Science Mathematics and Statistics

Plans in Advanced Mathematics and Advanced Science

Students socialising outside of the UNSW Science building
  • This page contains information about plans in Advanced Mathematics (Honours) (Program 3956) and Advanced Science (Honours) (Program 3962).

You can check the full rules for 3956 - Advanced Mathematics (Honours) and 3962 - Advanced Science (honours) in the UNSW Handbook.

Prior to 2016, the degrees did not have 'honours' in the name and were programs 3986 (Advanced Mathematics) and 3972 (Advanced Science): see the Handbook of the appropriate year for the program rules.

The available plans in Mathematics and Statistics are:

  • All courses are taken at the Higher level (where available). Students wishing to take such courses at the Ordinary level must make a formal application to vary their program. The Mathematics and Statistics plans in Advanced Science have the same structure as in program 3970, except for requiring higher level courses to be taken.

    Students must maintain a WAM of at least 70 to stay in the Advanced Mathematics (or Science) degrees.

    Students must complete all of stages 1, 2 and 3 in one of the plans listed before commencing honours.

    All the Mathematics and Statistics Plans in Advanced Mathematics may be taken with

    You can view more details on Program 3523 on its own page.

    Many electives and all General Education are omitted when taking a combined degree.

Applied Mathematics

(MATHA13956)

Stage 1

MATH1141 Higher Mathematics 1A
MATH1241 Higher Mathematics 1B
MATH1081 Discrete Mathematics
SCIF1131 Introductory Skills in Science
Computer Science courses totalling 6 units of credit
Elective courses totalling 18 units of credit

Stage 2

MATH2111 Higher Several Variable Calculus
MATH2221 Higher Theory and Applicarions of Differential Equations
MATH2301 Mathematical Computing 
MATH2601 Higher Linear Algebra
MATH2621 Higher Complex Analysis 
MATH2901 Higher Theory of Statistics
Elective courses totalling 6 units of credit 
General Education courses totalling 6 units of credit

Stage 3
  • 18 UOC from the following list:
    • MATH3041* Mathematical Modelling
    • MATH3051* Applied Real and Functional Analysis
    • MATH3101** Computational Mathematics for Science and Engineering
    • MATH3121 Mathematical Methods
    • MATH3161 Optimization
    • MATH3171*** Linear and Discrete Optimization Modelling
    • MATH3191*** Mathematical Optimization for Data Science
    • MATH3201 Dynamical Systems and Chaos
    • MATH3261 Fluids, Oceans and Climate
    • MATH3311 Mathematical Computing for Finance
    • MATH3361** Stochastic Differential Equations
    • MATH6781 Biomathematics 

(*) Students are strongly advised to take at least one of these two courses. From 2024, it will be mandatory that students take at least one of these courses.

(**) These courses are offered in alternate years. MATH3101 will be offered in even years and MATH3361 will be offered in odd years.

(***) These courses are offered in alternate years. MATH3171 will be offered in even years and MATH3191 will be offered in odd years.

  • A further 12 UOC of level III Mathematics or Statistics courses (including courses in the list above), as approved by the Head of Applied Maths or Applied Maths honours coordinator or Director of Undergraduate Studies.
  • Elective courses totalling 12 units of credit.
  • General Education courses totalling 6 units of credit.

Please note the following recent changes to the program

  • From 2022 there will be 3 new courses:
    MATH3051 to be offered in T3 every year. All students who will be doing level 3 in Applied Maths in 2022 and 2023 will be strongly advised to take this course as an elective course. From 2024 this course will be one of two core courses.
    MATH3371/5371 to be offered in T1 every year
    MATH3191/5191 to be offered in T3, alternate with MATH3171/5171
  • From 2024 all level 3 students in Applied Maths will have to take at least one of the following two mandatory courses:
    MATH3041, or
    MATH3051
Stage 4

Honours in Applied Mathematics, which consists of a thesis or project taken by enrolling in MATH4001 Mathematics and Statistics Honours Thesis (6UoC) in each of three successive terms, plus 30 UoC of honours level MATH courses as approved by the Applied Mathematics honours coordinator.

Pure Mathematics

(MATHP13956)

Stage 1

MATH1141 Higher Mathematics 1A
MATH1241 Higher Mathematics 1B
MATH1081 Discrete Mathematics
SCIF1131 Introductory Skills in Science
Computer Science courses totalling 6 units of credit
Elective courses totalling 18 units of credit

Stage 2

MATH2111 Higher Several Variable Calculus
MATH2221 Higher Theory and Application of Differential Equations
MATH2601 Higher Linear Algebra
MATH2621 Higher Complex Analysis
MATH2701 Abstract Algebra and Fundamental Analysis
MATH2901 Higher Theory of Statistics
Elective courses totalling 6 units of credit
General Education courses totalling 6 units of credit

Stage 3

MATH3611 Higher Analysis
MATH3711 Higher Algebra
MATH3701 Higher Differential Geometry and Toplopgy
A further 12uoc of Level III Mathematics or Statistics courses, as approved by the Head of Pure Maths or Pure Maths honours coordinator or the Director of Undergraduate Studies
Elective courses totalling 12 units of credit
General Education courses totalling 6 units of credit.

Stage 4

Honours in Pure Mathematics, which consists of a thesis or project taken by enrolling in MATH4001 Mathematics and Statistics Honours Thesis (6UoC) in each of three successive terms, plus 30 UoC of honours level MATH courses as approved by the Pure Mathematics honours coordinator.

Advanced Statistics

(MATHT13956)

Stage 1

MATH1141 Higher Mathematics 1A
MATH1241 Higher Mathematics 1B
MATH1081 Discrete Mathematics
SCIF1131  Introductory Skills in Science
Computer Science courses totalling 6 units of credit
Elective courses totalling 18 units of credit

Stage 2

MATH2111 Higher Several Variable Calculus
MATH2601 Higher Linear Algebra
MATH2901 Higher Theory of Statistics
MATH2931 Higher Linear Models
MATH2221 Higher Differential Equations or MATH2621 Higher Complex Analysis
Elective courses totalling 12 units of credit
General Education courses totalling 6 units of credit

Stage 3

MATH3901 Higher Probability and Stochastic Processes
MATH3911 Higher Statistical Inference
MATH3821 Statistical Modelling and Computing
At least one of MATH3831, MATH3841, MATH3851 or MATH3871

Further Level III Mathematics or Statistics courses totalling 6 units of credit as approved by the Head of Statistics or the Statistics honours coordinator or the Director of Undergraduate Studies.

Elective course totalling 12 units of credit
General Education courses totalling 6 units of credit

Stage 4

Honours in Statistics, which consists of a thesis or project taken by enrolling in MATH4001 Mathematics and Statistics Honours Thesis (6UoC) in each of three successive terms, plus 30 UoC of honours level MATH courses as approved by the Statistics honours coordinator.

Advanced Physical Oceanography

(MATHO13962)

Stage 1

MATH1141 Higher Mathematics 1A
MATH1241 Higher Mathematics 1B
SCIF1131 Introductory Skills in Science
PHYS1121 Physics 1A or PHYS1131 Higher Physics 1A
PHYS1221 Physics 1B or PHYS1231 Higher Physics 1B

Stage 2

MATH2111 Higher Several Variable Calculus
MATH2221 Higher Theory and Application of Differential Equations
MATH2241 Introduction to Atmosphere and Ocean Dynamics
MATH2301 Mathematical Computing 
MATH2901 Higher Theory of Statistics
PHYS2801 Atmospheric Science
6 UOC of General Education
6 UOC of electives (Recommended: SCIF2041 Research Internship A)
Recommended courses: MATH2621 (Higher Complex Analysis), GEOS2811 (Remore Sensing Applications)

Stage 3

MATH3041 Mathematical Modelling
MATH3101 Computational Mathematics
MATH3121 Mathematical Methods for DEs
MATH3261 Atmosphere-Ocean Dynamics 
MSCI3001 Physical Oceanography
6 UOC of General Education
12 UOC of free electives

Stage 4

Honours in Physical Oceanography, which consists of a thesis or project taken by enrolling in MATH4001 Mathematics and Statistics Honours Thesis (6UoC) in each of three successive terms, plus 30 UoC of honours level MATH courses as approved by the Applied Mathematics honours coordinator.