Welcome

As a new student, you'll be invited to attend our Department Welcome Meetings, where you'll meet members of the Department and receive essential information about your programme, studying at LSE and the support available to you.

Department Welcome Meeting (Part 1)

Monday 21 September, 9:00am, Location: MAR.1.08 (Marshall Building)

This session is for BSc Mathematics students and introduces your degree programme, the Department and everything you need to know before teaching begins.

Department Welcome Meeting (Part 2)

Thursday 24 September, 10:00am, Location: PAN.G.01 (Pankhurst House)

If you're unable to attend Part 1, you should attend this session instead. It is open to all new undergraduate Mathematics students.

Please note: These meetings are compulsory, as they cover important information about your programme, studying at LSE and the support available throughout your time with us.

If you are unable to attend either session, please contact us at maths.comms@lse.ac.uk as soon as possible.

You may also wish to visit the LSE Students' Union Freshers' Fair to discover clubs, societies and opportunities to get involved.

For the full Welcome Week programme, view the Welcome 2026 schedule here.

During Welcome Week there are plenty of things to do, but you must do the following if you are on campus:

• Register as a student on Monday 21 September 2026 between 13:30-13:45 on the Ground Floor of the Marshall Building (See campus map)

For more information about enrolment and what to bring, please see here.

If you are going to enrol on campus later in the year, please see this link.

We will host an in-person Welcome Reception on Wednesday 23 September 2026, from 17:30-19:30 in the Staff Dining Room, Old Building. (See campus map) This is a great opportunity to meet your fellow students, lecturers and your Academic Mentors. More information will be communicated via email and on Moodle.

LSE is also organising a Welcome Treasure Hunt on Tuesday 22 September 2026, from 11:00–14:00. You'll join other Department of Mathematics students in teams to explore London, meet new people and enjoy one of the highlights of Welcome Week. Further details will be shared closer to the event.

At the start of term all students will be assigned an Academic Mentor. Your Academic Mentor will:

• Provide you with academic guidance and feedback on your progress and performance
• Discuss any academic problems you may be experiencing
• Provide pastoral support on non-academic issues and refer you, as necessary, to sources of support within the School
• Meet with you regularly and maintain regular contact with you outside of meetings.
• Likely be one of the people that will write reference letters for you in future, so it is important that they get to know you well

You will be introduced to your mentor during Welcome Week. Your first meeting with your mentor will be scheduled during Welcome Week or Week 1 when teaching starts, and these may take place online.

All appointment times will be posted online/emailed to your LSE email, so please check regularly.

First year students in the Mathematics and Economics, Mathematics with Economics, and Financial Mathematics & Statistics degrees are required to follow the following courses in their first year:

• EC1A3 Microeconomics I Moodle
• EC1B3 Macroeconomics I Moodle
• MA100 Mathematical Methods Moodle
• MA103 Introduction to Abstract Mathematics Moodle
• ST102 Elementary Statistical Theory Moodle

Teaching in the Department of Mathematics combines lectures, seminars and classes. Most half-unit courses run for one teaching term (11 weeks), with two lectures per week and one class or seminar each week.

Classes and seminars usually begin in Week 2 of term, and attendance is compulsory. Please note that courses taught by other departments may have different teaching arrangements, so we recommend checking the Course Guide for details.

As part of your studies, you will also take LSE100, an interdisciplinary course that explores global challenges while giving you the opportunity to collaborate with students and academics from across the School.

You can also choose to study a language as part of your degree. Information about language course options will be shared at the start of term. Alternatively, the LSE Language Centre offers a range of courses to help you learn a new language or improve your English.

You should familiarise yourself with the following document: MA100 - Background You Should Know and Exercises. You should also check out the Advanced Maths Support Programme website for information on supporting the transition to university.

Students often ask about preparatory reading. While there is no required pre-reading for first-year mathematics courses, we recommend Mathematics for Economics and Finance by Martin Anthony and Norman Biggs. (Cambridge University Press, 1996) It provides a helpful introduction to the mathematical ideas that underpin economics and finance.

University-level mathematics places a strong emphasis on formal proofs and rigorous mathematical reasoning, which form the foundation of many topics in mathematics, economics and finance. If you'd like to familiarise yourself with this style of mathematics before you arrive, we recommend the following resources:

• L Alcock, How to Study for a Mathematics Degree (Oxford University Press, 2013)
• R Allenby, Numbers and Proofs (Butterworth-Heinemann, 1997)
• A Dilnot, The Tiger That Isn't: Seeing Through a World of Numbers (Profile books, 2007)
• P Eccles, An Introduction to Mathematical Reasoning (Cambridge University Press, 1997)
• D Hand, Statistics: a very short introduction (Oxford University Press, 2008)

We recommend waiting until the start of term before buying any course books. Many courses do not require textbooks, and the LSE Library provides multiple copies of key texts. As course choices and reading lists may change before teaching begins, you may otherwise end up purchasing books that you don't need.

If you have any questions regarding the orientation process, you can contact us at maths.comms@lse.ac.uk.

There is a wealth of helpful information available to support you before and after you arrive at LSE.

Before you travel, we recommend visiting the Offer Holders page for important information to help you prepare for starting at LSE. Once you're on campus, the LSE Welcome site is your go-to guide for Welcome events, key activities and essential information for your first few days.

You may also find the following resources useful:

• New Student Checklist - everything you need to do before you arrive
• Documents to Bring - guidance on the documents you'll need when you enrol
• Student Services Hub - information on wellbeing, support services, IT, accommodation and student life

We also encourage you to explore the wider LSE website and the Department of Mathematics website, where you'll find further information about studying at LSE, student support, events and life in the Department.