Mathematics in Combined Honours - information for current students

After a common and broadly based first and second year you will choose topics for specialisation in your final year.

Jump to:

• Subject guide & modules
• Learning, teaching & assessment
• Placement year
• Career prospects
• Personal development
• Facilities & equipment
• Qualified Teacher Status
• Further information

Subject guide & modules

First Year

• Transition Maths
• Calculus and Solution of Ordinary Differential Equations (ODE's)
• I.T. Applications
• Vector Algebra and Geometry
• History of Mathematics
• Classical Mechanics

Second Year

• Introduction to Numerical Methods
• Real Analysis
• Probability and Statistics
• Linear Mathematics
• Vector Calculus
• Abstract Algebra

Sandwich Year(optional)

• An opportunity to set your studies into context by participating in industry or commerce. This is usually paid employment.

Final Year

(Six modules from the following, to include the core modules Complex Analysis and Partial Differential Equations.)

Informatics 

• Statistical Pattern Analysis
• Simulation and Stochastic Processes

Mathematics

• Computational Mathematics III
• Complex Analysis
• Partial Differential Equations
• Chaos & Dynamical Systems
• Mathematics Modelling III

Approximation Theory and Methods

Learning, teaching & assessment

The teaching and assessment of Mathematics takes place within the School of Engineering and Applied Science. All Combined Honours students studying Mathematics will have a Personal Tutor from this School, to provide guidance in academic and non-academic matters

Placement year

The optional year of employment can provide you with experience of the area you are looking to go into to lay the foundations for your final year of study. It is highly attractive to potential employers and around 30% of students are offered a job upon graduation by their placement year employer. You have the option to apply for a placement either in the UK or doing a placement abroad. You can do this either by searching and applying for one yourself or looking through our comprehensive database on place-ments available (between 2,000 and 3,000 jobs are advertised every year). You will be required to attend a programme of preparation, support and advice to increase the likelihood of getting the placement you desire.

Career prospects

The course has been specifically designed to meet the huge demand for skilled Mathematics graduates in finance and computer science. An external panel from industry has been closely involved in advising on the content and structure of the course. Graduates may be employed in a broad range of positions; for instance in research and development teams as part of a large company or in start-ups, as trainee analysts and consultants. Graduates may also continue their training in MSc, PhD courses, or pursue teaching and education careers.

In 2005 0% of our graduates in Mathematics were unemployed with over 75% entering employment and around 25% undertaking further study/other training. Typical areas of employment included finance, IT, education and consultancy.

Personal development

The mathematics courses are designed to support development outside of the academic discipline to foster and encourage skills required within the workplace. 

• In the first year students practise business report writing and presentation skills, developing communication strategies that can be used during the placement year or in the final year projects.
  
• In the second year presentations and writing skills are developed to include writing and presenting technical documents, as well as engaging students in the issues faced by the scientific community when developing leading-edge research. 
  
• In the final year students undertake an individual research project which is mentored by an academic supervisor and contributes towards a significant portion of the final degree classification. This allows students to demonstrate the life-skills they have learned on the modules, and practised whilst on industrial placement. These include time management, planning, research and report writing.

Employers like mathematics as an academic discipline. By dealing with and communicating complex concepts and ideas it trains the mind in a way that will never become outdated.  It allows students to hone analytical skills that are valued by industry across many different sectors.

Facilities & equipment

Amongst the most advanced in British Higher Education, Aston University recently invested £4m in a major upgrade of its campus IT network. The facilities specifically provided for our computing students include a 100-seat PC teaching lab with audio-visual projection facilities and three other labs containing PCs and Macs. Additional labs provide high performance workstations reserved for project work and specialist teaching. In addition, our Programming Support Office is available to help you with computer programming modules.

Qualified Teacher Status  

Suitable candidates also have the opportunity to obtain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) on the Mathematics Combined Honours Course by studying on a 2+2 programme in collaboration with Newman University College (NUC), a specialist Teacher Training provider. The placement option is replaced by the QTS element of the course and you will spend party of you time during year 3 and 4 at NUC studying the teaching element of the course. You will be eligible for a teaching bursary during these two years. For more information on the course check our webpages: www.aston.ac.uk/ids/qts

Further information

Tel: 0121 204 4283; Email: ids@aston.ac.uk