UTS course code: C09020
Testamur title: Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Mathematics
Abbreviation: BSc(Hons)
Course Director: Dr Peter Petocz
Course fee: HECS (local); $8,250 per semester (international)
Total credit points: 48

Course aims
Admission requirements
Course duration
Course structure
Course program
Assessment
Other information

Course aims

The Honours degree provides the opportunity for students to develop their level of competence in the area of mathematics chosen as their major in the Bachelor of Science in Mathematics degree. The Honours degree consists of advanced coursework (comprising two-thirds of the program) and a thesis. This thesis allows students to use the expertise developed by their coursework in an area of application. Students who complete the Honours degree are well prepared to enter the workforce at a high level or to undertake graduate studies.

The precise selection of subjects to be offered in any particular year depends on the interests of students, and the interests and availability of staff. Students should contact the Course Director for Mathematics (Honours), who will assist them in planning their program. This is of particular importance for part-time students since few subjects are offered at night.

Admission requirements

Admission to the Honours degree is assessed individually according to the following criteria.

• Students who are eligible to graduate from the Bachelor of Science in Mathematics degree with an average mark of 65 or more in Year 2 (full-time) of the core and in their chosen major, are eligible for entry to the Honours degree.
• Students who have obtained qualifications equivalent to the Bachelor of Science in Mathematics degree are, upon application, considered for entry by the Head of the Department of Mathematical Sciences, on the basis of assessed potential to complete the Honours degree.

Course duration

The Honours degree is offered on a one-year, full-time, or two-year, part-time basis.

Course structure

The Honours program requires the completion of subjects comprising 48 credit points. Honours is offered in the Mathematics, Statistics and Operations Research majors, although some majors may not be offered in a given year. The program consists of eight coursework subjects, each of 4 credit points, and a thesis of 16 credit points.

Students contemplating taking Honours are advised to consult the Course Director for Mathematics (Honours) or the Course Director for the Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, on completing the core of the Bachelor of Science in Mathematics degree. This enables them to plan studies for the following years and make decisions at an early stage which will not close off options that otherwise would be available to them. Usually students decide to apply for Honours before the completion of the Bachelor of Science in Mathematics but, under the structure of the course, entry to Honours is possible even if the decision to do so is delayed until completion of the Bachelor of Science in Mathematics.

The Honours degree consists of:

• 28 credit points of Honours-level mathematics subjects (numbered as 354xx). Students must undertake seven 4-credit-point subjects, at least five of which must be taken in the major area of study.

and

• A thesis consisting of a research project of 16 credit points, assessed by a written report and a seminar. A supervisor is appointed to monitor the progress of the thesis and to advise on its preparation. Full-time students must enrol in the subjects 35493 Thesis (Honours) – Part A and 35494 Thesis (Honours) – Part B in the first semester of their program. Part-time students must enrol in one of these subjects by at the latest the beginning of their second year.

and

• The 4-credit-point subject 35496 Thesis Seminar A. This is a reading subject designed to complement the research project or to provide additional foundation for graduate study in the area of the project. The thesis supervisor is responsible for designing and administering this subject. In certain circumstances, this subject may be replaced by a Honours Seminar subject.

Course program

Subjects offered in the various majors are as follows.

Each major is augmented by two seminar subjects, 35491 Honours Seminar A and 35492 Honours Seminar B.

Subjects in the Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Mathematics

A = Autumn semester S = Spring semester c = Corequisite

Assessment

The assessment of students' results takes into account the Honours level coursework subjects, the thesis and the seminar. Honours is awarded for the successful completion of the course at the grades of First Class; Second Class, Division 1; Second Class, Division 2; and Third Class.

Other information

All academic inquiries should be made to:

Course Director, Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Mathematics
Dr Peter Petocz
Department of Mathematical Sciences
telephone (02) 9514 2264
fax (02) 9514 1531
email Peter.Petocz@uts.edu.au