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Information for students from other departments

Students from other departments looking to take Mathematics options

Please first read General Guidance; then find your specific department below and read the advice there.

For information about extenuating circumstances (ECs) and reasonable adjustments (SoRAs) please find further information here

GENERAL GUIDANCE

  1. In all cases you should take advice from your home department and choice of modules is subject to your degree programme rules and home department approval. 
  2. You should also look at the syllabus of the module(s) concerned. Please see the modules listed at the bottom of the following page under "General Ancillary Courses": https://www.ucl.ac.uk/maths/current-students/current-undergraduates/module-information-undergraduates
  3. In general Mathematics honours modules (taken mainly by students on mathematics degrees) are more demanding and assume greater background in mathematics so are less likely to be suitable than modules in the “General Ancillary Modules”.  First-year Mathematics honours modules are not open to students from other departments except when specified as part of their degree.
  4. In many cases you can simply put the option on Portico and no further action is required from you from the point of view of Mathematics. If this is the case it is noted below.  (If you are in doubt about suitability you can seek advice from the lecturer or by e-mailing math.ugteaching@ucl.ac.uk: see next paragraph).  In these cases it is likely but not guaranteed that you will get a place on the module.
  5. In other cases, or if you are not from one of the departments listed, you should send an e-mail to math.ugteaching@ucl.ac.uk with subject line “Ancillary Mathematics options” giving the module you wish to take and your details (name, student number, degree, year, previous maths background) and we will get back to you.  You may also wish to contact individual lecturers to discuss your suitability.

Departments listed below are: BASc, Chemistry, Computer Science, Earth Sciences, Economics, Management, Natural Sciences, Neuroscience, Physics, Social Sciences, SSEES, Statistical Science; Other departments.

BASc

Module choices in Mathematics are approved by your department in consultation with Dr Luciano Rila (l.rila@ucl.ac.uk).  You can seek advice from him or from individual lecturers.  Please then put module options on Portico.

CHEMISTRY

1. Chemistry with Mathematics Students

The mathematics modules in years 1 and 2 are compulsory (MATH0040/41 and MATH0042/43) so no action is needed from you.

In year 3 or 4 please take advice from your department.  MATH0038 History of Mathematics (Level 6) has been a popular choice and can just be put on portico.  For other modules, please e-mail math.ugteaching@ucl.ac.uk with your details (see General Guidance above).

2. Other Chemistry students

In Year 2, MATH0042 is a standard option and if you wish to take this you can just put it on portico.  You should probably have reasonably good results in MATH0040/41 if you intend to take this module.

MATH0043 (Level 5) is also a possible option and if you wish to take this you can just put it on portico.  You should have strong results in MATH0040/41 if you intend to take this module as it is quite mathematically demanding.

In Year 1, MATH0040/41 are the standard options: if advised by your department to take these, please just put on portico and no further action is needed.
COMPUTER SCIENCE (MEng MATHEMATICAL COMPUTATION)

In Year 1, MATH0003/5/6/10 are compulsory, so no action needed.

In Year 2, MATH0011/14/57 are compulsory, so no action needed.  Possible options in Year 2 include: MATH0013 Analysis 3: Complex Analysis, MATH0034 Number Theory and MATH0053 Algebra 4.

In Year 3 and Year 4 various options are available. 

Please just put your modules on portico after getting advice from your department.  You can also discuss with the lecturer of a particular module or contact Mark Roberts (m.l.roberts@ucl.ac.uk) for general advice.

EARTH SCIENCES

In Year 2, MATH0049 (Level 5) is a standard choice and you can just put this on portico.

If you wish to take any other mathematics module in Year 2 or 3, please e-mail math.ugteaching@ucl.ac.uk with your details (see General Guidance above).

ECONOMICS

In Year 1, no mathematics options are available.

In Years 2 or 3, MATH0047 (Level 5) is a very popular choice; MATH0048 Mathematical Analysis (Level 5) is also chosen by quite a few students; in Year 3 MATH0050 Mathematical Logic (Level 6) is popular.  If you wish to take any of these three modules, you can simply put them on portico.  You are not advised to take MATH0050 unless you have good results in previous mathematics modules: it is a quite demanding pure mathematics module.  MATH0048 is also a pure mathematics module involving formal definitions and proof: students taking this module should be mathematically able.

MATH0031 Financial Mathematics is a possibly suitable option for Year 3 but spaces may be limited. If you wish to take this or any other mathematics module, please e-mail math.ugteaching@ucl.ac.uk with your details (see General Guidance above).

MANAGEMENT

Options are normally only taken in Year 3 and MATH0045 (Level 4) and MATH0101 Linear Algebra for Data Science (Level 5) have been often been chosen.  Both require a Grade A in A-level Mathematics or equivalent, and you just can put these on portico if you wish to take one or both.

If you wish to take any other mathematics module, please e-mail math.ugteaching@ucl.ac.uk with your details (see General Guidance above).

NATURAL SCIENCE

Module choices in Mathematics are approved by your department in consultation with Dr Luciano Rila (l.rila@ucl.ac.uk).  You can seek advice from him or from individual lecturers.  Please then put module options on portico.

NEUROSCIENCE (DIVISION OF BIOSCIENCES)

In Year 2, MATH0101 Linear Algebra for Data Science (Level 5) is a standard choice for those with Grade A in A-level Mathematics or equivalent.  If you do not have this, then MATH0039 (Level 4) may be suitable.  For either of these modules, please just put the module on portico.

In Year 3, it is possible to catch up with MATH0101 if this has not been taken in Year 2.  MATH0050 Logic (Level 6) has been chosen by quite a few students: you are not advised to take it unless you have good results in previous mathematics modules: it is a quite demanding pure mathematics module.  If you wish to take MATH0050 or any other mathematics module, please e-mail math.ugteaching@ucl.ac.uk with your details (see General Guidance above).

PHYSICS

In Year 2, MATH0043 is compulsory so no action is needed from you.

In Year 3/4, MATH0025 General Relativity (Level 6) is a popular standard choice and MATH0015 Fluid Dynamics (Level 5) is also taken by quite a few students in Year 3. MATH0079 Cosmology (Level 7) may also be taken in Year 3 or Year 4: you should have taken MATH0025 previously.  If you wish to take any of these three modules you can just put it on portico.  You may like to seek advice from your department or from the lecturer if you are in doubt about your suitability. Note that MATH0015 requires some facility with vector calculus.

MATH0078 Asymptotic Approximation Methods (Level 7) is a possibly suitable option for Year 4.  If you wish to take this or any other mathematics module, please e-mail math.ugteaching@ucl.ac.uk with your details (see General Guidance above).

SOCIAL SCIENCES

In Year 2, MATH0039 (Level 4) is a standard choice for those without Grade A in A-level Mathematics or equivalent.  If you have a Grade A in A-level Mathematics, suitable modules are MATH0045 (and following it MATH0046) both at level 4.

 Another suitable module for Year 2 or 3 is MATH0101 Linear Algebra for Data Science (Level 5): the pre-requisite for this is Grade A in A-level Mathematics or a good result in MATH0039 or equivalent.

If you have the right background and want to take one of MATH0039, MATH0045, MATH0046, MATH0101, you can just put this on portico.

If you wish to take any other mathematics module, please e-mail math.ugteaching@ucl.ac.uk with your details (see General Guidance above).

SSEES

In Year 1, MATH0045 (which can be followed by MATH0046) at level 4 is the most common choice.  MATH0045 requires a good background in Maths such as a Grade A at A-level or equivalent (MATH0046 requires MATH0045 as pre-requisite).  If this background is lacking, MATH0039 (at level 4) may be suitable: it is roughly at A-level standard or a little higher.

In Year 2/3, MATH0047 (level 5, prerequisites being both MATH0045 and MATH0046) is a standard choice, or MATH0045/46 can be taken if not already taken in Year 1.

If you wish to take any of MATH0039/45/46/47/50 and have suitable pre-requisites, you can just put them on portico.

If you wish to take any other mathematics module, please e-mail math.ugteaching@ucl.ac.uk with your details (see General Guidance above).

STATISTICAL SCIENCE

In Year 1 MATH0045/46 (Level 4) and MATH0002 (where relevant) are compulsory and so no action is needed from you.  MATH0048 Mathematical Analysis (Level 5) is also a possible option: this is a pure mathematics module involving formal definitions and proof: students taking this module should be mathematically able.  If you wish to pick this module, you can just put it on portico.

In Year 2 MATH0047 (Level 5) is compulsory so no action is needed.  If you wish to take any other mathematics module, please e-mail math.ugteaching@ucl.ac.uk with your details (see General Guidance above).

In Year 3 MATH0050 Logic (Level 6) is a popular option. You are not advised to take MATH0050 unless you have good results in previous mathematics modules: it is a quite demanding pure mathematics module.  However, if you wish to take this module you can just put it on portico.  If you wish to take any other mathematics module, please e-mail math.ugteaching@ucl.ac.uk with your details (see General Guidance above).

Students in Year 2 of the BSc Data Science programme can select MATH0048 as an option on portico. 

ANY OTHER DEPARTMENT

Please send an e-mail to math.ugteaching@ucl.ac.uk with the subject line “Ancillary Mathematics options” giving the module you wish to take and your details (name, student number, previous maths background) and we will get back to you.  You may also wish to contact individual lecturers to discuss your suitability.