Project or Thesis (MATH7012)

Course overview

Research project/thesis report on topic in research field as recommended by supervisor and approved by Head of School.

This special project course provides students with the opportunity to undertake independent, directed study under the supervision of a staff member and offers comprehensive research training. Enrollment is permitted only under special circumstances, as advised by the Postgraduate Coursework Coordinator, and is subject to the availability of supervisory staff.

This course entails focused study and research on a selected topic within Mathematics, including Applied Mathematics, Data Science, Mathematics Education, and Statistics, conducted under the guidance of an academic staff member from the School of Mathematics and Physics. The principal component of the project involves reading and developing a thorough understanding of recent developments in the mathematics and statistics research literature, followed by the preparation of a detailed report or thesis.

Depending on the chosen area of specialization, the project may involve applying established theories to novel problems, comparing alternative methodologies, or synthesizing dispersed results into a coherent and well-structured presentation. To identify an appropriate research topic, students typically consult with members of the Mathematics Discipline whose research expertise aligns with their interests and then select a topic that best supports their academic objectives. Further information on ongoing research within the School is available from the postgraduate coursework coordinator.

While the production of original, publishable results is welcome, it is not a required expectation at this academic level. Nonetheless, a high-quality project should provide value to mathematicians and statisticians by offering a clear, rigorous, and informative overview of contemporary research in the chosen area.

Enrollment in this course requires approval from the Head of School. To seek approval, students must submit a request via email to smp.student@uq.edu.au. For applications to a 2-unit or 4-unit project course, the request must include an email chain demonstrating the supervisor's support. For applications to an 8-unit project course, the email chain must additionally show the consent of the independent assessor.

The credit value (2-unit, 4-unit, or 8-unit) of the selected research project reflects the level of time commitment expected of the student and will be taken into account for each assessment item. Students are expected to devote approximately 10 hours per week to study for each 2 units of course load during Semester 1 and Semester 2; this total includes all scheduled contact time. For the Summer Semester, the expected weekly time commitment is proportionally higher due to the condensed teaching period. An 8-unit project undertaken across two semesters carries a time commitment equivalent to that of a 4-unit load in each semester. Only 2-unit and 4-unit research project courses may be undertaken during the Summer Semester, subject to staff availability. 8-unit research project courses are offered in Semester 1 and Semester 2 only.

The #8-unit research project courses --- MATH7012, MATH7030, MATH7031, STAT7013, STAT7018, and STAT7019 --- all follow the same structure and requirements. Courses MATH7030 and STAT7018 commence in Semester 1 and conclude at the end of the subsequent Semester 2; MATH7031 and STAT7019 commence in Semester 2 and conclude at the end of the following Semester 1. Meanwhile, courses MATH7012 and STAT7013 are designed for completion within a single semester (either in Semester 1, or Semester 2, but not in the Summer Semester).

Within each of the following pairs of 2-unit or 4-unit project courses, there is no difference in terms of requirements, structure, or essence; substantial differences exist between the pairs, of course, due to variations in their credit units and subject content.

• MATH7013 and MATH7014;
• MATH7015 and MATH7016;
• STAT7014 and STAT7015; and
• STAT7016 and STAT7017.

To standardize the recording of multiple, distinct research project experiences---which may involve different research topics and supervising faculty---we utilize a sequential naming convention (Project A and Project B). This administrative practice simplifies unit tracking and ensures a complete, standard-looking academic transcript when a student undertakes more than one project. For these administrative reasons, students intending to undertake Minor Project B must have completed, or be concurrently enrolled in, Minor Project A. Similarly, students intending to undertake Mini Project B must have completed, or be concurrently enrolled in, Mini Project A.

In the School of Mathematics and Physics we are committed to creating an inclusive and empowering learning environment for all students. We value and respect the diverse range of experiences our students bring to their education, and we believe that this diversity is crucial for fostering a rich culture of knowledge sharing and meaningful exploration. We hold both students and staff accountable for actively contributing to the establishment of a respectful and supportive learning environment.

Bullying, harassment, and discrimination in any form are strictly against our principles and against UQ Policy, and will not be tolerated. We have developed a suite of resources to assist you in recognising, reporting, and addressing such behaviour. If you have any concerns about your experience in this course, we encourage you to tell a member of the course teaching team, or alternatively contact an SMP Classroom Inclusivity Champion (see Blackboard for contact details). Our Inclusivity Champions are here to listen, to understand your concerns, and to explore potential actions that can be taken to resolve them. Your well-being and a positive learning atmosphere are of utmost importance to us.

Course requirements

Assumed background

A background in mathematics and/or statistics which the project advisorﾠdeems sufficient to work on the project.

Restrictions

Permission required to enrol. Please contact the School of Mathematics and Physics (smp.student@uq.edu.au).

Course contact

Timetable

Additional timetable information

Students will usually meet weekly with their advisor.

Aims and outcomes

To read and understand recently developed mathematics and statistics from the research literature and ﾠto explain this material in a seminar and a written report or thesis.

Learning outcomes

After successfully completing this course you should be able to:

Assessment

Assessment summary

A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.

Assessment details

Progress Report

Mode

Written

Category

Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Notebook/ Logbook

Weight

20%

Due date

24/04/2026 4:00 pm

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L03, L05

Task description

Submission guidelines

The assignment must be prepared in PDF format and submitted via the Blackboard system.

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.

See ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT INFORMATION for further extension/deferral information relating to this assessment item.

Late submission

A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.

You are required to complete the task on time. If you fail to meet the deadline for any assessment item, the listed penalty will be deducted per day for up to 7 calendar days. If the task is completed after 7 calendar days, you will not receive any marks unless an extension has been approved. Each 24-hour block is recorded from the time the task is due.

Project Seminar

• Identity Verified
• In-person

Mode

Oral

Category

Presentation

Weight

10%

Due date

29/05/2026 4:00 pm

Project Seminar must be scheduled during or before Week 13. If a recording is required, it must be uploaded by the due time.

Other conditions

Secure.

See the conditions definitions

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L03, L04

Task description

Submission guidelines

The seminar presentation must be assessed by two examiners, one of whom must be an independent assessor who is not the project supervisor. If one or both examiners are unable to attend the presentation in person, the presentation must be video recorded, and the recording must be submitted via the Blackboard system.

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.

See ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT INFORMATION for further extension/deferral information relating to this assessment item.

Late submission

A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.

You are required to submit assessable items on time. If you fail to meet the submission deadline for any assessment item then the listed penalty will be deducted per day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point any submission will not receive any marks unless an extension has been approved. Each 24-hour block is recorded from the time the submission is due.

Project Thesis

Mode

Written

Category

Project, Thesis

Weight

70%

Due date

8/06/2026 4:00 pm

Other conditions

Student specific.

See the conditions definitions

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L03, L05

Task description

Submission guidelines

The assignment must be prepared in PDF format and submitted via the Blackboard system.

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.

See ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT INFORMATION for further extension/deferral information relating to this assessment item.

Late submission

A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.

You are required to submit assessable items on time. If you fail to meet the submission deadline for any assessment item then the listed penalty will be deducted per day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point any submission will not receive any marks unless an extension has been approved. Each 24-hour block is recorded from the time the submission is due.

Thesis Defense

• Hurdle
• Identity Verified

Mode

Oral

Category

Practical/ Demonstration

Weight

Pass/Fail

Due date

19/06/2026 4:00 pm

Thesis Defense must be scheduled on or before the last Friday of the Examination period, depending on the availability of student, supervisor, and the independent assessor. The video recording must be uploaded by the due time.

Other conditions

Student specific, Secure.

See the conditions definitions

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L03, L06

Task description

Hurdle requirements

Submission guidelines

The Thesis Defense must be video recorded. The recording should be uploaded to the Blackboard system.

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.

See ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT INFORMATION for further extension/deferral information relating to this assessment item.

Late submission

A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.

You are required to complete the task on time. If you fail to meet the deadline for any assessment item, the listed penalty will be deducted per day for up to 7 calendar days. If the task is completed after 7 calendar days, you will not receive any marks unless an extension has been approved. Each 24-hour block is recorded from the time the task is due.

Course grading

Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.

Additional course grading information

If a student failed the Thesis Defense, the maximum grade they may achieve for the entire project is 3.

Supplementary assessment

Supplementary assessment is available for this course.

The supplementary assessment for a student receiving a grade of 3 is subject to the overall outcome of the project assessment. Specifically, if the student fails the defense but would have passed the project in the absence of the hurdle requirement, the supplementary assessment will consist of a second defense. Otherwise, if the student would have failed the project regardless of the hurdle, the supplementary assessment will include both a revised thesis and a second defense. A mark greater than 50% for the resubmitted thesis and a passing grade for the second defence are required for the student to pass the course.

Additional assessment information

Artificial Intelligence

To pass this course, students will be required to demonstrate a detailed understanding of course material together with a range of associated skills independent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT) tools.

For assessment tasks that are completed in-person (including examinations) termed “secure assessment”, the use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT) tools will not be permitted unless otherwise advised. Any attempted use of AI or MT may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.

 Other non-secure assessment tasks (such as assignments) are designed to help you develop your understanding and skills, and to prepare you for secure assessment. You are thus generally encouraged to complete such assessment without the use of AI/MT, unless explicitly advised to the contrary in the assessment item. In any event, if you choose to use such tools, then you must clearly reference any such use within your submitted work. A failure to reference AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.

Applications for Extensions to Assessment Due Dates

Extension requests are submitted online via my.UQ – applying for an extension. Extension requests received in any other way will not be approved. Additional details associated with extension requests, including acceptable and unacceptable reasons, may be found at my.UQ.

Please note:

• Requests for an extension to an assessment due date must be submitted through your my.UQ portal and you must provide documentation of your circumstances, as soon as it becomes evident that an extension is needed. Your application must be submitted on or before the assessment item's due date and time.
• Applications for extension can take time to be processed so you should continue to work on your assessment item while awaiting a decision. We recommend that you submit any completed work by the due date, and this will be marked if your application is not approved. Should your application be approved, then you will be able to resubmit by the agreed revised due date.
• If an extension is approved, you will be notified via your my.UQ portal and the new date and time for submission provided. It is important that you check the revised date as it may differ from the date that you requested.
• If the basis of the application is a medical condition, applications should be accompanied by a medical certificate dated prior to the assignment due date. If you are unable to provide documentation to support your application by the due date and time you must still submit your application on time and attach a written statement (Word document) outlining why you cannot provide the documentation. You must then upload the documentation to the portal within 24 hours.
• If an extension is being sought on the basis of exceptional circumstances, it must be accompanied by supporting documentation (eg. Statutory declaration).
• For extensions based on a SAP you may be granted a maximum of 7 days (if no earlier maximum date applies). See the Extension or Deferral availability section of each assessment for details. Your SAP is all that is required as documentation to support your application. However, additional extension requests for the assessment item will require the submission of additional supporting documentation e.g., a medical certificate. All extension requests must be received by the assessment due date and time.
• Students may be asked to submit evidence of work completed to date. Lack of adequate progress on your assessment item may result in an extension being denied.
• If you have been ill or unable to attend class for more than 14 days, you are advised to carefully consider whether you are capable of successfully completing your courses this semester. You might be eligible to withdraw without academic penalty - seek advice from the Faculty that administers your program.
• There are no provisions for exemption from an assessment item within UQ rules. If you are unable to submit an assessment piece then, under special circumstances, you may be granted an exemption, but may be required to submit alternative assessment to ensure all learning outcomes are met.

Applications to defer an exam

In certain circumstances you can apply to take a deferred examination for in-semester and end-of-semester exams. You'll need to demonstrate through supporting documentation how unavoidable circumstances prevented you from sitting your exam. If you can’t, you can apply for a one-off discretionary deferred exam.

Deferred Exam requests are submitted online via mySi-net. Requests received in any other way will not be approved. Additional details associated with deferred examinations, including acceptable and unacceptable reasons may be found at my.UQ.

Please note:

• Applications can be submitted no later than 5 calendar days after the date of the original exam.
• There are no provisions to defer a deferred exam. You need to be available to sit your deferred examination.
• Your deferred examination request(s) must have a status of "submitted" in mySI-net to be assessed.
• All applications for deferred in-semester examinations are assessed by the relevant school. Applications for deferred end-of-semester examinations are assessed by the Academic Services Division.
• You’ll receive an email to your student email account when the status of your application is updated.
• If you have a medical condition, mental health condition or disability and require alternative arrangements for your deferred exam you’ll need to complete the online alternative exam arrangements through my.UQ. This is in addition to your deferred examinations request. You need to submit this request on the same day as your request for a deferred exam or supplementary assessment. Contact Student Services if you need assistance completing your alternative exam arrangements request.

Learning resources

You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.

Library resources

Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.

Additional learning resources information

The project advisor will give students advice about appropriate sources of information.

Learning activities

The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.

Policies and procedures

University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:

• Student Code of Conduct Policy
• Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
• Assessment Procedure
• Examinations Procedure
• Reasonable Adjustments for Students Policy and Procedure
• AI for Assessment Guide
• Recording of Teaching Policy and Procedure

Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.