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:

Students will develop a knowledge and understanding of: Related teaching/learning methods and strategies

1. The core areas of mathematics including the principal areas of mathematics needed in applications.

 In the first four terms of the programme, there are lectures on algebra, analysis, differential equations, probability, and mathematical methods, supported by college-based tutorials. 
2. Some of the principal areas of application of mathematics.  In the first year there are lectures on dynamics, probability, statistics, and mathematical models, supported by college-based tutorials; together with further options later in the course. 
3. The correct use of mathematical language and formalism in mathematical thinking and logical processes.  Examples in lectures in the first two years, practice in weekly problem sheets, with critical feedback by college tutors, tutorial discussion, printed notices of guidance (also available on the web).
4. The basic ideas of mathematical modelling. Lectures on mathematical models in the first year, supported by practice in work for college tutorials, together with further options later in the course. 
5. Some of the processes and pitfalls of mathematical approximation.  Examples on problem sheets and Computational Mathematics in first year. 
6. Techniques of manipulation and computer-aided numerical calculation.  Practice in work for college tutorials and Computational Mathematics practical work in the first year. 
7. The basic ideas of a variety of pure and applied areas of specialisation.  A choice of lecture courses, supported by college tutorials or small classes in the second part of the second year. 
8. Several specialised areas of mathematics or its applications, the principal results in these areas, how they relate to real-world problems and to problems within mathematics (including, in the fourth year course, problems at the frontiers of current research).  Lectures in the third and fourth years delivered by lecturers actively engaged in research, together with supporting problem classes conducted by subject specialists.