Quantitative Applications (QA)

Students will:

1. Students will identify the appropriate quantitative methods needed to solve domain specific problems.
2. Students will apply appropriate quantitative methods to formulate solutions to domain specific problems.
3. Students will solve domain specific problems through quantitative reasoning.

Courses in this category:

1. Courses in this category require students to solve problems through the manipulation or analysis of numerical data within a specific domain.
2. Courses in this category require students to identify, select, and recognize numerical data appropriate to solving specific problems, within a specified domain.
3. Courses in this category require students to draw inferences and/or conclusions from visual, numeric, symbolic, and verbal representations of information, within a specified domain,
4. Courses in this category include as assessment assignment that requires students to demonstrate each of the skill in the Quantitative Applications Assessment Rubric. This assessment assignment should be one of the following: a homework assignment an objective exam, an essay question on a n exam. an essay, or a research paper.

Students may apply to fulfill the QA requirement through a co-curricular activity. These criteria apply to experiences that meet the QA curricular requirement and describe the characteristics of the experience, the steps a student must follow to petition the experience for approval, and the number and types of assignments students must submit to satisfy the requirement.

1. Activities in fulfillment of this requirement must be approved in advance. Students must submit a pre-approval petition and must obtain verification of participation.
2. Activities in fulfillment of this requirement require students to spend at least 15 total hours solving problems through the manipulation or analysis of numerical data within a specified domain.
3. Activities in fulfillment of this requirement require students to identify, select, and organize numerical data appropriate to solving specific problems within a specified domain.
4. Activities in fulfillment of this requirement require students to draw inferences and/or conclusions from visual, numeric, symbolic, and verbal representations of information, within a specified domain.
5. Students fulfilling Quantitative Applications through an activity must submit either samples of work completed during the activity that demonstrate the student solving problems through the manipulation or analysis of numerical data or a written reflection of approximately 1000 words that responds to the following prompt:

• 
  Please describe in detail the activity you used to complete the Quantitative Applications requirement. In your reflection, answer the following questions. How did you meet the requirement of using quantitative data to solve problems? What resources did you use to understand how best to solve the problems through quantitative reasoning? Who provided feedback on your problem-solving method? How did your ability to solve problems through quantitative reasoning improve?
  

Domain: A specific area of activity, expertise, or knowledge.

Manipulation or analysis of numerical data: Performing a technique in order to aggregate isolated information into a value or representation that can allow for appropriate interpretation in the context of the data.

Students may use pre-matriculation transfer coursework, concurrent enrollment, dual-credit, and test credit (AP or IB) to satisfy Graduation requirements. The coursework must be college-level, credit-bearing work, taken and passed for a letter grade. Students must receive SMU transfer credit for the course.

Courses that transfer in with an SMU equivalent number (for example FREN 2401) will automatically satisfy any Proficiency & Experience requirements fulfilled by the course. The same is true for many courses on the listed on the SMU Transfer Equivalency Guide. 

Courses that transfer in with generic course numbers (for example, ENGL 10XX) will not automatically satisfy Proficiency & Experience requirements and must be petitioned using the Proficiency & Experience (PE) Fulfillment Verification petition.

Students must submit one petition for each graduation requirement, even if they are using a single course to petition multiple requirements. Students may use a single course to satisfy up to three Proficiency & Experience requirements (assuming the course meets the criteria for all three).  

How to petition generic transfer coursework:

1. Fill out the Petition for Alternative Fulfillment, selecting the requirement they are hoping to fulfill and checking the second option that says “I am a current or transfer student, and I am requesting fulfillment through a dual-credit or transfer course.”
2. Attach a complete syllabus which includes a daily schedule, grade breakdown, assignments, and assigned readings.
3. Attach a copy of the Transfer Evaluation Report (TER), showing that the course being petitioned has transferred to SMU for credit. Visit my.SMU > Academics > Request Transfer Evaluation
4. Attach a brief supporting statement, using the provided template, that explains how the course fulfills the Proficiency & Experience being petitioned.

Petitions are electronic and are usually reviewed within two weeks of receipt. Students should not assume that a petition has been completely processed until they receive a formal notification of approval or denial from the Office of General Education via The Common Curriculum email (theccmail@smu.edu). The formal notification, in cases of approval, follows the formal update to the students Degree Progress Report (DPR), noting that the petitioned requirement is satisfied.

Use the course search options below to find Quantitative Applications-tagged courses at SMU. Following successful completion of the course, your Degree Progress Report (DPR) will be updated to reflect satisfying this graduation requirement. Learn how to find tagged courses below via one of two means. 

Search courses on the Common Curriculum website:

1. Go to Course Search on the SMU Common Curriculum website
2. Click Filter by Graduation Requirements and select Quantitative Applications

Search courses in my.SMU:

1. Go to my.smu.edu and select “Students”
2. Login using your username and password
3. Once logged into your Student Dashboard, select Class Information on the left-hand side bar
4. Under Class Information, select Advanced Class Search
5. In the Search Criteria boxes:
   1. select the term you want to take the class
   2. in Course Attribute, select Common Curriculum P & E
   3. in Course Attribute Value, select Quantitative Applications
6. Select Search and the available courses will be displayed

Students may apply to fulfill the QA requirement through a co-curricular activity. These criteria apply to experiences that meet the QA curricular requirement and describe the characteristics of the experience, the steps a student must follow to seek approval, and the number and types of assignment students must submit to satisfy the requirement.

Before the Individual Activity:

1. Activities in fulfillment of this requirement must be approved in advance. Students must submit a pre-approval petition and must obtain verification of participation.
2. Activities in fulfillment of this requirement must comprise at least 15 hours of involvement during which students will solve problems through the manipulation or analysis of numerical data within a specific domain.
3. Activities in fulfillment of this requirement must require students to identify, select, and recognize numerical data appropriate to solving specific problems, within a specified domain.
4. Activities in fulfillment of this requirement must require students to draw inferences and/or conclusions from visual, numeric, symbolic, and verbal representations of information, within a specified domain.

After the Individual Activity:

1. Students fulfilling Quantitative Applications through an activity must submit EITHER copies of substantial work completed as part of the activity that clearly demonstrates the use of quantitative reasoning and analytical data to solve domain-specific problems, or, in cases where that is not possible (such is an cases where an activity is completed prior to matriculation at SMU), a written reflection of at least 1000 words that responds to the following prompt:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Please describe in detail the activity you used to complete the Quantitative Applications requirement. In your reflection, answer the following questions. How did you meet the requirement of using quantitative data to solve problems? What resources did you use to understand how best to solve the problems through quantitative reasoning? Who provided feedback on your problem-solving method? How did your ability to solves problems through quantitative reasoning improve?

Sometimes students complete, or desire to take, an SMU course which was not tagged with the desired Proficiency & Experience, but after reviewing the Student Learning Outcomes, Supporting Skills, Course Content Criteria (outlined above), they believe they may have satisfied the requirement. Use this process below to petition credit for the graduation requirement. 

Current SMU students who wish to take an SMU course that they believe has activities that satisfy this Proficiency & Experience, must submit, prior to beginning the course:

1. The Proficiency & Experience (PE) Pre-Approval petition and request individual activity-based fulfillment.
2. Attach a complete syllabus which includes a daily schedule, grade breakdown, assignments, and assigned readings.
3. A detailed supporting statement, using the provided template, of how the activities in the course meet the requirements for Community Engagement.

Upon completion of the course and a posting of the student's grade, students must submit:

1. Fill out the Proficiency & Experience (PE) Fulfillment Verification petition.
2. A copy of the student's Degree Progress Report (DPR) with the letter grade of the course. 
3. Attach a complete syllabus which includes a daily schedule, grade breakdown, assignments, and assigned readings.
4. A final supporting statement, using the provided template, which explores the service opportunity, the student’s participation in it, and the ways in which the experience has impacted the student in the identified areas.