Looking for a gentler semester? Start with courses where students have earned higher grades.
Highest historical GPA first. At least 100 letter grades over the five years through the selected term. Grades reflect past outcomes, not workload or a guaranteed result.
48 courses
Ranked courses have at least 100 recorded letter grades.
Introduction to ergodic theory and dynamics covering fundamental theorems, classical examples of one and two dimensional dynamics, and applications to group actions.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2023–Fall 2025Seminar in Analysis covering selected topics in Analysis.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Advanced topics in the mathematical foundations of data science.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Theory of Probability II covers possible topics including martingales, weak convergence of measures, and an introduction to Brownian motion.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Benedek Valko
Homework was described as too easy and infrequent, with one student expecting weekly assignments of greater difficulty.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2023–Spring 2026Introduction to spectral methods (Fourier, Chebyshev, Fast Fourier Transform), finite element methods (Galerkin methods, energy estimates and error analysis), and mesh-free methods (Monte-Carlo, smoothed-particle hydrodynamics) for solving partial differential equations. Applications from science and engineering. Applications from science and engineering. Students are strongly encouraged to have programming skills (e.g.COMP SCI 200), undergraduate numerical analysis (e.g.MATH/COMP SCI 514orCOMP SCI 412), analysis (MATH 322and521) and linear algebra (e.g.MATH 341or equiv.)
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Maurice Fabien
The course required learning a large amount of material, with assignments strictly take-home and no in-class pressure. Reviewers noted the extensive prerequisite list made the content challenging before the semester even began.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2023–Spring 2026Abstract Algebra continuation covering commutative rings and fields, including ring-theoretic and field-theoretic topics such as Galois theory and the Hilbert Nullstellensatz.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2023–Spring 2026Covers topics in multi-variable calculus and introduces differential equations, focusing on integral multivariable calculus and elementary ordinary differential equations.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Brian Street
Reviewers characterized the course as not easy and one of the hardest classes they had taken, though they felt the professor taught the material well.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2023–Spring 2026Applied Linear Algebra reviews matrix algebra, covering eigenvalues, diagonalization, and quadratic forms with numerical aspects and scientific applications.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Pouria Behnoudfar
Pouria Behnoudfar assigned homework unpredictably, sometimes with less than a week to complete, and exams were described as more difficult than the material taught in class, requiring significant self-study to succeed.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2023–Spring 2026Nonlinear Optimization I covers theory and algorithms for nonlinear optimization, focusing on unconstrained optimization techniques.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Michael Ferris
Assignments often required more than 14 hours to complete, with no penalty-free late days or assignment drops available.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Complex Analysis covers elementary functions of a complex variable, conformal mapping, complex integrals, and the calculus of residues.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Betsy (Lindsay) Stovall
Lectures were proof-heavy, and exams included unexpected questions that required students to read extensively to develop a deeper understanding.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Fall 2025Quantitative Reasoning and Problem Solving develops competency in working with numerical data, solving quantitative problems in authentic contexts, and making logical arguments supported by quantitative evidence.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Travis Olson
The class featured numerous tests, but they were easy and the instructor dropped a significant number of them.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Analysis II covers advanced real analysis topics such as special functions, power series, Fourier series, compactness, normed-space calculus, and the implicit and inverse function theorems.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Betsy (Lindsay) Stovall
One student reported that tests were extremely tough but fair, and homework was similarly challenging, recommending that students study the proofs and homework closely to succeed.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Rigorous introduction to math for data science covering matrix factorizations, optimization, probabilistic models, and Markov chains with applications to machine learning.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Hanbaek Lyu
A student said Hanbaek Lyu’s exam philosophy was to make exams pretty hard but grade them leniently, and the course felt like an extension of linear algebra with a focus on proofs.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Techniques in Ordinary Differential Equations covering linear DEs, series solutions, boundary value problems, Laplace transforms, and possibly numerical methods and autonomous systems.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Jessica Lin, Minh Binh Tran
Lectures sometimes moved quickly, making it easy to get lost. Exams had a heavy time crunch, though students noted that questions were often taken directly from homework or recommended problems.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Covers mathematical foundations of networks for data science, focusing on algorithmic graph theory, linear algebra, network statistics, and PageRank.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Hanbaek Lyu
Deadlines were flexible with frequent homework extensions, while tests were challenging but manageable with consistent study.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2023–Spring 2026Covers likelihood-based statistical inference, estimation, hypothesis testing, and theoretical properties using mathematical statistics and computers.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Cecile Ane
Homework assignments can be challenging and may rely heavily on statistical software like R, which some students found difficult without prior experience. The course material itself is generally not considered overly difficult conceptually.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Point-set topology covering topological spaces, connectedness, compactness, separation axioms, and metric spaces.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Paige Hillen
A student found the homework fair and noted that quizzes and exams were very manageable if they stayed on top of the material.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Covers discrete-time and continuous-time Markov chains, Poisson point processes, and renewal processes, with applications to queueing, branching, and models in science, engineering, and business.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Timo Seppalainen
Homework assignments were challenging and time-consuming, but students noted there were only about ten. The homework was significantly harder than the exams, meaning thorough homework completion often reduced the need for additional exam study.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Modern Algebra 2 covers field extensions, roots of polynomials, splitting fields, simple extensions, linear transformations, matrices, characteristic roots, canonical forms, and determinants.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Uri Andrews
Homework was tough with over ten proof-based problems per week, but Andrews was flexible and accommodating with the workload.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Theory of linear algebra covering vector spaces, transformations, and eigenvalues, with an introduction to proofs and proof writing.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Howard Becker
Homework was a moderate level, but exams required applying abstract concepts from class to create original proofs, making them moderate to difficult.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Survey of Calculus 2 covers first-order differential equations, multivariable calculus, constrained optimization, infinite sequences and series, approximation methods, and probability, with models from business and social sciences.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Prerna Gera
Quizzes and exams were described as brutal and distinct from lectures, while homework remained simple.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Introduction to Probability and Mathematical Statistics I covers probability theory, combinatorial methods, discrete and continuous distributions, moments, and estimation.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Garvesh Raskutti
One student found exams crazy difficult and felt the instructor assumed students had taken analysis. Another said open-book exams required high mathematical skills.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Advanced numerical analysis covering polynomial interpolation, approximation, differentiation, integration, splines, and ODE solvers.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Chris Rycroft, Laurel Ohm
One student found the homework tedious but manageable, while another noted a heavy workload that was doable with time. Rycroft's exams were challenging but included partial credit, whereas Ohm's exams were described as having very reasonable difficulty.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Analysis I covers real numbers, set theory, metric spaces, basic topology, sequences and series, limits, continuity, differentiation, integration, and uniform convergence.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Yayi Fu
Yayi Fu covered a massive amount of material that could feel overwhelming. The final exam was worth 40% of the grade and was harder than the midterms, which were derived directly from review exercises.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Covers the graphs, properties and geometric significance of trigonometric functions of a real variable. Other topics include trigonometric equations and identities, trigonometric form of complex numbers, DeMoivre's theorem, and polar and parametric equations. Formulating, analyzing, solving, and interpreting mathematical and real-world problems using trigonometry.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Eugenia Malitsky
Attendance was mandatory due to weekly quizzes, with three dropped. Lectures were problem-heavy, and exam preparation materials were identical to the actual exams.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Introduction to combinatorics covering enumeration, inclusion-exclusion, generating functions, graph coloring, finite designs, and matching problems with applications in science and puzzles.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Mitch Keller
The grading system was unique and demanding: students needed full marks on all assignments and tests or extra credit to achieve an A; otherwise, the highest possible grade was an AB.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Introduction to Discrete Mathematics covering logic, sets, relations, functions, and discrete structures like integers, strings, trees, and graphs.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Luke Jeffreys
The course was considered pretty hard due to the sheer amount of content, though the instructor provided fill-in-the-blank lecture notes to save time.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Introduction to cryptography covering secure transmission of digital information, distinguishing perfect from computational security, and introducing technical aspects.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Eric Bach
Homeworks were difficult but interesting to work through, while exams were reported to be easier than the homework assignments.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Introduction to linear algebra and differential equations, emphasizing the connection between linear algebra theory and analytical/numerical techniques for solving differential equations.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Scott Hiatt
The course involves very little homework, with three exams comprising almost the entire grade. One student noted a sharp difficulty curve early in the semester and strict grade cutoffs.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Introduction to Number Theory covering proof writing techniques, divisibility, primes, congruences, and Fermat's theorem.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Botong Wang
Students reported that the homework directly prepares them for exams, which were described as very straightforward. The class involved lecture-heavy instruction.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026