Welcome to the Department of Mathematical Sciences! Congratulations on gaining a place on a Maths degree and joining our department. We look forward to meeting you soon. You will find a lot of university mathematics very different from what you are used to, and there will be a lot more of it! You will have the chance to study many new subjects and as you progress you may create some new mathematics yourself.
At university there will be more emphasis on rigorous arguments and constructing proofs as well as on writing and communicating clearly and precisely. We will set you assignments that are designed to help you develop these skills. Don’t worry, there is plenty of help available to you as you learn new material and master new skills. Your lecturers and tutors are there to help you, so make good use of them and seek them out when you need to.
University maths is an active pursuit, not a passive study. The more you work at it, the more you will understand. Of course, along the way, you will (inevitably) sometimes get stuck on problems or new concepts, which is frustrating. But then you will also experience the joy that comes when you find a solution or understand some new idea. Mathematics is difficult but hugely rewarding, and it can be fun. Have an enjoyable time!
Douglas Smith
Head of Department
Welcome to Maths at Durham! I hope you are excited to start your degree here – I’m sure you’ll have an amazing time. Your next few years will be packed with new experiences, new opportunities and lots of challenging Maths - but it will be very rewarding and enjoyable. The Maths lecturers are inspiring and always encourage you to engage as much as possible, so don’t be afraid to reach out and ask questions to your lecturers and your peers. Best of luck and we look forward to seeing you soon!
Before your arrival, you should have received:
If you have not received any of this information by mid-September, please contact our Learning and Teaching team at maths.teaching@durham.ac.uk, or phone (0191 334 3050).
You should also look through the following content available online before arriving in Durham:
Assuming that you already have a valid(ated) CIS username and password (see Enrol Online), you can proceed to register for your programme and modules as follows:
Module registration is a two stage process which includes:
The first stage is where you confirm your programme of study and choose your optional modules. The second stage of the process is where department(s) approve your choice of modules.
More information on module registration can be found at: www.dur.ac.uk/student.registry/student/registration/modreg/
As a student on a Mathematics degree, you will automatically be registered onto seven core (compulsory) modules: Calculus I, Linear Algebra I, Analysis I, Probability I, Statistics I, Programming I, and Dynamics I, altogether worth 100 credits. You then choose one 20-credit module from another department.
You also have the option to study an appropriate 20 credit language module offered by the University's Centre for Foreign Language Study, depending on timetable compatibility. You will need to ensure you meet the prerequisite to study a language module. Details can be found here.
A list of all Level 1 modules offered by the University and their descriptions can be found in the Faculty Handbook. Here you can find out whether you meet the prerequisites for any module that you might be interested in, and check that it fits into your timetable. It is your responsibility to check that you meet all the requirements for any modules that you choose and that they fit into the timetable around your core modules.
Further information on all of the modules offered by the Maths department can be found on our module description pages (you need your new CIS login to access these pages).
Not on a Maths degree but want to choose an elective Maths module? Click here (CIS login required) to find out what is available for you and how to register.
We also recommend exploring the Transitioning to Higher Education Support and Information.
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The Timetable has been designed so College events don’t clash with any of your academic departmental events, but offer you lots of opportunities to meet your fellow Freshers, find your way around and settle into student life.
Week 1 of term starts on Monday 7 October. Lectures start immediately, so make sure you are familiar with the timetable (use mytimetable) and room locations by this point. Also make sure you keep checking your email and the module ultra sites as your lecturers will be communicating with you this way.
Tutorials, practical classes and support classes begin (with some exceptions) in week 2 of term. You will be allocated to specific tutorial groups at the start of term, so please be aware that these classes may not appear on your timetable until then.
We hope that one of the highlights of your time studying Maths in Durham will be interacting with the staff, who are hoping to share their passion for the subject with you. Although some first year lectures have over 300 students in them, small group tutorials supporting the lectures means getting help from staff is made easier.
One particularly important member of staff is your personal academic advisor who will be assigned to you for your time here at Durham. Over the years, he or she will be able to help you with your module choices, more generally provide academic guidance, and when the time comes be a natural person to ask for a reference. See here for more information on what you can expect from your Maths departmental advisor.
You will be invited for a meeting with your academic advisor already on the Tuesday of WOW.
We are all looking forward to meeting you in the Maths department in October. If you have any other questions before then, please feel free to contact the department and we will help you.
Email: maths.teaching@durham.ac.uk
Main office phone: 0191 334 3050
Once you arrive in Durham, you are very welcome to email us or to call into the main office, MCS 2093: go into the main Maths entrance, up one flight of stairs, go straight ahead turn right and you'll see the sign for Mathematical Sciences Reception. If you have any problems or questions, we will be happy to help you.
Check out our student blogs to read more about life at Durham from our students. Don't forget to follow us on social media!
Durham University
If you have any queries about any of this information or any aspect of coming to Durham please contact us.
Upper Mountjoy Site
+44 191 334 3050
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