Starting in 2025, two unit Mathematics prerequisites will no longer be required for admission into multiple University of Sydney degrees.
Prerequisites will no longer be needed for Commerce, Science, Medicine, Psychology, Veterinary Science, and Economics degrees. These subjects are HSC courses that universities proportionately deem as compulsory for eligibility and entry into certain degrees on offer.
Prerequisites will still be required for Engineering Honours, Advanced Computing, and Pharmacy.
Two unit Advanced Mathematics prerequisites were introduced by the University in 2019 for 62 single and combined degrees in an attempt to encourage students to take higher levels of mathematics in high school and raise academic standards for undergraduates.
However, there was a 10% drop in NSW students who chose to take Advanced Mathematics between 2018 and 2023 while the simpler standard course saw enrollments increase slightly over the same period.
The trend of students taking more general Maths courses is not restricted to NSW. Victoria experienced a 15% decline in enrollments for their Specialist Mathematics course between 2017 and 2022.
University of Sydney Vice Chancellor Mark Scott pointed to this decline in HSC Advanced Mathematics enrollments as the primary reason the University is shifting their policy:
“Through no fault of their own, many students don’t have the opportunity to take advanced mathematics at school – a situation exacerbated by ongoing maths teacher shortages that affect some schools more than others.”
Deputy Vice Chancellor (Education) Joanne Wright said that disparity was clearer for those students living outside urban areas:
“Schools in regional and remote locations are significantly less likely to offer Advanced and Extension Mathematics.”
To maintain an incentive for students to take advanced maths, students who do will now receive one point towards their selection rank under the University’s Academic Excellence Scheme if they receive a Band 3 or above. Previously, the scheme was awarded based on a Band 5, Band 6 or E4 accreditation. However, from 2025 students may now be eligible to receive adjustment factors that the University will update in the coming weeks.
“All our students will have access to early and personalised, general and faculty-specific Mathematics support as they embark on and complete their degrees”, according to Wright.
Support in the forms of preparatory workshops and bridging courses will be facilitated by the Learning Hub. Within certain units of study, group sessions and individual support from staff and peers will be provided.
A “mathematics diagnostic tool” will be tested to match students to the right form of support. The Faculty of Science is currently developing a similar tool.
Wright also noted that Mathematics becoming compulsory in 2026 for all HSC students will help raise the standards for those entering university. However, only Standard Mathematics will be mandatory under the new rule.
