BSc Mathematics and Philosophy / Course details

Year of entry: 2024

Course description

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First Year BSc Mathematics with Scarlett and Hana

The BSc Mathematics and Philosophy offers a joint-honours degree programme, representing a close and fruitful connection which has existed since the time of the ancient Greeks.

The course explores both sides of the programme, together with the interesting border region between the two. Both disciplines are given equal weight, and each offers you a wide range of options.

In your final year you do a substantial Philosophy dissertation and can choose to do a project on a mathematical topic, supervised by a member of staff. 

The content of the programme is closely linked with that of the two individual single-honours degrees, and so transfer to either of these departments is possible at the end of the first year.

Aims

  • to enable students to acquire a knowledge and understanding of mathematical ideas, including the concepts of rigorous argument and formal proof, and an appreciation of the power and generality of abstract formulation and the analytic method;
  • to enable students to develop their capacity to learn and apply mathematical ideas and skills;
  • to promote an understanding of the significance and power of mathematics as an intellectual and applicable discipline;
  • to give students and knowledge and understanding of those mathematical topics which we believe that any employer would expect of our joint degree graduates;
  • to give students experience (more limited than for single honours Mathematics programmes) of advanced mathematical results, methods, ideas and thinking;
  • to give students a grounding in the significant topics, problems and issues in Philosophy today;
  • to provide an enhancement of the student's capacity to evaluate critically and think through and develop for themselves philosophical arguments and positions.

Special features

  • In your first year, you will experience small group teaching, which is a significant part of the year.
  • A wide range of options is available for you to choose in your third year.

Teaching and learning

Most teaching takes the form of lectures, with various support classes (example classes, small group tutorials or sessions in one of the computer clusters) to help you get to grips with the material, exploring topics and working on examples set by the lecturers.

Coursework and assessment

Most course units have some continual assessment (which may be, for instance, a combination of homework, in-class tests, essays and presentations where appropriate), which is put together with the result of an end-of-semester examination to provide the final mark.

Some course units (such as a project) are assessed entirely by your submitted work during the semester. The class of your degree is normally based on only your last two years' work.

Course content for year 1

Course units for year 1

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
Linear Algebra MATH11022 20 Mandatory
Mathematical Foundation & Analysis MATH11121 20 Mandatory
Introduction to Vector Calculus MATH11411 10 Mandatory
Probability I MATH11711 10 Mandatory
Critical Thinking PHIL10041 20 Mandatory
Ancient Greek Philosophy PHIL10122 20 Mandatory
Introduction to Metaphysics and Epistemology PHIL10622 20 Mandatory

Course content for year 2

Course units for year 2

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
Introduction to Ordinary Differential Equations MATH11412 10 Mandatory
Managing My Future MATH20040 0 Mandatory
Mathematical Communication and Group Projects MATH20062 10 Mandatory
Metric Spaces MATH21111 10 Mandatory
Rings & Fields MATH21112 10 Mandatory
Groups and Geometry MATH21120 20 Mandatory
Philosophy of Science PHIL20261 20 Mandatory
Islamic Philosophy PHIL20001 20 Optional
Philosophy of Religion PHIL20021 20 Optional
Applied Philosophy PHIL20032 20 Optional
Philosophy of Race PHIL20042 20 Optional
Formal Logic PHIL20141 20 Optional
Ethics PHIL20231 20 Optional
20th Century Analytical Philosophy PHIL20242 20 Optional
Philosophy of Mind PHIL20272 20 Optional
Phenomenology PHIL20612 20 Optional
Displaying 10 of 16 course units for year 2

Course content for year 3

Course units for year 3

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
Introduction to Corporate Finance and Financial Instruments BMAN20242 10 Optional
Technology, Strategy and Innovation BMAN20792 10 Optional
New Product Development and Innovation BMAN20821 10 Optional
Marketing BMAN20832 10 Optional
Management of Knowledge and Innovation BMAN30010 20 Optional
Marketing BMAN30021 10 Optional
Financial Derivatives BMAN30091 10 Optional
Financial Engineering BMAN30242 10 Optional
Logic and Modelling COMP21111 10 Optional
Teaching and Learning of Mathematics EDUC22002 20 Optional
Educational Leadership EDUC34752 20 Optional
Independent Study and Technical Explanations EEEN31001 10 Optional
The Nuclear Age: Global Nuclear Threats from Hiroshima to Today HSTM31212 10 Optional
Double Project MATH30000 20 Optional
Project (Semester One) MATH30011 10 Optional
Project (Semester 2) MATH30022 10 Optional
Linear Analysis MATH31002 10 Optional
Fractal Geometry MATH31042 10 Optional
Topology MATH31051 10 Optional
Group Theory MATH32001 10 Optional
Commutative Algebra MATH32012 10 Optional
Coding Theory MATH32031 10 Optional
Hyperbolic Geometry MATH32052 10 Optional
Algebraic Geometry MATH32062 10 Optional
Number Theory MATH32072 10 Optional
Combinatorics and Graph Theory MATH32091 10 Optional
Mathematical Logic MATH33021 20 Optional
Complex Analysis&Applications MATH34011 20 Optional
Green's Functions, Integral Equations and Applications MATH34031 10 Optional
Wave Motion MATH35012 10 Optional
Elasticity MATH35021 10 Optional
Mathematical Biology MATH35031 10 Optional
Methods of Applied Mathematics MATH35041 20 Optional
Mathematics of a Finite Planet MATH35062 10 Optional
Symmetry in Geometry and Nature MATH35082 10 Optional
Matrix Analysis MATH36001 10 Optional
Numerical Analysis 2 MATH36022 10 Optional
Problem Solving by Computer MATH36031 10 Optional
Convex Optimization MATH36062 10 Optional
Martingales with Applications to Finance MATH37001 10 Optional
Markov Processes MATH37012 10 Optional
Statistical Inference MATH38001 10 Optional
Time Series Analysis MATH38032 10 Optional
Medical Statistics MATH38072 10 Optional
Regression Analysis MATH38141 10 Optional
Multivariate Statistics and Machine Learning MATH38161 10 Optional
Generalised Linear Models MATH38172 10 Optional
Tools and Techniques for Enterprise MCEL30001 10 Optional
Advanced Technology Enterprise MCEL30011 10 Optional
Formal Logic PHIL20141 20 Optional
Dissertation Semester 1 PHIL30001 20 Optional
Dissertation Semester 2 PHIL30002 20 Optional
Metaphysics PHIL30212 20 Optional
Founding Mothers: Women Philosophers and their Role in The Development of Analytic Philosophy PHIL30352 20 Optional
Philosophy of Action PHIL30552 20 Optional
Phenomenology PHIL30612 20 Optional
Advanced Topics in Aesthetics PHIL30621 20 Optional
Language & Oppression PHIL30811 20 Optional
Displaying 10 of 58 course units for year 3

Facilities

When you join the Department of Mathematics you will be based in the purpose-built Alan Turing Building, set at the heart of campus. Developed with input from staff and students alike, the impressive £40 million building has been designed to provide the perfect teaching and learning environment.

You will benefit from extensive facilities for computing and study, relaxation and refreshment - all in an attractive, light and comfortable setting. Our computer clusters offer the powerful mathematical and statistical software you would expect from a leading university, including Matlab and Mathematica.

The Department of Mathematics has a number of computer clusters that run the standard software as well as powerful mathematical and statistical software, such as Matlab, Minitab and Mathematica.  As a student, you will have free access to email and the internet.  Other larger clusters are available in the University libraries and clusters are situated in most Halls of Residence; most student rooms also have Ethernet connection. 

You will also have access to the John Rylands University Library of Manchester, one of the largest and best-equipped libraries in the UK. A special section of this library provides a short loan facility, where you can reliably obtain textbooks that are recommended for particular courses and borrow them on an overnight basis. The Department of Mathematics also houses a mathematical library of more advanced books and other material used mainly by research students and staff.

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