MSc in Mathematical Sciences and MMath in Mathematics Handbook (2025-26)

5.7. Dissertations

MSc and Part C students will be required to offer a dissertation, worth two units, under the guidance of a supervisor who will be a member of either the Mathematical Institute or the Department of Statistics.

The dissertation is a double-unit and so is considered the equivalent of a 32-hour lecture course and the corresponding classes. The length of the dissertation should be up to 7,500 words, which normally equates to 25–30 pages, although there is an absolute page count limit of 50 pages.

A dissertation provides students with the opportunity to undertake an extended piece of independent study and investigation, under the guidance of a supervisor. It involves investigating and then presenting in writing a particular area of Mathematical Sciences. You will not be required to (but may) obtain original results. A list of possible dissertation topics, each linked to the name of the supervisor, will be circulated to students early in Michaelmas Term. Often more than one student will write a dissertation starting with the same dissertation title.

Normally students will consult the supervisor up to six times before the submission of the dissertation in early Trinity Term. At least one of these meetings will take place before the Christmas Vacation, with some or all of the other students who have selected that particular dissertation title. At this meeting, broader aspects of the topic and possible avenues of investigation will be discussed.

Further details are given in Section 7.3. A copy of the Dissertation Guidance can be found on the course website at https://www.maths.ox.ac.uk/members/students/undergraduate-courses/teaching-and-learning/part-c-students/teaching-and-learning/dissertations.