Statutes and Ordinances of the University of Cambridge
CHAPTER IV
PRELIMINARY EXAMINATIONS AND TRIPOS EXAMINATIONS

The Ordinances contained in this Chapter are Ordinances of the General Board

In this section

TRIPOS EXAMINATIONS

MATHEMATICAL TRIPOS

General

Four Parts.

1. The Mathematical Tripos shall consist of four Parts, Part Ia, Part Ib, Part II, and Part III.

Examiners and Assessors.

2. The Faculty Board shall nominate such number of Examiners as they think sufficient for each Part of the Tripos, and shall also have power to nominate one or more Assessors for each Part. Assessors shall propose questions in the papers or parts of papers assigned to them by the Examiners, shall mark the answers of the candidates in those papers or parts of papers, and shall advise the Examiners on the performance of candidates in the examination. Assessors may be summoned to meetings of the Examiners for the purpose of consultation and advice, but shall not be entitled to vote.

Part Ia

Scheme of examination for Part Ia.

3. A candidate shall offer one of the following options: 

  1. (a)Pure and Applied Mathematics
  2. (b)Mathematics with Physics.

The examination for Part Ia shall consist of five papers. The Faculty Board of Mathematics shall determine how the questions on the various subjects shall be distributed among the papers.

4. Every candidate shall offer Papers 1, 2, and 3, and one additional paper as follows:

  1. (a)A candidate offering Option (a) shall offer Paper 4.
  2. (b)A candidate offering Option (b) shall offer the subject Physics from Part Ia of the Natural Sciences Tripos (the written paper and the submission of note-books).
Standing of candidates.

5. The following may present themselves as candidates for honours in Part Ia:

  1. (a)a student who has kept one term, provided that three complete terms have not passed after his or her first term of residence;
  2. (b)a student who has obtained honours in another Honours Examination in the year next after so obtaining honours, provided that nine complete terms have not passed after his or her first term of residence.

No student shall be a candidate for Part Ia on more than one occasion.

Class-list.

6. The names of the candidates who have obtained honours shall be placed in three classes, of which the second shall be divided into two divisions. The names in the first and third classes and in each division of the second class shall be arranged in alphabetical order. The symbol (p) shall be placed against the names of those candidates who have satisfied the Examiners in the option Mathematics with Physics.

Part Ib

Scheme of examination for Part Ib.

7. The examination for Part Ib shall consist of four papers. The Faculty Board shall determine how the questions on the various subjects shall be distributed among the papers.

Standing of candidates.

8. A student who has obtained honours in an Honours Examination may be a candidate for honours in Part Ib in the year next after so obtaining honours, provided that twelve complete terms have not passed after his or her first term of residence.74 No student shall be a candidate for Part Ib on more than one occasion.

9. Candidates for Part Ib may submit note-books containing records of practical work done by them. Such practical work shall be prescribed from time to time by the Faculty Board of Mathematics, and shall be carried out in accordance with instructions which shall be announced not later than the division of the Michaelmas Term next preceding the examination by the Head of the Department in which the work is to be performed. As an indication of good faith, each candidate shall submit, with the records of his or her work, a declaration that these instructions have been observed. The Head of the Department shall present an assessment of this work to the Examiners, and the Examiners shall take account of this assessment in drawing up the class-list. Candidates may be examined viva voce on their submitted work.

Class-list.

10. The names of the candidates who have obtained honours shall be placed in three classes, of which the second shall be divided into two divisions. The names in the first and third classes and in each division of the second class shall be arranged in alphabetical order.

Period of study at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

11. A candidate who, under arrangements approved by the Faculty Board of Mathematics, has spent not less than three terms studying at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and has been certified by the President of the Institute after consultation with the Chairman of Examiners for Part Ib of the Mathematical Tripos to have studied diligently during that period, shall be deemed thereby to have obtained honours in Part Ib of the Mathematical Tripos. A list containing the names of persons so qualified shall be certified by the Chairman of the Faculty Board of Mathematics and published in the Reporter.

Part II

Schemes of examination for Part II.

12. The examination for Part II shall consist of four papers. The Faculty Board shall determine how the questions on the various subjects shall be distributed among the papers.

Standing of candidates.

13. A student who has obtained honours in an Honours Examination other than Part Ia of the Mathematical Tripos may be a candidate for honours in Part II in the year next or next but one after so obtaining honours, provided that he or she has kept four terms and that twelve complete terms have not passed after his or her first term of residence.74 No student shall be a candidate for Part II on more than one occasion.

Records of practical work.

14. Candidates for Part II may submit note-books containing records of practical work done by them. Such practical work shall be prescribed from time to time by the Faculty Board of Mathematics, and shall be carried out in accordance with instructions which shall be announced not later than the division of the Michaelmas Term next preceding the examination by the Head of the Department in which the work is to be performed. As an indication of good faith, each candidate shall submit, with the records of his or her work, a declaration that these instructions have been observed. The Head of the Department shall present an assessment of this work to the Examiners, and the Examiners shall take account of this assessment in drawing up the class-list. Candidates may be examined viva voce on their submitted work.

Class-list.

15. The names of the candidates who have obtained honours shall be placed in three classes: Wranglers, Senior Optimes, and Junior Optimes, of which the Senior Optimes shall be divided into two divisions. The names of the Wranglers and of the Junior Optimes and of those in each division of the Senior Optimes shall be arranged in alphabetical order.

Part III

Scheme of examination for Part III.

16. The examination for Part III shall comprise written papers, each of which shall be set for either two hours or three hours, and topics for an optional essay. The number of papers that the Faculty Board intend to set and the subject and duration of each paper shall be announced by the Board not later than 1 November next preceding the examination. A member of the Faculty may request that a paper or papers be set additional to those announced, provided that such a request is made to the Secretary of the Faculty Board no later than the division of the Michaelmas Term next preceding the examination. The member of the Faculty shall take responsibility for preparing a proposal that will contain an outline syllabus and shall agree to set and assess the examination if so requested by the Examiners. The subject and duration of each additional paper that the Faculty Board agree to set shall be announced by them not later than the last day of the Full Michaelmas Term next preceding the examination.

17. Each candidate shall send, through his or her Director of Studies, to the Chairman of Examiners, so as to arrive before the end of the second Friday of the Full Easter Term in which the examination is to be held, the titles of the papers that he or she wishes to offer. No candidate shall offer papers whose total duration amounts to more than nineteen hours or, if the candidate has submitted an essay in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 19, papers whose total duration amounts to more than sixteen hours.

Essay.

18. Before the last day of the Full Michaelmas Term next preceding the examination the Examiners shall announce a number of topics for an essay. A candidate may request that an essay may be submitted on a topic other than those announced, provided that the request is made, through the candidate's Director of Studies, so as to reach the Secretary of the Faculty Board not later than 1 February next preceding the examination. Any additional topics approved by the Examiners shall be announced by them not later than 1 March next preceding the examination.

19. Each candidate may submit an essay on any one topic that has been announced. A candidate who desires to do so shall, through his or her Director of Studies, so inform the Chairman of Examiners before the end of the first quarter of the Easter Term in which the examination is to be held, and shall submit the essay, through his or her Director of Studies, so as to reach the Chairman of Examiners not later than the end of the second Friday of the Full Easter Term. Each essay shall state the sources consulted; it shall be prefaced by a declaration signed by the candidate that it represents the candidate's own work unaided except as may be specified in the declaration, and that it does not contain material that the candidate has already used to any substantial extent for a comparable purpose. The Examiners shall have power, at their discretion, to examine a candidate viva voce on the subject of his or her essay.

Standing of candidates.

20. A student who has obtained honours in an Honours Examination taken not earlier than the fourth term after his or her first term of residence may be a candidate for honours in Part III, provided that he or she has kept seven terms and that twelve complete terms have not passed after his or her first term of residence, and provided also that he or she has not proceeded to the B.A. Degree.

21. No student shall be a candidate for Part III on more than one occasion, or for Part III and for another Honours Examination in the same term.

Class-list.

22. The names of the candidates who have obtained honours in the examination for Part III shall be arranged in alphabetical order in one class. Distinctive marks shall be attached to the names of those candidates who in the opinion of the Examiners deserve special credit. The mark (d) shall be used to denote a distinguished performance, and the mark (m) a meritorious performance.

Footnotes

  1. 74. See also the regulations for Affiliated Students.a b