MSc Financial Mathematics Examinations

General Information

The examinations are normally set by the lecturer for the course, checked by a second internal examiner and also by a Visiting (or External) Examiner (from outside the college). Student scripts are similarly marked by the two internal examiners, and the marking checked by the Visiting Examiner. Examination scripts are marked anonymously. Recommendations about the results of individual courses and degrees awarded are made by the Taught Postgraduate Courses in Mathematics Board of Examiners to the College Board, which makes the final decisions. The Taught Postgraduate Courses in Mathematics Board of Examiners includes the MSc internal Examiners and Visiting Examiners.

Extenuating Circumstances

If there are any circumstances which affect your performance, either during the period of study or during the exam period, and which you would like to be taken into account, you should discuss this with the MSc Programme Director as early as possible and no later than one week after the circumstance has taken place. Typical circumstances which might be taken into account are serious or prolonged illness, disability or bereavement. You can find the full list of extenuating circumstances in the Annex 4.1.1: Grounds for Extenuating Circumstances. You will be asked to complete the Extenuating Circumstances Form and obtain supporting evidence from a doctor or other appropriate authority. Information will be kept confidential and will be discussed by the Departmental Extenuating Circumstances Panel. The panel will contact you with the outcome of your request within one week of the meeting. Please see Section 6 Extenuating Circumstances 2017-18 for more information.

Missing exams due to illness or other unavoidable causes

If you miss an examination due to illness or some other unavoidable cause, please inform a member of staff, preferably the MSc Programme Director, as soon as possible. The MSc Programme Director should be given a doctor’s note if the absence is due to illness, and any possible documentary evidence supporting absences due to other reasons.

Withdrawal from examinations

If you wish to apply to withdraw from some or all your examinations, you must do so before the end of the first week of the summer term. You will need to see the MSc Programme Director, and fill in a form for approval by the Faculty Academic Administration Manager. Withdrawal after this date is only permitted in exceptional circumstances, namely ill health supported by a medical certificate or the death of a near relative.

Examinations

The timetable for the examinations is usually published mid-March, and shortly afterwards you will be able to access your personal exam timetable through PORTICO. Before the exams start, please check your timetable for the dates, times and locations of your examinations. It is your responsibility to turn up to the right place at the right time with the right equipment (usually just pens, your personal exam timetable and your ID for a Mathematics examination). You will be provided with a candidate number through the post - please make sure that you have this number with you, as it must be entered on your script. The candidate number is a mixture of capital letters and digits, and should not be confused with your student number. Your seat number also has to be entered on the script (this will change for each exam). Please make sure that you read and follow instructions on the paper. It is important to write legibly. Calculators are not permitted in most Mathematics exams and where used elsewhere they must be of UCL standard type as sold in the UCL shop (these are unable to store characters). In some cases past papers will be available in the UCL Library Digital Collection.

Marking Criteria

Marking criteria for the MSc:

Cheating and plagiarism

Cheating or attempts to cheat may lead to serious consequences, including the degree not being awarded. Unless you are explicitly informed otherwise, you are not allowed to take any written material into the examination - for example, you are not allowed to write formulae on your timetable, which you take into the examination. Please also see information on plagiarism on the UCL Current Students pages.

Results

Once the provisional exam results are processed, the MSc Programme Director will contact students by email to arrange to discuss their performance. Students should therefore make sure that they can be contacted after the examinations are finished. This is particularly important for anyone who has failed examinations and may prefer not to proceed to the project component. The Examiners’ Meeting to finalise the marks usually takes place in November. The marks will then be entered on PORTICO for students to access.

Reassessment

If you do not meet the Taught Postgraduate Award Requirements at the first attempt, and there is no extenuating circumstances material to that failure, you will only be permitted one reassessment attempt. Depending on the volume of failure, reassessment will take the form of a Resit or Repeat. If you fail 60 taught credits or fewer you will be required to resit the failed module(s) in the Late Summer Assessment Period. You will not receive any additional tuition for a resit and will not pay any additional fees. If you failed more than 60 credits you will normally be required to repeat the failed modules in the following academic year, with tuition, attendance and fees. Tuition fees will be charged pro-rata to the volume of module credits being repeated. Both resit and repeat marks will be capped at a pass (50%).

If you have valid Extenuating Circumstances at the first/second attempt you may be eligible for a Deferral i.e. a new first/second attempt. Second attempt marks will be capped at a pass (50%).

If you meet the Condonement Criteria, and therefore the Taught Postgraduate Award Requirements, you will not be permitted a further attempt.

Condonement Criteria

Marks of 40-49% in up to 25% of a student’s taught credits may be condoned. Condonement can only be considered and applied by the Programme Board of Examiners at the end of the taught modules, when the full extent of any failure is known. The condonement criteria apply at both the first and second attempts.

Graduation ceremony

The graduation ceremony (for students who have completed their degree) normally takes place in early September (so the following year for MSc students). Arrangements for this are made by Student and Registry Services, and not the Department, and you should receive your application form for places from Student and Registry Services, which you must return by the specified date if you wish to attend. Transcripts are also provided by Student and Registry Services, and not the Department.

Complaints/appeals

If you are unhappy with your results or any aspect of your course in the first place please discuss your concerns with the MSc Programme Director. If you then wish to pursue matters further, there are procedures for formal appeals. You should first contact the MSc Programme Director. You should also consult the UCL current student pages on the Registry website. You may also contact the following:

Student and Registry Services

UCL Registrar: Ms Wendy J Appleby
Academic Registrar’s Office
UCL Registry
University College London
Gower Street
London
WC1E 6BT
Tel: 020 7679 3203

MAPS Faculty Academic Administration Manager: Ms Stefanie Anyadi
MAPS Faculty Office
1st floor,
South Wing,
Gower Street
London
WC1E 6BT
Email: s.anyadi AT ucl.ac.uk

UCL Students’ Union
The Rights and Advice Centre,
First Floor of the Bloomsbury Theatre,
15 Gordon Street,
London
WC1H 0AY
Tel: 020 7679 2998
 

Assessment and Examination

Further information about the assessment and examination process for the MSc in Financial Mathematics.

UCL Academic Manual

The UCL Academic Manual contains the academic regulations, policies and procedures applicable to all UCL taught and research students.