<p>Let me get straight into it: the courses im prospectively taking are - </p>
<ol>
<li>Math 0540 / 0520 - (Honors) Linear Algebra (took 35 in the fall)</li>
<li>Math 0420 - Intro. to Number Theory</li>
<li>Pols 0400 - Intro. to Intl. Politics</li>
<li>Econ 1130 - Mathematical Intermediate Microeconomics </li>
</ol>
<p>Does anyone have any advice on any of these classes? professor that are good, personal experiences with any of these courses, and maybe also grading in these classes (how hard / easy it is). </p>
<p>I’m not sure about Math 42. It’s a fun course, I’ve heard, but likely painfully boring for anyone who’s good enough at math to get through 35.</p>
<p>I’ve graded math 54 twice now…its difficulty varies greatly based on the professor who teaches it, as does the content. It looks like this semester will use the more theoretical book. I don’t like this one because I found students last term generally didn’t learn how to do computations, which are pretty important too.</p>
<p>I have experience with 3 out of 4 of these classes…first of all, MATH420 is millions of times easier than the other two mathy courses listed (Linear Alg/Econ1130). You will likely be extremely bored if you took 35 and made it through alive (no offense, but MATH42 is a joke). </p>
<p>I took MATH54, but with a different teacher. It was pretty difficult, but I came in expecting that since it is Honors. It’s going to be pretty proof based, and minimal time was spent on examples (like we maybe inverted a few matrices and found the eigenvectors/values of a few). I liked it because it was the first math class I took at Brown.</p>
<p>ECON1130 is surprisingly difficult. I’m an APMA-ECON concentrator and personally think this is the hardest concentration requirement of them all. Your background in Math35 is going to help quite a bit…there are huge chain rules and weird math things like “the envelope theorem” which I had never seen before. It doesn’t help that Baum Snow has pretty bad handwriting and gives problem sets with 1000 parts (these are the problem sets with like 3 questions that each go to part w). That being said, the class is heavily curved. You can get an A if you put in the work and have a solid Math35 background.</p>
<p>So, to reiterate, MATH42 is a joke, and MATH54/ECON113 are classes that challenge pretty much everyone.</p>
<p>thanks a lot for the advice rob! as you seem to know a lot about the class given that you’ve taken it, would you still have any of your work / notes from the class that could be helpful to me? if so then thanks a tonne! </p>
<p>otherwise any other inputs to be given from anyone else? wanna say thanks again for all the help!</p>
<p>I personally wasn’t a fan of math 54… The textbook is pretty horrible (written by a pretty horrible Brown math professor). However, math 35 is a great class to have taken prior to 54, so you might be fine. Definitely shop all the sections, though. </p>
<p>From speculation, taking mathematical micro and math 54 seems pretty hectic. I had a friend who took math 52 and mathematical micro and was really stressed (he’s apma-econ as well). Math 52 is much easier than 54 and, in my opinion, more useful for someone who will be using linear algebra in the future and not just proofs. You already have your proof intro, so I would suggest taking 52.</p>
<p>Math 42 doesn’t really need to be discussed. it’s pretty much a “fun” course. My friend only took 42 as a proof-based math class and wants to be a math major… I think he’s in for a shock… </p>
<p>The class no one touched is poli sci. This usually gets mixed reviews and is a weird choice when looked with your other classes. It’s usually a required course and not normally enjoyed. I would look for another class, maybe a lit arts or HIAA if you’re trying to make a diverse schedule. Maybe a class like Contemporary Architecture or, a class I REALLY want to take, 19th Century Art. Or Writers On Writing FYS. Or a history class. There’s so many good classes offered for electives that taking the intro poli sci class seems weird. (if it’s a required class for apma-econ, sorry. I’m not familiar with the concentration requirements, but I’m pretty sure it isn’t required…)</p>
<p>poli sci major here - agree that ps400 is a weird choice. it’s a huge lecture, full of IR concentrators, and not what i’d recommend, quite honestly, if you’re looking to dabble in the department. If you want a good international politics course, consider shopping a few upper-level ones, many of which have no formal prereqs; off the top of my head, I’ve heard great things about Varshney’s Politics of India and Cammett’s Politics of the Middle East, but there are surely others worth shopping as well.</p>
<p>Check out history and poli sci courses…some that come to mind are Politics of India (and Cammett’s “of Middle East” course as well), as well as History courses focused on policy and international affairs. HIST1900 with Naoko is one that’s offered this semester. It’s full of IR kids but it’s not too difficult and seems interesting. Also Modern LAtin America (with Green I think?) or a Politics/Economy of Developing Nations (with Snyder) are generally liked. But see if you like the professors.</p>