MA Philosophy and Mathematics
UCAS code: VG51
Duration: 4 years
Delivery: Full-time
School: Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences
College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences
Introducing MA Philosophy and Mathematics
Philosophy
Philosophy has been at the core of Western intellectual life for at least 2,500 years. It is central to our understanding of the world and of our place in and interaction with it.
Philosophy provides the tools by which the presuppositions of all areas of intellectual and practical activity may be systematically and critically examined.
While there are different approaches that philosophers have taken, characteristic of philosophy is the emphasis on the use of:
- argument
- critical enquiry
- rigour in reasoning
- clarity of expression, including the making of pertinent distinctions
Philosophy at Edinburgh
The University has a strong historic connection to the subject, counting Adam Ferguson and Sir William Hamilton among its former students.
Edinburgh has one of the UK’s largest philosophy departments and the Philosophy Society attracts high-profile speakers.
Our programme is structured in such a way that you will cover the basics of Western philosophy and have the opportunity to specialise in the areas of most interest.
Mathematics
Mathematics courses will initially enable you to develop on your knowledge of pure mathematics in a formal way and be introduced to the ways of mathematical thinking required at university level.
As you progress through the programme, you will receive an excellent grounding in advanced mathematics, studying a combination of compulsory and optional maths courses alongside philosophy.
Year 1
Philosophy
You will study:
- Morality and Value
- Logic 1
These courses introduce you to key topics in morality and ethics and the nature of argument.
Mathematics
You will also take:
- Introduction to Linear Algebra
- Calculus and its Applications
- Proofs and Problem Solving
These will allow you to build on your knowledge of pure mathematics and will introduce you to the more rigorous ways of mathematical thinking required at university level.
Option courses
You can also choose to take one of:
- Introduction to the History of Philosophy
- Philosophy of Science 1
- Introduction to Data Science
Some students will also take our online course, Fundamentals of Algebra and Calculus. This introductory course provides extra preparation in key topics from more advanced high school-level mathematics and supports the transition to university.
Support
You will receive support from the MathsBase, our popular walk-in help centre, and from our Mathematics Student Support Team.
Year 1 students will also have the option of taking part in the peer-assisted learning scheme, MathPALs.
Year 2
Philosophy
In philosophy, you will take two courses:
- Mind, Matter and Language
- Knowledge and Reality
Mathematics
You will also take:
- Several Variable Calculus and Differential Equations
- Fundamentals of Pure Mathematics
Option courses
You can also choose to take other philosophy or mathematics courses, or further courses related to the field.
Support
From this year onwards you can use the MathsHub, our student-run facility in the James Clerk Maxwell Building, which is both a social centre and a work space.
Year 3
You will start to specialise. You will choose from a range of courses linked to our areas of expertise.
Philosophy
In philosophy, courses include topics related to the major areas of the subject.
Mathematics
You will study two compulsory mathematics Honours courses, and will have the option to start to specialise within your degree.
You will be able to choose from:
- Honours Algebra
- Honours Analysis
- Honours Complex Variables
- Honours Differential Equations
Our Honours mathematics courses provide an excellent grounding in advanced mathematics, and will prepare you for the options available later in your programme.
Each of these Honours courses contain a skills component, enabling you to develop valuable employability skills such as:
- programming
- group work
- presentation skills
Current optional mathematics courses include:
- Financial Mathematics
- Introduction to Number Theory
- Statistical Computing
Year 4
You will choose another four to six courses from a wide variety available.
You will also complete either a project in mathematics or a dissertation in philosophy.
Philosophy
In philosophy, the dissertation can be taken as either:
- an independent dissertation on a philosophy topic of your choice, or
- a coursework dissertation through two extended essays in philosophy
Mathematics
Our mathematics course selection is influenced by our varied research interests in the School. As a result, we offer a large selection of courses in:
- pure mathematics
- applied mathematics
- statistics
- operational research
- financial mathematics
- mathematical biology
- mathematical education
You will be able to follow a programme that suits your particular interests and career aspirations.
Current courses include:
- General Topology
- Symmetry and Geometry
- Stochastic Modelling
- Mathematical Education
- Entrepreneurship in the Mathematical Sciences
Programme structure
Find out more about the compulsory and optional courses in this degree programme.
To give you an idea of what you will study on this programme, we publish the latest available information. However, please note this may not be for your year of entry, but for a different academic year.
Our facilities
The majority of philosophy teaching takes place at facilities located within the University's Central Area.
In Year 1, mathematics classes typically take place in the University's Central Area. In subsequent years, mathematics teaching will take place at the King's Buildings campus, often in the James Clerk Maxwell Building where the School of Mathematics is located.
Please note that your subjects will be taught on different campuses from Year 2 onwards, and so you may need to travel between campuses for classes.
MathsBase and MathsHub
In addition to the University's extensive libraries and computer facilities, you will have access to the School of Mathematics’ facilities, MathsBase and MathsHub.
MathsBase is a large study space in the Central Area for students studying mathematics in Year 1. As well as lots of desk space and whiteboard walls, it is home to our walk-in help centre where you can get help from a tutor, as well as our peer-assisted learning scheme, MathPALS.
MathsHub is in the James Clark Maxwell Building and is for mathematics students in Years 2 and above. It is a suite of three rooms, including a common room style space and a kitchen, as well as more traditional study space.
Take a closer look at all our facilities on the University’s Virtual Visit site
Study abroad
There are opportunities to study abroad in Year 3 through international exchange programmes.
How will I learn?
Philosophy
Philosophy courses are taught through a combination of lectures and tutorials.
Mathematics
Lectures
In Year 1, mathematics lectures are usually interactive: lecturers use online voting systems and encourage small group discussion to improve your understanding of core material.
Lectures in later years follow a more 'traditional' lecturing style but do occasionally incorporate the voting system.
Workshops
Mathematics lectures are also supported by workshops, our small-group teaching sessions.
These sessions are to give you an opportunity to practise applying the concepts learnt in lectures and develop your understanding further.
You will work with 5-6 other students, and a tutor will be on hand to answer questions and support you.
Collaborative work outside of lectures
We encourage students to work collaboratively outside of lectures as well. We provide spaces such as the MathsBase and MathsHub to enable this.
First year students also have the option of taking part in our peer-assisted learning scheme, MathPALS, and of making use of our drop-in tutor sessions in the MathsBase.
How will I be assessed?
You will be assessed by a mixture of coursework and exams.
In Year 4, you will also complete either an independent dissertation on a topic of your choice, or a coursework dissertation through two extended essays.
Studying a joint honours programme enables you to develop a wider range of transferable skills, and opens up more varied employment opportunities.
Philosophy
The philosophy courses you study throughout your programme will provide you with the analytical and critical-thinking skills that are highly valued in the workplace.
Previous graduates have gone on to work in:
- education
- commerce
- journalism
- finance
- law
- computing
Some graduates also choose to continue with their studies and pursue a research or academic career.
Mathematics
During the mathematics portion of your degree, you will develop logical, analytic, programming and data analysis abilities, together with presentation and practical problem-solving skills. These are highly sought-after by employers.
Many recent mathematics graduates have been employed by large firms in the financial sector. Others have gone into fields including:
- software engineering
- logistics
- education
- the civil service
Opportunities to develop skills at the University
There are many opportunities within the University for you to develop your skills and enhance your CV.
You can:
- become a Student Ambassador to enthuse prospective students
- work with the wider community as a member of the Mathematics Outreach Team
- apply for a project scholarship to work with a university lecturer during the summer
The School of Mathematics regularly invites alumni back to the School to share their experiences with students and to showcase the breadth of careers available to graduates with a maths background.
You will also be able to access the School of Mathematics' weekly employability events, including:
- presentations from industry employers
- alumni careers showcases
- useful workshops to help you prepare for applying to internships, jobs and further study
Standard entry requirement
The standard entry requirement is:
- SQA Highers: AAAAA-AAAA (achievement by end of S5 preferred). BBB must be achieved in one year of S4-S6.
- A Levels: A*AB - A*BB.
- IB: 37 points with 666 at HL - 34 points with 655 at HL.
Minimum entry requirement
The minimum entry requirement for widening access applicants is:
- SQA Highers: AABB by end of S6. BBB must be achieved in one year of S4-S6.
- A Levels: A*BB.
- IB: 34 points with 655 at HL.
More information for widening access applicants
Required subjects
The grades used to meet our entry requirements must include:
SQA: Highers: Mathematics at A or Advanced Higher Mathematics at B. Higher Applications of Mathematics is not accepted in place of Higher Mathematics. Sixth-year work in Mathematics is recommended. Your Mathematics qualifications must have been achieved no more than two academic years prior to entry. National 5s: English at C. (Revised 2 May 2022 to include requirement for recent study of Mathematics.)
A Levels: Mathematics at A*. Your Mathematics qualifications must have been achieved no more than two academic years prior to entry. GCSEs: English at C or 4. (Revised 2 May 2022 to include requirement for recent study of Mathematics.)
IB: HL: Mathematics (Analysis and approaches only) at 6. Your Mathematics qualifications must have been achieved no more than two academic years prior to entry. SL: English at 5. (Revised 2 May 2022 to include requirement for recent study of Mathematics.)
Find out more about entry requirements
International applicants
We welcome applications from students studying a wide range of international qualifications.
Mature applicants
We welcome applications from mature students and accept a range of qualifications.
You must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies, regardless of your nationality or country of residence.
SQA, GCSE and IB
For SQA, GCSE and IB students, unless a higher level is specified in the stated entry requirements, a pass is required in English at the following grades or higher:
- SQA National 5 at C
- SQA Standard Grade at 3
- GCSE at C or 4
- Level 2 Certificate at C
- IB Standard Level at 5 (English ab initio is not accepted for entry)
English language tests
We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:
- IELTS Academic: total 6.5 with at least 5.5 in each component.
- TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 92 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
- C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 176 with at least 162 in each component.
- Trinity ISE: ISE II with distinctions in all four components.
- PTE Academic: total 62 with at least 54 in each component.
We also accept a wider range of international qualifications and tests.
English language qualifications must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the degree you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL or Trinity ISE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.
This information is part of a government initiative to enhance the material that higher education institutions provide about their degree programmes.
It is one of many sources of information which will enable you to make an informed decision on what and where to study.
Please note that some programmes do not have Discover Uni data available.
Tuition Fees
Tuition fees for MA Philosophy and Mathematics
Additional costs
You should expect to purchase necessary textbooks for some compulsory and optional components of your programme.
Funding
For more information on how much it will cost to study with us and the financial support available see our fees and funding information.
- Have a query about undergraduate study?
- Send an enquiry
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