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MSc in Mathematical Modelling and Scientific Computing Handbook (2025-26 Entry)

4. Examinations and Assessment

The board of examiners will consist of 4 internal members (2 from the Numerical Analysis Group and/or the Data Science Group, and 2 from OCIAM and/or the Wolfson Centre for Mathematical Biology) and 1 external examiner. The examiners will appoint assessors to help with the assessment of special topics, case studies and dissertations.

You should complete 12 units. Each unit will carry the same weight. Marks will be given in terms of USMs out of 100 with the usual conventions: 0–49 fail, 50–64 pass, 65–69 merit, 70–100 distinction.

In order to complete these 12 units, you will take and be assessed on: 4 core courses; 2 special topics (one labelled [M] and one labelled [C]); 2 case studies (one in modelling and one in scientific computing); and a dissertation.

  1. Core Courses (1 unit each). There are four courses, two in Michaelmas Term and two in Hilary Term. Each course will be assessed by a written examination paper in Week 0 of the following term. Each paper will be two and a half hours long and contain 6 questions. The best 4 answers, including an answer to at least one question in each section, will count and you will be given a USM for each paper, with a weighting of 1 unit.
  2. Special Topics (1 unit each). You must do one special topic in the area of Modelling/Methods [M] and one in the area of Computation [C]. For each special topic taken you must submit a mini-project. Mini-projects will be marked by two assessors, one of whom will usually be the course lecturer. For each mini-project you will be given a USM, with a weighting of 1 unit.
  3. Case Studies in Modelling and in Scientific Computing (1 unit each). You must complete one modelling case study and one scientific computing case study. Each scientific computing case study involves about 4 weeks of group work, further personal study and a report. Each mathematical modelling case study involves about 6 weeks of group work, an oral presentation, and a report. In both cases reports are written individually and are marked by the appropriate lecturer and one other assessor. For the modelling case study 20% of the mark will be for the oral presentation. Each case study will be given a USM with a weighting of 1 unit.
  4. Dissertation (4 units). Dissertations will be read and marked by at least two examiners, neither of whom will be your supervisor. The main body of the dissertation should be around 40–50 pages long, and need not necessarily contain original research to pass. You will also be examined viva voce. The dissertation and viva will be given a USM with a weighting of 4 units. The USM marks will include credit for originality and performance in the viva.

The USMs, weighted as above, are averaged to give an Average USM. This Average USM and your performance on the individual units determines your final course outcome (distinction, merit, pass, or fail) and this is detailed in the Examination Conventions for the course which can be downloaded from the MMSC course website. The definitive version of the Examination Conventions for the academic year 2025-26 will be available by Week 6 of Michaelmas Term. You will be notified of any subsequent changes to the conventions by email.

Qualitative class descriptors for these levels of performance are summarised below.

Distinction: High quality work throughout the course. Candidates achieving a distinction show excellent problem-solving skills and excellent knowledge of the material over a wide range of topics, and are able to use that knowledge innovatively and/or in unfamiliar contexts.

Merit: The merit shows very good quality of work throughout the course. Candidates who achieve a merit will have demonstrated very good problem solving skills and knowledge over a wide range of topics, or excellent command of some material and good command of the rest.

Pass: The pass covers a wide range of results from candidates who show basic problem solving skills and adequate knowledge of most of the material to candidates who show good or very good problem-solving skills, and good or very good knowledge of much of the material over a wide range of topics.

Fail: Candidates who fail show inadequate grasp of the basic material. Such candidates may have shown some understanding but the majority of work is likely to show major misunderstanding and confusion, and/or inaccurate calculations. 

A student who fails the whole course may resit on one, but not more than one, subsequent occasion. This resit attempt shall normally be taken at the next opportunity, but may be deferred once, i.e. it must be taken at one of the next two opportunities. In such a case a student will not be eligible for a merit or distinction on the whole course. The examiners will specify at the time of failure which of the assessed components of the course may or must be redone. A candidate who resits a unit for which a technical fail mark was originally awarded (a unit for which no work was submitted or a written examination was missed) will have the mark for that unit capped at 50.

No student who has satisfied the examiners in the examination may enter again for the same examination.

If a student fails one particular unit, there is no provision for the candidate to resit that unit during the same academic year.

The official Examination Regulations can be downloaded from https://examregs.admin.ox.ac.uk/Regulation?code=mosbcimmandsciecomp&srchYear=2025&srchTerm=1&year=2025&term=1.

4.1 Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Informal feedback on progress is provided during the first two terms via the marking of problem sheets and verbal feedback on group work in the modelling classes and case study meetings. In the third term you will be expected to present your dissertation project to the examiners and you will be provided with feedback afterwards.

You can expect marks for exams, special topics and case studies to be released throughout the year. Exam marks should be available within four weeks of sitting the exam and special topic and case study marks should be available by the end of the term in which they were submitted.

Feedback on assessed work is given for the special topics and the case studies once the marks have been released. All the assessors are expected to fill in a feedback sheet commenting on the content of the work, the accuracy of the mathematics and the presentation. These comments forms are then passed on to you. The hope is that this feedback will be constructive and provided in a timely manner so that it can be used to help you improve your other written reports.

In addition you will receive feedback on your dissertation after the final results have been released. This will take the form of comments from the examiners.

4.2 Examination Conventions

Examination conventions are the formal record of the specific assessment standards for the course to which they apply. They set out how your examined work will be marked and how the resulting marks will be used to arrive at a final result and classification of your award. They include information on marking scales, marking and classification criteria, scaling of marks, resits, use of viva voce examinations, penalties for late submission and penalties for over-length work. The examination conventions can be downloaded from the MMSC course website.

4.3 Good Academic Practice and Avoiding Plagiarism

The University defines plagiarism as follows:

"Presenting work or ideas from another source as your own, with or without consent of the original author, by incorporating it into your work without full acknowledgement. All published and unpublished material, whether in manuscript, printed or electronic form, is covered under this definition, as is the use of material generated wholly or in part through use of artificial intelligence (save when use of AI for assessment has received prior authorisation e.g. as a reasonable adjustment for a student’s disability). Plagiarism can also include re-using your own work without citation. Under the regulations for examinations, intentional or reckless plagiarism is a disciplinary offence."

This definition, and further University guidance on plagiarism, can be found on the University's plagiarism webpage and you should take the time to read this carefully.

Specific guidance about academic good practice and topics such as time management, note-taking, referencing, research and library skills and information literacy can be found on the Oxford students study skills webpage.

4.4 Entering for University Examinations

The University provides general advice on exam entry.

For the M.Sc. in Mathematical Modelling and Scientific Computing, you should expect to fill in an exam entry form in each of Michaelmas and Hilary Terms. In Michaelmas Term you will enter for all four core courses, the two case studies and the dissertation. You will also enter for any special topics you wish to submit for the Hilary Term deadline based on Michaelmas Term lecture courses. Then in Hilary Term it will simply be necessary to enter for the special topic(s) which you will submit for the early Trinity Term deadline. The exam entry deadlines are given in the Diary of Important Events.

When it is time to complete the exam entry form, you will receive an email invitation to log in to the Student Self Service and you will be able to make the appropriate selections.

After the final deadline for submitting your exam entry data, it is still possible to change your special topic choices. There are three types of change you may wish to make and all should be done via your college:

  1. Adding a special topic entry: if you wish to enter for an extra special topic additional to any special topics you are already entered for then you will be liable for a late entry fee.
  2. Change of special topic option: if you wish to withdraw from one special topic option and enter for another you will be required to pay a change of options fee.
  3. Withdrawal from a special topic: if you no longer wish to submit a project for a special topic you should withdraw from this course.

In all cases the change should be made as soon as possible and certainly with five working days to spare before the special topic deadline.

4.5 Sitting Your Examinations

Practical information and support for sitting in-person exams is provided on the Oxford students website about in-person exams. This page also gives information on the standards of conduct expected in examinations.

All the written examinations will take place at Examination Schools where there are dedicated exam rooms, and the quiet environment required for examinations can be ensured. Examination Schools is on the High Street and its location can be found on their online map.

Since the written examinations are at Examination Schools, you will be required to wear academic dress and sub fusc. You will also need your University card. If you wish to take water into the exam room this will need to be in a clear, spill-proof bottle with a sports cap. Calculators will not be allowed in the examinations but nor will they be necessary.

Information on what to do if you would like examiners to be aware of any factors that may have affected your performance before or during an examination (such as illness, accident or bereavement) is available in the  problems completing your assessment section of the Oxford students website.

Your viva voce examination at the end of the course will take place in one of the classrooms on the mezzanine level of the Mathematical Institute. For these examinations sub fusc must be worn by both students and internal examiners. The examination lasts 30 minutes and you should take with you a copy of your dissertation (with no notes on). In addition you may take a clear, spill-proof bottle of water.

4.6 Submitted Work

Deadlines for submission of written reports are provided in the Diary of Important Events.  All assessments will be submitted online via Inspera. You should ensure you are familiar with the online submission process in advance of any deadline. Full information is provided on the Oxford students website about submissions.

4.7 Problems Completing Assessment

There are a number of University processes in place to help you if you find that illness or other personal circumstances are affecting your assessments or if you experience technical difficulties with an online submission. Full information is available in the problems completing your assessment section of the Oxford students website.

4.8 External Examiner

The Examination Board contains an External Examiner, nominated by the Supervisory Committee and appointed by the Vice Chancellor, who acts as an external arbiter of standards. In particular, national guidance requires external examiners to report on three major areas:

  1. whether the standards set are appropriate for the institution’s awards;
  2. the standards and comparability of student performance in the programme concerned;
  3. the extent to which procedures for assessment, examination and the determination of awards are sound and have been fairly conducted.

Within this framework, boards of examiners will work with their external examiner(s) in a variety of ways, but the University expects external examiners to:

  1. have opportunity to comment on all examination papers in draft form;
  2. have access to all scripts and other material submitted by candidates;
  3. see a sample of scripts including scripts at the borderlines of classes;
  4. see a sufficient sample of dissertations, extended essays and coursework to be able to comment on the marks awarded;
  5. be in a position to comment on the fairness of any procedures for the reconciliation of marks, moderation, scaling and adjustments arising out of medical or other evidence.

In relation to 5, the University does not regard this as requiring the external examiner to give a definitive final mark where there is initial disagreement between first markers (although examining boards may choose to ask the external examiner(s) to act in this way) but to be in a position to report on the soundness of the procedures used to reach a final agreed mark.

The external examiner for the M.Sc. in Mathematical Modelling and Scientific Computing for the academic year 2025–26 is Prof. David Hewett who is Professor of Mathematics at University College London.

Students are strictly prohibited from contacting examiners directly. If you are unhappy with an aspect of your assessment you may make a complaint or appeal (see Section 7.2).

4.9 Examiners’ Reports

You may access previous internal examiners’ reports for the course. In addition, the external examiners’ reports are also available, although you will need to log in to the website using your maths username and password in order to access these.

4.10 Prizes

A prize will be awarded by the examiners to the student who has performed best on the course. There will also be a prize awarded to a student who has completed a particularly strong dissertation. These prizes will not normally be awarded to the same person.