Mathematics is the universal language of science. It pervades technology, society, medicine, life, the universe and everything!

Mathematics is also one of the most powerful tools for analysis and problem solving known to mankind. Thus, mathematics provides a unique combination of factors: a pure science with infinite intrigue awaiting a curious mind, and a hugely valuable and employable skill set enabling a broad range of possible future careers.

In the 2025 National Student Survey Mathematics at QUB was ranked top out of the Russell group of universities with an overall satisfaction score of 85%.

Course highlights

Global Opportunities

We participate in the IAESTE and Turing student exchange programmes, which enable students to obtain work experience in companies and universities throughout the world.

Industry Links

All students in the school have the option to include a year in industry as part of their studies. This is a fantastic opportunity to see mathematics at work in the real world, and to enhance your career prospects at the same time. Possible placements will include companies in the finance and technology sectors, and indeed we maintain strong links with local companies who hire mathematics graduates. Several local financial services companies (including Carus FT, Effex Capital and AquaQ Analytics) were founded by mathematics graduates from Queen’s.

Career Development

87% of Maths students are in graduate employment or further study 15 months after graduation (11th in the UK)

World Class Facilities

The School has its own dedicated teaching centre which opened in September 2016. This building houses lecture and group-study rooms, a hugely popular student social area and state-of-the-art computer and laboratory facilities. The centre is an exciting hub for our students and is situated directly adjacent to the Lanyon Building on the main university campus. This makes us the only school with a dedicated teaching space right at the heart of the university.

Internationally Renowned Experts

The School of Mathematics and Physics is a large school with staff from 13 countries, including UK, US, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Bulgaria, Russia, Argentina, Cuba, Germany, China, Greece, Kenya, Niger, The Netherlands and Romania. Many of our staff are leading international experts in their fields of mathematical research. In the 2021 REF peer-review exercise, Mathematics Research had the 11th highest impact in the UK.

Thus the ethos of the School is one of excellence in research informing excellence in teaching.

Student Experience

Many students find the transition from school to university somewhat daunting. In order to help with this transition, mathematics students have pioneered a Peer Mentoring scheme that is generally regarded as one of the most effective in the University. As well as providing a forum for first year students to obtain support, it also provides mentors with transferable skills which will increase graduate employment opportunities.

School has the 3rd highest postgraduate research student satisfaction in the university.

The overall positivity measure in the 2025 NSS for our mathematics courses was 85% with a score of 95% for academic support theme.

Further Study Opportunities

Placement Year
Students can take an optional placement year between years 2/3 of their course. Completion of an approved placement will be acknowledged in your final degree certificate with the addition of the words "with placement year".

The mathematics programmes at Queen’s offer a great deal of flexibility for students to tailor their studies to their interests. The programme is currently undergoing a review and therefore module selections will change over the coming years. We offer a range of modules across the main areas of mathematics: pure mathematics, applied mathematics and statistics and operational research. Pure mathematics focuses on the reasons why mathematical procedures work. Armed with this deep understanding, we may then develop new procedures to solve problems at the forefront of research in many disciplines. Applied mathematics is about developing methods for solving problems and mathematical modelling of real-life phenomena from areas such as finance, biology, medicine and physics – not just mechanics. Statistics is concerned with deriving sound inferences from data. This may be experimental or observational and obtained from investigations of physical or biological phenomena or from the study of the workings of industry, commerce and society. Statistics is also at the heart of the current explosion in activity relating to business analytics and ‘big data’ (which involves discovering meaningful patterns or relations in large volumes of data).

The first year, and a sizable fraction of the second year, of the program is devoted to core mathematics knowledge. In the final year, students have ever-increasing flexibility to choose from a wide range of optional modules.

Course Content

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

Stage 1

At Stage 1, students take four compulsory modules plus two optional modules.

Stage 2

At Stage 2, students must take four compulsory modules plus two optional modules.

Stage 3

At Stage 3, students must take a selection of six modules, approved by their advisor of studies. .

• People Teaching You
  Dr Andrew Brown

  Associate Director of Education for Mathematics

  School of Maths and Physics
  Dr Brown is a Reader in theoretical physics with research interests in laser-matter interaction, ultrafast electron dynamics and research software engineering.

• Contact Teaching Hours

  Small Group Teaching/Personal Tutorial

  1 (hours maximum)
  1 hour of tutorials (or later, project supervision) each week.

  Large Group Teaching

  10 (hours maximum)
  10 hours of lectures.

  Medium Group Teaching

  4 (hours maximum)
  4 hours of practical classes, workshops or seminars each week.

  Personal Study

  21 (hours maximum)
  21 hours studying and revising in your own time each week, including some guided study using handouts, online activities, etc.

• Learning and Teaching

  At Queen’s, we aim to deliver a high quality learning environment that embeds intellectual curiosity, innovation and best practice in learning, teaching and student support to enable students to achieve their full academic potential.
  
  On the BSc in Mathematics we do this by providing a range of learning experiences which enable our students to engage with subject experts, develop attributes and perspectives that will equip them for life and work in a global society and make use of innovative technologies and a world class library that enhances their development as independent, lifelong learners. Examples of the opportunities provided for learning on this course are:

  Computer based modules

  These provide students with the opportunity to develop technical skills and apply theoretical principles to real-life or practical contexts.

  E-learning technologies

  Information associated with lectures and assignments is often communicated via a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) called Canvas. A range of e-learning experiences are also embedded in the degree programme through the use of, for example, interactive support materials and web-based learning activities.

  Lectures

  These introduce basic information about new topics as a starting point for further self-directed private study/reading. Lectures also provide opportunities to ask questions, gain some feedback and advice on assessments (normally delivered in large groups to all year group peers).

  Personal Tutor

  Undergraduates are allocated a Personal Tutor during Level 1 and Level 2 who meets with them on several occasions during the year to support their academic development.

  Self-directed study

  This is an essential part of life as a Queen’s student when important private reading, engagement with e-learning resources, reflection on feedback to date and assignment research and preparation work is carried out.

  Tutorials

  Significant amounts of teaching are carried out in small groups (typically 10-20 students). These provide an opportunity for students to engage with academic staff who have specialist knowledge of the topic, to ask questions of them and to assess their own progress and understanding with the support of peers.

• Assessment

  The way in which students are assessed will vary according to the learning objectives of each module. Details of how each module is assessed are shown in the Student Handbook which is available online via the school website.

  • Most modules are assessed through a combination of coursework and end of year examinations.
  • Some modules (eg, final year Honours Project module) are assessed solely through project work or written assignments.
  • Computer Based Assessment
    
    Some modules use online quizzes/tests as part of the module assessment. This tests basic knowledge, understanding and problem solving.

A level requirements

A (Mathematics) AB
OR
A* (Mathematics) BB

A maximum of one BTEC/OCR Single Award or AQA Extended Certificate will be accepted as part of an applicant's portfolio of qualifications with a Distinction* being equated to a grade A at A-level and a Distinction being equated to a grade B at A-level.

Irish leaving certificate requirements

H2H3H3H3H3H3 including Higher Level grade H2 in Mathematics

Access Course

Successful completion of Access Course with a minimum of 80% in each Level 3 module. Must be relevant Access Course with substantial Mathematics modules (eg: Mathematics and Computing).

International Baccalaureate Diploma

34 points overall including 6 (Mathematics) 6,5 at Higher Level.

Graduate

A minimum of a 2:2 Honours Degree provided any subject requirement is also met.

Note

All applicants must have GCSE English Language grade C/4 or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University.

• How we choose our students

  Applications are dealt with centrally by the Admissions and Access Service rather than by the School of Mathematics and Physics. Once your on-line form has been processed by UCAS and forwarded to Queen's, an acknowledgement is normally sent within two weeks of its receipt at the University.
  
  Selection is on the basis of the information provided on your UCAS form. Decisions are made on an ongoing basis and will be notified to you via UCAS.
  
  For entry last year, applicants for programmes in the School of Mathematics and Physics offering A-levels/BTEC Level 3 qualifications must have had, or been able to achieve, a minimum of five GCSE passes at grade C/4 or better (to include English Language and Mathematics), though this profile may change from year to year depending on the demand for places. The Selector also checks that any specific entry requirements in terms of GCSE and/or A-level subjects can be fulfilled.
  
  Offers are normally made on the basis of three A-levels. Two subjects at A-level plus two at AS would also be considered. The offer for repeat candidates may be one grade higher than for first time applicants. Grades may be held from the previous year.
  
  Applicants offering two A-levels and one BTEC Subsidiary Diploma/National Extended Certificate (or equivalent qualification), or one A-level and a BTEC Diploma/National Diploma (or equivalent qualification) will also be considered. Offers will be made in terms of the overall BTEC grade(s) awarded. Please note that a maximum of one BTEC Subsidiary Diploma/National Extended Certificate (or equivalent) will be counted as part of an applicant’s portfolio of qualifications. The normal GCSE profile will be expected.
  
  For applicants offering the Irish Leaving Certificate, please note that performance at Irish Junior Certificate (IJC) is taken into account. For last year’s entry, applicants for this degree must have had a minimum of five IJC grades at C/Merit. The Selector also checks that any specific entry requirements in terms of Leaving Certificate subjects can be satisfied.
  
  Applicants offering other qualifications will also be considered. The same GCSE (or equivalent) profile is usually expected of those candidates offering other qualifications.
  
  The information provided in the personal statement section and the academic reference together with predicted grades are noted but, in the case of degree courses in the School of Mathematics and Physics, these are not the final deciding factors in whether or not a conditional offer can be made. However, they may be reconsidered in a tie break situation in August.
  
  A-level General Studies and A-level Critical Thinking would not normally be considered as part of a three A-level offer and, although they may be excluded where an applicant is taking four A-level subjects, the grade achieved could be taken into account if necessary in August/September.
  
  Candidates are not normally asked to attend for interview.
  
  If you are made an offer then you may be invited to a Faculty/School Visit Day, which is usually held in the second semester. This will allow you the opportunity to visit the University and to find out more about the degree programme of your choice and the facilities on offer. It also gives you a flavour of the academic and social life at Queen's.
  
  If you cannot find the information you need here, please contact the University Admissions and Access Service (admissions@qub.ac.uk), giving full details of your qualifications and educational background.

• International Students

  Our country/region pages include information on entry requirements, tuition fees, scholarships, student profiles, upcoming events and contacts for your country/region. Use the dropdown list below for specific information for your country/region.

  Please Select Your Country/Region Please Select Your Country/Region

  International students wishing to apply to Queen's University Belfast (and for whom English is not their first language), must be able to demonstrate their proficiency in English in order to benefit fully from their course of study or research. Non-EEA nationals must also satisfy UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) immigration requirements for English language for visa purposes.

  For more information on English Language requirements for EEA and non-EEA nationals see: www.qub.ac.uk/EnglishLanguageReqs.

  If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this degree programme, Queen's University Belfast International Study Centre offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for admission to this degree.

  • Academic English: an intensive English language and study skills course for successful university study at degree level
  • Pre-sessional English: a short intensive academic English course for students starting a degree programme at Queen's University Belfast and who need to improve their English.

  • Foundation
    The progression course suited to this programme is
    https://qubisc.com/en/courses/international-foundation-for-science-and-engineering.