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Mathematical sciences in UL reviews of the courses please!

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  • 18-02-2010 7:19pm
    #1
    eoins23456
    Registered Users Posts: 603 ✭✭✭


    Im thinking of doing Mathematical Sciences in Ul next year and was wondering what the modules are like.I have the points and entry requirements and have always been interested in maths.Is there anyone that is doing this degree currently that could tell me what its like??


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    #2
    PunkFreud
    Registered Users Posts: 308 ✭✭PunkFreud


    Well I'm in 1st year, so I wouldn't really know what the next 3 years will be like, but...

    As you'd guess there's a fair bit of Maths in it, it's not too bad and it's different depending on the module e.g. Differentiation, Matrices, Limits etc. There is a good bit of computing (2 modules out 5 in Semester 1, just 1 in Semester 2), that continues into 2nd year. I think you get to specialise in one of 3 things in 3rd year. You also go on Co-op in 3rd year.

    I'm only in first year though...


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    #3
    suzie987
    Registered Users Posts: 174 ✭✭suzie987


    I am in 4th year of this course. At the start I did struggle a bit with the course. I was at quite a high standard of maths when I left school and found it difficult to adapt to the college maths, or more so the way maths is taught here (I was used to being spoon fed in school where as in college the lecturer comes into the room for 50mins talking constantly and its up to you to go through the lecture material to understand it yourself). Of course the lecturers are happy to answer questions but not many people ask - most usually leave it to the weeks before the exams to start trying to understand the modules!!

    Now I am so happy I did this course, at the start I couldn't decide between Financial Maths (FM) and Maths Sciences (MS), but maths sciences definitely holds more options if you are unsure what part of maths exactly you want to get in to. Basically the two course are exactly the same for the first 2 years and the modules studied in these 2 years are quite broad, including many types of maths (calculus, linear algebra, discrete maths), computing (when I started we did computer programming however I think they may have changed this so that there isn't as much programming), statistics and also some physics/maths modules (don't worry you don't need physics for this, its mainly maths but the problems are applied to physics examples).

    The main difference between FM and MS is that in year 3 the maths science students have to choose from 1)Pure Mathematics, 2)Statistics or 3)Computing. In my class of 8, 3 chose statistics, 2 chose pure maths and 2 chose computing. I chose statistics and love it. Don't be disillusioned by the statistics and probability you do in Leaving Cert - real life statistics is much more interesting and is an area of maths which can always be applied to everyday examples, particularly medicine. (Thats the area I am interested in anyway so maybe I am biased!!!) In FM, they cannot 'chose' particular areas, but have some choice regarding the modules they take. The FM is mainly aimed at preparing the student to work in stocks, bonds and banking areas and that kind of stuff.

    The huge advantage of the UL maths science course is the coop. This is where you go out working full time in 3rd year. To my knowledge, it is the only maths science course in Ireland where this is offered. I know you probably are not looking to 4 years time when you are trying to get a job but trust my the 9 months full time experience as well as the academic qualifications is a HUGE advantage (especially in this economy). I worked in a Statistical Consultancy Unit on my coop and really enjoyed it and I also learned loads. The only disadvantage of the course in UL imo is that the maths and stats department here is mainly made up of maths lecturers with much fewer statistics lecturers. But this is only a minor problem the statistical lecturers are all very good and make up for the small numbers. (However if you find yourself going down the maths route you won't have this problem and UL is a wonderful college for maths and maths modelling as a few years ago they were given a huge grant for a centre called 'MACSI' which is an excellent facility for students interested in pure maths. As I'm not in that area I'm not too sure of the exact details of MACSI but you can read about this on the UL maths and stats website)

    I hope that helps


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