Postgraduate

Postgraduate Diploma in Science (PGDipSc)

This is a one-year full-time course. The course may be taken by any BSc graduate with 90 points in 300-level courses approved by the Head of School, and must include 60 points from MATH 310-399 or from STAT 310-399. A pass in six one-semester courses chosen at the 400-level is normally required. Your choice requires the approval of the Head of School. A completed Postgraduate Diploma in Science (PGDipSc) can be substituted for the course work year of a two-year Master of Science (MSc).

Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science with Honours - BA(Hons) / BSc(Hons)

The Honours degree is a one-year (if studied full-time) programme of study consisting of an Honours project and six 400-level courses. The assessment of the Class of Honours is based on overall performance in the programme.

Eligibility

Students need to be eligible to graduate with a BA or BSc (360 points) and have the appropriate prerequisites, which generally means at least 60 points at 300-level from your chosen subject, and a further 30 points at 300-level from either MATH or STAT courses. Students are also expected to have a GPA of at least 6.0 (B+ average) in courses relevant to their chosen subject. Final approval for entry is given by the Head of School.

Course requirements

Details of the 400-level courses on offer can be found here. Every year there will be at least one course offered in analysis, algebra, discrete mathematics, functional analysis, differential equations and computational mathematics. Every Statistics 300-level course is offered as a 400-level course and courses in generalised linear models and bioinformatics are offered each year. A broad range of honours projects are listed in the Postgraduate Handbook. This list is not exhaustive, and there is plenty of scope for other possible projects. It is expected that a student will have arranged their project by the end of the first week of term. Assessment is based on a written report (80%), which is to be submitted in September, and an oral or a poster presentation in early October (20%).

Specialised honours programmes

In addition to the single honours degrees, there are a number of joint honours programmes that you can study to combine Mathematics with another subject. To keep your options open to enter these courses you must ensure you study a broad base of courses at lower levels, especially the core mathematics courses, so that you have the appropriate prerequisites. For all joint honours programmes it is very important that you check the calendar regulations to ensure you are taking all the required courses.

Find out more about possible joint programmes and specialisations.

Degree regulations

• Regulations for the Degree of Bachelor of Science with Honours
• Regulations for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts with Honours

Masters theses are expected to display a good general knowledge of the field of study. Theses are judged by two examiners who submit independent reports. A masters thesis usually takes one year to complete.

Students who have a bachelors degree in Mathematics or Statistics can enrol for a master’s degree. The minimum period of study is two years full-time after a BSc/BA degree, or one year full-time after the respective Honours degree.

The first year of the two–year masters degree consists of at least eight one–semester 400-level courses. Your choice requires the approval of the Head of School. The second year (and also the one year masterate) consists of a thesis only. We almost always ask that you enrol for a BSc(Hons)/BA(Hons) or PGDipSc in your first year.

PhD theses

A PhD is a higher degree awarded for a thesis presenting original research that is a significant contribution to scientific knowledge. It must meet recognised international standards. Students with a good honours or masters degree can enrol for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

You will work under the supervision of an academic staff member with whom you have a shared research interest. This normally involves at least three years full–time study.

You must then present a thesis embodying the results of this research for examination. It is judged by two examiners, one of whom is usually from New Zealand. The examiners submit independent reports on the thesis. You then sit an oral examination conducted by one of the examiners. There is no coursework requirement.

Enrolment criteria

To qualify to enrol for a PhD you must have a bachelors or masters degree from a New Zealand university with first or second class honours (or the equivalent). Students from outside New Zealand must have met an equivalent standard.

To qualify to enrol for a research Masters degree you must have completed a bachelors degree with honours or a Postgraduate Diploma or Masters part I (this is equivalent to a PGDipSci). Students from outside New Zealand must have met an equivalent standard.

If English is not your first language you must also meet the University's English language requirements.

• Find out more about undertaking masters level research at UC.
• Find out more about undertaking PhD research at UC.

First study the currently available research projects, listed above. If any particular project interests you contact the supervisor for more information.

If you have a project or research area in mind and think a particular academic may be a suitable supervisor contact them directly. The School’s key research areas are outlined on our research page. There are often other projects available that are not listed here.

If you wish to make a more general inquiry please email us, outlining your interests. Attach your CV and academic transcript. Your email will be forwarded to appropriate members of staff, who will contact you if they have a suitable project. Try to be as specific as possible about the areas you are interested in, as this will help us match you with a suitable supervisor.

Once we have identified a supervisor for you they will be able to guide you through the application procedure in more detail.

• Find out more about admission and enrolment processes at UC.

As a research student you can expect:

• a senior supervisor who directs your research and training and spends at least 1 hour a week with you
• a supervision team with at least one other staff member to monitor progress and offer advice
• regular progress meetings with your supervision team
• regular progress reviews for which you prepare a report
• a programme of training in research and transferable skills tailored to your needs
• opportunities to attend seminars by leading academics from around the world
• opportunities to present your work both nationally and internationally
• general courses available to all students which include project planning, writing and presentation
• specific mathematical and statistical courses through our 400-level courses
• a thriving peer-support network.

There are a range of scholarships available to postgraduate students in Mathematics and Statistics who need help to fund their studies.

• Explore the full UC Scholarships database.

Funding your studies

The most common form of funding for PhD candidates are UC doctoral scholarships. These awards pay tuition fees and give a generous living allowance for three years (PhD). UC also offers masters scholarships. There are two application rounds each year with deadlines of October 15th and May 15th.

In some cases, alternative funding may be available for specific projects and the project supervisor will advise you about this.

Other sources of funding include UC College of Engineering scholarships (for women and Maori students). The university also has agreements with some countries (including China and Malaysia) concerning funding. To find out more about these contact the university scholarships office.

International students

International students pay fees at the domestic rate for their PhD studies at UC and similar UC doctoral scholarships are available for international students - with the same application process. Applications to the university scheme are primarily judged by the GPA (or equivalent) of the student.