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Mathematical Sciences at Brunel University

Dr Steven Noble

Head of Department of Mathematical Sciences

School of Information Systems, Computing and Mathematics

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Brunel: The Greatest Briton?

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Brunel University: BackgroundA University since 1966.

Departments of Law, Management, Sports Science, English, Politics, ... not just science and engineering.

Before 1992, all students did sandwich courses.

About 14,000 students, all now here at Uxbridge.

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Department of Mathematical Sciences

What we have to offer1.

Campus university in excellent location with wide variety of student activities.

2.

Good range of courses with strong research base.

3.

Financial help / scholarships.4.

Strong student support in a student-

centred department and university.5.

Professional placement available for all undergraduate degree courses.

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LocationBrunel University is:

45 minutes by tube from central London.A few minutes drive from M40, M25, M4.A local bus ride from Heathrow Airport.40 miles from Oxford.Close to the Chiltern Hills, the Thames …

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Uxbridge CampusSafe self-contained site.All teaching is here.£250M development completed.£13M indoor and outdoor sports arenas.4549 student rooms, most with en-suite

facilities.One-stop-shop for student services.Library building doubled in size.Complete refit to the refectory building.

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Vibrant International CultureMore than 2000 overseas students.

Brunel students come from 110 countries.

Rich and diverse culture.

Extra curricula activities: clubs, societies, arts centre.

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Brunel UniversityShortlisted for the “University of the

Year 2012” (Times Higher Education Awards);

Also nominated for “Outstanding student support” category.

2. CoursesSix different Maths undergraduate

courses.

Information Systems, Computing and Mathematics with an Integrated Foundation Year.

Postgraduate courses (MSc and PhD).

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Mathematics DegreesMathematics (BSc and MMath)

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Financial Mathematics (BSc and MMath)

Mathematics with Computer Science

Mathematics & Statistics with Management

Mathematics DegreesBuilding from where you are.

Broad-based courses with a common core, giving some flexibility.

Key concepts and techniques (algebra, analysis / calculus, discrete maths, statistics, etc) and a range of applications.

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From School To UniversityMoving from how to why. Develop and apply a toolbox of ideas to

a variety of problems.Solve complex problems requiring many

steps and careful planning.Think and work independently.Experiment and innovate.Communicate your results.

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Level OneAt level 1:

Modules are designed carefully to build on previous knowledge.

Core Maths is initially entirely taught in small groups (15-20) to ease the transition to university.

Weekly marked work gives regular feedback (to both staff and students).

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Level TwoNew applicable mathematics:

Multi-variable calculus.

Predictive linear models in statistics.

More abstract mathematics like group theory.

Some specialist topics in joint courses:Marketing / accounting.

Corporate investment / finance.

Software development.Slide 17

Final Year ProjectOne third of the final year (22% of final

degree mark).

Wide choice of topics.

Often based on current research.

Individual weekly supervision.

70 page dissertation and presentation.

MMath students also do this at level 3.

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Mathematics DegreesFor those combining Maths with Finance, Computing or Management, there are related modules within the Mathematics part of the course:Coding and encryption for those doing Computing.

Risk and Optimisation for those doing Finance.

Operational research for those doing Management.

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MMath

DegreesIntegrated Master’s degree over 4 years

(or 5 with placement).

Available for Mathematics and Financial Mathematics.

Can be entered at level 1, or by transfer at the end of level 2.

The first two years are the same as the BSc; the final two years take you beyond this to Master’s level.

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Advantages of an Integrated Master’s Degree

All start from the same point.

One academic year (separate MSc is usually a calendar year).

Funding arrangements cover the whole of the master’s degree.

At Brunel, the final year of the MMathhas a discount (the basic tuition charge will be £6000, not £9000).

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Foundation YearA pre-degree year for those who are not fully qualified to start on a degree course.

Not a foundation degree, but part of an integrated course.

Leads into degree courses in Mathematics, Business Computing, Computer Science and Computer Systems Engineering.

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Foundation YearProgression to BSc is automatic for passing students.

The content is the maths and computing needed to start on those degree courses.

The fees for the Foundation year: £3,500, followed by £9,000 per annum for the three years of BSc.

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Teaching Quality -

NSS 2011 Overall in Mathematics and Statistics:

top 10 in the UK.2nd in London.

In specific categories:2nd in assessment and feedback.4th in learning resources.

Research

Key factor in the reputation of the School and Department

Research areas includeNumerical analysisOperational researchMathematical physicsStochastic modelling and financial riskApplied analysis and mathematical biologyStatisticsCombinatorics

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Research excellenceIn the most recent (2008) Research Assessment Exercise:

87% of our research is of international significance.

16% of our research is world-leading.Top 3 in London area.

Research underpins our course planning, and particularly the Final Year Project.

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3. Financial support (2013)Over 500 new scholarships for 2013.

1 in 5 will receive financial support from Brunel.

Several types of scholarships:Academic Excellence.

National Scholarship Programme.

Local Boroughs.

For students who make Brunel their firm choice. Slide 27

3. Mathematics

ScholarshipsUp to 10 scholarships each year.

For students with AAB at A-level (including A in Maths or Further Maths).

£1000 each year (except placement year).

Continuation depends on high standard of work.

For students who make Brunel their firm choice.Maths Open Day Slide 28Slide 28

4. Student SupportDepartmental Personal Tutor SystemAcademic Skills ServiceBlackboard (VLE)Accommodation OfficeWork Placement and Careers ServiceStudent Union Information CentreDisability and Dyslexia OfficeCounselling Service / Medical CentreChaplaincy

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What our students say…Katharina Schwaiger graduated from Brunel University in 2005 with a BSc in Financial Mathematics.

She went on to do a PhD, also at Brunel University.

After her PhD, she worked as a financial engineer at QuIC Financial Technologies.

QuIC provides the world’s leading financial organisations with enterprise solutions for risk management, pricing and financial analytics.

“The Mathematics department and in particular its lecturers have been very helpful and easy to approach throughout my experience at Brunel University.”

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Placement & Careers Centre

• One stop centre ‐

part‐time jobs, vacation work, sandwich placements  and graduate roles

• At least 6 careers fairs and targeted forums a year 

• Employer led workshops e.g.  Teach first, Accenture, FDM, PWC,  Morgan Stanley & Centrica  ‐

for maths these are often returning 

students

• Individual and confidential help with career decisions, placements and 

skills development

5. Placement & Careers Centre

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• Valuable work experience, help provided in the curriculum  to find a placement

• Better chance of finding a graduate job &

• Taste of your chosen career path and gain new skills

• Improve your final year results

• Earn money (On average the starting placement salary in  2011 was £

14,000)

• 2010/11 DLHE survey  ‐

students that had done a  placement, 60% of them went on to earn graduate salaries 

over £25,000

• 2010 Sandwich Placement Graduates earned nearly £5000  more than their non‐placement peers

Why should you do a Placement?

Placement & Careers Centre Impact of our work from September 2011 to June 2012

• 6,837 one‐to‐one appointments were delivered by our Placement  Officers and Careers Consultants

• 21,271 people through the door

• 418 employers came to Brunel interested in recruiting you

• 5,533 jobs adverts processed by the PCC an increase of 3% on the previous year

• Winners of the ‘Rate my placement’

best university placement and  careers award ‐

3 years consecutively

• ISCM as a school had amongst the lowest level of unemployment  across the university only 7.1% ‐

the national average is 9.0%

• Brunel ranks 13th

among UK universities for starting salaries of its  graduates.

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Recent destinations• Accenture• AVCO systems

• British Airways• Centrica• British Telecom• General Electric• Teach First• Xerox• GlaxoSmithKline 

• Goldman Sachs 

• IBM• Intel• NetApp• KPMG

• Orange• Nissan• O2• Bank of England

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A few recent job titlesBiostatistician

Statistical Programmer

Junior Financial Analyst

Maintenance Revenue  Administrator

Treasury Analyst

Business Analyst

Operational Research

Accounts  Assistant

Operations Assistant

Actuary 

Data Analyst

Others worked in:

Risk Management

Portfolio and Fund  Management

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Final thought  ‐

over a 3 year period Maths has been improving its  employability year on year despite the challenging economic  climate.

And …

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