Bachelor of Science with Honours in the field of Mathematics
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Please make sure you are familiar with the rules relevant to the Degree of Bachelor of Science with Honours in the field of Mathematics, including admission criteria, syllabus content and outcomes, as contained in the Faculty of Science Rules and Syllabus book.
Admission
To be admitted to the programme of BSc Honours in the field of Mathematics, a candidate must pass MATH III with an average mark of at least 60%.
In addition, the applicant must pass Real Analysis III, Group Theory III and Complex Analysis III.
Handbook
Download the BSc Honours in the field of Mathematics handbook for the 2025 academic year.
BSc Honours in the field of Mathematics (120 credits)
A candidate must successfully complete the following compulsory courses as well as three elective courses to obtain a Bachelor of Science Honours in the field of Mathematics.
| Course code |
Description |
NQF Credits |
NQF Level |
Compulsory courses
|
| MATH4026 |
Research Project: Mathematics |
36 |
8 |
| MATH4025 |
Measure Theory |
12 |
8 |
| MATH4027 |
Topology |
12 |
8 |
| MATH4016 |
Algebra |
12 |
8 |
| MATH4021 |
Functional Analysis |
12 |
8 |
Any three elective courses from the list below:
|
| MATH4020 |
Complex Analysis |
12 |
8 |
| MATH4024 |
Number Theory |
12 |
8 |
| MATH4019 |
Combinatorics |
12 |
8 |
| MATH4018 |
Calculus Variations |
12 |
8 |
| MATH4017 |
Asymptotics |
12 |
8 |
| MATH4023 |
Graph Theory |
12 |
8 |
| MATH4022 |
Geometry and Algebraic Topology |
12 |
8 |
| MATH4028 |
Mathematical Logic |
12 |
8 |
Note: Not all courses will be offered every year.
With prior permission of the Senate, a candidate may substitute two of the elective courses with a course or courses from another discipline provided that the course or courses have a weight of at least 12 NQF level 8 credits per course.
MSc students undertaken in the mathematics school are by dissertation only. This is planned after careful discussions with the supervisor (possibly in conjunction with the MSc course coordinator/ chairperson of the governing committee/ head of school), and where the student s background is adequate.
Research Proposal
In the first few months of registration, the student must prepare a research proposal (with the assistance of the supervisor) for submission to the faculty. This varies in length, but is typically one or two pages long, and gives an outline of the topic to be studied in the research report. Once it has been accepted, the student s candidature for the degree is confirmed.
Dissertation for the MSc
The dissertation should demonstrate the student's understanding of the research topic, his/her ability to do research and the context/history of the research area. The dissertation is examined by both the internal and external examiners
Conversion to PhD
In the case of very promising dissertations, consideration may be given to converting an MSc registration to a PhD. Further details can be obtained from supervisors and the Faculty of Science.
Full-time/Part-time
Students are encouraged to register full-time. Full-time students can complete the degree in 1 to 2 years, and part-time in 2 to 4 years.
Students from outside the University
Students who have not completed an honours degree in mathematics at Witwatersrand University will have to convince their supervisor/ course coordinator/ head of school that their background is sufficient. For example, our honours students have usually completed courses (at third year and honours level) in complex analysis, topology, measure theory, functional analysis, and algebra. If their background is insufficient, they may have to attend honours courses, or undertake special reading courses.
Choice of Supervisor/ Direction
The school has supervisors who can supervise research in the following areas (see list of research areas here)
For names of possible supervisors, students may consult the Postgraduate Course Coordinator, but may also approach possible supervisors without the coordinator's intervention. Students are encouraged to speak to several possible supervisors before choosing their direction. Because of other commitments, some of the topics may not be available for supervision in a particular year.
Most PhD s supervised in this school in the past few years have been in a number of areas in which there are active researchers. Most of the PhD students had previously graduated from our school with an MSc which laid the foundation for the doctoral research. Students who begin a PhD at Wits after completing an MSc elsewhere are encouraged to speak to several possible supervisors before choosing their direction.
The average length spent on a PhD (fulltime) has been three years. Often the student writes up the PhD thesis only after some papers have been submitted for consideration for publication in international research journals. The thesis itself may vary in length from 100 to 400 pages. The Faculty of Science publishes a style guide, though it is easiest to copy the style of a recent PhD thesis. The thesis must be passed by both the internal and external examiners.
A list of research areas is available here.
