BA/MMath in Mathematics Handbook (2025-26 Entry)

Prelude

This handbook applies to students starting the course in Michaelmas term 2025. The information in this handbook may be different for students starting in other years. This handbook is intended as a guide and reference for you throughout your Mathematics course at Oxford. Please keep it as a handy reference guide. A separate handbook is available for Part C students.

The Examination Regulations relating to this course are available at https://examregs.admin.ox.ac.uk. If there is a conflict between information in this handbook and the Examination Regulations then you should follow the Examination Regulations. If you have any concerns please contact the Undergraduate Studies Officer in the Mathematical Institute (academic.administrator@maths.ox.ac.uk).

The information in this handbook is accurate as at October 2025, however it may be necessary for changes to be made in certain circumstances, as explained at www.ox.ac.uk/coursechanges. If such changes are made the department will publish a new version of this handbook together with a list of the changes and students will be informed.

Welcome from the Head of Department

Three or four years of studying mathematics lie ahead of you, and we sincerely hope that they prove exciting and memorable. You certainly have reason to hope so! You are joining one of the largest and most successful mathematics departments in the world, at a time when mathematics in all its breadth and richness is more widely appreciated than ever, as it permeates and influences society. 

The diversity and scope of modern mathematics will become ever more apparent to you as your studies progress. One of the advantages of studying in a large department such as ours is the range of options that will be available in later years, taught by internationally renowned mathematicians.

In the early days of your first academic year you may feel uncertain as well as excited, but you will soon settle into the rhythms of an Oxford week and term. The Department will become a key part of that week as you attend lectures but we hope that you also find it a good place to study (for example, in the Undergraduate Study Area) and to meet your fellow students (for example, in the cafeteria).

From the start, you will be learning a different style of mathematics to a schedule much more of your making than was previously the case at school or college. The Oxford mathematics degree is also hard - expect to spend a lot of time thinking about mathematics, trying to make sense of new ideas and trying to resolve uncertainties. Your lecturers and tutors are there to support and guide you through that process, as you develop into a mathematician. So, again, welcome to the Mathematical Institute, Oxford, and warm wishes for your time here.

Prof. Jon Chapman
Head of Department

1. Introduction

1.1 Using this Handbook

The handbook supplements the material in the Examination Regulations, and provides you with information to help you understand the processes and procedures of the Mathematical Institute. It gives you advice on teaching and learning matters, and guidance on examinations and assessments. You are supplied with the handbook at the beginning of your course. 

The handbook also gives you some information about how colleges work in relation to your Mathematics course. Your college tutors will give you more detailed information about the support provided within the tutorial system. Further information is also available in the form of college handbooks on college websites.

This is primarily the course handbook for the single subject Mathematics courses. Much of what is said is also relevant to the Mathematics parts of the joint courses (Mathematics & Computer Science, Mathematics & Philosophy and Mathematics & Statistics). However, students on the joint courses should also consult the handbooks designed specifically for those courses. See appendix C for details of where to find these.

1.2 Other Important Documents

Examination Regulations - https://examregs.admin.ox.ac.uk/

These govern all academic matters within the University and contain the general regulations for the conduct of University examinations, as well as specific regulations for each degree programme offered by the University.

If any information in the Examination Regulations affecting you is changed you will be informed. However, there is a convention that the syllabus cannot be changed to your disadvantage once you have started studying for the examination concerned, provided you take your examinations at the normal times.

Oxford Student Handbook - https://www.proctors.ox.ac.uk/handbook/

This contains general information and guidance about studying at the University of Oxford, and gives you formal notification and explanation of the University’s codes, regulations, policies and procedures.

Oxford Student website - https://www.ox.ac.uk/students

This website provides access to a wide range of services and resources to support you during your studies.

Synopses of Lecture Courses - https://courses.maths.ox.ac.uk/

At the start of each year the Mathematics Department produces the syllabi for the coming year’s examinations and synopses of lecture courses. The syllabi concisely described the content on which individual examinations may be set; the synopses give the intended content of lecture courses but lecturers may include extra details and it may be that some lecture courses have their material spread over different exam syllabi. Included with the course synopsis is the course reading list. For Prelims, a formal syllabus giving the examinable content is published. For Parts A and B the syllabi are defined by the synopses. A separate guide is produced annually for the third year project options and is available online at https://www.maths.ox.ac.uk/members/students/undergraduate-courses/teaching-and-learning/part-b-students/projects/essays.

Computational Mathematics Manual - https://courses.maths.ox.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=5471

This guide contains information about the content and assessment of the first-year Computational Mathematics course.

Lecture Timetable - https://www.maths.ox.ac.uk/members/students/lecture-lists

This document gives the titles and frequency of lectures for Mathematics courses. For 2025-26, lectures will be in person, lived streamed and recorded.

1.3 Useful Contacts

A list of useful contacts is given in appendix F.

General

Please contact the Undergraduate Studies Officer with any comments or suggestions for amendments or improvements in subsequent editions of this handbook: academic.administrator@maths.ox.ac.uk.

If you require this handbook in a different format, please contact the Undergraduate Studies Officer in the Mathematical Institute: academic.administrator@maths.ox.ac.uk.

2. Your First Weeks at Oxford University

Many of you will already have read ‘How do Undergraduates do Mathematics?’ originally prepared by Professor Charles Batty with the assistance of Professor Nick Woodhouse with more recent updates by Dr Richard Earl, Prof Frances Kirwan and Dr Vicky Neale. If you have not done so, then it is available online at https://www.maths.ox.ac.uk/system/files/attachments/study_public_0.pdf and you are strongly recommended to read it as part of the induction to your course.

The Department Induction session will this year be held at 2pm on Friday Week 0 in L1, Mathematical Institute. You will be provided with important information for your course.

Further useful information can be found on the department's website:

• Information for Prelims Students: https://www.maths.ox.ac.uk/members/students/undergraduate-courses/teaching-and-learning/prelims-students
• Fridays@2: https://www.maths.ox.ac.uk/members/students/undergraduate-courses/fridays2

3. The Mathematics Courses

3.1 Background

Oxford University is a large collegiate university, with over 26, 000 students including nearly 13,000 undergraduates over 13,000 postgraduates.

3.2 Mathematical, Physical & Life Sciences Division

The Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science Departments are all part of the Mathematical, Physical & Life Sciences Division. These departments provide most of the rooms and resources for the mathematics courses.

3.2.1 The Departments

The Mathematical Institute
The Mathematical Institute is a focus for mathematical activity in Oxford. The members of the Mathematical Institute include over 200 graduate students as well as professors, associate professors, other members of staff and academic visitors. There are currently 15 statutory chairs held in the department, though many other academics hold the title of Professor. The Mathematical Institute, as the mathematics department is known, incorporates the Oxford Centre for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, as well as the Wolfson Centre for Mathematical Biology and the Oxford Centre for Nonlinear PDE. Whilst it is usual for mathematics departments in Britain to be split into departments of Pure and Applied Mathematics, the unitary Oxford structure, which encourages numerous strong interactions between the different groups, is regarded as a major factor in the continued high reputation enjoyed by Oxford Mathematics. 

Research is carried out in a wide variety of fields including algebraic, differential and general topology, group theory, representation theory and other branches of algebra, number theory, mathematical logic, functional analysis, harmonic analysis, algebraic and differential geometry, differential equations, probability theory and its applications, combinatorial theory, cryptography, global analysis, mathematical modelling, financial mathematics, stochastic analysis, mathematical biology, ecology and epidemiology, continuum mechanics, elasticity, applied and fluid mechanics, magnetohydrodynamics and plasmas, geoscience, atomic and molecular structure, quantum theory and field theory, relativity and mathematical physics, applied analysis, materials science and numerical analysis.

The Department of Statistics
The Department of Statistics provides a focus for Statistics within the University, and has numerous links with outside scientific and industrial concerns, especially in the area of genetics.

Department of Computer Science
The Department of Computer Science is a leading centre for the study, development and exploitation of computing technology.

3.3 The Courses

The University offers two single-subject courses in Mathematics, and seven joint courses:
MMath Mathematics 4-year
BA Mathematics 3-year
MMathCompSci Mathematics & Computer Science 4-year
BA Mathematics & Computer Science 3-year
MMathPhil Mathematics & Philosophy 4-year
BA Mathematics & Philosophy 3-year
MMath Mathematics & Statistics 4-year
BA Mathematics & Statistics 3-year
MMathPhys Mathematical & Theoretical Physics 4-year

3.3.1 Overall Course Structure

The degree programmes listed in 3.3 are structured so as to share certain lectures and supporting classes, and to share certain examination papers. The first-year courses, in particular, have been constructed so that it is sometimes possible to move from one course to another. Such a change needs the permission of your college, and if you think you may want to change course you should consult your college tutor as soon as possible (see 6.3 Exit Points). There are formal University examinations at the end of the first, second and third year of the course. (As mathematics is a progressive subject, later examinations, by implication, cover earlier core work.) The examinations at the end of the first, second and third year are the same for both the 4-year and the 3-year mode of each course.

The first year examination is called the Preliminary Examination, usually just referred to as ‘Prelims’, the second-year examination is called Part A and the third-year examination is called Part B. Teaching is normally through structured lecture courses supported by classes or tutorials, and, where appropriate, practical work. In the third and fourth years, there may be some reading courses involving prescribed reading and group meetings. Assessment is normally by written examination. However, some units are assessed by coursework for which projects or extended essays are submitted. Further details can be found in the examination conventions.

3.4 Programme Specification

The Master of Mathematics (MMath) in Mathematics and the Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Mathematics may be compared to national standards for higher education qualifications through the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ). The University awards framework (UAF) maps the awards of the University against the levels of the FHEQ. The FHEQ level for the MMath is 7 and for the BA is 6. The relevant subject benchmark statement for the course, which sets out expectations about standards of degrees in a given subject area, is Mathematics, Statistics and Operational Research (QAA 2015). The aims of the courses and the intended learning outcomes are listed in appendix A.

4. The First Year

The first year course is run as a joint venture with the Statistics Department. The official first year syllabus for the Preliminary Examination for 2025/26 is set out online at https://courses.maths.ox.ac.uk/. The lecture courses form a coordinated programme, ensuring full and careful coverage, avoiding unnecessary duplication to help you prepare for the examinations.

4.1 The Lecture Courses

The lecture courses in the first year are as follows:

Michaelmas Term

• Introduction to University Mathematics 2 lectures
• Introduction to Complex Numbers 2 lectures
• Linear Algebra I 14 lectures
• Analysis I 15 lectures
• Introductory Calculus 16 lectures
• Probability 16 lectures
• Geometry 15 lectures

Hilary Term

• Linear Algebra II 8 lectures
• Groups and Group Actions 8 lectures
• Analysis II 16 lectures
• Dynamics 16 lectures
• Fourier Series and Partial Differential Equations 16 lectures
• Multivariable Calculus 16 lectures
• Computational Mathematics 8 lectures

Trinity Term

• Groups and Group Actions 8 lectures
• Analysis III 8 lectures
• Statistics and Data Analysis 16 lectures

4.2 The Computational Mathematics Course

In addition to the written papers for Prelims, students reading Mathematics or Mathematics & Statistics are required to follow a compulsory computing course “Computational Mathematics”. This course has been devised to acquaint mathematicians with the use of computers as an aid to learning about mathematics, and to give access to a useful mathematical software package. Please refer to the online course manual for further information.

The course is computer-based and uses the Python programming language. You may access the system through college or individual computers; for the former you should consult the computing support at your own college. Python may be installed and used on personally-owned computers. Further details on how to install Python are available at https://www.python.org/downloads/. Practicals are held in the Mathematical Institute and you will need to bring a laptop. Please make sure you install Python on your laptop in plenty of time. If you do not have a laptop you will be able to borrow one for the practicals from the Institute, please contact Academic Admin as soon as possible (academic.administration@maths.ox.ac.uk). 

The course is divided into two parts, one part in each of Michaelmas and Hilary terms. The Michaelmas term work consists of preparatory work. Four practicals of two hours each are timetabled and you will be emailed the times of your college’s practical sessions. In Hilary term you work on two projects. The marks for these projects count for 1/11th of your Prelims grade. Candidates shall only be deemed to have passed the Preliminary Examination if they have satisfied the Moderators in all five examination papers and the practical assessment. Therefore, candidates who do not obtain an overall USM of 40 or above for their projects will be required to resit them. Details on submitting your project work will be provided in the course manual and notice to candidates. There are also 8 lectures for Computational Mathematics in Hilary term.

Students transferring into Mathematics from any other subject will still be expected to submit two projects (but may be granted extensions to deadlines).

These projects must be your own unaided work; you will be asked to make a declaration to this effect when you submit them. The University and Mathematical Institute regard plagiarism as a serious issue. Any attempt to submit another’s work as your own or to make use of published sources without explicit reference to them will be regarded as an infringement of University’s code concerning academic integrity. Your attention is drawn to
the Student Handbook (incorporating the Proctors’ and Assessor’s Memorandum), Section 7.7, “Plagiarism” which covers all forms of assessment https://www.ox.ac.uk/students/academic/student-handbook.

It is important to observe the deadlines for submitting your Computational Mathematics projects. Projects will be announced in week 6 of Hilary term. For 2025/26 the deadlines are:

• 1st project: 12 noon on Tuesday of week 2, Trinity term
• 2nd project: 12 noon on Tuesday of week 5, Trinity term

If you are unable to meet the above deadlines you may ask your college to apply for permission to submit late. Where there is a valid reason, approval would normally be granted and no penalty applied to the marks. The scale of penalties agreed by the board of examiners in relation to late submissions of projects, without an accepted reason, is set out below.

Late Submission Tariff

• Up to 4 hours = 1%
• 4-24 hours = 10%
• 24–48 hours = 20%
• 48–72 hours = 30%
• 72 hours-14 days = 35%
• More than 14 calendar days after the notice of non-submission = Fail

Note: The penalty will be a percentage reduction of the maximum total mark available for the work. For example, if a 10% penalty is applied to an assessment given a USM out of 100 then 10 marks would be deducted. The final mark awarded after application of the penalty cannot be below 0. Failure to submit a required element of assessment, without an accepted reason, will result in the failure of the assessment. In this case, the mark for any resit of the assessment will be capped at a pass.

4.3 Important Dates

Below is a summary of important dates in the first year:

Michaelmas Term
Friday 10th October, 2pm: Undergraduate Induction
Monday 13th October (week 1): Michaelmas term lectures begin
Monday 27th October (week 3): Computational Mathematics practical sessions begin
Friday 5th December (week 8): Michaelmas term lectures end

Hilary Term
Monday 19th January (week 1): Hilary term lectures begin
Friday 27th February (week 6): Computational Mathematics projects announced
Friday 13th March: Hilary term lectures end

Trinity Term
Monday 27th April (week 1): Trinity term lectures begin
Tuesday 5th May, 12 noon (week 2): Submission deadline for first Computational Mathematics project
Friday 22nd May (week 4): Prelims preparation lecture and Trinity term lectures end
Tuesday 26th May, 12 noon (week 5): Submission deadline for second Computational Mathematics project
Monday 22nd June (week 9): Provisional start date for the Prelims examinations
Friday 26th June (week 9): Provisional end date for the Prelims examinations

5. After First Year

In the second and third year of your course many options are available. These vary a little from year to year depending on faculty interests and current research interests. This research-informed teaching means that faculty can use their current research to enhance the lecture courses.

The list of courses currently being taught in the third year can be found at https://courses.maths.ox.ac.uk/. You will receive information on the options, year by year, when it becomes available.

5.1 The Second Year (Part A)

The second year course consists of three compulsory subjects (core material):

• Linear Algebra (16 lectures),
• Differential Equations 1 (16 lectures),
• Metric Spaces and Complex Analysis (32 lectures)

followed by a number of long options (16 lectures each):

• Rings and Modules
• Integration
• Topology
• Differential Equations 2
• Numerical Analysis
• Probability
• Statistics
• Fluids and Waves
• Quantum Theory
• Geometry

and short options (8 lectures each):

• Number Theory
• Group Theory
• Integral Transforms
• Calculus of Variations
• Graph Theory
• Mathematical Modelling in Biology.

The compulsory core is studied in Michaelmas term, alongside some options. The options are mostly studied in Hilary, and the first half of Trinity term. Each student shall be required to offer 9 written examination papers. These will include 3 papers on the core subjects, 5 papers from the long options and 1 paper on the short options (of which students are recommended to take three). Students may opt to offer an additional paper from the long options and so do 10 examinations in total. Students considering taking an additional long option are advised to discuss this with their college tutors.

The Mathematical Institute is responsible for the delivery of all units except for those on Probability and Statistics, which are the responsibility of the Department of Statistics.

5.2 The Third Year (Part B)

You will take the equivalent of eight 16-hour units in the third year from the schedule of Part B units. Options are available to take double unit extended essays or structured projects. See section 4.9 for further details.

5.3 The Fourth Year (Part C)

If you continue to the fourth year, also known as Part C you will be jointly taught with the OMMS (MSc in Mathematical Sciences) students, you will take the equivalent of a minimum of eight up to a maximum of ten 16-hour units in the fourth year from the schedule of Part C units. Two of these units are a compulsory dissertation. See section 4.9 for further details. Students considering taking more than eight units are advised to discuss this with their college tutors. For further information relating to Part C please refer to the MSc in Mathematical Sciences (OMMS) and MMath in Mathematics (Part C) Handbook: https://courses.maths.ox.ac.uk/mod/book/view.php?id=65591 

5.4 Mathematical and Theoretical Physics (MMathPhys)

Oxford Physics and Oxford Mathematics jointly offer a masters level course in Mathematical and Theoretical Physics. Oxford MMath students will be able to apply for transfer to the MMathPhys mode of the course after their third year and study mathematical and theoretical physics in their fourth year, instead of following the fourth year of their original degree course. The MMathPhys course provides a high-level, internationally competitive training in mathematical and theoretical physics, right up to the level of modern research.

It covers the four main areas: 

• Quantum Field Theory, Particle Physics and String Theory.
• Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics.
• Theoretical Astrophysics, Plasma Physics and Physics of Continuous Media.
• Mathematical Foundations of Theoretical Physics.

The programme offers considerable flexibility and freedom to design individual pathways. For example, students can aim for a broad theoretical education across subject areas or, alternatively, focus on one of the subject areas above. Studies can be pursued with stronger emphasis on mathematical or on physical aspects.

MMathPhys students will graduate with a Master of Mathematical and Theoretical Physics with a double classification, a BA degree class for the first three years of their study in their original subject and a MMathPhys degree class for their fourth year. For full details see the course website https://mmathphys.physics.ox.ac.uk/.

6. Pathways and Choices

6.1 Pathways

Formal details of which combinations of units you may offer in the examinations will be published by the University in the Examination Regulations. The lecture synopses will describe recommended ‘background courses’. It should be noted that you may choose a course even though you have not done the background courses, but the lecturers and examiners will lecture and examine on the basis that you have the background. If you wish to take a course and you have not taken the recommended background courses then you are advised to consult your college tutors who may be able to help and advise you on background reading.

A list detailing which Part B options find which Part A options to be essential, recommended or useful can be found online at https://courses.maths.ox.ac.uk/.

6.2 Making Choices

Your college tutors will be able to give you advice. Some preliminary work in the libraries, looking at the books recommended in the reading lists may also help. Past papers, and examiners’ reports may give some of the flavour of a course. There are options fairs run in the Mathematical Institute in Trinity term – of your second year for Part B – where representatives from the different subject groups will discuss the individual options and be available to answer any questions you may have.

There is also an online course planner (https://courses.maths.ox.ac.uk/course planner) which you can use to explore pathways through the course. When making your choice you should consider not only options which you find interesting and attractive, but also the terms in which lectures and classes are held. Ideally your work in Michaelmas and Hilary terms should be spread evenly.

6.3 Exit Points

We hope, and expect, that you will enjoy studying Mathematics at Oxford and will successfully complete your degree. A high proportion of those admitted to read Mathematics elect to stay for 4 years to complete the MMath; of the remainder, almost all obtain the B.A. in Mathematics after 3 years. Some students may opt to switch to another Oxford course or, exceptionally, to a course at another university.

6.3.1 Three Years or Four Years?

The choice of which degree you take will be based on your interests and aptitudes, your performance in the first three years and your career intentions. You may wish to discuss your decision with your college tutors, who will be able to advise you on which course is more appropriate for you.

You will need to achieve a weighted average of 59.5 or above for your third year exams to progress to Part C.

By default, all students are registered for the MMath. If you subsequently decide to take the B.A. option you must inform your college office who will in turn inform the central administration and the departments. Around the time that you enter for your Part B examinations you will be asked to confirm whether or not you intend to stay for the fourth year. The decision you declare at this point is not immutable, but should be final if at all possible, and you are strongly advised to take a final decision before the start of your Part B examinations. Please ensure that you have consulted your college tutor(s) before making your decision. It is important that your college knows your intentions as early as possible in order to plan for the following year.

It could happen that, having embarked upon your fourth year, you are for whatever reason unable to complete the Part C course, or decide that you do not wish to do so. In these circumstances you are advised to discuss your situation with your college’s Senior Tutor at the earliest opportunity. Students who withdraw partway through Part C will graduate with a BA degree.

6.3.2 Changing Course

We very much hope, and in the great majority of cases can confidently expect, that you will do well in this course and benefit from your studies. At the same time, you should not feel that your original choice is irrevocable if it is not turning out as you had anticipated. In any degree course, a very few who embark upon it may come to feel it is not the right course for them. Mathematics is no exception and a few students doing the course change
to another. If you feel that you should change course, the best thing to do is to be patient at first. You may be finding the course difficult or overwhelming but this is perfectly natural and your tutors are there to help and support you. You should seek their advice, and maybe share your feelings with your fellow students: you may not be alone in your feelings, and they may be able to help. You are not in competition with them, and it is good to get into the habit of helping and being helped. Despite this, you may decide that the course is not right for you. 

If you are considering changing from Mathematics to another Oxford course, the possibilities are to change to a course joint with Mathematics, or to an entirely different course. The latter is the most radical and its feasibility depends on particular interests, background and circumstances. The first is more generally feasible. You will find it helpful to talk to fellow students on the course or courses to which you might like to change and to consult the University Prospectus and course documentation available on the web. Normally your college will have admitted you to read for a specific undergraduate degree (consisting of the sequence of First Public Examination followed by Final Honour School). If you wish to explore the possibility of changing course, first talk to one of your current tutors or, if you prefer, to the Senior Tutor or to someone else in your college with responsibility for academic welfare of students. After that, talk to tutors in the subject to which you wish to change.

If you have already made a substantial start on your course then it is likely that your tutors will advise you to stay with it until you have completed your First Public Examination. By proceeding in this way you may be able to change course without losing a year, since you must pass a First Public Examination in some course or other before you can proceed to any Final Honour School and any First Public Examination counts as a qualification for any Final Honour School.

Changing to another course joint with Mathematics

If you are considering changing to a Mathematics joint course before Prelims, then you need to be aware that you will need to catch up on course work in the other subject. To change to a joint Mathematics course after Prelims will involve studying over the summer some of the material examined in the second discipline. Your tutors will advise you what to concentrate on. 

Changing to another Oxford course: the formalities

If you decide you do want to change course, there are three bodies that must approve: your college, the University, and those who are paying for you. Permission from your college will be needed for change to another course. This is liable to be refused if the receiving tutors think you unsuited to their course, or don’t have room. The University is unlikely to be a problem, as it accepts for any examination all candidates who are suitably qualified and supported by their colleges. However, a few departments do have quotas for acceptance on to the courses taught in them; so it always best to speak to your college about changing to another course in the first instance. See below as regards financial issues in connection with a change of course.

Moving to another university

The most occasional change is to decide to study at another university, either because the course you realise you want to do isn’t offered at Oxford, or because you feel that you will do better somewhere else. Before deciding to pursue such a step be sure to get lots of advice, both from tutors and from family and friends. If in the end this is the right choice for you, you should be able to ask your college to support your application for a place at another university.

6.3.3 Financial Issues

Please be aware that any change to your choice of degree may impact on your level of maintenance funding and the time taken to receive your student loan. You are advised to contact Student Finance, https://www.gov.uk/student-financefor further enquiries. If you have financial support for your studies from an award, scholarship, or sponsorship, this is likely to be on the basis of the specific course you are pursuing, in which case permission from your funding body to change course, even within Oxford, will be required if this support is to continue. You will need to ask your Senior Tutor to write to your funding body to certify that you have been given permission to change course.

The MMath is recognized as a masters-level qualification. For students not classified as Overseas, there may be adverse financial consequences in taking the MMath (rather than the BA) if they wish thereafter to take another masters-level taught course. This arises because of ELQ (Equivalent or Lower Qualifications) fee liabilities: universities do not receive any government funding for ELQ students and consequently adopt a special ELQ fees rate, which is likely to be roughly double that of the standard fee for graduate taught courses. Information can be found at https://www.ox.ac.uk/students/fees-funding/fees/elq.

7. Teaching and Learning

7.1 The Department and the Colleges

Oxford University is a collegiate university. All undergraduates are members of both a college and the University. Courses, syllabi, lectures and examinations are organised and delivered by the University. Colleges deliver tutorial and class teaching, and are generally responsible for the academic and personal well-being of their students. 

In a college there will usually be two or more subject tutors to select students, deliver tutorials and class teaching and generally guide students through their studies. Usually at the beginning of each term, a student will meet their subject tutor(s) to discuss selection of options and to make and receive information on teaching arrangements, etc. Your subject tutor(s) will monitor your academic progression through each term and will receive reports from other tutors who will teach you through Moodle. 

The Mathematical Institute contains lecture theatres and seminar rooms in which undergraduate lectures and intercollegiate classes are given. Most matters concerned with the administration of the Mathematics courses are dealt with in the Institute - for example the setting of synopses, lecture timetables and lecture notes. If you have comments relating to departmental provision or any issues with teaching or supervision, please raise these as soon as possible with the relevant contact in Appendix E. 

7.2 An Average Week

Students are responsible for their own academic progress. Typically, your tutors will be expecting you to work around 40 hours per week during term time. This may vary a little from week-to-week, depending on how you are finding the material. You are advised to read the University's guidance on undertaking paid work at https://www.ox.ac.uk/students/life/experience.

Of these 40 or so hours, around 10 will be lectures, and 2-3 will be tutorials or classes. This means the remaining 25+ is unassigned, to be filled by your own independent study. A table setting out the recommended patterns of teaching for each year of the course is included in Appendix B. 

You should seek advice from your tutor if you find it impossible to complete your academic work without spending significantly longer than 48 hours per week on a regular basis. 

It is important that you quickly get into a mode of learning that suits you. In an effort to help structure this independent study, the first year lecturers produce five weekly exercise sheets (one per two lectures) that will form the basis of tutorials. This means that roughly 5 hours should be assigned to each sheet. From the second year onwards there will be one sheet per four lectures, so you should be spending closer to 10 hours per sheet. 

Success on the course is not simply a matter of completing these sheets. The exercises will be chosen as a guide to what you need to know and to demonstrate how the material hangs together; these are their aims. Some of the exercises you may find routine and quickly solve; others will take longer to crack, perhaps only on your third or fourth attempt. Do not be surprised if some of the final questions prove too difficult to complete, but you should have attempted everything. Ultimately the problems you have had will be addressed in the next tutorial. 

The main ingredient for success in mathematics at university is committed independent study. It is the breaking down of subtle analytical problems yourself, the appreciation of how method and theory connect, the necessary organisation and perseverance that the course requires, which ultimately makes our students successful both during their time at Oxford, as well as after graduation.  

7.3 Vacations

You should expect to spend some time in the vacations consolidating and revising the material covered in the preceding term. You may also have one or two problem sheets to complete during the vacation or some pre-reading or work in preparation for the next term. In some vacations you will need to revise for examinations (which may be college collections or University examinations). 

7.4 Lectures and how to get the best out of them

All official lectures are advertised in the termly lecture timetable (see section 1.2). Lectures are usually timetabled to last an hour but there is a convention for undergraduate lectures to commence a few minutes after the hour and likewise finish a few minutes before the hour to allow for students to move in and out of the room. 

All lecture livestreams and recordings will be available via the course materials page (video capture) at the following link: https://courses.maths.ox.ac.uk/

When we think of traditional university teaching, we think of lectures. They are an integral part of learning at university, but initially they will prove to be an unfamiliar and perhaps alien means of communicating mathematics. You will need to be disciplined, motivated and committed in order to get the best out of them. For mathematics, they are an important and effective way of conveying information. Most mathematicians find it easier to learn from lectures rather than books. 

It is inevitable that you will not be able to take in everything all at once in a lecture, so you should revisit the lecture material using the lecture recordings or other materials provided by the lecturer in your own time to improve your knowledge and understanding. 

Unsurprisingly, different lecturers will have different styles, and topics in mathematics may warrant slightly different ways of teaching. Some lecturers will provide lecture notes, posted online, but it is a good idea to take your own notes, so you stay attentive during a lecture and understand how a calculation or argument follows from another. Note-taking is a valuable, transferrable skill. It is sensible to keep your lecture notes together with tutorial notes, problem sheets, and mark solutions etc. so that they can be easily referenced afterwards for further study and revision. 

Try not to fall behind with a topic: if a course has not gone well during the term, spend some extra time over the vacation catching up. The mathematics you meet in your first year, complicated though it may seem now, will appear rather routine a year later (probably in less time than that) and it is only by repeatedly familiarising yourself with its ways and patterns that this will become so. 

If you have missed a number of lectures through illness or other reasons, please consult with your College Tutor for advice on catching up missed work. 

7.5 Problem Sheets

All lectures in Mathematics are supported by problem sheets compiled by the lecturers. They are available for downloading from the Mathematical Institute website. Many college tutors use these problems for their tutorials; others prefer to make up their own problem sheets. In Part B, problem sheets will be used for the intercollegiate classes run in conjunction with the lectures. 

Many of the books recommended in the reading lists contain exercises and worked examples; past papers and specimen papers are another source of such material, useful for revision. 

7.6 Tutorials (Prelims and Part A)

To support lectures in the first and second years, colleges arrange tutorials and classes for their students. How these are organised vary from college to college. For example, you might have two (one-hour) tutorials each week, with one or two other students. Consequently, it is a highly individual and flexible way of teaching and tutorial groups are usually arranged to include students that work well together, and perhaps, who are progressing academically at the same rate. 

You will be set some work for each tutorial and in the tutorial you will discuss the work and be able to ask about any difficulties you have experienced. In order to get the best out of a tutorial, it is important that you are well prepared and also that you see the tutorial as an opportunity to get resolved all the problems you encountered that week. A tutorial is, after all, an hour with an expert in that area. Your tutor is highly unlikely to give up the answer to your question immediately and may respond with hints or questions of their own, but this is all towards improving your understanding of the material and showing you how you might have made further progress with the problem yourself. 

7.7 Classes (Part B)

Each 16-hour lecture unit in Part B will be supported by classes run under the Intercollegiate Class Scheme. Students generally attend four 1.5 hour classes (or equivalent) for each Part B unit. In Michaelmas term 2025-26, all classes will run face-to-face. Each class usually has between five and twelve students (although classes for more popular subjects may contain up to thirty students) from a number of different colleges and is run by a class tutor and a teaching assistant. The course lecturer provides problem sheets, and also specimen solutions for the class tutors and teaching assistants. Students hand in their solutions in advance and these are marked by the teaching assistants; at each class, some of the problems are discussed in detail, and there is an opportunity to ask the class tutor and teaching assistant about any particular difficulties. The class tutors report to colleges through the intercollegiate class database on your performance throughout the term. If you are ill and unable to attend the class, please inform the class tutor in advance of the class. 

Consultation sessions to help with revision are run during Trinity term. 

7.8 Undergraduate Projects

Projects give students the opportunity to develop valuable skills - collecting material, explaining it, expounding it clearly and persuasively, and using citations. Projects are also an opportunity to pursue a topic of particular interest and allow students to show their mathematical understanding and progress via a sustained piece of exposition. 

7.8.1 Projects in the Undergraduate Course

You can choose to undertake project work as one or more of the optional courses studied in Part B. These options cover the whole spectrum of mathematics and include topics related to mathematics, such as the history of mathematics and mathematics education. Information on the different options can be found at https://www.maths.ox.ac.uk/members/students/undergraduate-courses/teaching-and-learning/part-b-students/projects. In 2025-26, all submitted assessments such as projects will be submitted online via Inspera by the relevant deadline. Full information is provided here: https://www.ox.ac.uk/students/academic/exams/submission.

7.8.2 Extracurricular Projects

There are also opportunities to undertake extracurricular projects, such as summer projects, during your studies. These projects are an excellent opportunity to gain experience of mathematical research. 

Various bursaries become available each year supporting undergraduates in project work during the long vacation in Oxford. These are usually aimed at students at the end of their second or third years. What is offered varies from year to year; usually the department's Academic Administration team will circulate details of these opportunities by email. 

Further details about extracurricular projects can be found at: https://www.maths.ox.ac.uk/members/students/undergraduate-courses/teaching-and-learning/projects/extracurricular-projects

7.9 Practicals 

For some of the units there is a component of compulsory practical work. Arrangements will be explained by the course lecturer; your college tutor will also advise. Those who run the practical sessions will also give advice on how the work is to be written up. 

7.10 History of Mathematics

You are encouraged to read around your subject, and it can be very beneficial to look through texts, other than the main recommended text(s), to see a treatment of the material other than your lecturer's and your tutor's. College libraries will usually have such texts. 

It can also help to have a sense of the subject's history and development. There is a History of Mathematics option in the third year, but otherwise you will find (because of time constraints) that lecturers largely focus on teaching the current syllabus and have little time to comment on historical sidelines. We include here a short list of books recommended by tutors, for you to dip into. 

H Dorrie, 100 Great Problems of Elementary Mathematics Dover (1965)

J Fauvel, R Flood & R Wilson, Oxford figures: 800 years of the mathematical sciences OUP (2000)

E M Fellmann, Leonhard Euler Birkhauser (2007)

M Kline, Mathematics in Western Culture Penguin (1972)

M Kline, Mathematical Thought from Ancient to Modern Times OUP (1972)

V Katz, A History of Mathematics: An Introduction Second Edition, Addison-Wesley (1998)

J Stillwell, Mathematics and Its History Third Edition, Springer (2010)

D Struik, A Concise History of Mathematics Dover Paperback (1946)

8. Assessment and Examinations

9. Study Skills and Resources

9.1 Study Skills

Much of the advice and training in study skills will come in the regular tutorial and class teaching your college arranges for you. In these sessions, and in preparation for them, you will develop your powers of expression and argument. 

A wide range of information and training materials are available to help you develop your academic skills, including time management, research and library skills, referencing, revision skills and academic writing, through the Oxford Students website: https://www.ox.ac.uk/students/academic/guidance/skills

9.2 Resources

9.2.1 Books

A complete set of lecture notes should not be viewed as your sole source of information for a course. If you have found the course relatively straightforward then they may prove sufficient, though that is not to say you couldn't benefit from other texts and further reading, but if the course has gone less well then you would certainly be wise to consult other texts from the college library or internet for more examples and other treatments of the material. Access to other mathematical texts and sources will help in clarifying points made in lectures, completing arguments given partially, doing things in different ways, and so on. 

Reading lists are issued alongside the lecture synopses and are revised annually. They contain a range of suggestions, including alternatives and suggestions for further reading. It is often advantageous to have your own copy of some books - often you will be able to buy useful texts from your predecessors in college, or through second-hand bookstalls run by MURC.

9.2.2 Libraries

The main source of borrowed books is your college library. College libraries generally purchase the books which appear in the reading lists for every Prelims, Part A and Part B course. In practice, college libraries also provide a good selection of the books listed as 'further reading', and a wider selection of background and alternative reading. 

Many college libraries have a number of copies of key books and are usually responsive to requests for new purchases, but they need to be asked. 

The other source of books to borrow is the Radcliffe Science Library in Parks Road. This library is associated with the Bodleian and as an undergraduate you are entitled to use it. Your University Card will give you access to any part of the Bodleian Library and any of its dependent libraries. 

9.2.3 IT

The University is committed to making available computer facilities sufficient to cover the coursework requirements of undergraduates. Your computing requirements will be supported primarily by departmental and college IT staff. 

All students will be automatically allocated a University email account and may register for further services with IT Services. IT Services are located at 13 Banbury Road and offer facilities, training and advice to members of the University in all aspects of academic computing. You can find more information at: https://www.it.ox.ac.uk/

Colleges have PCs (and in some cases Macs), mostly networked, for the use of junior members. Many college students' rooms are wired with ethernet points to enable students to connect their own PCs to the network. There are concerns around computer security and anyone opening an account must agree to abide by the University's rules. At Oxford there is a University disciplinary procedure for enforcing the rules, and breaches of the will involve the Proctors with all the sanctions and penalties available to them. 

Some University webpages are NOT available outside the Oxford network. If you are regularly using a computer outside the Oxford network, you need to set up VPN. Instructions on how to do this can be found at: https://help.it.ox.ac.uk/vpn

Undergraduates are not issues with departmental IT accounts, however if you find you have a particular need for departmental IT facilities (for example, to work on the first year Computational Mathematics projects should you not have access to a laptop), you are welcome to apply by contacting academic.administration@maths.ox.ac.uk.

9.2.4 Andrew Wiles Building

The mezzanine teaching floor of the Mathematical Institute, Andrew Wiles Building, contains three lecture theatres (L1-L3), three smaller lecture rooms (L4-L6) and six classrooms (C1-C6). 

The area also contains an undergraduate study room with desk space for approximately 40 people, along with sockets for person laptop use. There is WiFi throughout the building. 

The mezzanine also hosts a cafe with seating and tables for 100 people, serving drinks, meals and snacks. 

Also found on the mezzanine is the work hand-in area for third and fourth-year intercollegiate classes. Your tutors will provide you with instructions on how to submit your work. 

The building is accessible to undergraduates during the opening hours of 8am-6pm, although Health and Safety advice will need to be followed. Please check the Mathematical Institute website for the latest guidance on how to use the building. 

9.2.5 The Language Centre

The Language Centre provides resources for members of the University who need foreign language skills for their study, research or personal interests, and also to improve English language skills. 

More information can be found here: https://www.lang.ox.ac.uk/

Mathematics and Mathematics & Philosophy students may take a language course in any of their second, third or fourth years. This will not count towards your degree classification but you will receive a certificate upon passing a course. The department will cover half of the cost of the course, with you paying the remainder of the course fee. On completion of the course, your college, or possibly the department, will reimburse you for the remainder. 

9.2.6 Careers and Employability

Careers guidance is provided by the Careers Service, and at a personal level by college tutors. Careers advisers carry out guidance interviews with students, discussing their skills and aspirations with them. They also provide training in writing applications, interview technique and analysis of transferable skills. The Careers Service provides information about occupations and employers, and advertises work experience opportunities. 

Members of the Faculty who have taught you are usually willing to provide support and references. The Careers Service provides a link person, who has expertise in areas where mathematicians are often in demand, for example in finance careers. College tutors are regularly updated on Careers Service activities. 

In addition to its general programme, the Careers Service runs an annual 'Jobs for Mathematicians' half-day, in collaboration with the Mathematical Institute. At this event, there are talks from alumni currently working in jobs suitable for mathematicians. The event also helps students consider their transferable skills. You can find more information at: https://www.careers.ox.ac.uk/

A significant proportion of students continue onto further study after completing their undergraduate degree. A talk on postgraduate study is included in the annual 'Jobs for Mathematicians' event and further information about postgraduate study opportunities at the Mathematical Institute can be found at: https://www.maths.ox.ac.uk/study-here/postgraduate-study

10. Undergraduate Representation and Societies

10.1 Feedback

There is plenty of opportunity, both formal and informal, for you to comment on the mathematics course. The informal ways are through the members of the Faculty who teach you in classes, lectures and tutorials, and also through your personal tutors in college. Feedback is formally sought through surveys conducted by the Mathematical Institute and the University, and also the National Student Survey. All input from undergraduates about the course content, structure and facilities generally is welcomed by the department and taken seriously. 

Questionnaires on classes and lectures are distributed termly. All questionnaires can be completed online. 

Once the termly questionnaire results are processed, each course lecturer receives the comments and statistical analysis from their own course and in addition consolidated information is made available to relevant committees for discussion, and where necessary, action. One of the key committees to consider this information is the Joint Consultative Committee for Undergraduates (JCCU). The statistical feedback from the questionnaires is sent to a designated undergraduate member of the Mathematics Undergraduate Representation Committee (MURC Questionnaire Representative) for consideration by MURC and a report brought to JCCU. Any action taken as a result of questionnaire comments is made known to your MURC representative through JCCU. 

Students on full-time and part-time matriculated courses are surveyed once per year on all aspects of their course (learning, living, pastoral support, college) through the Student Barometer. Previous results can be viewed by students, staff and the general public at: https://www.ox.ac.uk/students/life/student-engagement. 

Final year undergraduates are surveyed instead through the National Student Survey. Results from previous NSS can be found at https://discoveruni.gov.uk/

The results of both of these surveys are discussed by the Teaching Committee and appropriate action agreed as necessary.

10.1.1 MURC

The Mathematics Undergraduate Representation Committee (MURC) is composed of students who represent the interests of Mathematics and joint school students. It consists of an elected representative from each college. It holds regular meetings to discuss issues connected with academic organisation of the course such as lectures, examinations and syllabus content. It is the forum which allows undergraduates, through their representatives, to raise issues connected with their courses. It is important for colleges to have a representative to the committee. The views of this committee are channelled to the faculties and departments through the Joint Consultative Committee with Undergraduates

Further information on MURC can be found on the MURC webpage: https://www.maths.ox.ac.uk/members/students/undergraduate-courses/undergraduate-representation/murc

10.1.2 JCCU

The Joint Consultative Committee with Undergraduates (JCCU) meets regularly once a term and discusses any matters that the MURC representatives wish to raise; in addition, it considers matters relating to the synopses and proposed changes of syllabus, and as mentioned above the statistical feedback from questionnaires. 

The membership of the JCCU consists of fourteen members of MURC appointed by MURC and representatives of the Department of Mathematics and of Statistics. The committee is usually chaired by an academic and the Secretary is a member of the Academic Administration team. This committee is available for consultation by the departments and by the divisional board on any matter which relates to the undergraduate courses. Minutes of the JCCU meetings taken by your student representatives, reports and feedback on student requests can also be found at: https://www.maths.ox.ac.uk/members/students/undergraduate-courses/undergraduate-representation/jccu. 

The MURC President may also attend meetings of the Mathematics Teaching Committee. 

10.1.3 UJCF

The MPLS Division runs a divisional Undergraduate Joint Consultative Forum which is chaired by the senior MPLS Academic who is responsible for that area across the division. An undergraduate representative from each department within MPLS Division attends the forum. In addition, an undergraduate representative attends the meetings of the Divisional Board and the MPLS Academic Committee. Student representatives sitting on the Divisional Board are selected through a process organised by the Oxford Student Union. Details can be found on the Oxford SU website along with information about student representation at the University level: https://www.oxfordsu.org. 

10.2 Student Societies

There are a number of Mathematics student societies which you may like to join. Details of the main societies are given below. In addition there are over 200 clubs and societies covering a wide range of interests which you may join or attend. A full list is available at: https://www.ox.ac.uk/students/life/clubs/list

10.2.1 Invariants Society

The Oxford University Invariant Society is the undergraduate mathematical society. Its primary aim is to host weekly talks by notable speakers, on a wide variety of mathematical subjects. The Invariants also host social events, a Christmas party, and an annual formal dinner. Titles of talks previously given include: Mathematics, Magic and Electric Guitars; Juggling: theory and practice; Bells and Change Ringing. There are opportunities for members to give their own talks. Meetings are held on Tuesdays at 8pm in the Mathematical Institute. Anyone interested should come to the first meeting (for free) to find out more. More details are available at: https://invariants.org.uk/.

10.2.2 Mirzakhani Society

The Mirzakhani Society is a society aimed at supporting women in Oxford who are studying maths. Their main event is 'Sip and Solve' which happens once a week, tea and cake are provided, and women are encouraged to come along to do problem sheets. More details are available at: https://www.mirzakhanisociety.org.uk/

10.2.3 LGBTI^3

For general enquiries, please contact: oxlgbtqubed@gmail.com

11. University Policies and Other Important Documents

The University has a wide range of policies and regulations that apply to students. These are easily accessible through the A-Z of University regulations, codes of conduct and policies available on the Oxford Students website: https://www.ox.ac.uk/students/academic/regulations. Particular attention is drawn to the following University and Departmental policies. 

11.1 Intellectual Property Rights

The University in its Statutes claims ownership of certain forms of intellectual property which students create in the course of, or incidentally to, their studies. There are arrangements in the University's regulations for protecting and exploiting this property, and sharing the commercial exploitations revenues with the student originators. By accepting a place at Oxford and signing the Student Contract with the University, you agree to be legally bound by these provisions. The regulations relating to intellectual property can be found on the University website at https://www.ox.ac.uk/students/academic/guidance/intellectual-property 

11.2 Code on Harassment

The Mathematical Institute has appointed senior members who may be consulted in connection with the University's Code on Harassment. Details are posted on the Mathematical Institute webpage: https://www.maths.ox.ac.uk/members/hr/wellbeing-and-support/harassment-advisors

Consent Matters - part of the Oxford Against Sexual Violence campaign

We're asking all students to complete a new online consent programme to develop understanding, communication and respect as a student in Oxford's community. In the short interactive course, you'll learn how to recognise and ask for sexual consent, look out for others, and where to find support if you need it. You can access the course remotely now: https://www.ox.ac.uk/students/welfare/supportservice/consent-for-students. We encourage all students to complete the training before arriving in Oxford for the start of term. Consent Matters forms part of Oxford Against Sexual Violence, the University's campaign that exists to send a clear message that sexual harassment and violence of any form is unacceptable. Free, independent support and advice is available to any student who has been affected by sexual harassment or violence through the Sexual Harassment and Violence Support Service webpage: https://www.ox.ac.uk/students/welfare/supportservice

11.3 Disabilities and Equal Opportunities

The University is committed to making arrangements where appropriate to enable students with disabilities to participate fully in student life. Please see the University's Equal Opportunities Statement available at: https://edu.admin.ox.ac.uk/equality-policy, and the Mathematics Departmental Disability Statement in Appendix D.

11.4 Safety

You are urged at all times to act responsibly, and with a proper care for your own safety and that of others. Departmental statements of safety policy are posted in all departments, and you must comply with them. Students should note that they (and others entering onto departmental premises or who are involved in departmental activities) are responsible for exercising care in relation to themselves and others who may be affected by their actions. 

Please note that in the Institute, accidents should be reported immediately to reception, who keep the accident book. There is a first aid room located on the ground floor of the South wing. If you require access to this room, please report to reception. 

Each lecture theatre has its own proper escape route and you are urged to familiarise yourself with these, when this becomes necessary. Those for the Mathematical Institute lecture and seminar rooms, are set online at https://www.maths.ox.ac.uk/members/building-information/security-safety-and-reporting-building-issues. In the case of evacuation of the lecture theatre, give heed to the instructions of the lecturer. 

11.5 AI

The Mathematical Institute's policy for students on the use of generative artificial intelligence in summatively assessed work can be found on the Mathematical Institute's website: Departmental policy on use of AI_CR_Oct25

12. Information for International Students

This page is aimed at International students but in fact may be helpful to all students. 

12.1 Contacts

Student Immigration

Examination Schools, High Street, Oxford

email: student.immigration@admin.ox.ac.uk

website: https://www.ox.ac.uk/students/visa

Oxford University Language Centre

email: admin@lang.ox.ac.uk

website: www.lang.ox.ac.uk

Oxford University Student Union - International Students Officer

email: international@ousu.ox.ac.uk

12.2 Language Skills

It is important, for many international students, to continue to develop English language skills, both for academic studies in Oxford and future careers. Some students, at the beginning of their time in Oxford, find they need to translate academic material into their first language before it can be digested. Some even go as far as to read translations of recommended texts. Students should aim to reach the point where they can think about their subject and solve problems directly in English, without any translation. Students are encouraged to discuss their work, even work together with other students, and we recommend that such joint work is conducted in English. 

Undergraduates may attend one of the courses organised by the Oxford University Language Centre and also use their library of independent learning materials. More generally, the mastery of English will improve with constant reading and social interaction in English. 

Appendices

A. Programme Specifications

A1 Aims of the Courses

The programme aims:

• to provide, within the supportive and stimulating environment of the collegiate university, a mathematical education of excellent quality through a course which attracts students of the highest mathematical potential;
• to provide a learning environment which, by drawing on the expertise and talent of the staff, both encourages and challenges the students (recognising their different needs, interests and aspirations) to reach their full potential, personally and academically;
• to provide students with a systematic understanding of core areas and some advanced topics in mathematics, an appreciation of its wide-ranging applications, and to offer the students a range of ways to develop their skills and knowledge;
• to lay the foundations for a wide choice of careers and the successful long-term pursuit of them, particularly careers requiring numeracy, modelling and problem-solving abilities;
• to lay the foundations for employment as specialist mathematicians or in research through the study in depth of some of a broad range of topics offered;

and for students taking the 4-year MMath (Hons):

• to provide the foundations for graduate study through a research degree at a leading university either in the UK or overseas. 

A2 Intended Learning Outcomes

Each outcome is broadly related to the educational programme aims and associated with a learning opportunity and an assessment strategy:

B. Recommended Patterns of Teaching 2025-26

Prelims (Year 1)

Course structure: There are 14 compulsory courses plus two introductory courses. Students also complete a compulsory practical course in computational mathematics.

Notes:
All first year lecture courses are supported by tutorials organised by colleges. The normal expectation is that a 16-hour lecture course is supported by 4 one-hour tutorials or the equivalent in small classes. It may be the case that a tutorial or class addresses several lecture courses, rather than being solely dedicated to a single lecture course.

Part A (Year 2)

Course structure: There are 3 compulsory core courses (A0-A2), 10 long options courses (A3-A13) from which students choose 5 or 6, and 6 short options (ASO) from which students usually study 2 courses. 

Notes: All second year lecture courses are supported by tutorials organised by colleges. The normal expectation is that a 16-hour lecture courses is supported by 4 one-hour tutorials or the equivalent in small classes. 

Part B (Year 3)

Course structure: Students take the equivalent of 8 units at Part B. The schedule of Part B units is divided into Mathematics units, Statistics units, Computer Science units and Other units. Students must offer at least four Mathematics units and may offer up to four units from the remaining schedules but with no more than two from each category (Statistics, Computer Science, Other). Students cannot offer both an Other Mathematical Extended Essay (BOE) and a Structured Project (BSP). 

Notes: In Part B, intercollegiate classes are arranged in place of college tutorials for the Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science lecture courses. For some lecture courses, there may not be sufficient students to run an intercollegiate class and tutorials will be arranged instead. It is recommended that 4 hours of tutorials are provided for a 16-hour lecture course. Colleges may decide to opt out of the intercollegiate class scheme and teach their students in tutorials for a particular course. In addition to those classes, drop-in consultation sessions are arranged in Trinity term by way of revision for those lecture courses assessed by written examination. Please note that courses marked with * are double units. 

Please note that in the case of teaching provided by colleges, these figures are the departmental recommendations only and individual colleges may provide different amounts of types of teaching than those states above for a variety of reasons (e.g. individual student needs or differing number of contact hours depending on tutorial group size). 

C. The Joint Courses

C1 Mathematics & Statistics

This handbook applies to the first year in Mathematics and Statistics, which is shared with the single-subject degree. For other details about the course, please see the Statistics website: https://www.stats.ox.ac.uk/

C2 Mathematics & Computer Science

This is a three-year or four-year course intended to equip the future computer scientist with the fundamental understanding and practical skills needed by potential leaders of a demanding profession. For more details please see the Computer Science website: https://www.cs.ox.ac.uk/

C3 Mathematics & Philosophy 

This is a three-year or four-year course intended for those who would like to combine the development of their mathematical skills with the study of philosophy. There is a natural bridge in the philosophy of mathematics, as well as in logic. The latter has always been reckoned a part of philosophy, and over the last hundred years it has developed as a branch of mathematics. For more details about this course, please see the separate handbook available at: 

C4 Mathematical and Theoretical Physics

The MMathPhys course provides a high-level, internationally competitive training in mathematical and theoretical physics, right up to the level of modern research. For more details about this course, please see the separate handbook: https://courses.maths.ox.ac.uk/mod/book/view.php?id=65590 and course website: https://mmathphys.physics.ox.ac.uk/

D. Mathematical Institute Departmental Disability Statement

D1 Disability Statement

The Mathematical Institute is committed to making its teaching and other resources, facilities and services available to students, staff and others with disabilities as appropriate to ensure they are not at a disadvantage. In some cases, this may require reasonable adjustments to the building, facilities, services or to teaching methods. 

Those with disabilities are encouraged to discuss their needs with the Disability Coordinator (academic.administrator@maths.ox.ac.uk) at the earliest possible opportunity. 

If you experience difficulties with your course because of a disability, you should discuss this with your college tutors. Some colleges have a specific member of staff who assists students with welfare difficulties. 

Further information about disability support in the Mathematical Institute is available online: https://www.maths.ox.ac.uk/members/policies/disability as well as information on building accessibility: https://www.maths.ox.ac.uk/members/building-information/accessibility

Specialised advice and assistance from the Disability Advisory Service is available online at: https://www.ox.ac.uk/students/welfare/disability

D2 Health and Welfare

Your College tutors in Mathematics will provide you with support and guidance on your academic work. You will almost certainly be assigned a Personal Tutor or Advisor (who may be one of your college tutors) concerned with your personal welfare and to whom you can turn to for support and advice on non-academic matters. Every College has their own systems of support for students, please refer to your College handbook or website for more information on who to contact and what support is available through your College. 

In addition to the support provided by colleges, there are several central services which exist to support students during their studies, including the Student Counselling Service and the student-led Nightline.

Student Counselling Service: The University has a professionally-staffed confidential Student Counselling Service for assistance with personal, emotional, social and academic problems. The service is free to all matriculated undergraduate members of the University.

Nightline: This is a confidential anonymous listening service run by and for Oxford students, open 8am-8pm in term-time. You can phone them, or visit their offices at 16 Wellington Square. 

Further details can be found online at: https://www.ox.ac.uk/students/welfare

E. Complaints and Appeals

E1 Complains and academic appeals within the Mathematical Institute

The University, the Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Division and the Mathematical Institute all hope that provision made for students at all stages of their course of study will result in no need for complaints (about that provision) or appeals (against the outcomes of any form of assessment). 

Where such a need arises, an informal discussion with the person immediately responsible for the issue that you wish to complain about (and who may not be one of the individuals identified below) is often the simplest way to achieve a satisfactory resolution. 

Many sources of advice are available from colleges, faculties/departments and bodies like the Counselling Service or the OUSU Student Advice Service, which have extensive experience in advising students. You may wish to take advice from one of those sources before pursuing your complaint. 

General areas of concern about provision affecting students as a whole should be raised through Joint Consultative Committees or via student representation on the faculty/department's committees. 

E2 Complaints

If your concern or complaint relates to teaching or other provision made by the faculty/department, then you should raise it with the Associate Head of Department (Education) (Prof. Dan Ciubotaru), the Academic Lead (Prelims and Part A) (Prof. Melanie Rupflin), the Academic Lead (Parts B and C) (Prof. Eamonn Gaffney) or with the Director of Graduate Studies (Prof. Tom Sanders [Research] and Prof. Christoph Reisinger [Taught]) as appropriate. Complaints about departmental facilities should be made to the Head of Administration (Rachael Sanders). If you feel unable to approach one of those individuals, you may contact the Head of Department (Prof. Jon Chapman). The officer concerned will attempt to resolve your concern/complaint informally. 

If you are dissatisfied with the outcome, you may take your concern further by making a formal complaint to the Proctors under the University Student Complaints Procedure (https://www.ox.ac.uk/students/academic/complaints). 

If your concern or complaint relates to teaching or other provision made by your college, you should raise it either with your tutor or with one of the college officers or Senior Tutor. Your college will also be able to explain how to take your complaint further if you are dissatisfied with the outcome of its consideration. 

E3 Academic Appeals

An academic appeal is an appeal against the decision of an academic body (e.g. boards of examiners, transfer and confirmation decisions etc.) on grounds such as procedural error or evidence of bias. There is no right of appeal against academic judgement. 

If you have any concerns about your assessment process or outcome it is advisable to discuss these first informally with your subject or college tutor, Senior Tutor, course director, director of studies, supervisor or college or departmental administrator as appropriate. They will be able to explain the assessment process that was undertaken and may be able to address your concerns. Queries must not be raised directly with the examiners. 

If you still have concerns, you can make a formal appeal to the Proctors who will consider appeals under the University Academic Appeals Procedure (https://www.ox.ac.uk/students/academic/complaints)

F. Contact Points

F1 Mathematical Institute

There are a number of people in the department who can help you with any queries or problems you may have and their contact details are given below. If you are not sure who to contact, please email academic.administrator@maths.ox.ac.uk

Associate Head of Department (Education) - Professor Dan Ciubotaru

For general academic queries and concerns, please email: dan.ciubotaru@maths.ox.ac.uk

Academic Lead (Prelims and Part A) - Professor Melanie Rupflin

For academic queries and concerns relating to Prelims and Part A, please email: melanie.rupflin@maths.ox.ac.uk

Academic Lead (Parts B and C) - Professor Eamonn Gaffney

For academic queries and concerns relating to Parts B and C, please email: eamonn.gaffney@maths.ox.ac.uk

Head of Academic Administration - Charlotte Turner-Smith

For queries directed to the Disability Coordinator for Mathematics, please email: charlotte.turner-smith@maths.ox.ac.uk

Undergraduate Studies Officer - Rosalind Mitchell

For queries relating to all undergraduate matters, please email: academic.administrator@maths.ox.ac.uk

Undergraduate Studies Administrator (Part C and OMMS) - Anwen Amos

For queries relating to Part C and OMMS, please email: academic.administration@maths.ox.ac.uk

Undergraduate Studies Administrator (Parts A and B) - Clare Donnelly

For queries relating to Part A and B exams, intercollegiate classes and notes and other teaching material for students requiring disability-related study support, please email: academic.administration@maths.ox.ac.uk

Undergraduate Studies Administrator (Prelims) - Hannah Ross

For queries relating to Prelims exams, Computational Mathematics, summer projects, Fridays@2 and the student bulletin, please email: academic.administration@maths.ox.ac.uk

Undergraduate Studies Process Administrator - Denis Ghior

For queries relating to timetabling, payments and process improvements, please email: academic.administration@maths.ox.ac.uk

F2 Department of Statistics

Director of Studies - Dr Neil Laws

For general academic queries and concerns, please email: laws@stats.ox.ac.uk

Academic Administrator - Jonathan Whyman

For queries relating to the teaching of statistics courses, including statistics intercollegiate classes, please email: academic.administrator@stats.ox.ac.uk

F3 Department of Computer Science

Chairman of Teaching Committee - Joe Pitt-Francis

For general academic queries and concerns, please email: joe.pitt-francis@cs.ox.ac.uk

Academic Officer - Jo Ponting

For queries relating to the teaching of computer science courses, including computer science intercollegiate classes, please email: jo.ponting@cs.ox.ac.uk

F4 Projects Committee

Chairman - Professor Eamonn Gaffney 

For advice on Part B extended essays and Part C dissertations, including selecting a topic and finding a supervisor, please email: director-ugrad-studies@maths.ox.ac.uk

F5 General

Careers Service - reception@careers.ox.ac.uk

Disability Advisory Service - disability@admin.ox.ac.uk

Counselling Service - counselling@admin.ox.ac.uk

Proctors' Office - proctors.office@proctors.ox.ac.uk

Equal Opportunities Officer - equal.opportunities@admin.ox.ac.uk

Accessible Resources Acquisition and Creation Unit - aracu@bodleian.ox.ac.uk

Oxford Student Union, Student Advice Team - advice@oxfordsu.ox.ac.uk

IT Services - contact@it.ox.ac.uk

Radcliffe Science Library - enquiries.rsl@bodleian.ox.ac.uk

EnSpire Oxford - https://www.eship.ox.ac.uk/