Why Take Math at the University of Michigan

Do you have math requirements to fulfill for your major? Do you want to explore an ongoing interest in math? Do you want to round out your resume to demonstrate your quantitative reasoning skills?

Mathematics courses at the University of Michigan are designed with your learning and success in mind. Our math courses do not just teach formulas; they give students a competitive edge in today’s global economy, no matter their major or intended career. Students who take math at U-M learn in a supportive community of instructors and peers who encourage and challenge them to reach their full potential.

Explore seven reasons taking math at Michigan is right for you:

From finance and consulting to tech, healthcare, and public policy, success depends on your ability to analyze and explain data, exercise good quantitative sense, and solve complex problems.

At the University of Michigan, mathematics courses are designed to build your confidence and keep your long-term success in mind. You’ll use real data, graphs, and tables, communicate precisely, and actually learn how to apply math to the kinds of ambiguous, high-stakes situations—from interpreting the output of an AI model to making a major financial decision— you’ll face in your professional and even personal life.

Many universities offer either small classes of uneven quality or large lectures with little instructor-student interaction. The University of Michigan has devised a solution to this problem. Most of our introductory courses offer:

• Small class environments that allow for interaction, discussion, and personalized support.
• Coordination across class sections to ensure every student receives a high-quality, carefully designed experience.

This structure means students benefit from both individual attention and institution-wide teaching excellence, a rare combination.

Research shows that students learn math more effectively when they actively practice and apply concepts rather than simply observe them. At the University of Michigan, rather than passively listening to a lecture, you’ll experience active, collaborative, and in-person learning in class to solve complex problems and think critically. Active learning also helps you build a community of friends to inspire and support you, not just in your math class, but frequently in other courses for your major or extracurricular pursuits, creating relationships and a sense of belonging that can help you thrive throughout your time at U-M and potentially beyond.

University of Michigan mathematics courses use inclusive teaching techniques, including mastery-based testing.

• Your grade won’t only be determined by high-stakes written exams that give you just one chance to show your knowledge.
• Instead, you’ll be able to retake some assessments to demonstrate that you’ve truly mastered the important topics.
• We encourage our students’ persistence so they deepen their learning and build their confidence.

Research on mastery-based systems shows this method of learning promotes deeper understanding and persistence in students by offering them multiple attempts to demonstrate knowledge. This is especially important in math, where gaps in understanding can build up quickly.

Our introductory mathematics courses receive the same serious attention as advanced classes. At the University of Michigan, we continually invest in:

• Evidence-based teaching practices, including guided exploration, which gives you space to flex your brain muscles to learn critical problem-solving skills in a team of peers rather than a professor lecturing you; and 
• Instructor training and supervision, including intensive training for graduate student instructors who receive ongoing mentorship and supervision from experienced faculty for their first few semesters teaching;
• Ongoing course improvement based on student feedback and curricular reviews.

Michigan Math is nationally recognized for our success in Introductory math. Success rates in Precalculus and Calculus are measured in terms of the percentage of students who stick with the course to the end and pass. The University of Michigan is widely admired as a much higher  percentage of students who succeed in introductory math courses, compared to other public universities, according to data from at least three different educational organizations–the APLU, the Big Ten Academic Alliance, and the Gardner Institute. 

Recent changes to courses and instructor training have further improved student learning, grades, and satisfaction.

U-M offers comprehensive support in mathematics courses. This includes for-credit support courses such as our award-winning Douglas Houghton Scholars Program, free walk-in tutoring and organized study groups in the Mathematics Learning Center, and hands-on, curiosity-driven learning with peers in our Inquiry Based Learning Center. Effective Winter 2027, all of our introductory courses will offer 1-credit Pass/Fail companion courses for students to earn credit by practicing skills with peers and working with tutors to fill gaps in their background.

A study from the Ross School of Business has shown that students who take foundational math courses at Michigan perform better in later programs. This is consistent with findings from the College of Engineering and other units, as well as with professors’ observations across campus.  High-quality mathematics instruction builds analytical thinking that can be applied across disciplines and careers, including business, data science, economics, engineering, finance, medicine, statistics, and more. U-M math courses are not just requirements; they are multipliers of future success.