Program Overview

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MATHS

A-level

Overview

Our sixth form centre is brand-new for the city of Birmingham and the surrounding areas. Experience maths in action with our School of Engineering, Digital and Sustainable Construction.

Applications for our A-level courses have closed. Sign up for our waiting list.

Enjoy cracking difficult puzzles? Maths makes you better at solving problems and is intensely satisfying for those who study it, enabling you to develop further skills in algebra and numbers, then calculus, following your GCSEs.

Much of the material introduced in statistics and mechanics support understanding of the sciences. However, A-level Maths is much more than learning more techniques. It develops your decision making, critical thinking and analytical work, and requires you to make connections and adapt your thinking to a wide range of problems.

With departments that include engineering, digital and construction, maths is at the very heart of University College Birmingham. You will experience first-hand many of the practical applications of maths and benefit from specialist lectures, for example, focusing on the maths that underpins engineering or sports technology.

To help you fully appreciate the many career routes that can lead on from A-level maths, we have dedicated careers and apprenticeship departments. With their first-hand experience, our university lecturers will also provide guidance to support your applications to degrees, apprenticeships, and employment.

Why choose A-levels at our sixth form centre?

• PREPARE FOR UNIVERSITY AT A UNIVERSITY – We can provide you with relevant work placements, masterclasses, guest speakers, trips and more
• AWARD-WINNING SUPPORT – We have won national awards for our student support, which our sixth form students can tap into, from tailored academic support to financial assistance and health and wellbeing services
• OUTSTANDING LEARNING FACILITIES - We have invested £5.5 million into our brand-new sixth form centre, which includes lecture theatres, classrooms, science and computer labs, practical training facilities and open study spaces
• MOVE UP TO UNIVERSITY– Want to keep studying at a higher level? This A-level will support your progression to degree level

Course Breakdown

To achieve your Maths A-level, you must study the following topics:

Pure Maths

• Proof
• Complex numbers
• Matrices
• Further algebra and functions
• Further calculus
• Further vectors
• Polar coordinates
• Hyperbolic functions
• Differential equations
• Trigonometry
• Numerical methods

Mechanics and/or Statistics

• Statistical sampling
• Probability
• Statistical distributions
• Hypothesis testing
• Quantities and units in mechanics
• Kinematics
• Forces
• Moments

Entry Requirements

Academic Requirements

• We ask for a minimum of five GCSE subjects at grade 5 or higher, including GCSE English Literature or Language and a grade 7 in GCSE Maths.

Supporting Documents Required

• School applicants will be required to provide a school report, which must include attendance. This will be assessed in conjunction with your qualifications and application during the confirmation of your place at University College Birmingham.

Guaranteed Progression

Students who achieve 56 UCAS points or more from this qualification will automatically be guaranteed a place on a degree course at University College Birmingham. Some undergraduate courses require additional entry requirements, so applicants are advised to check entry requirements before applying.

Key Information

Teaching and Assessment

You will be assessed through written exams at the end of two years.

Our teaching and assessment is underpinned by our Teaching, Learning and Assessment Strategy.

What will this course prepare you for?

Maths is a cornerstone to most engineering, economic, scientific and numerate degrees, as well as being complementing many other subjects such as social sciences, literature and philosophy. Mathematicians pursue careers in fields as varied as accountancy, research, medicine, engineering, finance, pathology and construction.

For those who appreciate the richness and depth of this subject, also studying A-level Further Maths is a strong combination, especially if you intend to study maths or the sciences at competitive universities.

The example roles and salaries below are intended as a guide only.

• Accountant: Average Salary: £40,000
• Pathologist: Average Salary: £72,000
• Researcher: Average Salary: £39,000
• Data Analyst: Average Salary: £41,000
• Engineer: Average Salary: £42,000
• Philosopher: Average Salary: £35,000

A-levels this goes well with:

• Psychology A-level: Studying A-level Psychology, you will delve into topics such as memory, perception, social influence, abnormal behaviour and more. By embarking on this captivating journey of discovery, you will explore the complexities of human behaviour and the inner workings of our minds.
• Further Maths A-level: If you're driven by intellectual curiosity and wish to enhance your understanding of A-level Maths by studying this beautiful and creative subject at an even higher level, this is the further education course for you.
• Physics A-level: How did the universe begin? How will it end? Are we alone? A-level Physics is about analysing the world around us by asking fundamental questions and using experiments and mathematics to try to answer them.
• Computer Science A-level: Advances in computing are transforming the way we work and with its emphasis on abstract thinking, general problem-solving, algorithmic and mathematical reasoning, A-level Computer Science is an excellent foundation for understanding and applying solutions to these future challenges.
• Chemistry A-level: Chemistry is in everything you taste, smell, touch and see and we need chemists more than ever. This A-level will set you on your way to making your mark in everything from finding new antibiotics and ways to conserve coral reefs to making environmentally-friendly alternatives to current plastics.
• Biology A-level: From the intricate molecular world inside cells to how our body systems work, A-level Biology is the study of life in all its rich complexity. Intellectually stimulating, this course will encourage your curiosity and develop your scientific understanding, practical dexterity and mathematical problem-solving.