Interview for taught master's at Oxford

Hi all,

this Friday I have an interview for a taught master's course at Oxford in Mathematics and Foundations of Computer Science. To prepare, I have made sure that I can:

1. Talk about my dissertation.
2. Talk about things I mentioned on my application.
3. Got an idea of what the interviewers research.

I'm doing my Mathematics undergraduate at Brunel, and although I've been doing well, I'm scared that they will ask me questions about things I haven't seen on my course but that they would expect an undergraduate from a 'top ten' university to know.

So I'd like to ask
- do you think they'll ask many questions about things I would be expected to know but haven't seen on my course, or will they more likely ask about my dissertation and things I've mentioned on my application (papers I've read, a summer school, interest in the field)?
- does anyone have any general interview advice?

Thanks in advance

Last year I had an interview for the same course (though for an international student it was not until the very end of the admissions process). They inquired after my knowledge of the 'other field' (CS in your case) and tested my knowledge of my own field (maths in your case). They seemed to be not as interested in the actual answers as in how one responds to such questions. That was the main part of the interview. We also spoke about some things in my application.

Good luck!

Wow, thanks for your reply! So did you come from a computer science background?

If I can't answer questions about my course (maths) because they have asked about things that weren't part of my curriculum but that are part of their undergrad curriculum, do you think that would negatively influence me or would they be ok with that?

I too have my interview this friday for the same course! I'm so nervous, best of luck Lupacante!

Wow! Best of luck to you too! I keep having terrible dreams about it, such as that I turn up and I realize I'm still in my pijamas!

Zefiros - did they ask much about your dissertation, or was the main focus the courses you had taken?

They didn't ask about my dissertation at all. They only acknowledged its existence after I mentioned it.

Holy guacamole. That's what I had prepared best on. My chances of passing are between 0 and a very small epsilon.

Holy guacamole. That's what I had prepared best on. My chances of passing are between 0 and a very small epsilon.

Hi, I'm in the same position as Zefiros, but a UK student (though I have no idea if it's that different).

In my case the only maths they asked me was on my dissertation. By pure luck I had just given my dissertation oral presentation, so I just kept talking until they asked me to stop, and that seemed to impress them sufficiently. It is partly down to luck, but take every opportunity to talk about the things you know, and you may be able to avoid talking about things you don't know.

Good luck, anyway!

Are you being interviewed in the new maths institute? If so then it's an amazing building with Penrose paving outside ...

For my interview the plan was max. 30 minutes. It turned out to be 15 minutes and 10 minutes random (barely related) talk. You are not expected to have any coding experience.

awesome thanks! anyway are you taking the course at the moment? how are you finding it? do you enjoy the course?

I was absolutely terrible, they asked me to prove a really simple statement from my dissertation but I was so nervous I couldn't think straight so wasn't able to do it.

On my journey home, I thought about it again and did it in 2 seconds. Really frustrating, highly disappointed with myself.

PhenolphthaleinX, how did you find it?