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University of Surrey
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Mathematics

Having attended the more in-detail open day thing today (where they briefly interview you) for maths at Surrey, I heard from the current students that apparently there is a lot of applied maths in the course as opposed to pure. Could anyone tell me how true this is? Cos I'm more of a pure maths fan and am slightly concerned now.

I'm applying for the MMath with integrated professional training, if that helps.

Thanks! :smile:
Reply 1
In your first year you will cover :
vector stuff from A-level (foot of perpendicular etc) Whole module on Linear Algebra (was a year long when i did it but dont know about this year)
CAlculus which has a lot of stuff that previously you would have called algebra but also calculus as well.
ther is a mechanics module and a stats module but they are relatively easy if you have studied both stats and mecs at A_level M2 and S2 would be useful however not essential
There is a proof course which isnt as bad as it sounds its taught well and as long as you copy what he sauys then you will do fine
Analysis- is Horrible (if you can avoid it past level 1 then i would greatly advise it)- Its doable just a little confusing
There is a course that teaches you how to use MATLAB which you either love of hate but its useful and its all on computers and is coursework based (or used to be)
And thats pretty much level 1.

Just a note, they now call applied maths what you call pure maths.

Level 2 i only got to choose 3 of the 8 modules and i chose to do stats. Fluid dynamics was compulsary for me but not everyone and other than those its was all pure maths or stuff that had calculus/algebra etc in it. The purest of pure maths is analysis, again compulsary for me.

Level 3 you are in control. you get to pick whatever you want to do but with the Mmath and integrated placement you do 4 modules in semester 1 and a placement in sem 2. Then at level M you do 4 Mmath in sem 1 and 4 level 3 modules in sem 2. You also have to have a certain amout of level M modules at level 3 but i dont know how many.

The only mec/stats/dec maths in the whole 3 years are: dynamics level 1, probability level1, fluid dynamics level 2, stats level 2 (optional and there are two stats modules), operations research is a little like decision maths level 2, there are 3 dynamics and 2 stats options in level 3 ther is also economics and may other choices and you have to choose 8/14 ish so there is a lot of choice.

So no, there is not a lot of applied maths but for me these mechanics module bought my marks down whereas the stats ones took them back up.

A little advice, it doesnt matter what the module is about. When you get to level 2 all you really want is to do well so find out what modues your favourite lecturers are teaching. If they do good notes in level 1 then they will give you good notes every year. You will see loads of lecturers in the first two years so by level 3 you can pick modules that you are interested in and have confidence in as well as modules that you know you will do wel in based purely on who is teaching them.

I hope i have helped a little. My writing is not great but im tired. If anything needs explaining again then just ask.
Students relax outside, University of Surrey
University of Surrey
Guildford

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