Oxford Mathematics Class 8

[Jeannine Lander]

Oftenthe solution to a problem will require you to think outside its original framing. This is true here, and while you will see the second problem solved in your course, the first is far too deep and was famously solved by Andrew Wiles.

In applied mathematics we use mathematics to explain phenomena that occur in the real world. You can learn how a leopard gets its spots, explore quantum theory and relativity, or study the mathematics of stock markets.

Above all, mathematics is a logical subject, and you will need to think mathematically, arguing clearly and concisely as you solve problems. For some of you, this way of thinking or solving problems will be your goal. Others will want to see what else can be discovered. Either way, it is a subject to be enjoyed.

'Studying Mathematics at Oxford has been a massive change from A-Level but I have been really enjoying it, I especially love having tutorials as they are a fantastic opportunity to work through problems that specifically you and your tutorial partner are having difficulties with and ask questions that allow you to improve yourself as a mathematician.'

Tutorials are usually 2-4 students and a tutor. Class sizes may vary depending on the options you choose. There would usually be around 8-12 students though classes for some of the more popular papers may be larger.

Most tutorials, classes, and lectures are delivered by staff who are tutors in their subject. Many are world-leading experts with years of experience in teaching and research. Some teaching may also be delivered by postgraduate students who are usually studying at doctoral level.

Admission to Mathematics is joint with Mathematics & Statistics, and applicants do not choose between the two degrees until the end of their fourth term at Oxford. At that point, all students declare whether they wish to study Mathematics or study Mathematics & Statistics. Further changes later on may be possible subject to the availability of space on the course and the consent of the college.

The first year consists of core courses in pure and applied mathematics (including statistics). Options start in the second year, with the third and fourth years offering a large variety of courses, including options from outside mathematics.

The majority of those who read Mathematics will have taken both Mathematics and Further Mathematics at A-level (or the equivalent). However, Further Mathematics at A-level is not essential. It is far more important that you have the drive and desire to understand the subject.

Our courses have limited formal prerequisites, so it is the experience rather than outright knowledge which needs to be made up. If you gain a place under these circumstances, your college will normally recommend suitable extra preparatory reading for the summer before you start your course.

We don't want anyone who has the academic ability to get a place to study here to be held back by their financial circumstances. To meet that aim, Oxford offers one of the most generous financial support packages available for UK students and this may be supplemented by support from your college.

Living costs for the academic year starting in 2024 are estimated to be between 1,345 and 1,955 for each month you are in Oxford. Our academic year is made up of three eight-week terms, so you would not usually need to be in Oxford for much more than six months of the year but may wish to budget over a nine-month period to ensure you also have sufficient funds during the holidays to meet essential costs. For further details please visit our living costs webpage.

In 2024 Oxford is offering one of the most generous bursary packages of any UK university to Home students with a family income of around 50,000 or less, with additional opportunities available to UK students from households with incomes of 32,500 or less. The UK government also provides living costs support to Home students from the UK and those with settled status who meet the residence requirements.

Unistats course data from Discover Uni provides applicants with statistics about a particular undergraduate course at Oxford. For a more holistic insight into what studying your chosen course here is likely to be like, we would encourage you to view the information below as well as to explore our website more widely.

College tutorials are central to teaching at Oxford. Typically, they take place in your college and are led by your academic tutor(s) who teach as well as do their own research. Students will also receive teaching in a variety of other ways, depending on the course. This will include lectures and classes, and may include laboratory work and fieldwork. However, tutorials offer a level of personalised attention from academic experts unavailable at most universities.

You can also watch recent lectures, and see a real first-year tutorial on the Mathematics YouTube channel to get a feel for what studying here is like and find out about the department's research at the Oxford Mathematics Alphabet.

We admit students for both the three- and four-year courses in Mathematics, and the joint school of Mathematics and Statistics. Students attend university-wide lectures at the Mathematical Institute. The first year contains core courses while the second year contains a mix of core and optional courses. During the first two years, lectures are accompanied by College tutorials (2-3 students), which focus on your solutions to problem sheets, together with advice from the college tutors. In the third and fourth years there are a wide range of options; at this point lectures are supplemented by intercollegiate classes.

Lincoln also has a reputation as a friendly college and the mathematicians are no exception! The size of the Maths cohort at Lincoln is large enough that you are sure to find like-minded mathematicians but small enough that you will get to know each other well.

At Lincoln, candidates have two 25-30 minute interviews with two tutors. The aim of this interview is to see how you think, rather than what you have already been taught. In many ways the interview is like a tutorial and our aim is to see if you will flourish in the tutorial system. For a flavour of the type of question you might be asked, you may find the Mathematical Institute's interviews page helpful.

All applicants for Mathematics at Oxford must sit the Mathematics Admissions Test (MAT) at their school, college or a local test centre (which is likely to be a school near to you). Based on the result of the MAT and information on UCAS forms, candidates are then shortlisted for interviews in Oxford in mid-December. More details are available on the MAT here.

While our offers are based exclusively on A level results (or their equivalent), we encourage all prospective students to do as much mathematics as they can; STEP papers are one good way of preparing for the MAT and interview.

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At Univ, we have a strong team of tutors in Mathematics and Statistics, as well as Computer Science and Philosophy, and we welcome applicants to read Mathematics and all of the related joint schools: Mathematics & Statistics, Mathematics & Computer Science, and Mathematics & Philosophy. We are committed to giving our students the encouragement and support that they need to succeed. Throughout their first and second years, students are supported by College tutorials and small group classes. During the third and fourth years, teaching in Mathematics is largely based on departmental classes, but we continue to offer support and advice, as well as assistance with revision and exam preparation.

The Univ Mathematics & Computer Science Society organises regular social events, and there is a strong tradition of experienced students offering mentoring and advice to new students. The College awards generous annual prizes (named the Nathan Prizes, after a former Univ mathematics student), for outstanding performances in university examination papers in mathematics.

In the first two years of the course, lectures are supplemented with two to three hours of in-college teaching per week, in tutorials and small group classes; third- and fourth-year teaching is via classes. Pure mathematics is taught by Kevin McGerty, an expert in abstract algebra, and Greg Berczi, who works in Geometry. Applied mathematics is taught by Sam Howison and Chris Breward, who work on problems with an interdisciplinary emphasis. The thriving Christ Church mathematics society brings together the whole mathematics community for lectures, student presentations and an annual dinner.

Employers like people with maths degrees. Mathematics opens the door to a huge range of careers, for example, further study and research in academia or industry, investment banking, web design, and teaching.

New kinds of data are emerging all the time in science and industry requiring the expert knowledge and experience of statisticians to apply this data. The combination, of deep and mathematically well-grounded method building, and wide-ranging applied work with data, is what makes statistics a great subject.

Historically, there have been strong links between Mathematics and Philosophy; logic, an important branch of both subjects, provides a natural bridge between the two, as does the philosophy of mathematics.

Both views are correct, probably more so for maths than for any other subject. Indeed it could be said that during your undergraduate years you make the most of the first of these, before earning a living by the second. Equally, the course emphasis on applicable mathematics is also an important aspect of the undergraduate curriculum. Career opportunities for mathematics graduates are excellent. Many graduates choose careers where they exploit their mathematical knowledge, although the majority use their analytical training in ways that are not directly mathematical.

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