German, or Spanish may register for the appropriate level of language per the chart provided below. 

• French, German, or Spanish: For students interested in taking the placement test for French, German, or Spanish, attend the testing session scheduled on August 26. Please reference the New Student Orientation Schedule for details. No pre-registration required. 
• Chinese: For students interested in taking the placement test for Chinese, please contact Associate Professor of Chinese, Dr. Stella Ye, to schedule an appointment and to request any additional information: lye@messiah.edu. 
• Hebrew and Greek: For students interested in taking the placement tests in Hebrew or Greek, please contact the Biblical, Religious and Philosophical Studies Department Chair, Dr. Shelly Skinner, to schedule an appointment and to request any additional information: sskinner@messiah.edu. 

If English is your second language, you may be eligible for a Language and Intercultural Perspectives-Global Waiver. Contact the Office of the Registrar for more information: registrar@messiah.edu.

If you are a student in need of academic accommodations and you qualify for extra time on exams, please arrange to take your language placement test with the Office of Academic Accessibility by emailing Amy Slody, Director of the Academic Success Center: aslody@messiah.edu.

Students with advanced language proficiency in a language not offered at Messiah can opt to take a language placement test through NYU at their cost. Visit the NYU website at this link to find which languages are offered at NYU.   Students may contact NYU directly (212-998-7030) or complete an on-line registration to take the 12-point exam at Messiah University or remotely.  See the Testing Process for off-site exam information.  Students may contact Kerry Hasler-Brooks at khasler@messiah.edu requesting the required letter to submit to NYU to have an exam proctored at Messiah University and to make on-campus exam arrangements.

For additional information about language requirements and testing, please review the Language, Literature and Writing webpage.