The Cambridge University Mathematics Course
The undergraduate mathematics course (the Mathematical Tripos) lasts three years, and leads to the BA degree. There is then the possibility of staying on for a fourth year to take Part III of the Tripos, which is like a taught postgraduate course except that it is funded by local authorities as if it were a fourth year of an undergraduate degree.
In the first year (only), there are two options: Pure and Applied Mathematics, which is taken by about 90% of the students; and Mathematics with Physics. The latter option is intended for students who are very strong mathematicians but who are not sure if they want to specialise in Mathematics or in Physics. At the end of the first year, about half of the students taking the Mathematics with Physics option decide to continue with Mathematics and the other half decides to change subject.
The first year lays down the foundations for the various areas which are studied in later years. These include pure mathematics, applied mathematics, theoretical physics and probability. There is no choice of lecture courses. In the second year, there is choice both in the subject area and also in the number of lecture courses, and in the third year there is a very wide range of choice (students choose about 8 lecture courses from over 40).
The second and third year have statistics courses and computational projects. These start from scratch: it does not matter if you have not studied them before you arrive.
Part III is world famous: many of the world’s leading mathematicians took Part III. About a third of the Cambridge students stay on for this extra year, and are joined by an equal number from all parts of the world. Part III students are much sought after by universities wanting to take research students.
For further details of the Mathematics course and more advice about STEP, go to the Mathematics Faculty web page: http://www.maths.cam.ac.uk
For help with STEP, you can use the online mathematics club: http://www.nrich.maths.org.