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Maths courses

If you enjoy the challenge of solving mathematical problems and want to improve your analytical skills, studying maths at university could be an option. Courses cover applied areas such as mechanics, statistics and computational mathematics, as well as the study of maths for its own value. Maths graduates are well equipped for careers requiring logical or strategic thinking and often go into finance, computing, management, government and teaching.

Studying maths at university

Example course modules

  • Calculus
  • Algebra
  • Structured programming
  • Algorithms and applications
  • Coordinate and vector geometry
  • Differential equations
  • Probability
  • Regression and anova
  • Analytical and computational foundations
  • Problem solving methods

Teaching hours / week

Average for this subject

13
Low
16
Hours
21
High
5
14
Hours

Average for all subjects

The time you'll spend in lectures and seminars each week will vary from university to university, so use this as a guide.

More on studying and contact hours at uni

Who studies this subject

  • Female : 36%
    Male : 64%
  • Mature : 14%
    School leaver : 86%
  • Full-time : 88%
    Part-time : 12%

What students say about maths

What you need to get on a course

Subjects you need

A-levels (or equivalent) usually required

  • Maths
  • Further maths

Useful to have

  • Physics

Application checklist

Here's a guide to what to expect from the application process - also check individual university entry requirements, as these may differ.

  • January application
  • October application
  • Personal statement
  • Portfolio
  • Interview
  • Entry test
  • Work experience
  • Audition

Personal statement advice

Your personal statement is a core part of your university application, and getting it just right takes time. Before you start work on yours, take a look at our five quick tips on writing a personal statement. We'll help you past that writer's block!

Career prospects

Sources: HECSU & KIS
The UK still doesn’t have as many maths teachers as we’d like, so anyone wanting to take maths and then go into teaching will be welcome. In fact, there’s felt to be a general lack of maths skills in the population at large, so this is one subject where there's demand for graduate skills. 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. But for research jobs, 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 salaries to match.
Professional and accrediting bodies:

Six months after graduating

Typical graduate job areas
  • Business, finance and related associate professionals

Longer term career paths

Jobs where this degree is useful

  • Investment banker
  • Actuary or accountant
  • Maths teacher

Other real-life job examples

  • Software developer
  • Buyer or procurement officer
  • Meteroligist

What employers like about this subject

The country is short of people with good maths qualifications, and a degree in maths can give you subject-specific skills like the ability to analyse and interpret complex numerical data; the ability to approach problems rigorously and to formulate and apply theories to solve them and high-level IT skills. Transferable skills gained from studying maths include project management, problem-solving, team-working and communication skills. Some careers in maths, particularly in research, are likely to need a postgraduate qualification. Employers that recruited mathematicians last year included all parts of the finance industry (especially banking, insurance, accountancy and consultancy), the IT industry and the Civil Service.