Mathematics Operational Research and Statistics with a Professional Placement (BSc)

Program Overview

This four-year BSc program in Mathematics Operational Research and Statistics with a Professional Placement Year equips students with the skills and knowledge for careers in operational research and statistics. It emphasizes employability through a paid placement in the third year and a final year focused on advanced topics. The program is professionally accredited and offers a wide range of career opportunities in data science, finance, and other industries.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

This four-year BSc program in Mathematics Operational Research and Statistics with a Professional Placement Year prepares students for careers in operational research and statistics. It emphasizes employability, featuring a paid professional placement in the third year followed by a final year focusing on advanced topics.

Program Objectives:

• Equip students with the skills, methods, and ways of thinking to become confident statistical analysts
• Enable students to tackle complex organizational problems using methods like data collection, statistical modeling, and simulation
• Provide deep knowledge and skills required for careers in specialized areas of statistics and operational research
• Foster professional development through a paid work placement as a mathematician/statistician
• Grant the opportunity to be considered for the City and Guilds Senior Licentiateship Award upon completing the professional training period

Outline:

This full-time program consists of four years, with Year 3 dedicated to the Professional Placement Year.

• Year One: Focuses on core areas with modules in Elementary Differential Equations, Computing, Geometry, Foundations of Mathematics, Linear Algebra, Probability Theory, and Statistical Inference.
• Year Two: Continues building core knowledge with modules in Calculus of Several Variables, Complex Analysis, Series and Transforms, Linear Algebra, Foundations of Probability and Statistics, and Operational Research.
• Year Three: Students gain professional work experience as mathematicians/statisticians through paid employment placements.
• Year Four: No mandatory modules, offering a wide selection to specialize or further broaden knowledge, including opportunities like individual research projects.

Assessment:

Assessment methods vary between modules and can include written examinations and continuous assessments such as problem-solving exercises, written reports, computer programs, and oral presentations. Additionally, students reflect on their professional development and skills acquired in the placement through written documents and poster presentations during year 4.

Teaching:

Teaching methods vary from lectures and small-group tutorials to examples class discussions to individual independent studies in later years. Emphasis is placed on supporting learning through personal tutors, open-door policies by lecturers, the well-equipped School Library, and extensive online resources, including Learning Central's platform with its multimedia material, bibliographies, forums, and exercises.

Careers:

Graduates can use this degree for diverse employment prospects in data science, operational research, internet technology, medicine, banking, logistics, risk management, marketing, and more. Postgraduate studies in related sciences, computing, or engineering are other possibilities. The School's support includes masterclasses covering CVs, applications, interviews, and LinkedIn profiles, alongside regular student and employer presentations.

Other:

• This program is professionally accredited by the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications (IMA).
• This program boasts excellent facilities housed in Abacws, a modern building collaboratively designed for interdisciplinary work with innovative teaching areas like a simulated Trading Room for financial mathematics.

Summary:

• The program is four years long, including a paid professional placement year.
• Focuses on statistics, operational research, and employability skills development.
• Offers diverse learning and assessment approaches for a well-rounded education.
• Boasts extensive support systems and a career-oriented focus.
• Opens a wide door to various career opportunities, further study options and diverse professional development pathways.

Fees for home status

We are currently awaiting confirmation on tuition fees for the 2025/26 academic year. The University reserves the right to increase tuition fees in the second and subsequent years of a course as permitted by law or Welsh Government policy. Where applicable we will notify you of any change in tuition fee by the end of June in the academic year before the one in which the fee will increase.

Students from the EU, EEA and Switzerland

We are currently awaiting confirmation on tuition fees for the 2025/26 academic year. Learn more about the undergraduate fees for students from the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man. We are currently awaiting confirmation on tuition fees for the 2025/26 academic year.

Costs for sandwich years

During a sandwich year (e.g. year in industry, placement year or year abroad) a lower fee will apply.