2026/27 Undergraduate Programme Catalogue

BSc Mathematics and Philosophy

Programme overview

Programme code
BS-MATH&PHIL
UCAS code
GVC5
Duration
3 Years
Method of Attendance
Full Time
Programme manager
Josh Habgood-Coote
Contact address
J.Habgood-Coote@leeds.ac.uk
Total credits
360
School/Unit responsible for the parenting of students and programme
Philosophy, Religion and History of Science
Examination board through which the programme will be considered
Relevant QAA Subject Benchmark Groups
Philosophy
Mathematics

Entry requirements

Entry Requirements are available on the Course Search entry

Programme specification

This programme is full time and in person. It does not include any distance learning elements.

Your course
The programme provides for breadth and depth, and to enable you to build a personalised portfolio of knowledge and competencies in each discipline, according to your intellectual ambitions, needs, and interests.

At level 1, students will be exposed to core topics in each discipline through compulsory modules. In Maths you will learn about mathematical structures and techniques, from understanding the fundamentals of number systems through to being able to solve ordinary differential equations. In Philosophy, your core module focuses on how to analyse ideas and construct effective arguments. You will also study at least one core sub-field of philosophy and can choose from a selection of ‘taster’ modules, such as philosophy of religion, science or race. With Maths, you will choose whether to study statistics or mathematical analysis, to prepare you to select a specialised pathway from level 2. The four higher-level pathways are pure maths, applied maths, statistics plus pure maths, or statistics plus applied maths.

In Philosophy, level 2 of the programme is designed to provide the opportunity to acquire knowledge of and competence in a range of core topics so that, by final year, you can specialise in a disciplinary sub-field (such as normative philosophy, applied philosophy or theoretical philosophy). In addition, you will take a module on philosophical method designed specifically for joint honours students. This will further develop your philosophical skills alongside learning how the study of philosophy connects with and enhances the study of mathematics, which provides a preparation for a final year compulsory module in the Philosophy of Logic and Maths.

Students can undertake a final year project in either of the disciplines which will showcase the subject-specific skills you have developed over the previous two years.

The programme showcases the distinctive areas of research strength in Philosophy and Maths at Leeds. Modules at higher levels will offer the opportunity to engage with current research of academics in each of the Schools, especially at level 3.

At each level, you may study Discovery modules to expand your knowledge and/or skills beyond your programme of study, which provides a further opportunity to shape your study to your ambitions, interests and needs.

The programme has an international variant, which includes a study abroad year at Level 3, and an industrial variant, which includes a work placement year at Level 3.

Your future
A joint honours degree in Mathematics and Philosophy will equip you with varied subject knowledge as well as an impressively broad set of skills, all of which is attractive to employers.
You’ll be confident interpreting both quantitative and qualitative data, and have excellent analytical and problem-solving skills. You’ll also be comfortable working independently or in a team and have good research skills. Crucially, you’ll also be able to look at a situation from different points of view and communicate clearly, both verbally and in writing – and you’ll have developed good organisational skills through managing two very different subjects.

Our world
Throughout this degree, students will have the opportunity to engage with material that demonstrates how each of maths and philosophy is relevant to understanding and navigating contemporary issues and concerns. In doing so, they acquire a developed and informed understanding of their own stance on those issues, and an enhanced understanding of the world in which we live, which can be applied in many and varied professional and social contexts.

Year 1

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable

Candidates must study 120 credits which may include up to 20 credits of Discovery modules.

Candidates must pass at least 100 credits, including any PFP modules and a minimum of 40 credits in Maths (MATH) and 40 credits in Philosophy (PHIL), to progress to the next year of the programme.

Compulsory Modules

Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory modules:  

CodeTitleCreditsSemesterPass for Progression
MATH1000Core Mathematics40Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)PFP
PHIL1260How To Do Philosophy20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Optional Modules

Candidates must study ONE of the following optional Maths modules: 

CodeTitleCreditsSemesterPass for Progression
MATH1110Real Analysis20Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)PFP
MATH1700Probability and Statistics20Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)PFP

Students who study MATH1110 can study only pathways 1a, 1b or 2 in year 2.
Students who study MATH1700 can study only pathways 2, 3 or 4 in year 2.

Candidates must study at least 20 credits from the following optional Philosophy modules: 

CodeTitleCreditsSemesterPass for Progression
PHIL1080The Good, The Bad, The Right, The Wrong20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
PHIL1090Knowledge, Self and Reality20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Candidates may study up to 20 credits from the following optional modules:

CodeTitleCreditsSemesterPass for Progression
PHIL1007Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion10Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
PHIL1015Thinking About Race10Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
PHIL1022Philosophy Meets the World10Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
PHIL1109How Science Works10Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Please note that optional modules run subject to enrolments. An optional module may not run if only a low number of students choose it.

Discovery Modules

Candidates may study up to 20 credits of discovery modules

Year 2

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable

Candidates must study 120 credits which may include up to 20 credits of Discovery modules.

Candidates must pass at least 100 credits, including any PFP modules and a minimum of 40 credits in Maths (MATH) and 40 credits in Philosophy (PHIL), to progress to the next year of the programme.

Compulsory Modules

Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory module:  

CodeTitleCreditsSemesterPass for Progression
PHIL2011Philosophical Method (JH Programmes)20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Optional Modules

Candidates will be required to study 20-40 credits of at least ONE and up to TWO of the following optional Philosophy modules. They may study two optional Philosophy modules but no more than one module may be in semester 1. Both modules may be in semester 2.

CodeTitleCreditsSemesterPass for Progression
PHIL2605Why Trust Science? Topics in Philosophy of Science20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
PHIL2615How Do You Know? Topics in Epistemology20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
PHIL2631God, Thought and the World: Topics in Philosophy of Religion20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
PHIL2635Universal Science: Topics in Formal Logic20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
PHIL2906Do the Right Thing: Topics in Moral Philosophy20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
PHIL2915How to Live Together: Topics in Political Philosophy20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
PHIL2925Reality Check: Topics in Metaphysics20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

PHIL2635 Universal Science: Topics in Formal Logic is mutually exclusive with MATH2140 Introduction to Logic: candidates may not study both. 

Candidates will be required to study ONE of the following 60-credit Maths pathways: Pure Maths (1a or1b), Applied Maths (2), Statistics and Pure Maths (3), Statistics and Applied Maths (4). Candidates must register on ALL of the modules in their pathway. They will be required to study the same pathway at Level 3.

Pathway 1a: Pure Maths (for candidates who are not studying PHIL2635 Universal Science: Topics in Formal Logic):

CodeTitleCreditsSemesterPass for Progression
MATH2120Rings and Polynomials10Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MATH2130Further Linear Algebra and Discrete Mathematics20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MATH2140Introduction to Logic10Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MATH2150Calculus, Curves and Complex Analysis20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Pathway 1b: Pure Maths (for candidates who are studying PHIL2635 Universal Science: Topics in Formal Logic):

CodeTitleCreditsSemesterPass for Progression
MATH2120Rings and Polynomials10Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MATH2130Further Linear Algebra and Discrete Mathematics20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MATH2150Calculus, Curves and Complex Analysis20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MATH2440Optimisation10Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Pathway 2: Applied Maths:

CodeTitleCreditsSemesterPass for Progression
MATH2350Vector Calculus and Partial Differential Equations20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MATH2380Calculus of Variations10Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MATH2400Mathematical Modelling20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MATH2440Optimisation10Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Pathway 3: Statistics and Pure Maths:

CodeTitleCreditsSemesterPass for Progression
MATH2130Further Linear Algebra and Discrete Mathematics20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MATH2701Statistical Methods20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MATH2702Stochastic Processes10Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MATH2703Time Series10Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Pathway 4: Statistics and Applied Maths:

CodeTitleCreditsSemesterPass for Progression
MATH2350Vector Calculus and Partial Differential Equations20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MATH2701Statistical Methods20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MATH2702Stochastic Processes10Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MATH2703Time Series10Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Please note that optional modules run subject to enrolments. An optional module may not run if only a low number of students choose it.

Discovery Modules

Candidates studying 40 credits of optional Philosophy modules may not study discovery modules. 

Candidates who are studying 20 credits of optional Philosophy modules will be required to study 20 credits of discovery modules or the following optional module:

CodeTitleCreditsSemesterPass for Progression
FOAH2020Towards the Future: Skills in Context20Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)

Year 3

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable

Optional Modules

Candidates must study 120 credits which may include up to 20 credits of Discovery modules.

CodeTitleCreditsSemesterPass for Progression
MATH3002Project in Mathematics40Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)PFP
PRHS3000Independent Research Project in Philosophy, Religion or History of Science40Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)PFP
PRHS3001Integrated Research Project in Philosophy, Religion or History of Science40Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)PFP
PRHS3700External Placement: Beyond the University40Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)PFP

All candidates must take optional modules in Philosophy. They may select from any of Baskets A, B and C. The number of credits depends on the choice of project module.

Candidates studying PRHS3000 or PRHS3001 or PRHS3700 must take 20-40 credits of optional modules in Philosophy.

Candidates who study MATH3002 must take 40-60 credits of optional modules in Philosophy.

BASKET A Generalist:

CodeTitleCreditsSemesterPass for Progression
PHIL3011Philosophy of Language20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
PHIL3014Truth20Not running in 202627
PHIL3015Non-Western Philosophy20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
PHIL3125Continental Philosophy20Not running in 202627
PHIL3322Aesthetics and the Philosophy of Art20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
PHIL3700Feminist Philosophy20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
PHIL3723War, Terror and Justice20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)

BASKET B Specialist:

CodeTitleCreditsSemesterPass for Progression
PHIL3123Philosophy of Logic and Mathematics20Not running in 202627
PHIL3320Philosophy of Biology20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
PHIL3852Philosophy of Modern Physics20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
PHIL3865Philosophy of the Social Sciences20Not running in 202627

BASKET C Applied:

CodeTitleCreditsSemesterPass for Progression
HPSC3113History and Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
PHIL3013Bioethics20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
PHIL3016Philosophy of Work and Play20Not running in 202627
PHIL3310Philosophy of Sex and Relationships20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
PHIL3855Philosophical Issues in Technology20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

All candidates must study optional modules in Maths. The number of credits depends on the choice of project module. They MUST select their modules from the same pathway they studied at Level 2.


BASKET D Pure Mathematics pathway:

Candidates who study MATH3002 must study EXACTLY ONE module from the following optional modules.

Candidates who study PRHS3000 or PRHS3001 or PRHS3700 must study a minimum of 40 and a maximum of 60 credits from the following optional modules including AT LEAST ONE of MATH3125 or MATH3140.

CodeTitleCreditsSemesterPass for Progression
MATH3115Graph Theory and Combinatorics20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MATH3125Groups and Symmetry20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MATH3130Differential Geometry20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MATH3140Metric Spaces and Measure Theory20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MATH3150Numbers and Codes20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MATH3165Proof and Computation20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

BASKET E Applied Mathematics pathway:

Candidates who study MATH3002 must study EXACTLY ONE module from the following optional modules.

Candidates who study PRHS3000 or PRHS3001 or PRHS3700 MUST study MATH3300 plus a further 20-40 credits from the following optional modules.

CodeTitleCreditsSemesterPass for Progression
MATH3300Methods of Applied Mathematics20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MATH3400Fluid Dynamics20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MATH3410Nonlinear Dynamical Systems and Chaos20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MATH3425Mathematical Biology20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MATH3430Entropy and Quantum Mechanics20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

BASKET F Statistics and Pure Mathematics pathway:

Candidates who study MATH3002 must study EXACTLY ONE module from the following optional modules.

Candidates who study PRHS3000 or PRHS3001 or PRHS3700 must study 40-60 credits from the following optional modules.

CodeTitleCreditsSemesterPass for Progression
MATH3115Graph Theory and Combinatorics20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MATH3125Groups and Symmetry20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MATH3150Numbers and Codes20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MATH3701Statistical Modelling20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MATH3702Multivariate Analysis and Classification20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

BASKET G Statistics and Applied Mathematics pathway:

Candidates who study MATH3002 must study EXACTLY ONE module from the following optional modules.

Candidates who study PRHS3000 or PRHS3001 or PRHS3700 must study 40-60 credits from the following optional modules.

CodeTitleCreditsSemesterPass for Progression
MATH3300Methods of Applied Mathematics20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MATH3425Mathematical Biology20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MATH3430Entropy and Quantum Mechanics20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MATH3701Statistical Modelling20Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MATH3702Multivariate Analysis and Classification20Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Discovery Modules

Candidates may study up to 20 credits of discovery modules.

Last updated: 11/05/2026 16:51:59

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