# Prerequisite for Differential Topology and/or Geometric Topology

What are the prerequisites to learning both or one of the items?

Consider that one will have done some of the "core" classes like Differential Geometry, Real Analysis, Abstract Algebra and POint-Set Topology.

What is necessary for Differential Topology and/or Geometric Topology?

Thank you

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The only thing that's necessary is a good course in point-set topology, for example one out of Munkres's book. –  Potato Oct 5 '12 at 5:33

My personal view is that one should at least have a solid background in Euclidean analysis, that is, some background in differentiation and integration between functions $\mathbb{R}^n \rightarrow \mathbb{R}^n$. A large part of differential topology is the study of smooth maps between manifolds (or, if you're a masochist, $C^k$ maps between manifolds), which are defined by behaving locally like in the Euclidean case. Therefore I think it is natural both from a theoretical and also from an intuition standpoint to have a good understanding of the Euclidean case first.