Course details

Summary

To fully appreciate mathematics you must transcend beyond bare formulae to understand the ideas that lie behind them. Mathematical thought is one of the greatest human achievements and has been around for over 4,000 years.

Mathematics is a living subject with new processes, techniques and theories constantly being devised, tested and explored. The extensive use of computers in a wide range of academic areas has led to an increasing demand for statistical and mathematical analysis in many new fields.

Modern mathematicians and statisticians are being asked to develop new tools and techniques to deal with problems in areas from business management to biology. New insights are also being opened up in the more traditional areas of physical science and engineering. All this activity leads to new applications of mathematics and statistics, as well as new theoretical work on the structure of the mathematics involved.

Mathematics provides skills in independent thinking and problem solving, which are of use in many fields of employment and in Science, Engineering, and Commerce.

Courses

100-level courses

Core courses

The core of the 100-level programme consists of linear algebra and calculus:

MATH102 Mathematics 1A (a prerequisite for MATH 103)

MATH103 Mathematics 1B

Together, these courses will let you into almost any 200-level Mathematics course and are necessary for those wishing to major in Mathematics.

MATH102 is also required or recommended for people intending to major in any of several subjects, including Economics, Statistics and Physics. Anyone planning to study Engineering will require the Engineering Mathematics courses EMTH118 Engineering Mathematics 1A and EMTH119 Engineering Mathematics 1B.

200-level and beyond

UC offers a wide variety of courses at 200 and 300-level. These include courses in discrete mathematics, linear algebra, calculus, differential equations, mathematical modelling and statistics. If you are majoring in Mathematics, you need 45 points from selected MATH 200-level courses and at least 60 points from MATH 302-394. If you are unsure which courses best suit your needs, contact a student advisor.

Further study

Higher level study can be in Mathematics, Statistics, Mathematics and Statistics, Computational and Applied Mathematical Sciences, Economics and Mathematics, Finance and Mathematics, Finance and Statistics, Mathematics and Philosophy, and Mathematical Physics.

Career opportunities

Perhaps the most important quality that a Mathematics graduate develops is the ability to reason logically and in-depth. Vocational courses provide expertise with an immediate usefulness, but technological change is rapid and what is learnt one year may be superseded within a decade. On the other hand, the habits of thought promoted by a study of Mathematics are of permanent value.

Many Mathematics graduates move into teaching and significant numbers are absorbed by computing, finance, commerce, insurance and scientific establishments, such as the Crown Research Institutes.

Employment opportunities are particularly good for people who combine qualifications in Mathematics with qualifications in other disciplines such as the Physical Sciences, Statistics, Computer Science, Engineering, Management and Economics.

Entry criteria

Admission to UC with University Entrance, or equivalent, is required to enrol for a Certificate in Arts. Applicants must have completed New Zealand University Entrance through NCEA; or Cambridge International Examinations (CIE); or International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB) or any other equivalent overseas qualification.

Other English language requirements: TOEFL PBT with a minimum score of 550 and TWE with a minimum score of 4.5; CCEL EAP Level 2 with a minimum C+ grade; CAE or CPE minimum score of 169 with at least 162 in reading, writing, listening and speaking; Pearson Test of English (Academic) - PTE with an overall score of 57 and no PTE communicative skills score below 50.