The University of Sydney will no longer require advanced mathematics as a prerequisite for several courses starting 2025, choosing instead to offer more support to students.
Students will no longer need advanced mathematics for Bachelors of Commerce, Economics, Science, Psychology, as well as Doctors of Medicine, Dental Medicine, and Veterinary Medicine.The prerequisite will still apply to Engineering Honours, Advanced Computing (including combined degrees), and Pharmacy courses.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor Joanne Wright said some students could not excel in advanced maths due to their background, which was exacerbated by the shortage of maths teachers.
“Research shows how stark that difference can be. Schools in regional and remote locations are significantly less likely to offer advanced and extension mathematics,” she said.
Specialist staff in the University’s Learning Hub will provide personalised training through workshops and courses to assist students.
Group sessions will also run during semesters, and the top-ranked university will create math diagnostic and digital support tools.
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“Regardless of their starting point, all our students will have the opportunity to complete their studies with the same level of mathematics skills and knowledge,” Ms. Wright said.
Australia’s Actuaries Institute has outlined concerns with the level of comprehension of mathematics.
“A fundamental problem in Australia’s education system is that maths subjects are being deprioritised in high school education. There are several contributing factors, and the adverse implications for individuals, our profession, and society, in general, are serious,” the team wrote.
Removal of Advanced Maths is ‘Lowering Standards’
Menzies Research Centre Executive Director David Hughes said the University’s decision was equivalent to the “lowering of standards.”“By lowering these standards, the university anticipates more students to enrol in these degrees. However, this compromises the quality of the education. Removing prerequisites means that incoming students may not have those foundational skills and be ill-equipped and unprepared for the coursework,” he said.
He mentioned many students could struggle with the coursework because of declining math standards in primary and high schools.
It comes as 15-year-old Australian students scored more than 25 points below students of the same age from the early 2000s on the latest Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) math test.
Half of the tested students didn’t meet minimum standards, while Australia’s global math ranking dropped six spots from 17th to 11th in the early 2000s.
“Students have lost a whole year in learning, with today’s 15-year-olds scoring at a level that would have been expected of 14-year-olds 20 years earlier,” Mr. Hughes said.
He also pointed out that encouraging students to pursue degrees that don’t match their interests or abilities could lead to them accumulating large student debts.
“Last year, the average student debt increased by $1,760 on account of inflation alone,” he said.
“A debt that still exists and accrues interest even if they drop out after a year.”
He said the problem stems from universities offering places to students through the third-party HELP loan system, meaning they lack sufficient motivation to secure meaningful employment and repay their loans.
“Universities can pocket the public funding with each student but bear little or no responsibility in relation to their post-graduation employment, income, and endeavours,” he said.
NSW Government Mandates Math for Year 11 and 12 Students
However, just one year after the University of Sydney plans to drop maths, the state NSW government will mandate all Year 11 and 12 students starting in 2026.Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said HSC maths is about giving NSW students the academic groundwork and critical thinking skills they need to succeed in a competitive, global job market.
“Whether you are a carpenter or a software engineer, maths is a companion for life; we want to make sure that the new curriculum provides a level of maths concepts that will help every NSW student succeed in life after school,” she said.
In what’s poised to be the most significant change to the NSW curriculum in over 30 years, the state is also planning to revamp math courses from Year 7 to 10 to aid students in transitioning to their final years of study in the subject.
