Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Mathematics with Placement Year

at University of Bath United Kingdom

Learn about the deep connections between mathematics and theoretical physics and develop your scientific computing and theoretical modelling skills to understand and solve complex physical problems.

This course is for you if you want to study a broad physics degree with less emphasis on experimental laboratories and a stronger focus on theoretical, mathematical and computational aspects of physics.

You'll study the cornerstones of theoretical physics while developing your understanding of their mathematical foundations. Our courses reflect our theoretical research expertise in condensed matter, photonics and astrophysics. The computational physics and programming aspects also reflect the more applied nature of our theoretical research.

The combination of theoretical and practical knowledge of physics and mathematics is highly sought-after by employers and also gives an excellent grounding for postgraduate or industrial research.

Placement Year

Apply your skills and knowledge to a year working full-time in a scientific or other professional organisation, anywhere around the world. It is an excellent opportunity to evaluate future career paths and broaden your experience and transferable skills, giving a competitive edge when applying for graduate jobs. 95% of physics students agreed their placement was valuable in helping their learning (National Student Survey 2017).

You can choose from a wide range of roles to match your interests, from working in marketing to a lab-based role at a research institute. We have links with some of the industry’s leading companies and recent employers include BAE Systems, CERN, Dyson, Morgan Stanley, Rolls-Royce and Samsung.

Prepare for an international career. Achieve fluency in your A-level language and pick up a new one. Deepen your knowledge and understanding of political and cultural issues.

Studying Modern Languages enables you to read, write and speak two foreign languages with proficiency, as well as understand the social, political, economic and cultural evolution of the principal countries in which these languages are spoken. This degree combines the study of two languages, one at advanced level and a second at either advanced level or at beginner (ab-initio) level.

You’ll gain a deep understanding of contemporary culture in these societies, providing you with a genuine international perspective. You will develop highly valuable work-related skills enabling you to conduct research and analysis with confidence. You’ll be able to communicate, debate and interact in your chosen languages at an advanced level.

You will have intensive language tuition in both languages throughout the course. Your ab initio language allows you to quickly learn the language in your first two years at Bath in order to achieve the ability to study abroad in the third year. Your advanced language will enable you to engage with cultural and political issues in the target language and achieve high levels of fluency.

You’ll gain skills in research, analysis, communication and argument, and experience direct exposure to the cultures you study.

Year abroad

A year abroad in your third year is an exciting part of the degree. On your year abroad you will spend time in the countries of your chosen languages, in Europe or beyond. You can choose to study at a foreign university, to work as a language assistant in a school abroad, or to undertake a work placement abroad. You also have the flexibility of a combination of any of these options.

Make sense of issues underpinning contemporary global challenges such as the impact of climate change and international inequalities.

On this degree you’ll combine the study of politics with an engagement in economic theory and practice. It will appeal if you’re interested in issues of global power, decision-making, democracy and inequality.

You’ll cover topics such as international politics, political ideologies and economic thought. You will explore a range of contemporary economic and political challenges facing national and international society, such as terrorism and climate change.

In your first year you'll focus on concepts and theories relating to both politics and international relations. You'll study economic theory and methodology, and explore contemporary political and economic systems.

In your second year you'll advance your knowledge in political and economic theory. You can focus your studies through optional units covering areas from global responses to international environmental crises, to the nature of UK Parliamentary politics. You'll also develop your skills in research design and methods.

You’ll carry out a year-long dissertation and select optional units relating to your interests in politics and economics, with themes such as financialisation, inter-state relations, and gender politics.

Placement Year

The placement year is an opportunity for you to use the theory you have learnt in a practical context. You will learn about an organization and its area of work. This is an excellent opportunity to test potential career paths. Sometimes permanent jobs are offered to our students.

You’ll develop skills such as teamwork, planning, problem-solving, decision making and project management. Employers value a year of professional work and you’ll gain an advantage in the job market.

Over the years we have built contacts with a large number of organizations that can provide the high standard of training we expect.

Develop an in-depth knowledge of the financial system. Use your quantitative skills and graduate ready for a career in finance or banking.

This course is for graduates who have little or no business experience and want a finance or banking-related career.

Receive a solid theoretical foundation in finance and banking. You’ll learn to analyse financial decisions and the motivations of people making them, and how to apply this knowledge in the real world.

Be part of the robotics revolution. Study a progressive area of engineering to pursue a career in robotics and automation.

Do you aspire to contribute to the future of an expanding industry in engineering? Our course will help you do this by advancing your knowledge of robotics, artificial intelligence and electronics systems at the forefront of engineering and design.

In your first two years, you'll learn core elements of electronic, electrical and mechanical engineering. A you'll combine this with aspects of computer science, giving you a comprehensive overview of robotics engineering. You'll be supported by, and benefit from, academic staff who are advancing research in our Centre for Autonomous Robotics (CENTAUR).

To become a skilled engineer, you need good technical design knowledge. That’s why our course places project work at the centre of your learning experience. Group projects challenge you to work in teams to solve practical engineering problems using communication, teamwork and management skills. You can also join one of our student teams who compete annually. These include Team Bath Racing Electric, Team Bath Drones and the autonomous underwater systems team.

You’ll graduate with a strong understanding of the operation, components and design techniques of robotics engineering. Your studies will prepare you for a career in robotics and automation in areas such as robotic systems design, autonomous systems and medical robotics.

Our MEng degrees give you an in-depth study experience through advanced taught units and project work and fulfil the educational requirements you need to become a Chartered Engineer.

Develop your knowledge of biomechanics, physiology and psychology. You will understand how humans function in sport, physical activity and health environments.

This degree has three core strands running throughout the course:

• Biomechanics will explore how humans create and control movement including athletes’ technique
• Physiology will cover the structure, function, regulation and performance of bodily systems
• Psychology will examine the role of thoughts, feelings and behaviours in sport and exercise settings

Through these core disciplines you'll apply your knowledge to sports performance and exercise participation and understand the relevance of sport and exercise science to current practice.

Use specialist facilities

As a student on one of our sport, exercise and health courses you'll have access to facilities that support your learning, including laboratories with specialist equipment and the latest technology, including:

• Applied Biomechanics Laboratory
• Applied Physiology Laboratory
• Biochemistry Laboratory
• Metabolic Research Laboratory
• A dedicated movement analysis suite

Year Abroad

You will have the opportunity to apply to study abroad at an approved partner institution. Your international experience will enhance your skills and prepare you for employment in the competitive global graduate market.

The study abroad option is currently available in Technical University of Munich (Germany) and Southern Cross University (Australia), and we continuously seek new partners to widen our study abroad offer.

The modern world needs thoughtful, politically-conscious, questioning economists. Become a professional who understands how economics and politics intertwine.

In this course, you’ll examine the challenges facing individuals, countries and the international community. You will develop an understanding of government and society through core concepts such as power, justice, conflict, accountability, obligation, sovereignty and decision making. You will develop strong analytical skills which will aid your understanding of the institutional, UK and global context within which economic decisions and policy formation takes place.

In your first year you'll study key concepts in microeconomic and macroeconomic theory. You'll explore political theory and analysis, introducing central subjects such as power and the state, democracy and the climate crisis.

In your second year you'll continue with more advanced study of political and economic theory. You'll study the exercise of power in societies and economies through an engagement with themes such as democratic theory, populist and nationalist politics, and the politics of race and gender.

In your final year you'll explore your interests through a range of optional units in both economics and politics.

By the end of the course, you will have an appreciation of the interface between economics and political science.

Placement Year

Taking a placement in your third year enables you to use the theory you have learned in a practical context. You will learn about an organisation and its area of work in the UK or overseas. This is an excellent opportunity to test potential career paths. Sometimes permanent jobs are offered to our students. You’ll develop skills such as teamwork, planning, problem-solving, decision making and project management.

Employers value a year of professional work and you’ll gain an advantage in the job market. Sometimes it is possible for you to acquire additional professional qualifications, particularly in accountancy, whilst on placement.

Placement opportunities can’t be guaranteed but you will receive tailored support from our specialist team to help you secure a placement.

Prepare yourself for a career in specialist language work including translation, editing and précis-writing.

If you're interested in working as a professional linguist or working with the written word to provide translations and specialised language services, this course is an excellent option.

With a growing demand for highly trained speakers of English in the UK and abroad, this specialist master's will equip you to set up your own freelance business or work in-house for an international organisation or language service provider.

Unlike other courses of its kind, ours covers a wide variety of skills, including editing, revision, précis-writing and proofreading. Employers and agencies have told us they’re looking for these services, so having the right skills will place you in a strong position for securing work. You'll have the opportunity to gain skills in public service and commercial interpreting, and you will learn about setting up your own translation business.

In some cases, we can arrange external translation training. This may be in international organisations, such as the EU and UN, or an independent translation agency, and will give you first-hand experience of the workplace and valuable contacts for building your career.

The course is taught by qualified tutors. While some have worked for international organisations, others have developed their careers as freelance linguists. All bring extensive experience to the classroom to give students invaluable advice.

Develop a broad foundation of theory and practical skills in mathematics, statistics and computing, preparing you for careers in mathematics and beyond.

Mathematical sciences combines traditional mathematics with statistics and computing. This course is for you if you’d like to keep your options open and study a broader range of topics.

Tailor to your interests

In the first year, you’ll explore an introduction to mathematics at university level before choosing areas in which you’d like to specialise later in the course. In year two, you’ll also have the option to study computing, physics and economics units run by other departments. All of our courses are flexible and allow for a wide choice of units after year one. If you find you want to specialise more, you may be able to switch courses during the first year.

Learn how to excel in an international business environment. Fulfil the demand for business leaders with both advanced language and management skills.

You will benefit from the expertise of two leading departments, the School of Management and the Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies.

You’ll gain specialised knowledge of relevant countries’ business environments and contemporary politics, society and culture. From day one you’ll be taught in French.

Year abroad

• In Year 3 you will spend up to 12 months in a French-speaking country. You'll have the flexibility to choose a work placement, International Academic Exchange or a combination of both. By spending a year abroad, you’ll have the opportunity to master French.