The University of Sydney has revealed a list of 62 degrees for which 2-unit HSC mathematics will become a prerequisite for entry.

The list, which includes science, engineering, psychology and combined courses in music and medicine as well as commerce and law, is part of a wider push to halt Australia's plummeting maths standards after a 10-year plan to make maths compulsory was unveiled by the Federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham last week.

The University of Sydney's restriction will come into effect from 2019. Deputy Vice-Chancellor Tyrone Carlin said that the decision to re-institute prerequisites was taken last year "after a thorough review of the relationship between academic performance at university and the level of maths preparation of candidates prior to admission".

Other leading universities are also considering re-introducing the more challenging 2-unit maths prerequisite after it was abandoned in the early 2000s.