5 Ways to Study for Your Maths Degree at University

If you're on a maths degree, you can't just study by just going to lectures and taking notes. Maths at degree level is a subject that requires active involvement both in and out of the lecture hall, and that means: you have to pay attention, you need to take copious notes in lectures, and you have to put in practice hours on your own. The good news is if you're willing, you can do it. Here are 5 ways to study for your maths degree.

Take extensive notes in lectures

It always pays to take detailed notes from lectures. As a rule of thumb, you shouldn't be taking down every word. Remember, you can always find formulae in your course-books but not the explanations and tips stated by your professor. It's the latter that will help you in exams and with your assignments.

If you are bad at note-taking, there are two things you can do. Firstly only note critical points, arguments and themes. Underline or highlight the words and phrases that are important to you.

Be ready to be an active solo learner

With a Mathematics degree, you are expected to spend a significant amount of time working on your own or in small groups. As a result, you need to factor in a significant amount of time each week for independent work, to help you to retain and understand the material from lectures and work on problems you encounter as you progress.

Put in the practice hours

Again this is obvious, but many students overlook this when it comes to maths. With a Mathematics degree, you need plenty of practice, as it's not a subject you can memorise from a course-book. You need to understand the logic behind the problems, and this only comes easily with testing your ability and putting in the extra hours outside of lectures.

Keep a positive mind-set

Maths at university is a lot harder than maths at A-Level, but you can do it. Remember, all maths learning is cumulative, and you already have a wealth of knowledge from GCSE and A-Levels to build on. If you're struggling, consider using a tutor who can help you work through your weaker areas and boost your confidence around working.

Create a study group

To help consolidate all that you are learning in lectures and on your own, it also pays to create a small study group of like-minded peers. Here you can work on practice questions together, discuss what you have learnt in lectures and boost your weaker areas with input from others.