Master of Science in Mathematics and Philosophy

at University of Bristol - Clifton Campus United Kingdom

This MA builds on these outstanding research strengths. It is intended for graduates of philosophy, psychology or biology who wish to study philosophy of science with an emphasis on the biological and cognitive sciences. The programme focuses on philosophical issues arising from these scientific disciplines. The history of science is studied in terms of the philosophical debate about the nature of scientific method and knowledge.

The MSci Physiological Science is focused on an extended research project, which provides the opportunity to gain an in-depth understanding of how to plan and perform experimental research in a specialised subject area. The course provides valuable day-to-day experience of what it is like to be a researcher and develops the skills required to embark on a career in research.

The first three years follow the BSc Physiological Science. During years one and two you will learn how the major organ systems in the body function together to maintain health. Alongside physiology, you will have the opportunity to study complementary subjects, including pharmacology, anatomy and psychology, broadening your knowledge of the biomedical sciences.

By the third year you will be getting to grips with the latest cutting-edge research on topics such as neurological and psychiatric disorders and the heart in health and disease, taught by staff who are internationally recognised in their research area.

The majority of your fourth year will focus on an extended research project in a research laboratory environment. Alongside this you will develop valuable skills in communicating science to the public and will develop a portfolio of public engagement activities. You will also learn how to work effectively in groups and how to create and develop ideas to solve specific scientific challenges.

This final year will instil a range of skills essential for understanding how to plan and conduct research projects; these skills are widely applicable to future employment and benefit those considering future PhD training.

Graduates in MSci Physiological Science are ideally equipped to embark on a career in research and have skills that are suitable for a wide variety of careers, including education, healthcare and management.

The MSci Pharmacology degree is a four-year degree with an extended research project in the final year. This degree provides the opportunity to gain an excellent knowledge of pharmacology and apply it to experimental research. The extended project will provide valuable day-to-day experience of what it is like to be a researcher and develops the skills required to embark on a career in research.

The first three years of this degree follow the BSc Pharmacology course, with the opportunity to study a number of core pharmacology units in the first two years. These units will introduce you to the fundamentals of drug action and how drugs interact with their targets.

The degree is focused on the pharmacology of the nervous and cardiovascular systems and provides extensive investigation into how drugs are being used in a variety of disorders. You will also be able to choose further units in the first two years, including biochemistry, molecular genetics, infection and immunity, cellular and molecular medicine and mammalian physiology.

Third-year units emphasise the molecular mechanisms of drug action within the nervous and cardiovascular systems. These units are taught from the current scientific literature and will take you to the forefront of current research, which you evaluate by undertaking a literature-based research project.

The final year of the MSci Pharmacology will focus on an extended research proposal within a research laboratory using advanced techniques. Alongside the project you will take units that will develop valuable skills in communicating science to the public and will develop a portfolio of public engagement activities.

This final year will instil a range of skills essential for understanding how to plan and conduct research projects; these skills are widely applicable to future employment and will also benefit those considering future PhD training.

If you are curious about our planet and interested in finding solutions to global problems, this course is for you. Learn about the physics, chemistry and history of the Earth through examining earth materials such as rocks, minerals and fossils, and use remote sensing techniques to explore the structure and chemistry of its inaccessible areas.

Learn with experts whose research feeds directly into your studies at the cutting edge of scientific developments. Recent options have included Volcanic Hazards, Global Tectonics, Mineral Resources and Hydrogeology. By your final year you’ll be conducting your own independent research and exploring the questions that matter most to you.

We have a large geology collection and the ability to measure unique geochemical reactions, giving you a real feel for geology in practice.

Field trips are a huge part of why our community is so tight knit, giving you the chance to get to know your course mates while honing your practical skills. 

This course allows you to combine two historically interlinked disciplines and develop a breadth of skills across both economics and philosophy.

The economics part of the course is technically rigorous and will build your analytical skills. There are mandatory units in macro- and microeconomics, mathematics, statistics and econometrics (the application of statistical methods to data to estimate economic models). These are complemented by units in philosophy, which will equip you with skills in textual analysis, written and verbal expression, logic and critical thinking.

As you progress through your degree you will be able to take an increasing number of optional units and specialise in areas that interest you most.

Previously, economics options have included: History of Economic Thought; Environmental Economics; Current Economic Problems.

Previous philosophy options have included: Philosophy of Psychology; Evil, Deviance and Crime; Classical Chinese Philosophy.

Sociotechnical changes create a wide range of challenges and opportunities for educators and those who participate in and support learning around the world. Digital technologies (such as microcomputers, digital games, mobile devices, massive online open courses, artificial intelligence, robots, social media, big data, and virtual or tangible technologies) are increasingly becoming embedded in our societies and being used in both educational settings and our everyday learning. The Learning, Technology and Society pathway is designed for those who wish to take a critical perspective on the use of technology in diverse educational settings.

It is suitable for people with a variety of educational backgrounds and experiences, including teachers and lecturers, creative technologists and those who support informal learning settings such as museums and public spaces.

The pathway will provide you with a firm foundation for developing your career in teaching and facilitating learning in formal and informal settings, education leadership, research or learning technology. You will develop an in-depth understanding of sociotechnical change and a critical perspective on if and how digital technologies can support learning in a wide variety of settings. In addition, the pathway will prepare you to undertake further research in this rapidly developing field.

This pathway is taught in an international centre of excellence in teaching, research and educational technology. The tutors on the course are world-class academics with excellent research records in the field of education, technology and society.

The centrepiece of the MSci Biochemistry degree is an extended research project that allows you to develop in-depth expertise in your area of specialism and acquire the skills required to embark on a research career. The MSci covers all the major aspects of biochemistry with an emphasis on cutting-edge research.

The first two years of the MSci are identical to the BSc. You can tailor the course to suit your interests across all years by combining your study of biochemistry with a choice of subject options.

In the first year these include anatomy, pathology, microbiology, pharmacology and physiology. Your second year combines biochemistry and molecular genetics with a choice of units covering topics such as neurophysiology, infection and immunity, mathematics and languages.

In your third year you will learn about a range of advanced topics in biochemistry and cell biology and participate in a laboratory-based research training unit where you will develop the skills needed to define and solve research problems.

This prepares you for a research-intensive fourth year, where you will spend up to 16 weeks on an individual research project under the supervision of one of our research group leaders.

You will learn about the context in which scientific research is undertaken through the Science and Society unit and complete your studies by choosing two advanced options, which could include Synthetic Biology, Cell Biology of Development and Disease, and Protein Assemblies and Molecular Machines.

Criminology is a multidisciplinary subject comprising elements of sociology, law, social and public policy, history, psychology and philosophy. BSc Criminology with Study Abroad is an exciting course that gives you the opportunity to study criminology within a broader framework of policy studies. You will also have the opportunity to study at a partner overseas university in your third year.

The course will provide you with an understanding of crime and justice and related social harms and an analysis of public policy interventions that contribute towards a fairer, safer and harm-free society.

The course follows a similar structure to the three-year BSc Criminology. In your first and second years you will take a range of mandatory and optional units that introduce you to the interdisciplinary study of criminology and justice.

You will spend your third year at one of our partner institutions overseas, where you can take criminology or broader social sciences, arts and humanities subjects. For more information about studying overseas see Global Opportunities.

You will return to Bristol for the final year of the course, which is identical to the third year of the BSc Criminology, and will complete a dissertation and further criminology-related units.

This degree develops analytical and quantitative skills applicable to a wide range of careers in economics and beyond.

We teach economics in a technically rigorous way. Econometrics - the application of statistical methods to data to estimate economic models - is a central component of the programme. During the first two years, mandatory units in macro and micro-economics, mathematics, statistics and econometrics provide you with a strong foundation.

You will complement this with optional modules from a wide range of choices within the Schools of Economics, Finance and Management and other parts of the University. The number of options increases as you progress through the degree, allowing you to select units from the areas of economics that most interest you.

In the final year most students choose an applied economics dissertation. You will also select from a wide range of optional units; in recent years these have included Behavioural Economics, Corporate Finance, Development Economics, Environmental Economics, Industrial Economics, International Economics and Operations Management.

The Study Abroad course offers you the opportunity to extend your degree to four years, spending your third year studying economics in English at a university in Europe or farther afield. This course allows you to combine the challenging, broad academic content of our economics degree with an overseas dimension that reflects the international nature of the economy.