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Undergraduate Study

MSci Mathematics and Data Science - 2025 entry

Please note: The below is for 2025 entries. Click here for 2024 entries.
UCAS code GG19
Duration 4 years
Entry year 2025
Campus Streatham Campus
Discipline Mathematics
Contact

Web: Enquire online
Phone: +44 (0)1392 724061

Typical offer

View full entry requirements

A levels: AAA
IB: 36/666
BTEC: DDD

Contextual offers

A-Level: ABB
IB: 32/655
BTEC: DDM

Overview

  • An innovative and interdisciplinary degree combining traditional mathematical techniques with exciting contemporary applications in the field of data science
  • Allows you to use mathematics to develop a deeper understanding of the processes behind data manipulation
  • Designed in partnership with industry and aimed at those interested in following a career in data science or wishing to progress into further study, such as a PhD
  • Become expert at handling large and complex datasets and understand the statistical considerations which can affect results, such as bias and uncertainty
  • Over four years you’ll pursue your studies to master level where you will have access to a range of advanced topics such as social media text analysis and computer vision

View 2024 Entry

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Open Days and visiting us

How to apply

Contact

Web: Enquire online

Phone: +44 (0)1392 72 72 72

Discover Mathematics at the University of Exeter.

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Top 20 in the UK for Mathematics

16th in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024

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18th for Mathematics in the Complete University Guide 2025

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Partner to the Alan Turing Institute and home to Exeter’s Institute of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence

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Study abroad at one of our partner universities in Europe, USA, Canada, Australia and China

Entry requirements (typical offer)

Qualification Typical offer Required subjects
A-Level AAA GCE AL Maths grade A Candidates may offer GCE AL Maths, Pure Maths or Further Maths.
IB 36/666 HL6 in Mathematics (Analysis and Approaches)
BTEC DDD Applicants studying a BTEC Extended Diploma will also require GCE AL Maths grade A
GCSE 4 or C Grade 4/C in GCSE English language
Access to HE 30 L3 credits at Distinction Grade and 15 L3 credits at Merit grade 15 L3 credits at Distinction Grade in an acceptable Mathematics subject area
T-Level T-Levels not accepted N/A
Contextual Offer

A-Level: ABB
IB: 32/655
BTEC: DDM

Specific subject requirements must still be achieved where stated above. Find out more about contextual offers.

Other accepted qualifications

View other accepted qualifications

English language requirements

International students need to show they have the required level of English language to study this course. The required test scores for this course fall under Profile B2. Please visit our English language requirements page to view the required test scores and equivalencies from your country.

NB General Studies is not included in any offer.

Grades advertised on each programme webpage are the typical level at which our offers are made and provide information on any specific subjects an applicant will need to have studied in order to be considered for a place on the programme. However, if we receive a large number of applications for the programme we may not be able to make an offer to all those who are predicted to achieve/have achieved grades which are in line with our typical offer. For more information on how applications are assessed and when decisions are released, please see: After you apply

International Foundation programmes

Preparation for entry to Year 1 of an undergraduate degree:

Course content

The modules we outline here provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.

First year modules introduce you to the fundamental technical and professional skills needed to understand and engage with machine learning, artificial intelligence and data science. You will learn core knowledge and practical skills relating to data structures and algorithms that are commonly applied in this topic area.

Compulsory modules

CodeModuleCredits
ECM1400Programming15
ECM1410Object-Oriented Programming15
MTH1002Mathematical Methods30
MTH1004Probability, Statistics and Data30
COM1011Fundamentals of Machine Learning15
ECM1407Social and Professional Issues of the Information Age15

Second year compulsory modules further develop your knowledge of computational intelligence, data science in society and software development, giving you a broader skill set to continue on to your final year.

Compulsory modules

CodeModuleCredits
MTH2003Differential Equations15
MTH2004Vector Calculus and Applications15
MTH2006Statistical Modelling and Inference30
COM2011Machine Learning and Data Science15

Optional modules

CodeModuleCredits
ECM2434Group Software Engineering Project15
Select 30 credits from:
COM2014Computational Intelligence15
*Free choice elective15

In your final year you’ll choose from advanced modules in a wide range of topics. Industry-linked projects also take place and work placement opportunities are recommended. This variety of learning gives you practical experience and the confidence to conduct individual research, applying your expertise to solve real mathematical problems and find computing solutions.

Compulsory modules

CodeModuleCredits
COM3021Data Science at Scale15
ECM3401Individual Literature Review and Project45
COM3023Machine Learning and AI15

Optional modules

CodeModuleCredits
Select three modules (45 credits) at level 6, to include at least 2 of the following:
MTH3001Theory of Weather and Climate15
MTH3006Mathematical Biology and Ecology15
MTH3007Fluid Dynamics15
MTH3008Partial Differential Equations15
MTH3019Mathematics: History and Culture15
MTH3022Graphs, Networks and Algorithms15
MTH3024Stochastic Processes15
MTH3028Statistical Inference: Theory and Practice15
MTH3030Mathematics of Climate Change15
MTH3041Bayesian statistics, Philosophy and Practice15
MTH3042Integral Equations15
MTH3044Bayesian Data Modelling15
MTH3045Statistical Computing15
EMP3001Commercial and Industrial Experience15
MTH****Any other level 2 or 3 Mathematics module15

In your final year you’ll complete two major projects, one as a group and one individually, giving you the freedom to investigate a subject of your choosing. These projects will often be based on real-world applications data. Your fourth year will also give you access to a number of advanced topics not available on the BSc including modelling of climate systems, chaos and space weather.

Compulsory modules

CodeModuleCredits
ECMM427Group Development Project 30

Optional modules

CodeModuleCredits
ECMM428Individual Research Project30
Select 60 credits:
MTHM009Advanced Topics in Mathematical & Computational Biology15
MTHM017Advanced Topics in Statistics15
MTHM018Dynamical Systems and Chaos15
MTHM019Fluid Dynamics of Atmospheres and Oceans15
MTHM023Modelling the Weather and Climate15
MTHM030Waves, Instabilities and Turbulence15
MTHM031Magnetic Fields and Fluid Flows15
MTHM033Statistical Modelling in Space and Time15
MTHM042Advanced Probability Theory15
MTHM045Space Weather and Plasmas15
MTHM048Ergodic Theory15
MTHM052Mid-Latitude Weather Systems15
Any other level 4 Mathematics module(s)15
ECMM410Research Methodology15

Fees

Tuition fees for 2025 entry

UK students: £9,250 per year
International students: £29,800 per year

Scholarships

The University of Exeter has many different scholarships available to support your education, including £5 million in scholarships for international students, such as our Global Excellence Scholarships*. Financial support is also available for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, lower income households and other under-represented groups to help them access, succeed and progress through higher education.

* Terms and conditions apply. See online for details.

Find out more about tuition fees and scholarships

Learning and teaching

All our degrees involve a combination of teaching methods, including lectures, seminars, examples classes, workshops and tutorials. Most modules in mathematics involve three one-hour lectures per week, so you typically have 12 lectures per week. In the first year there are tutorial classes for each module every fortnight, except for modules involving computing or project work. Thus in the first year you would typically have around 16 contact hours per week. In the first term, the ‘Foundations’ module helps you with the transition from A level to university mathematics.

Private study and support

In addition to lectures and seminars, you should spend about 20 hours per week in private study. Working through examples and solving problems is a vital part of learning mathematics, and we advise you attempt all coursework problems, whether formally assessed or not. You will be allocated a personal tutor who will be happy to advise or put you in touch with support services and you are encouraged to discuss mathematical problems or questions with tutors and lecturers who advertise regular office hours. Extra support is available, for example through lunchtime mathematics surgeries or our peer mentor scheme, and we have an active student-staff liaison committee.

Project and computer work

There are modules at all levels that involve project work and report writing, and the final year project is a major piece of research and writing that allows you to go into depth for a specific area under the guidance of a member of academic staff. You can choose from wide range of possible project topics each year, or negotiate a topic/title with a member of academic staff. Several of the modules develop skills to use a range of modern computer tools for working with data, programming or symbolic algebra as well as typesetting and presentation.

Elective modules

Once you have mastered the foundations, our mathematics programmes offer in later years a wide range of options within the programme. In addition to the named degrees with study abroad, professional experience and year in industry, you can take optional (called elective) modules from all over the university in years 2 and 3. These options are subject to your availability, having the appropriate background (pre-requisites) and certain programme constraints.

A research and practice led culture

You will benefit from teaching by academic staff comprising internationally-recognised mathematicians, scientists and practitioners active across a wide range of topics in pure and applied mathematics, statistics and applications. As you progress through your degree, you will hear about the latest mathematical research and have opportunities (for example, the independent research project) to become actively involved in a research project yourself.

Assessment

Assessment for all degrees is through a combination of examinations and coursework. Examinations are the more important part of the process, but the coursework helps you to work steadily throughout your degree. This is particularly important in Mathematics where the subject matter develops logically as the degree progresses. Written examinations for mathematics modules are held in January and May/June of the first and second years and in May/June of each subsequent year. Some modules have tests, essays, presentations and/or project reports that contribute to the assessment.

Optional modules outside of this course

Each year, if you have optional modules available, you can take up to 30 credits in a subject outside of your course. This can increase your employability and widen your intellectual horizons.

Proficiency in a second subject

If you complete 60 credits of modules in one of the subjects below, you may have the words 'with proficiency in [e.g. Social Data Science]' added to your degree title when you graduate.

  • A Foreign Language
  • Data Science
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Innovation
  • Law
  • Leadership
  • Management
  • Social Data Science

Find out more about proficiency options

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Your future

Your curriculum has been developed with partners, including IBM, the Met Office, South West Water, Black Swan and Oxygen House. As well as hard skills such as programming and data analysis, you’ll develop important work place skills such as communication, presentation and teamwork.

Throughout your studies you will conduct individual and group projects using real world data sets. Modules will use current industry methods, platforms, software and data, to ensure that they are fully reflective of workplace practice.

We’ve designed our degrees with employability firmly in mind. There is an established strong market demand for suitably skilled data scientists and data science skills are increasingly being sought across many sectors, particularly by the finance and accounting industries, supermarkets, online retailers such as Amazon and the NHS.

You’ll be able to meet with local and national employers who regularly visit the university to engage with students, hosting mock interviews, CV workshops, drop-ins and lectures. This is a great opportunity for you to find out more about the day to day activities of their business and recruitment opportunities. Our Careers Service also host a wealth of employer activity, such as Careers Fairs, so you’ll never be short of chances to network with potential employers.

Career paths

The broad-based skills acquired during your degree will give you an excellent grounding for a wide variety of careers, not only those related to Mathematics but also in wider fields. Examples of roles recent graduates are now working as include:

  • Accountant
  • Actuary
  • Analyst Programmer
  • Business Analyst
  • Credit Risk Analyst
  • Data Science Developer
  • Investment Analyst
  • Software Engineer
  • Statistician
  • Tax Manager