A Bachelor's degree is the minimum qualification required for most modern professional careers. However, many people will need more than a first degree to achieve their goals, whether these are in higher-level positions in industry or increasing their mastery of their discipline. Options include Honours, Masters and Doctoral degrees. Follow the links here for a brief overview of these courses and links to the relevant UTS Handbook entries and for a list of recent doctoral theses.

Why Honours?

Obtaining an honours degree can make a big difference to your future career prospects. The honours courses add an additional year to your undergraduate course, allowing you to significantly strengthen your knowledge and expertise in your chosen field of study.

• Bachelor of Science (Honours): this program involves additional high-level subjects in mathematics, statistics or management science, together with a substantial project focussing on an area of current research interest within the department. Most commonly, projects are undertaken in:

• computational and theoretical electromagnetics, with applications in the investigation of novel materials with applications in the design of photonic and plasmonic devices;

• design of stated choice experiments, with applications in market research and health;

• quantitative modelling of financial derivatives, investment portfolios and other  stochastic processes, including applications in the insurance industry, electricity markets and other areas.

• Bachelor of Mathematics and Finance (Honours): this program involves further high-level subjects in finance and mathematics (particularly stochastic analysis), and a project focussing on a topic in the area of quantitative finance (for example, the pricing of financial derivatives, and design of optimal investment strategies).

Preparing for Honours

• Start early. Entry to the Honours programs requires good grades in your undergraduate degree. For entry to the Bachelor of Sciences (Hons) in Mathematics, this means achieving a credit average or better in your maths subjects. Entry to the Bachelor of Mathematics and Finance (Hons) requires a credit average or better in your maths and business subjects.

• As you progress with your undergraduate studies, think about which aspects of your discipline and which of the Department's research areas most attract your interest. These are the areas in which you are most likely to find an Honours project to work on.

• Develop your curiosity and initiative — essential characteristics for an Honours student.

The Honours year: what's involved?

Both Honours programs involve a coursework component and a project component. In the BSc (Hons) in Mathematics you will take four 6 credit point coursework subjects (usually two per semester) and you'll also complete a 24 credit point project spanning the whole year (which is packaged as a pair of 12 credit point subjects 35493 Thesis (Mathematics) Honours Part A and 35494 Thesis (Mathematics) Honours Part B). In the BMathFin (Hons) you'll take six 6 credit point subjects (usually four in Autumn semester and two in Spring semester)  and a 12 credit point project in your second semester.

The coursework subjects in the BSc (Hons) in Mathematics are small group classes and may be drawn from a range of areas depending on the interests of the Honours students and the availability of staff.

For both the BSc (Hons) in Mathematics and the BMathFin (Hons), your project will involve working closely with an individual staff member (your supervisor) under her or his direct supervision, on a topic you have chosen in consultation with them. Each year the department holds information sessions for prospective Honours students where you have the opportunity  to look at the range of topics that are available, and to discuss them with potential supervisors. At the end of your project you will present a seminar and a written thesis that will be assessed by experts in your chosen topic area.

Follow the link for a description of Honours topics available for 2008. For more information, contact the Honours Course Directors.