Swap subject to maths? No problem…

Photo of JoJo… by JoJo / from China / MSc Statistics and Operational Research / PG (2021-22)

This is the subject that I want to talk about for quite a long time. At the time I’m writing this blog, it is already the second semester of my MSc studying Statistics and OR. The first semester was certainly hard and super intense, but we managed to surpass the phase, and here I am, trying to pull a blog out telling you what is it like to change subject from a different disciplinary to statistics. I do appreciate that this post may not target at all the audience, but I believe it is useful for students who are from different discipline who wants to come to do statistics.

We have many students who did not come from a statistics or mathematics background, so for those of you who are unsure about whether you should apply because you are afraid that your background may not be good enough, do apply. As long as you can get an offer from the admission, you will be doing just fine. Continue reading “Swap subject to maths? No problem…”

Third Year and Full-Time Mathematics…

Photograph of Fionnuala… by Fionnuala / from London / BSc Mathematics and Statistics / 3rd Year (UG)

After two years of studying in Edinburgh, a global pandemic, not being able to make it to Spain for my year abroad and many more obstacles – I’ve finally completed the first Honours semester of my degree (minus a few exams in the next week!). Returning to Edinburgh in September after not living there for almost a year due to the pandemic was a very scary experience. Although I had lived there before, had friends on my course and societies to get back to, I couldn’t help but feel just as nervous as I was before I started in first year. These last few years have been a challenge for all of us but as I look back on the past semester, I can honestly say that I’ve really enjoyed third year so far. 

Continue reading “Third Year and Full-Time Mathematics…”

Living on the tails: studying as a mature student…

Photograph of Azfarul… by Azfarul / from London, UK / MSc Statistics with Data Science / PG (2020-21)

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

In addition to “Sorry, I was on mute!”, this is what I heard most throughout 2020. After a decade of working, leaving behind a fascinating job during global uncertainty to pursue a Masters might have seemed like foolishness. Fast forward more than a year and – after what felt like drowning in hundreds of hours of coursework, endlessly playing and re-playing recorded lectures, dealing with the eerie silence of virtually-conducted examinations, and three intense months of industrially-liaised project work – I still find it difficult to believe how this time flew as it did.

Continue reading “Living on the tails: studying as a mature student…”

A Day in the Life of an MSc Student (during Covid-19)…

Mike sat at his desk holding up a glass… by Mike / from Greece / MSc Statistics with Data Science / PG (2020-21)

Hello there!

My name is Mike, I am from the lovely country of Greece and currently am an MSc Statistics with Data Science student at The University of Edinburgh. In this post I will try to describe what my typical, more relaxed, work days as a PGT student look like.

Continue reading “A Day in the Life of an MSc Student (during Covid-19)…”

Employ.ed on Campus Internship…

A photo of Rebecca, author of the blog… by Rebecca / from Lincoln / BSc Mathematics [2nd Year Entry] / 3rd Year (UG)

If a lecturer can see that only 5% of the students on their course read their assessment feedback, then should staff bother to write it for every student?

Or, if a lecturer can see that one of their lecture recordings has had far more views than the others, might they want to find out why that is? Was the content of the lecture too difficult?

Answering these kinds of questions was the purpose of the internship I did last summer. The University provides around 60 summer internships based at the university, exclusively for Edinburgh students, called Employ.ed on Campus internships. My internship was one of these; I worked in the School of Health in Social Science as a Learning Analytics Intern. Continue reading “Employ.ed on Campus Internship…”

2+2 and Masters degree applications…

… by Jialu / from Foshan, China / BSc Mathematics and Statistics [2+2 programme] / 4th Year (UG)

Two years ago, I had a chance to join the School of Mathematics’ 2+2 programme with the University of Edinburgh and my Chinese mother university, South China University of Technology. Even now, I still appreciate that I seized this opportunity and it has become one of the most important turning points in my life. Continue reading “2+2 and Masters degree applications…”