Our approach to Maths
When considering an engineering degree, you might assume you need to have achieved an A-level or equivalent in maths. In most cases, you’d be right. However, to apply for our Global Design Engineering degree at TEDI-London, this isn’t the case.
Let’s be clear; we’re not trying to say that engineers don’t need maths. Maths is a key skill and thought process that underpins a person’s ability to solve engineering design problems. Without this toolkit, engineers wouldn’t be able to do their jobs!
But, we believe that students without an A-Level or BTEC qualification in Maths should not have to miss out on studying engineering at degree level. That’s why, if this applies to you, we’ll give you the opportunity to complete a maths test refresher course during the application process. This is designed to equip you with the foundational knowledge you’ll need to keep up with the mathematical aspects of our degree.
Maths: Practice makes perfect
Info about our maths pathway
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Based on Khan Academy, our Maths Refresher course is delivered remotely using an online learning platform and covers four key topics that are central to design:
• 2D and 3D shapes
• Playing with equations
• Visualising data
• Combining topics to solve problemsThe focus is on using the maths to develop design thinking and solve engineering problems. You will complete tasks based on the Khan Academy platform and submit a handwritten assignment for each part.
Once you have completed all 4 parts and submitted all 4 assignments, you can book an on-line, open book test. There are 10 questions to complete online and 2 questions to work out by hand, photograph and upload. The test will take approximately 1 hour but you will have a half day slot to take it.
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Each part may take up to 3 hours to complete so you would need to set aside 12 hours. You can complete the course at any time during August – all at once or over 4 weeks. We suggest doing the parts in numerical order but otherwise it is flexible.
The open book test will take approximately 1 hour but you will have a half day slot to take it.
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The test is designed to check:
• Your maths skills
• Your motivation and ability to direct your learning and re-learn these topics
• The layout and logic of your answersIf you booked the test without doing the course and you do not pass the test, you have the option to do the course and re-sit the test 1 week later. If you take your time, complete the practice tasks and submit the assignments, you have a higher chance of passing.
If you have not submitted the assignments and do not pass the final test, you will not be offered a place at TEDI-London.
Removing barriers to engineering
TEDI-London stems from the vision of our three founding partners – Arizona State University, King’s College London and UNSW Sydney – to bring more diverse people into engineering. This refers to people of different genders, ethnic and educational backgrounds, but also to people with different skillsets, experiences and perspectives.
There are a few ways in which requiring applicants to have a high-level maths qualification presents a barrier to this mission:
Discovering engineering later
As engineering isn’t generally a standalone subject that is delivered in the earlier stages of secondary education, young people may not be aware of what studying engineering looks like at this point in their lives and, most crucially, ahead of making subject choices. For some, maths might have been a strong suit without making the list of top three or four subjects. Finding out ‘too late’ to continue with maths shouldn’t act as a barrier for potential future engineers.
International qualifications
Some international maths qualifications aren’t considered to be appropriate equivalents to UK qualifications, like A-levels. This leads to international applicants being rejected from studying engineering in the UK, despite having studied maths to a high level. Our Maths Refresher course allows us to welcome international students, in the knowledge that their maths capability meets the requirements for our course.
Retraining as an engineer
Mature applicants may have decided to retrain as engineers, after having already progressed within a completely different career path. In some cases, they may have taken a maths qualification already, but lack confidence if their achievement wasn’t recent. During their previous career, they would have developed transferrable skills that, combined with the Maths Refresher course, would make them a great candidate for TEDI-London.
More about us
Global Design Engineering (BEng/MEng)
