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.

PGCertArts students will be introduced to sophisticated subject matter and develop skills in the critical evaluation of academic literature in their discipline or area of specialisation. They will also foster high-level skills in critical thinking, problem solving, and communication.

Qualification structure and duration

To qualify for the Postgraduate Certificate in Arts, a student must complete at least 60 points from taught courses, as approved by the Head of Department and the Dean of Arts.

This certificate takes six months full-time or 12 months part-time to complete.

Further study

Subject to the approval of the Dean of Arts, a student may transfer courses passed with a B grade or higher for the Postgraduate Certificate in Arts to:

the Postgraduate Diploma in Arts

the Bachelor of Arts with Honours

the coursework section of a master's degree (there are a number of taught master's operated by the College of Arts)

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

Candidates must have qualified for a Bachelor of Arts or an equivalent degree and satisfied the prerequisites for the subject concerned. Prerequisites vary between departments, but normally good grades in 300-level courses in that subject are required.

Other English language requirements: TOEFL PBT with a minimum score of 575 and TWE with a minimum score of 4.5; CCEL EAP Level 2 with a minimum B+ grade; CAE or CPE score of 176 with a minimum of 169 in reading, writing, listening and speaking; Pearson Test of English (Academic) - PTE with an overall score of 64 and no PTE communicative skills score below 58.