Mathematics with French (BSc)

You'll cover fundamentals like linear algebra and calculus. While calculus may already be familiar, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the underlying ideas, before moving on to extend these ideas into higher dimensions. Linear algebra develops yours skills in accurately manipulating vectors and matrices. You'll also learn about probability and statistics and get a taste of operational research.

You'll complete a Stage 4 in French, which will give you skills to:

• extract and synthesise key information from written and spoken sources
• engage in analytical and evaluative thinking
• develop problem-solving skills

In your second year, you'll build on your maths knowledge learning about analysis and differential equations. You'll be able to choose different groups of modules. For example, you can:

• study group theory, one of the great simplifying and unifying ideas in modern mathematics, along with geometry and topology.
• focus on applied mathematics, applying the techniques from complex numbers and multivariable calculus to model airflow over a wing.
• choose statistics, learning about statistical distributions and statistical modelling.

There are also options from operational research or financial mathematics.

In French, you'll progress to Stage 5, which will give you skills to:

• reflect critically and make judgements in the light of evidence and argument
• interpret layers of meaning within texts and other cultural products
• use language creatively and precisely for a range of purposes and audiences

You'll spend your third year in France or Belgium, usually in a mathematics department of an Erasmus partner university.

This year is your opportunity to immerse yourself in French, and gain a deep understanding of the social, economic and political make-up of your host country.

From pure mathematics you could study Galois theory or number theory, infinite dimensional spaces or algebraic invariants of a shape. You could apply your statistical knowledge to the design of experiments or to simulating statistical events.

In applied mathematics you could model black holes and cosmology or epidemics and biochemical reactions, learn about Laplace and Fourier transforms or solutions of the Navier-Stokes equation. You could also choose from topics in optimisation, actuarial mathematics or modern applications of mathematics such as machine learning and social networks.

You’ll also undertake a project, choosing from:

• 'maths and your future': working in small teams to analyse data and apply your mathematical learning to a problem that has been raised by a local or national employer.
• ‘mathematical investigation and communication’: learning independently about new areas of mathematics or applying your skills of modelling and computation.
• ‘communicating and teaching mathematics’: acting as an ambassador for mathematics in schools and gaining classroom experience.

You'll complete your French studies at Level 7, which is an advanced level of proficiency. You'll be able to understand with ease, including subtleties of meaning and nuance.