Maths and Business (Joint Honours)

Course outline

This course provide a balanced blend of basic mathematical techniques, a rigorous examination of their validity, the development of underlying structures common to a number of concepts and the application of mathematics to solve complex problems that arise in the real world. We reflect the awareness of the excitingly complex patterns and systems that can arise from simple mathematical ideas.

As a manager you will be a problem solver, planner and leader, challenged with meeting your organisation’s objectives by deploying key resources such as time, people and money 
efficiently and effectively. This course aims to prepare you for this challenge and for a successful career in management.

Jump to:

Subject guide & modules

Maths & Business students take 120 credits of modules per year, 60 from business modules and 60 from maths modules. A 10 credit module comprises approximately 100 learning hours and has up to three contact hours per week.

Business

The first two years deepen your understanding of how businesses operate and how to  recognise and analyse the economic, technical, financial and social parameters within which modern managers make decisions.

During your final year you will select your modules and specialise in an area of particular interest.

Maths

In the first year, your studies incorporate an expansion of A Level mathematical techniques. The final year allows you to choose specialist options to change the emphasis of your degree programme.

Over the course of your degree you will consider:

• differential equations, which are vital to the modelling of many real problems

• the problem of obtaining approximate solutions to those questions which cannot be resolved by analytical mathematical methods

• the underlying concepts in analysis and algebra

• the benefit of research into chaos

• the development of mathematical techniques as we know them today.

Year 1

• Transition Maths
• Calculus and Solution of Ordinary Differential Equations (ODE's)
• Statistics and Probability
• Vector Algebra and Geometry
• Introduction to Analysis
• Principles of Financial Accounting - foundation in Finance and Accounting concepts, methods and statements, the interpretation of information.
• Economic Environment of Business - the business enterprise, markets, prices and production, the advanced mixed economy environment.
• Organisational Behaviour - the concept of "organisation" and the social scientific analysis of some of the issues of organisational life.
• Quantitative Methods - introduction to the use of mathematical and statistical techniques in the business context.
• Information Technology in Business - understanding of the role of I.T. in management.
• Business Decision Analysis - the examination of business problems using basic quantitative methods.
  
  

Year 2

• Introduction to Numerical Methods
• Real Analysis
• Multivariate Calculus
• Linear Mathematics
• Mathematical Methods
• Introduction to Matlab
• Operations Management - the nature and scope of operations management including product and service planning, design, organisation and control.
• Marketing Strategy - the analysis of marketing opportunities, developing plans and communicating recommendations.
• Business Economics - assessing the economic environment; implications for business of environmental changes.
• Management Accounting - available tools and techniques to provide relevant financial and quantitative information for planning, control and decision-making.
• Business Game - designed to ensure a synthesis of tools, techniques and knowledge drawn from a spectrum of managerial disciplines. Students will work in groups to run a company.
• Business Policy - an introduction to the techniques available to firms to gain competitive advantage 

Year 3 placement year

At Aston the placement year is an integral part of your course, and contributes to your final grade. Find out more about the Maths & Business placement year.

Final year

During your final year you have the opportunity to specialise in the areas of maths and business of particular interest and relevance to your career.

You will study six elective maths modules from the following:

• Statistical Pattern Analysis

• Classical Mechanics

• Portfolio Analysis

• Financial Mathematics

• Option Theory

• Time Series

• Stochastic Processes

• Simulation Techniques

• Probabilistic Modelling

• Game Theory

• Complex Analysis

• Partial Differential Equations

• Chaos & Dynamical Systems

• Mathematics Modelling III

• Approximation Theory and Methods

You will study the two core business modules below, and up to four elective modules

• Finance - the evaluation of long term capital projects and financing methods which fund the activities of the organisation.

• Value-based Strategy - the development, evaluation and selection of major strategic thrusts.

• Up to four elective subjects

Learning, teaching & assessment

You will experience a range of teaching methods including lectures, tutorials, group-working, case studies and both individual and group presentations. Traditional teaching is supported by a virtual learning environment that is used to host a range of electronic supporting materials.

Assessment is provided by a mix of coursework and examination.

Placement year

The placement year is an opportunity for you to set your studies in context and gain valuable professional experience. It is highly attractive to potential employers and around 30% of our students are offered graduate jobs by their placement employer.

Placements are generally paid, with the average salary being around £15,000. Your placement year may be in the UK or abroad. 

You'll receive plenty of help and advice in finding your placement and specialist support and supervision from the University during your placement. We advertise between 2,000 and 3,000 placements a year on our comprehensive database. You will be attend a programme of preparation, support and advice to increase the likelihood of getting a placement.

Find out more about placement years at Aston.

Professional accreditation

Aston University is collaborating with Newman University College, Birmingham and has received approval for a BSc Joint Honours with Qualified Teacher Status for selected students taking Mathematics combinations at Aston University.

Career prospects

The course prepares you for many careers in both the public and private sector and has been specifically designed to meet the huge demand for skilled mathematicians who also have strong business insight.

As a manager you will be a problem solver, planner and leader. This course aims to prepare you for these challenges. You will have the opportunity to develop the skills to deploy key resources such as people, time and money effectively and efficiently.

Graduate destinations

Students taking our business or maths Joint Honours courses have had considerable success in finding relevant, lucrative employment in areas such as business management, accountancy, actuary, research and development, teaching and IT.

Our recent graduates are now working for organisations such as IBM, Deloite, Bank of New York, BAE Systems, Ministry of Defence, British Airways, Grant Thornton, British Energy, KPMG, Transco, Xerox, NHS, Mori, Baker Tilly, Severn Trent Water and The Environment Agency.

Personal development

This course is designed to also give you a range of transferable and practical skills to succeed within your chosen career. We make extensive use of group working and presentations to prepare you for the reality of working life. Such work develops your team working and negotiating skills.

Our placement year gives you the opportunity to gain practical work experience that is invaluable in developing an appreciation of issues which cannot be replicated in the lecture room.

Facilities & equipment

In the Business School, teaching rooms and facilities have also been recently refurbished. All lecture theatres and seminar rooms are fully equipped with the latest teaching aids and extensive use is made of our Virtual Learning Environment to help support your studies.

Aston University recently invested £4m in a major upgrade of its campus IT network. The facilities specifically provided for our 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. 

Teaching staff

Although based in the School of Engineering & Applied Science, this course is taught jointly with staff from Aston Business School.

Further information

For more information, please contact the Engineering & Applied Science Admissions Office on +44 (0)121 204 3400 or engineering@aston.ac.uk.