MSc Pure Mathematics and Mathematical Logic

Year of entry: 2024

Overview

Degree awarded
Master of Science
Duration
12 months Full Time
Entry requirements
The entry requirement to the programmes is normally a good honours degree in mathematics or a mathematically-related discipline or an equivalent overseas qualification in a mathematical subject.

Full entry requirements

How to apply
Apply online

As there is high demand for this course we operate a staged admissions process with selection deadlines throughout the year. 

Due to the competition for places, we give preference to students with grades above our minimum entry requirements. If we make you an offer, you will have 3 weeks in which to accept. Any offers not accepted within 3 weeks will be withdrawn so that an offer can be made to another candidate.

Please visit our Application and Selection section for more information.

Course options

Full-time Part-time Full-time distance learning Part-time distance learning
MSc Y Y N N

Course description

Would you like to enhance your knowledge of postgraduate-level abstract mathematics and logic? Or perhaps you wish to improve you background knowledge prior to applying for a PhD by research in this area?

If either of the above statements apply, this could be the course for you.

This one year taught postgraduate programme is a pathway from the MSc in Pure Mathematics and leads to the degree of MSc in Pure Mathematics and Mathematical Logic.

The MSc comprises of the taught component, running from the start of the academic year in September until the end of the second semester in late spring, followed by the dissertation component running from June until September.

During the taught component of the course, you will normally take six units together with a research skills and project unit. On the MSc in Pure Mathematics and Mathematical Logic Pathway, you would take the logic units and some pure mathematics units.

In the research skills and project unit you will first complete a mini-project to improve mathematical writing skills, and then undertake a project. The project is normally an expository account of a piece of mathematics and you will write this under the guidance of a supervisor.

The taught component comprises of conventional lectures supported by examples classes, project work and independent learning via reading material.

After successfully completing the taught component, you will prepare a dissertation on an advanced topic in mathematical logic, normally of current or recent research interest, chosen in consultation with your supervisor.

You can also take the programme part-time, over a period of two years. There is some flexibility in the precise arrangements for this programme, but you would normally attend two lecture courses each semester for three semesters before commencing work on your dissertation.

Within two weeks from the start of the academic year, students in this programme can opt to change to the MSc in Pure Mathematics.

Open days

For details of the next University Postgraduate open day, visit open days and visits

Fees

For entry in the academic year beginning September 2024, the tuition fees are as follows:

  • MSc (full-time)
    UK students (per annum): £14,000
    International, including EU, students (per annum): £30,000

Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.

The fees quoted above will be fully inclusive for the course tuition, administration and computational costs during your studies.

All fees for entry will be subject to yearly review and incremental rises per annum are also likely over the duration of courses lasting more than a year for UK/EU students (fees are typically fixed for International students, for the course duration at the year of entry). For general fees information please visit: postgraduate fees . Always contact the department if you are unsure which fee applies to your qualification award and method of attendance.

Self-funded international applicants for this course will be required to pay a deposit of £1000 towards their tuition fees before a confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) is issued. This deposit will only be refunded if immigration permission is refused. We will notify you about how and when to make this payment.

Policy on additional costs

All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).

Scholarships/sponsorships

For more information, see the Department of Mathematics Fees and funding  page or visit the University of Manchester  funding for master's courses website for more information.

Contact details

Department
Department of Mathematics
Contact name
Postgraduate Admissions Team
Telephone
+44 (0)161 529 3043
Email
Website
https://www.maths.manchester.ac.uk
School/Faculty

Our internationally-renowned expertise across the School of Natural Sciences informs research led teaching with strong collaboration across disciplines, unlocking new and exciting fields and translating science into reality.  Our multidisciplinary learning and research activities advance the boundaries of science for the wider benefit of society, inspiring students to promote positive change through educating future leaders in the true fundamentals of science. Find out more about Science and Engineering at Manchester .

Courses in related subject areas

Use the links below to view lists of courses in related subject areas.

Entry requirements

Academic entry qualification overview

The entry requirement to the programmes is normally a good honours degree in mathematics or a mathematically-related discipline or an equivalent overseas qualification in a mathematical subject.

English language

All applicants will need to demonstrate competency in English language. Applicants who do not already possess an acceptable English Language qualification will need to take a recognised test and attain the required English Language score:

  • IELTS:  at least 6.5 overall with no sub-test below 6.0.
  • TOFEL iBT: at least 90 overall with no sub-test below 20. We do not accept 'MyBestScore'.
  • Pearson PTE: at least 70 overall with no sub-test below 65.

Further information on language requirements can be found on our website .

Pre-sessional English

We will consider applicants who do not meet these scores but you may be required to complete a pre-sessional English language course at the University of Manchester prior to the start of the course.

To be considered for a pre-sessional English language course for this programme we require the following minimum IELTS (Academic) scores:

  • 6 Week Pre-Sessional Course:  Minimum 6.0 overall with no sub-test below 5.5.

If you have not yet completed your current academic study and are interested in studying a pre-sessional course, you must hold an IELTS for UKVI (Academic) test certificate.

English language test validity

Some English Language test results are only valid for two years. Your English Language test report must be valid on the start date of the course.

Other international entry requirements

We accept a range of qualifications from different countries. For these and general requirements including English language see  entry requirements from your country .

Application and selection

How to apply

Apply online

As there is high demand for this course we operate a staged admissions process with selection deadlines throughout the year. 

Due to the competition for places, we give preference to students with grades above our minimum entry requirements. If we make you an offer, you will have 3 weeks in which to accept. Any offers not accepted within 3 weeks will be withdrawn so that an offer can be made to another candidate.

Please visit our Application and Selection section for more information.

Staged admissions

As there is high demand for this course we operate a staged admissions process with selection deadlines throughout the year. Due to the competition for places, we give preference to students with grades above our minimum entry requirements. 

If we make you an offer, you will have 3 weeks in which to accept. Any offers not accepted within 3 weeks will be withdrawn so that an offer can be made to another candidate.

Stage 1:  Application received by 10 November 2023; Decision by 12 January 2024.

Stage 2:  Application received by 05 January 2024; Decision by 08 March 2024.

Stage 3:  Application received by 01 March 2024; Decision by 19 April 2024.

Stage 4:  Application received by 24 May 2024; Decision by 21 June 2024.

You need to ensure that you submit your supporting documents with your application as it may delay us processing your application before the decision deadline.

Whilst we aim to give you a decision on your application by the deadline date, in some instances due to the competition for places and the volume of applications received, it may be necessary to roll your application forward to the next deadline date. If this is the case we will let you know after the deadline date.

Applications received after our final selection deadline will be considered at our discretion if places are still available.

Please note: All places are subject to availability and if you apply at one of the later stages, some courses may already be closed. We therefore recommend that you apply early in the cycle to secure your place with us.

Applicants who are made a conditional offer of a place must demonstrate that they have met all the conditions of their offer by 31 July 2024.

Advice to applicants

We require the following documents before we can consider your application.

  • Latest transcripts of study showing all modules completed including credit weighting and grades achieved (and English translation if applicable).
  • If you have not yet graduated, a list of the modules that you will be completing in the final year of your degree together with their credit weighting.

  • An official document from your university verifying your current weighted average mark if this information is not included in your transcript of study. Please note : this must be recorded as a percentage, not as a GPA grade, and must give the weighted average mark, not an arithmetic average mark.

  • We require references from two people who have knowledge of your academic ability in support of your application, although we can process your application with one academic reference. In most cases, these should be academic references, from a lecturer or professor at your last university. In some cases (for example, if your academic studies occurred some time ago), it might be more appropriate to submit recommendations from those familiar with your professional experience. If you have difficulty in identifying suitable referees you should ask for advice from the admissions team for your course. We will contact your referees directly after you submit your application and direct them to complete our online reference form. 

  • Degree certificate if you have already graduated (and English translation if applicable).

  • Curriculum vitae (CV) if you graduated more than three years ago.

  • Personal Statement. This should be a one-page document and, in particular, should describe why you want to pursue an MSc degree in Mathematics and what area of mathematics you find most interesting and why. It should also mention any projects/dissertation you have written or worked on, along with brief mathematical details of your work.
  • If English is not your first language, we also require proof of your English language ability. If you have already taken an English language qualification, please include your certificate with your application. We may be willing to consider your application without this document, but if we choose to make you an offer, the conditions will include IELTS (or equivalent qualification).

You must submit all these supporting documents with your application. If any of the above information is missing, we will not be able to consider your application and it may be rolled forward to the next stage or withdrawn.

How your application is considered

We consider your full academic history including which course units you have taken and the marks obtained. Even if you have met our minimum entry requirements, we will take into account your marks in relevant course units in our final decision making.

If you graduated more than three years ago, we will also consider the information contained on your CV and any relevant work experience you have to assess if you are still able to fulfil the entry criteria.  For some applicants (typically those with qualifications from some years ago or where we need additional information to assess suitability for the course) you may be contacted by the programme tutor for further assessment.

Interview requirements

No interview is required for this course.

Overseas (non-UK) applicants

CAS Information

Self-funded international applicants for this course will be required to pay a deposit of £1,000 towards their tuition fees before a confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) is issued. This deposit will only be refunded if immigration permission is refused. We will notify you about how and when to make this payment.

Please upload a copy of your current valid passport with your application showing the photograph page with your application. For CAS purposes, this must show your full name, date of birth, nationality, passport number and the date the passport is valid until, which must be later than the date of your planned arrival in the UK, and the start date of your course.

If you have previously studied in the UK on a Tier 4 visa as an undergraduate or postgraduate student, please send a copy of your previous CAS statement to us as it will assist with the issue of your new CAS statement. This includes study in the UK on study abroad programmes and any study that you did not complete.

You cannot use your CAS to apply for a visa more than three months before the start date of your course. The Admissions Team will contact you at the appropriate time.

Your CAS number is only valid for one Tier 4 application.

Deferrals

Applications for deferred entry are not accepted for this course. If you receive an offer for 2024 entry and decide not to accept it, should you subsequently wish to be considered for 2025 entry you would be required to reapply.

Re-applications

If you applied in the previous year and your application was not successful you may apply again. Your application will be considered against the standard course entry criteria for that year of entry. In your new application you should demonstrate how your application has improved. We may draw upon all information from your previous applications or any previous registrations at the University as a student when assessing your suitability for your chosen course.

Course details

Course description

Would you like to enhance your knowledge of postgraduate-level abstract mathematics and logic? Or perhaps you wish to improve you background knowledge prior to applying for a PhD by research in this area?

If either of the above statements apply, this could be the course for you.

This one year taught postgraduate programme is a pathway from the MSc in Pure Mathematics and leads to the degree of MSc in Pure Mathematics and Mathematical Logic.

The MSc comprises of the taught component, running from the start of the academic year in September until the end of the second semester in late spring, followed by the dissertation component running from June until September.

During the taught component of the course, you will normally take six units together with a research skills and project unit. On the MSc in Pure Mathematics and Mathematical Logic Pathway, you would take the logic units and some pure mathematics units.

In the research skills and project unit you will first complete a mini-project to improve mathematical writing skills, and then undertake a project. The project is normally an expository account of a piece of mathematics and you will write this under the guidance of a supervisor.

The taught component comprises of conventional lectures supported by examples classes, project work and independent learning via reading material.

After successfully completing the taught component, you will prepare a dissertation on an advanced topic in mathematical logic, normally of current or recent research interest, chosen in consultation with your supervisor.

You can also take the programme part-time, over a period of two years. There is some flexibility in the precise arrangements for this programme, but you would normally attend two lecture courses each semester for three semesters before commencing work on your dissertation.

Within two weeks from the start of the academic year, students in this programme can opt to change to the MSc in Pure Mathematics.

Aims

The aims of the programme are to provide training in a range of topics related to pure mathematics and mathematical logic, to encourage a sophisticated and critical approach to mathematics, and to prepare students who have the ability and desire to follow careers as professional mathematicians and logicians in industry or research.

Coursework and assessment

The taught component is assessed by coursework, project work and by written examination.  The written exams take place at the end of January (for the first semester course units) and the end of May (for the second semester course units).  The dissertation component is assessed by the quality and competence of the written dissertation.

The Postgraduate Diploma and Postgraduate Certificate exist as exit awards for students who do not pass at MSc level.

Course unit details

The taught courses cover material related to the research interests of the academic staff.

Course unit list

The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.

TitleCodeCredit ratingMandatory/optional
MSc Pure Mathematics Research and Project Skills MATH61000 30 Mandatory
Computation and Complexity MATH63011 15 Mandatory
Set Theory MATH63022 15 Mandatory
Model theory MATH63051 15 Mandatory
Measure Theory and Ergodic Theory MATH61021 15 Optional
Differentiable Manifolds MATH61061 15 Optional
Algebraic Topology MATH61072 15 Optional
Noncommutative Algebra MATH62042 15 Optional
Representation and Characters of Groups MATH62061 15 Optional
Lie Algebras MATH62112 15 Optional
Galois Theory MATH62121 15 Optional
Algebraic Number Theory MATH62132 15 Optional
Dynamical Systems MATH64041 15 Optional
Creating a Sustainable World: Interdisciplinary Applications of the Sustainable Development Goals UCIL60312 15 Optional
Displaying 10 of 14 course units

Scholarships and bursaries

Across our institution, we offer a number of postgraduate taught scholarships and awards to outstanding UK and international students each year.

The University of Manchester is committed to widening participation in master's study, and allocates £300,000 in funding each year. Our Manchester Masters Bursaries are aimed at widening access to master's courses by removing barriers to postgraduate education for students from underrepresented groups.

For more information, see the Department of Mathematics Fees and funding page or visit the University of Manchester funding for master's courses website for more information.

If you are a sponsored student please check the requirements of your sponsorship before registering on a course. If you require further information please contact the Department.

Facilities

The Department of Mathematics is the largest in the UK with an outstanding research reputation and  facilities .

Disability support

Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service. Email: dass@manchester.ac.uk

Careers

Career opportunities

Our MSc programme provides our students with strong qualitative skills in a wide variety of areas of pure mathematics. We tailor the course to the interests of our individual students in order to prepare them for a broad scope of career prospects. The programme provides several opportunities for students to study advanced topics in mathematics as a foundation for doctoral studies (PhD) or more applied courses.

Below are some of the jobs that our graduates do:

  • Teacher
  • Research Associate
  • Software Engineer
  • Chief Financial Officer
  • CEO

Besides providing the necessary skills for those wishing to pursue a research and/or academic career (e.g., University Lecturer), common careers that our graduates have pursued are in the financial industry, in the computer industry, and teaching at college level. In current times, there is no shortage of intellectually challenging careers for a Pure Mathematics graduate.

Take a look at where some of our graduates work below:

  • Oracle
  • Alliance Manchester Business School
  • Scottish Life
  • AT&T Labs
  • NHS