Mathematics and Philosophy
Entry requirements
A level
ACC / BBC in three A levels including B in Maths
Access to HE Diploma
112 UCAS points in an Access to HE Diploma with Maths related content, including Distinction in at least 15 Level 3 credits. Please contact the University Admissions Team for advice on whether your chosen course would qualify
GCSE/National 4/National 5
You will also need: 4 / C in GCSE Maths or Level 2 Functional Skills Maths, plus an English language qualification (see the Keele website)
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
644 / 554 in three Higher Levels including 5 in Maths (any), or 29 points including 5 in Maths (any)
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
DMM in any of the following BTEC Extended Diplomas / National Extended Diplomas: Engineering
T Level
Merit in any of the following T levels: Engineering and Manufacturing
UCAS Tariff
We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.
About this course
This course has alternative study modes. Contact the university to find out how the information below might vary.
Mathematics and Philosophy combines two thought-provoking subjects that seek answers to big questions. You will engage with a carefully crafted curriculum that explores how mathematics plays a part in our everyday lives, from modelling fluid flows, to interpreting medical trials. Together with Philosophy, you will build analytical skills whilst investigating philosophical theories from around the world.
**Why choose this course?**
- Top 10 in England for Mathematics (National Student Survey, 2021)
- Graduate with broad range of transferable skills to succeed in a variety of careers
- Discover new ideas, debate big questions with your lecturers and peers, and better appreciate the views of others
- Research-led teaching, providing insight into new and traditional topics, developing your analytical skills
- Apply for an International Year at a partner university across the globe and discover diverse cultures
On this combined honours course in Mathematics and Philosophy you will have the opportunity to explore the core concepts and theories of these two fascinating and deeply connected subjects.
You will consider how mathematics can be applied to various aspects of the world we live in and gain a solid understanding of the fundamentals of this discipline, whilst philosophy poses big questions about right and wrong, human life and the nature of reality. You will explore the core areas of mathematics, including calculus, algebra and probability, as well as developing a solid foundation in mathematical methods and techniques so you can apply these principles to the real world.
Throughout the programme, you may also have the opportunity to explore pure mathematics, applied mathematics and statistics. To help develop the skills employers are looking for, you will also learn the programming language Python and understand how mathematics is used in a professional environment. You will also build your problem solving and abstract reasoning skills to a high level.
In Philosophy you will study texts, think about ideas and formulate your own philosophical theories. You will explore central themes – such as moral and political philosophy, logic, epistemology, and the philosophies of mind, religion and science – and will consider key philosophical problems about the nature of the world, the mind and various solutions proposed. You’ll learn about different philosophical traditions past and present, including Anglo-American, Indian, Buddhist, Greek, French and German philosophy. You’ll enhance your logical and critical thinking skills, and develop the use of sound arguments to defend your views, while detecting fallacies and other argumentative weaknesses.
**About Keele**
Keele University was established in 1949 by the former Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University. Founded to meet the needs of a changing world, Keele has always had a pioneering vision to be a different kind of university.
We excel in both teaching and research, with some of the most satisfied students in England, and research that is changing lives for the better at a regional, national and global level.
Our beautiful 600-acre campus is one of the biggest in Britain – but all the most important services and facilities are on your doorstep, with accommodation, teaching spaces, facilities including a medical centre, sports centre and pharmacy, and a range of shops, eateries and entertainment venues – including the Students’ Union – clustered around the centre.
Modules
For a list of indicative modules please visit the course page on the Keele University website.
What students say
We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.
How do students rate their degree experience?
The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Philosophy
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
Mathematics
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
After graduation
The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Philosophy
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
Although there aren't a lot of jobs around for professional philosophers, philosophy degrees are a relatively popular option, with more than 2,000 students graduating in a philosophy-related subject in 2015 - a little down on previous years, but still healthy. Nearly a quarter of philosophy graduates take a postgraduate qualification, and it's a relatively common subject at both Masters and doctorate level — so if you think academic life might be for you, think ahead about how you might fund further study. For those who go into work, philosophy grads tend to go into teaching, accountancy, consulting, journalism, PR, housing, marketing, human resources and the arts while a few go into the computer industry every year, where their logical training is highly rated.
Mathematics
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
Want to feel needed? This is one of the most flexible degrees of all and with so much of modern work being based on data, there are options everywhere for maths graduates. With all that training in handling figures, it's hardly surprising that a lot of maths graduates go into well-paid jobs in the IT or finance industries, and last year, a maths graduate in London could expect a very respectable average starting salary of £27k. And we're always short of teachers in maths, so that is an excellent option for anyone wanting to help the next generation. And if you want a research job, you'll want a doctorate — and a really good maths doctorate will get you all sorts of interest from academia and finance — and might secure some of the highest salaries going for new leavers from university.
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
Philosophy
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£24k
£24k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
Mathematics
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£19k
£26k
£30k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):
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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).
This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.
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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.
You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.
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Post-six month graduation stats:
This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.
It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.
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Graduate field commentary:
The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show
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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?
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