Mathematics and Joint Schools

The College's mathematical community is very lively and is one of the largest in the University. Maths can be combined with Computer Science, Statistics and Philosophy at Wadham.

We will encourage you to ask questions and find solutions for yourself. We will begin by teaching you careful definitions so that you can construct theorems and proofs. Above all, mathematics is a logical subject, and you will need to think mathematically, arguing clearly and concisely as you solve problems. For some of you, this way of thinking or solving problems will be your goal. Others will want to see what else can be discovered. Either way, it is a subject to be enjoyed.

Wadham College hosts the summer PROMYS Europe program for ambitious high-school students, a program that is linked with the famous PROMYS program in the United States. (More)

The Oxford mathematics courses combine university lectures with college tutorials and classes run by the department (the Mathematical Institute).

Tutorials are used particularly in the early years of the course and allow for individual support from experienced mathematicians. Tutors not only help their pupils to make the transition from school mathematics to the deeper exploration of ideas that they meet at degree level, but also provide guidance on the different pathways through the three- and four-year courses at Oxford and on wider matters. In the third (and fourth) year, teaching is centred on the Mathematical Institute, where lectures are given on a huge range of specialist topics in diverse areas of pure and applied mathematics.

Wadham has had numerous students who went on to successful careers in mathematics, such as Sam Howison (formerly chairman of the Mathematical Institute) and Marcus Du Sautoy (the Simonyi Professors for the Public Understanding of Science since 2008, when Richard Dawkins retired from the position). Andrew Hodges, a former tutorial fellow, who taught at Wadham between 1986-2016, authored the best-selling "Alan Turing: The Enigma" and "One to Nine".

Wadham College has a strong tradition in mathematics. The Royal Society had its genesis in meetings held in Wadham and was instrumental in establishing England's mathematical reputation during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. One of the key protagonists of the time was Sir Christopher Wren (1632-1723), a leading mathematician who is also well known today for his architectural work (More).

The mathematical tradition of Wadham was further strengthened by the association with the Rouse Ball Professorship of Mathematics, established in 1929. This has brought to Wadham a very distinguished list of mathematicians: E. A. Milne (1929-1950); C. A. Coulson (1952-1972); Roger Penrose (1973-1999, currently Emeritus fellow at Wadham); Philip Candelas (1999-2020), and Fernando Alday (2020-current).

Roger Penrose, a former Rouse Ball Professor, is known for his influential work in mathematical physics, in particular for his contributions to general relativity and cosmology. He has received a number of prizes and awards, most recently the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics, but before this was possibly most well known for his 1988 Wolf Prize for physics, which he shared with Stephen Hawking for their contribution to our understanding of the universe.