From studying abroad or doing a summer research project - at Sussex we know there's more to your degree than the classroom. See what you can add to your degree below.
Research opportunities
Get involved in real-world research through the Junior Research Associate (JRA) scheme, an eight-week programme offered to all high performing undergraduate students over the summer. You receive a bursary to work on your research full time, work closely with supervisors, and network with other researchers.
If you're studying our popular Mathematics MMath degree you can apply to transfer to the Mathematics (Research Placement) MMath degree during your first year, where you would do a research project during each summer break. This is invaluable if you want to pursue postgraduate research at universities or in industry.
Find out more about research placement projects
See examples of student JRA projects
Final-year projects
You will do a final year project for all our MMath courses, and you have the option to do a project in all our BSc courses.
The final-year project is an important part of your degree. It is in the project where you have a chance to put your studies into practice, experience academic research and develop professional skills.
You will be closely supervised by a faculty member and in many cases you will interact with postdoctoral researchers and PhD students.
See examples of final-year student project work
See a full list of topics available for final-year projects
"Doing a final year project also gives a valuable opportunity to give a presentation. The real challenge here is the short amount of time. Although there was much more I would have loved to include in my presentation, the limited time emphasized the importance of clarity, and the tough task of prioritizing elements to build a strong, concise narrative applies to many future scenarios, like interviews.
"For anyone considering postgraduate study, the lessons learned while doing a final year project are invaluable. The process is tough, but undoubtedly rewarding and not least you get the opportunity to study something that fascinates you!"
Phoebe Valentine
Mathematics BSc graduate
Study abroad opportunities
Students on our MMath and BSc courses have the option of spending some of their degree studying abroad.
Our most popular and well-established exchange programmes are with:
- Monash University (Australia)
- University of British Columbia (Canada)
- Arizona and Georgia Tech (USA).
All of these universities are among world leading research universities with a diverse range of modules on offer. Besides strong educational component, all of these places offer a unique opportunity to experience different cultures and ways of life. Other established links include Singapore and Hong Kong.
Besides America and Asia, we also have long-established contacts with several European universities, such as the University of Uppsala (Sweden). In all cases, these universities are offering courses in English, so our students again have a large selection to choose from.
Students on an MMath programme can go abroad for either 1 term or the whole academic year in year 3. Students on a BSc programme can go abroad for 1 term only, or if they prefer to go for the whole academic year, they would have to extend their studies in Sussex by 1 year.
If you are studying outside the UK, you can take part of your mathematics degree at Sussex, for up to a year.
- MMath students
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MMath students have the opportunity to study abroad in their 3rd year for a full year or 6 months. It is important to realize that the year abroad replaces year 3 at Sussex. The marks obtained abroad will be converted to Sussex marks. The core modules a student would have taken at Sussex must be replaced by modules with the same learning outcomes at the partner university. There is more leeway for options, but they must be reasonable. We request that students going abroad speak the language of their host country before leaving Sussex as there is very little time to learn a new language in the curriculum of year 3. This often implies that students can only study in an English speaking country. There is one notable exception within Europe, namely Uppsala University, which teaches in English at the undergraduate level.
Students must have maintained high academic standards throughout years 1 and 2. Deadlines for applying for a year abroad are typically around January for Europe and December for the rest of the world. Please contact the International and Study Abroad office to find out precise application deadlines and a list of available destinations which varies from year to year. It is a good idea to contact the visitor and exchange coordinator for mathematics (currently Ali Taheri) at the start of year 2 to discuss the possibility of studying abroad.
- BSc students
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BSc students have the possibility to go abroad for an extra year of study between years 2 and 3. The extra year is zero weighted; it does not contribute to the classification. Students choosing to do so will be awarded a BSc with a Year Abroad. If they failed the year abroad, but were successful at Sussex, they would be awarded the BSc. Students will need to pass the year abroad with 40% or above in order for the year abroad to be recognized in the degree title.
The department is very selective with BSc students that we send abroad. Our aim is to ensure that they are academically capable of dealing with the additional challenges of studying abroad and have a clear plan of what they wish to achieve abroad. BSc Students must have maintained high academic standards throughout years 1 and 2. The application deadlines for a year abroad are typically around January for Europe and December for the rest of the world. Please contact the International and Study Abroad office to find out the precise deadlines for applications and a list of available destinations which vary from year to year. It is a good idea to contact the visitor and exchange coordinator for mathematics (currently Ali Taheri) at the start of year 2 to discuss the possibility of studying abroad.
See what our students say about their experiences
Find out where you can study abroad as a Mathematics student
See our fees for studying abroad
"Studying abroad gave me an insight into new cultures whilst also expanding my mathematical horizons. It’s a really great experience and I’d truly recommend it to anyone."
Conor Osborne
Mathematics MMath (with a Research Placement and study abroad year)
Industry Placement Year
Spending a year in industry will significantly boost your competitive edge for securing the job of your choice, whilst also providing valuable industry experience and insight for your final year at Sussex. It really is a fast track to your career.
Our Placement Program gives students the opportunity to intermit their degree and seek employment in various areas. Students can apply some of their mathematical knowledge to optimise systems and processes, and learn a number of transferable skills ranging from presentations and team work to becoming more independent. Recent employers include HEFCE (Higher Education Funding Council), NATS (National Air Traffic Control) and Rolls Royce.
Find out more about placements and internships
See placement case studies from some of our students
"The placement year gave me a welcome break from my studies and an insight in to what I wanted to do so my module choices were easier. The structure at work was great and I took this work ethic back to my final year."
Alicia Jolly
Mathematics BSc graduate
Placement at The Pensions Regulator as an Actuarial Modeller
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Contact us
Mathematics
ug.admissions@mps.sussex.ac.uk