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Coronavirus Updates for Maths Undergraduates

Please note that the department's core Teaching Team has limited resources for replying individually to students who send us queries regarding arrangements (especially since we too are working under restrictions and personal concerns at this time). We know that there is considerable anxiety, and some reassurance is helpful, but the chances are that if the answer to your question is not below, in the maths student FAQs, or the University FAQs then we simply do not yet know the answer, or the University has asked us to not yet tell you. Please think before emailing us, thank you!

Last update: 22nd July 2020. To be informed when this page is updated click on the "Notify" link in the top banner.

For latest updates from the University, and current advice please see the University Coronavirus Advice page. This page is just for specific information for Mathematics Undergraduates. Students from other departments who are taking maths modules may find some of this page useful, but please refer to your home department for specific arrangements for your courses (specific arrangements for maths examinations are here)

The situation at the moment is still continually fluid, so please keep checking back for any changes to the below as and when decisions are made, and check your Warwick email frequently for updates from the the Head of Department and University.

As always, the most important point is that you look after your health and overall wellbeing, and stay safe: practise social distancing (even though it can be very difficult), wash your hands regularly, keep in safe touch with friends and family (using social media or phone calls), and continue to look after yourself as usual (eating and sleeping as well as possible under the circumstances, reserving time for intellectual work, and for exercise subject whatever guidance the government is giving at the time).

Release of Results and New Degree Weighting for Current First Years

This year the release of results will be later than normal, and online (there can be no provision for face to face release of results by Personal Tutors as is normally the case). We are still not sure of the method that this will take, the University are keen for a "coordinated" release of results so it may be that this is done centrally, or by the department (as we have done for second years for a number of years). We anticipate that results will be released:

  • First Years 9th July
  • Finalists 22nd July*
  • Intermediate Years (including 3rd year MMath) 30th July**

*note that 3rd year MMath students are considered in Maths by the Finals Exam Board, despite being an Intermediate Year.

** changed from original date of 23rd July by University.

We have also recently been informed that our proposed change to year weightings for current first years has been approved, to cater for the fact that this year will not count:

  • BSc degree (G100) new weighting is 0:30:70 (was 10:30:60)
  • MMath degree (G103) new weighting is 0:20:35:45 (was 10:20:30:40)
  • Maths and Economics (GL11) new weighting is 0:40:60 (was 10:40:50)

Tier 4 Students

If you are a tier 4 visa holder and you will not be in the UK for a period greater than 3 months, then you will need to request a change in study location. To request a change in study location please see guidance here and then contact the Undergrad Office UGMaths@warwick.ac.uk. with details of the dates that you will be leaving, returning (assume next academic year) and your new address, which you should also update on my.warwick

Personal Tutors and the Undergraduate Office

Although the Zeeman building is physically closed, all Personal Tutors and Undergraduate Office should be available by email and the UG Office is open for business remotely. Although Tutors may have limited knowledge of what procedures are taking place this term, they are still there to offer advice and support at this difficult time. For all other queries please contact the Undergraduate Office using ugmathematics@warwick.ac.uk but please do not expect a quick response to non-urgent queries, and make sure you have checked the FAQ first.

Personal tutors should be making themselves available for online tutorials, and in particular first years are encouraged to engage with the tutorial arrangements that have been put in place for you (see the first year Moodle page).

Term 3 Lectures

All teaching that was scheduled to take place in Term 3 has been cancelled rather than replaced with online provision. So in particular MA112 Experimental Maths, MA209 Variational Principles and MA256 Introduction to Systems Biology are no longer be taking place. If removing these modules from your registrations brings you under 120 CATS you will not be disadvantaged for this, but at present we cannot confirm exactly how this will be achieved. You did not need to deregister from these modules, unless you were planning to anyway.

Outstanding Assessment

We expect students to submit 2nd Year Essays, 3rd Year Essays and 4th Year Projects through Tabula as normal, but the University announced that all outstanding assessment deadlines will be given an automatic 2 week extension. This means that the 2nd and 3rd Year Essays will now have a deadline of 7th May, and the 4th Year Projects had a deadline of 14th April (note this is a 2 week extension from the original deadline).

We will not require a paper copy as well. Outstanding presentations and vivas will not be required and those modules will have their component marks re-weighted to compensate.

Exams

The Summer 2020 Exam timetable has now been released Please do check it for the modules that you will be examined for in that period and make sure that you make a note of when they are. See the Exams page for more information about when exactly they will start and finish, and the process you will need to undertake Exams will be broadly the same format as for the April exams with the exception of MA3E7 (two hours and choose compulsory and one other question), MA3J9 (choose three out of four) and MA261 (two hours and choose two out of three).

First year exams will not take place in term 3. Confirmation on what this means for progression to the second year have not yet been finalised, but we expect that the vast majority of first years have already demonstrated a sufficient standard to do so. Discussion is currently happening at department level as to what this means for students who are resitting first year exams this Summer, we will let you know as soon as we are able. The first year will no longer contribute credit towards your final degree classification, again confirmation on how the other years of your degree will be weighted will be coming soon.

Exam Boards will be sympathetic to the conditions under which any assessment will be undertaken, and endeavour to ensure that no students are disadvantaged. In addition to such general approaches to ensure students' performance is measured fairly, the Mitigating Circumstances process will work in the usual way to consider more specific individual cases. But do see recent updates on the University pages. In the meantime:

  • Do keep an eye on the Maths Exams page for updates and information;
  • Any such assessment will be largely considered to be "open book", so don't spend as much time as you normally would trying to learn by rote definitions and statement of results, it would be more beneficial to know where to find them in your notes, and to understand what they are saying (although if you do know them accurately then that will always be an advantage to you throughout your degree and all forms of assessment);
  • If you have alternative exam arrangements we should have already been in touch to ensure that we can take them into account, extra time should be incorporated into the timer on your Moodle assessment.

Wellbeing

At the moment we know that the uncertainty over arrangements to be put into place is causing additional anxiety for everyone. Please do reach out to your personal tutors, or to each other. Wellbeing Support will also still be available, but please bear in mind that they are also likely to be overwhelmed at the moment and slow to respond.