Gatekeeper or Gateway? Lessons Learned from Students in a Real Analysis Course

Many mathematics majors take a real analysis course, yet their experiences vary greatly. This article describes how one mathematics department is trying to improve its undergraduate real analysis course by listening to the experiences of underrepresented minority students. From student interviews, three main themes emerged: (1) real analysis feels discontinuous from every other course, (2) real analysis is a gatekeeping or gateway experience for math majors, and (3) students’ responsibilities outside of class influence how they engage in real analysis. We share lessons learned from students to help instructors and departments work toward equitable outcomes in pathways for mathematics majors.