Mathematics and Statistics

Mathematics and statistics are disciplines whose strength comes from their combination: mathematics provides the rigorous theoretical framework and the abstract structures, while statistics provides the scientific method for working with data in the real world, extracting patterns, testing hypotheses, and making inferences that go beyond what is immediately observed. Together they equip you for the full spectrum of quantitative analysis, from the proof of theorems to the interpretation of large datasets.

At the University of Glasgow you will follow this four-year programme, developing depth in both areas over the duration of the Scottish Honours degree. You will study the core areas of pure mathematics, including analysis and algebra, alongside applied mathematical topics and the full range of modern statistical methods: probability theory, statistical inference, regression, Bayesian statistics, and the computational approaches that make statistical analysis of real data possible. Mathematics at Glasgow is described as a vast and ever-growing subject incorporating successful explorations of numerical, geometrical, and logical relationships, and the programme honours that breadth.

Graduates of mathematics and statistics are in strong and sustained demand across the economy. Finance, insurance and actuarial science, data science, the pharmaceutical industry, government statistical services, environmental modelling, educational research, market research, and management consultancy all employ graduates with these skills. The ability to think rigorously about quantitative problems and to communicate statistical findings clearly to non-specialist audiences is genuinely rare and genuinely valuable.

Many graduates pursue postgraduate study in statistics, data science, operational research, financial mathematics, or actuarial science, building specialist expertise on the strong quantitative foundation the degree provides.