5. After First Year

5.1 Overview

The examinations for the Final Honour School of Mathematics and Philosophy are divided into three parts:

  • Part A, taken at the end of the second year;
  • Part B, taken at the end of the third year;

and, for those taking the MMathPhil, also

  • Part C, taken at the end of the fourth year. 

In the Part A examination you are examined on the second-year Mathematics courses only. Although study of Philosophy continues during the second year of the course, no Philosophy subjects are examined in Part A. In Part B you are examined on all of your work in the second and third years, except for the Mathematics courses already examined in Part A. 

In Parts A and B together, you will take roughly equal proportions of Mathematics and of Philosophy, with logic as a compulsory bridge subject. In Part B, as indicated below, there is some limited scope to choose to take a greater or lesser proportion of Mathematics and correspondingly a lesser or greater proportion of Philosophy. In Part C you may opt to take only Mathematics, only Philosophy, or continue to study both. 

5.2 Progression

At the end of Part A you will receive a University Standardised Mark (USM), between 0 and 100, for each of the papers you take, but will not be classified (i.e. assigned a class: 1, 2.1, 2.2 etc.). After Part B you receive a classification on the basis of Parts A and B together. There is no minimum standard to be achieved in Part A in order to progress to Part B. 

If you leave after successfully completing Parts A and B you may supplicate for a BA in Mathematics & Philosophy with the classification obtained at the end of Part B. 

The Part C examination covers the work done in the fourth year and is separately classified. A candidate achieving Honours in Part C, that is, achieving an average USM ≥ 40, may supplicate for the degree MMathPhil. Note that a successful candidate may supplicate for one degree only - either a BA or an MMathPhil. The MMathPhil is doubly classified but a candidate will not be awarded a BA degree and an MMathPhil degree. You will need to achieve a 2.1 or better in your second and third year exams to progress to Part C. 

Any candidate who fails to obtain Honours in Part C, i.e. achieves an average USM < 40, may, so long as they have not taken the BA, enter again for Part C on at most one subsequent occasion or may supplicate for the BA in Mathematics & Philosophy. 

The University's rules concerning withdrawal from, or failure to complete, an examination are summarised in Section 7 of the University Student Handbook and set out in full in Part 14 of the Examination Regulations. 

5.3 Part A

In your second year you will study roughly one half of the syllabus for the Honour School of Mathematics. There are two compulsory core papers, Linear Algebra and Metric Space and Complex Analysis. The former is covered by 16 lectures, the latter by 32, both in Michaelmas term. You then choose from a menu of second-year Long and Short Options; see Appendix B or the Mathematics & Philosophy Part A Supplement. 

You may also, if you have the support of your Mathematics tutor, apply to the Joint Committee for Mathematics and Philosophy for approval of other options from the list of those available in Mathematics Part A. 

5.4 Parts B and C

5.4.1 Mathematics in Parts B and C

The Mathematics subjects in Parts B and C are published in the Mathematics & Philosophy Part B and Mathematics & Philosophy Part C Supplements to the Course Handbook. 

Courses are designated as being at either H-level (Honours) or M-level (Masters). Usually Part B courses are designed as H-level and Part C courses M-level. 

Most units in Mathematics will be assessed through written examination papers of 1 3/4 hours for a single unit, through some may be assessed in whole or in part by submitted coursework. The two units B1.1 Logic and B1.2 Set Theory are compulsory in Mathematics and Philosophy Part B. 

5.4.2 Philosophy in Parts B and C

Subjects in Philosophy are specified in the Examination Regulations, in the section entitled Philosophy in all Honour Schools Including Philosophy. 

For the FHS of Mathematics & Philosophy, the subjects are drawn from 101-118, 120, 122, 124, 125, 127-129, 137-140, 198 and 199 (Thesis). 

Please note 121: Advanced Philosophy of Physics, is unavailable, as it requires substantial background in Physics, so is only available in the Honour Schools of Physics, and Physics and Philosophy. 

A 3-hour examination paper is set on each Philosophy subject other than a Thesis. 

As indicated above, Philosophy subjects in both Part B and Part C are drawn from the same list. But in Part C, a Philosophy subject is studied at greater depth than in Part B (that is, at M-level rather than H-level). A Philosophy unit in Part C other than a Thesis consists of a Philosophy subject together with an essay of up to 5,000 words. The same subject may not be offered in both Part B and Part C. 

You are permitted to offer a Philosophy Thesis in each of Parts B and C provided the topics do not overlap (The Examination Regulations require that no parts of a Part C Thesis may include work submitted for the same or another degree).