UTS course code: C10154
UAC code: 605020 (FT); 605021 (PT)
Testamur title: Bachelor of Science in Mathematics
Abbreviation: BSc
Course Director: Dr Beverley Moore
Course fee: HECS (local); $8,250 per semester (international)
Total credit points: 144

Course aims
Attendance
Course duration
Course structure
Course program
Honours
Other information

Course aims

This degree aims to prepare students for employment in industry, commerce and government and to provide the foundation for higher studies in mathematics. It is designed to provide great flexibility by allowing students to follow a course of study which best suits their interests and aspirations. It aims to help students acquire sufficient experience and understanding in a broad range of mathematical disciplines to enable them to apply mathematical and computing techniques to industrial and commercial problems.

Attendance

Most 6-credit-point mathematics subjects involve four hours of class contact per week (typically, three hours of lectures and a one-hour tutorial), although some first-year subjects have a higher contact load of six hours. Some subjects have additional laboratory hours.

Part-time students are accommodated by the provision of evening classes for most subjects. It is expected that part-time students are able to attend classes on one afternoon and three evenings per week during the first two years of the course, and on one afternoon and two evenings per week during later years.

As a general rule, for any given subject, it is wise to devote to home study the same number of hours per week as are allocated to lectures and tutorials in the case of first-year subjects, and twice the number of hours associated with lectures and tutorials per week for more senior subjects.

Course duration

This course is offered on a three-year, full-time, or six-year, part-time basis.

Course structure

The course consists of subjects worth a total of 144 credit points. The standard full-time load is 24 credit points per semester (typically, four subjects each worth 6 credit points) and the standard part-time load is 12 credit points per semester (typically, two subjects both worth 6 credit points).

Details of individual subjects can be found in the Subject Descriptions section.

Core subjects

The core subjects provide a thorough grounding in the elements of mathematics, statistics, operations research and computing, and introduce their applications. This component occupies 84 credit points of the Pass degree and is taught predominantly during the first two years of the full-time program.

Majors

All majors are offered subject to demand.

This component occupies half of Year 3 of the full-time course (or Years 5 and 6 of the part-time course) and may be taken in the areas of Quantitative Management Science (Operations Research), Statistics or Mathematics. This framework provides for specialised study of a particular area.

The Quantitative Management Science major develops mathematical methods, which may be applied to problems involving planning and decision making. Production scheduling and investment analysis are just two examples of the areas where these methods are applicable.

Many problems in the modern world, in areas as diverse as market research and environmental assessment, give rise to large amounts of data. The Statistics major develops the tools required for the collection and analysis of such data, and studies their application to a variety of problems.

The Mathematics major develops further analytic and algebraic tools which underlie solutions to problems in more advanced contexts. These tools are applied in a variety of complex and practical situations.

Electives

Electives total 36 credit points and are chosen by students to strengthen their understanding of areas in which they are interested. At least 24 credit points must be taken as a coherent sequence of subjects, usually a second major or an approved sub-major. The remaining 12 credit points may comprise subjects from any faculty of the University, subject to certain restrictions.

Course program

Full-time program

Part-time program

Spring semester
35101 Mathematics 1 6cp
35140 Operations Research Modelling 6cp

Spring semester
35111 Discrete Mathematics 6cp
35212 Linear Algebra 6cp

Spring semester
35252 Statistics 2 6cp
35231 Differential Equations 6cp

Spring semester
35232 Advanced Calculus ¹ 6cp
xxxxx Electives approx. 6cp

Spring semester
35321 Analysis 1 6cp
3xxxx Major subject 2 6cp

Spring semester
3xxxx Major subject 4 6cp
xxxxx Elective approx. 6cp

Footnotes:
1. 35232 Advanced Calculus is offered as an evening subject in even-numbered years only; students may study this subject in Stage 3, 4 or 5 if desired.

Quantitative Management Science major: Stages 5–6

Full-time program

Part-time program

Spring semester
35344 Network and Combinatorial Optimisation² 6cp

Spring semester
35340 Operations Research Practice 6cp

Footnotes:
1. 35344 Network and Combinatorial Optimisation is offered as an evening subject in even-numbered years only; students may study this subject in Stage 4 or 5 if desired.
2. 35363 Stochastic Models in Operations Research is offered as an evening subject in odd-numbered years only; students may study this subject in Stage 4, 5 or 6 if desired.

Statistics major: Stages 5–6

Full-time program

Footnotes:
1. Students may take 35363 Stochastic Models in Operations Research (in Autumn) instead of 35361 Probability and Stochastic Processes as the fourth subject in the Statistics major.

Part-time program

Spring semester
35353 Regression Analysis 6cp

Spring semester
35355 Quality Control 6cp

Mathematics major

Students interested in the Mathematics major should discuss their enrolment with the Course Director for the Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, late in the year preceding their intended enrolment. The Mathematics major may not be offered if there is insufficient demand.

Students need to pass at least four of the following subjects to satisfy the requirements for this major:

35313 Pure Mathematics 3A 6cp
35314 Pure Mathematics 3B 6cp
35322 Analysis 2 6cp
35333 Applied Mathematics 3A 6cp
35334 Applied Mathematics 3B 6cp
35335 Mathematical Methods 6cp
35382 Numerical Analysis 2 6cp

Sub-majors

Students may elect to do a sub-major offered by the Faculty of Science or another faculty. It is necessary to discuss the choice with the Course Director in the Department of Mathematical Sciences, and to obtain appropriate approval from the faculty concerned. The following are possible suggestions for sub-majors. In all cases, full details are available from the Faculty Office (refer also to Second majors).

Aboriginal Studies sub-major

The Faculty of Education offers a range of Aboriginal Studies subjects that may be taken as a sub-major, or as elective subjects, as appropriate, within any undergraduate course.

The sub-major provides Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students with an opportunity to study subjects that are culturally appropriate to an understanding of Aboriginal culture, history and social/political structures. These initial studies serve as a basis for applying critical analysis skills to Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal perspectives on issues and trends which affect the cultural and social integrity of Aboriginal peoples. Consideration is also given to other Indigenous people, including Torres Strait Islanders.

Computing sub-major

Students need to be able to use a UNIX system for later subjects in the sub-major. A self-teaching package is available.

31060 Information Systems Principles 6cp

plus

Finance sub-major

This sequence exhausts all elective options for students taking this sub-major.

Physics sub-majors

The Department of Applied Physics has two sub-majors, one in Physics and one in Electronics. Both contain two compulsory subjects. The remaining subjects, with a total of at least 12cp must be chosen from a selection of subjects appropriate to the interests of the students, in consultation with the Department of Applied Physics.

68101 Foundations of Physics 6cp
68201 Physics in Action (Physics 2) 6cp

Electives

Electives occupy 36 credit points of the degree and are split into free electives and structured electives.

Free electives

Free electives, whose total weight cannot exceed 12 credit points, provide students with an opportunity to select subjects which accommodate their various interests and needs in a less formal manner than is the case for structured electives. These subjects can be taken from any faculty within the University, or from another university if the subject area is not represented at UTS.

Subjects offered by the Department of Mathematical Sciences and not included in a student's chosen major may also be taken as free electives. In particular, the following subjects may be offered, subject to demand:

35106 Mathematics in Sport 6cp
35205 History of Mathematics 6cp
35254 Health Statistics 6cp
35255 Forensic Statistics 6cp
35292 Project A 2cp
35293 Project B 3cp
35294 Project C 4cp
35295 Project D 5cp
35296 Project E 6cp
35383 High Performance Computing 6cp
35391 Seminar (Mathematics) 6cp
35392 Seminar (Operations Research) 6cp
35393 Seminar (Statistics) 6cp
35394 Seminar (Computing) 6cp

Languages and subjects from the Faculties of Humanities and Social Sciences and Business and other subjects for the Faculty of Science are also common choices for free electives. The choice of free electives must be discussed with academic advisers and must be approved by the Course Director, who will ensure that no subjects specifically prohibited by the Department are included. The prohibited list includes subjects of a mathematical nature which are taught elsewhere in the University, and which provide coverage of material that is already incorporated in subjects offered by this Department.

Structured electives

At least 24 credit points must be taken as a coherent sequence of subjects. This provides an opportunity for students to systematically develop knowledge of some discipline of their choice. The possibilities are:

• a second major within the Bachelor of Science in Mathematics degree
• the Computing sub-major offered by the Faculty of Information Technology
• existing majors or sub-majors within the University, that have been approved by the Faculty as appropriate for use as structured electives, or
• subject sequences which provide for the systematic development of a topic but which are not recognised formally as either a major or sub-major. These sequences must be negotiated between the students and the Course Director.

Subjects in the Bachelor of Science in Mathematics

A = Autumn semester S = Spring semester c = corequisite

Footnotes:
1. These are not core or major subjects.
2. These subjects are offered as day classes only in odd-numbered years.
3. These subjects are offered as day classes only in even-numbered years

Honours

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, upon completing the core of the Bachelor of Science in Mathematics degree (see Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Mathematics).

Other information

All inquiries should be made to:

Course Director, Bachelor of Science in Mathematics
Dr Beverley Moore
Department of Mathematical Sciences
telephone (02) 9514 2258
fax (02) 9514 2248
email Beverley.Moore@uts.edu.au