Postgraduate

MSc in Mathematics

On this page

• Description
• Planning your studies
• Career relevance
• Suggested routes to the degree
• Modules
• Learning outcomes
• Credit for previous study elsewhere
• On completion
• Regulations
• How to register

Description

The MSc in Mathematics course has been designed for students who want to continue their mathematics studies by delving more deeply into particular aspects of pure and applied mathematics. The modules may well be of interest to mathematically inclined scientists and engineers as well as to mathematicians.

Planning your studies

Under normal circumstances, you should have a second-class honours degree in mathematics or in a subject with a high mathematical content. Whatever your background, you should assess your suitability for this MSc in Mathematics course by trying our diagnostic quiz.

If you are new to postgraduate study in mathematics you are advised initially to study The calculus of variations and advanced calculus (M820) on its own as your first module. However, if you have an undergraduate degree in pure mathematics you may alternatively study Analytic number theory I (M823) as your first module.

The modules in this qualification are categorised as entry, intermediate, advanced intermediate and dissertation, as follows:

Entry: Calculus of variations and advanced calculus (M820), Analytic number theory I (M823)

Intermediate (applied): Applied complex variables (M828), Approximation theory (M832), Nonlinear ordinary differential equations (M821)

Intermediate (pure): Analytic number theory II (M829), Coding theory (M836), Fractal geometry (M835)

Advanced intermediate (applied): Advanced mathematical methods (M833)

Advanced intermediate (pure): Functional analysis (M826)

Dissertation: Dissertation in mathematics (M840)

Guidance about the order in which the modules should be studied is as follows:

• You must normally pass at least one of the entry modules, Calculus of variations and advanced calculus (M820) or Analytic number theory I (M823), before studying any intermediate module.
• You must normally pass at least one of the intermediate modules before studying any advanced intermediate module.
• You must pass Analytic number theory I (M823) before studying Analytic number theory II (M829).

You must normally pass four modules before studying the Dissertation in mathematics (M840). Note that some M840 topics have prerequisite modules.

Otherwise within each category modules may be studied in any order, and you may register for a module while studying a pre-requisite for that module (i.e. before you know whether you have actually passed the pre-requisite module or not).

Further information about how the modules relate to each other is given in the description for each individual module.

All modules are worth 30 credits, and you are advised not to study more than 60 credits worth at a time. Not every module is presented each year, and we cannot guarantee that the same selection of modules will continue to be available every year.

You should note that the University’s unique study rule applies to this qualification. This means that you must include at least 60 credits from OU modules that have not been counted in any other OU qualification that has previously been awarded to you.

Career relevance and employability

Mathematics is at the heart of advances in science, engineering and technology, as well as being an indispensable problem-solving and decision-making tool in many other areas of life. It is no surprise therefore that mathematics postgraduates can be found throughout industry, business and commerce, in the public and private sectors. Employers value the intellectual rigour and reasoning skills that mathematics students can acquire, their familiarity with numerical and symbolic thinking and the analytic approach to problem-solving which is their hallmark.

There are a variety of reasons for studying mathematics at postgraduate level. You may want a postgraduate qualification in order to distinguish yourself from an increasingly large graduate population. You may find, particularly if you are a professional programmer or work in finance, that your undergraduate mathematical knowledge is becoming insufficient for your career requirements, especially if you are hoping to specialise in one of the more mathematical areas, which are becoming more sought after by employers. The extent of opportunities is vast and mathematics postgraduates are equipped with skills and knowledge required for jobs in fields such as finance, education, engineering, science and business, as well as mathematics and mathematical science research.

There is more information about how OU study can improve your employability in the OU’s Employability Statement from our Careers Advisory Service. You can also read or download our publication OU study and your career and look at our subject pages to find out about career opportunities.

Suggested routes to the degree

You can take a number of different routes towards your qualification. The routes illustrated below are routes many students are using, or have already successfully followed.

Please bear in mind that other routes are available – see the full module list for all options.

• Suggested route 1
• Suggested route 2

Modules

For this 180-credit masters degree you require:

150 credits from the following optional modules:

Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, the discontinued modules M431, M822, M824, M827, M830, M841, M860, M861

And 30 credits from the following compulsory module:

For this 180-credit masters degree you require:

If you started your MSc studies before February 2007 and claim your qualification by 31 December 2014, 180 credits from the following optional modules:

Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, the discontinued modules M431, M822, M824, M827, M830, M841, M860, M861

Credit for previous study elsewhere

For this qualification, we do not allow you to count credit for study you have already done elsewhere.

On completion

On successful completion of the required modules you can be awarded an MSc in Mathematics and entitling you to use the letters MSc (Maths) (Open) after your name. You will have the opportunity of being presented at a degree ceremony.

Regulations

As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the Qualification Regulations and the Student Regulations.

Qualification Regulations

• Introduction to the Qualification Regulations
• General Qualification Regulations
• MSc in Mathematics
• Schedule B to the Qualification Regulations

Student Regulations

The Student Regulations (including the Code of Practice for Student Assessment and the Code of Practice for Student Discipline) are available on our Policy Documents for Students website.

How to register

To register for this qualification, read the description and check you meet any specific requirements (for example, some of our qualifications, require you to be working in a particular environment, or be sponsored by your employer). Then select the module you wish to study first and ensure it is suitable for you before following the registration procedure for that module.

See a full list of modules available for this qualification

About this page

A postgraduate qualification in Mathematics and Statistics.

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