Mathematics Operational Research and Statistics with a Professional Placement (BSc)

Subject area: Mathematics
UCAS code: G990
Next intake: September 2025
Duration: 4 years
Mode: Full time with sandwich year

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Mathematics Operational Research and Statistics with a Professional Placement (BSc)

Why study this course

This four-year degree features an employability-enhancing third year working in a paid role, providing the ideal preparation for a career in operational research and statistics.

Professional Placement Year

Spend your third year in paid work as a mathematician or statistician where you can gain valuable work experience and develop your professional skills. We have strong links with industry and a dedicated placements team to help you find a placement and support you during your time there.

Professional award consideration

If you complete the professional training period, you can be considered for the City and Guilds Senior Licentiateship Award (LCGI).

Specialist knowledge

Alongside learning a broad range of mathematical techniques, you will gain the in-depth knowledge and skills required to secure a role in specialised areas of statistics and operational research.

Excellent facilities

You will be taught in Abacws, the new home for the School of Mathematics. This world-leading facility has been designed in collaboration with students and academic staff to create interdisciplinary, flexible and creative workspaces, with innovative teaching areas being a key feature, including a new simulated Trading Room for financial mathematics.

Professionally accredited course

This degree is accredited by the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications (IMA).

Gain valuable hands-on experience and develop your professional skills whilst delving deeper into the fascinating world of Operational Research and Statistics.

Operational Research, or Management Science, uses advanced statistical and analytical techniques to help organisations and individuals make decisions efficiently. Working in this field you might be:

determining manpower and resources allocation
finding sequences in a supply and procurement chain
developing customer profiles and segments

This course will equip you with the skills, methods and ways of thinking you need to become a confident statistical analyst. You will be able to tackle complex organisational problems using methods such as data collection, statistical modelling and simulation.

This four-year version of the degree includes a year of paid work in a mathematician and/or statistician role during year three. You will return to Cardiff following the successful completion of your work placement at the start of the autumn semester ready for your final year of studies.

In a competitive graduate job market, a placement can help you gain extra skills and experience to make you stand out from the crowd. It could help you secure a permanent role after you graduate, as well as providing real-world context to support your studies. If you're not sure what career path to follow, it's a great opportunity to explore your options and might even help you make those all-important decisions about your future.

Our students have completed exciting placements at organisations including:

HM Revenue & Customs
NHS Wales
The Office of National Statistics
IBM

Accreditations

Institute of Mathematics and its Applications (IMA)

Subject area: Mathematics

School of Mathematics
Get in touch
+44 (0)29 2087 4811
Senghennydd Road, Cathays, Cardiff, CF24 4AG

Entry requirements

We accept a combination of A-levels and other qualifications, as well as equivalent international qualifications subject to entry requirements. Typical offers are as follows:

A level

AAB-BBB. Must include Maths.

Extended/International Project Qualification: Applicants with grade A in the EPQ/IPQ will typically receive an offer one grade lower than the standard offer. Please note that any subject specific requirements must still be met.

Our grade range covers our standard offer and contextual offer. We carefully consider the circumstances in which you've been studying (your contextual data) upon application. Eligible students will be given an offer that is lower than the standard offer (usually the middle or lower end of the advertised grade range).
Where there is no grade range advertised and/or where there are selection processes in place (like an interview) you may receive additional consideration in the selection process.

Learn about eligible courses and how contextual data is applied.

International Baccalaureate

34-31 overall or 666-665 in 3 HL subjects. Must include grade 6 in HL Maths or Maths Analysis and Approaches.

Baccalaureate Wales

From September 2023, there will be a new qualification called the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales (level 3). This qualification will replace the Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (Welsh Baccalaureate). The qualification will continue to be accepted in lieu of one A-Level (at the grades listed above), excluding any specified subjects.

Other essential requirements

You must have or be working towards:
- English language or Welsh language at GCSE grade C/4 or an equivalent (such as A-levels). If you require a Student visa, you must ensure your language qualification complies with UKVI requirements.

We do not accept Critical Thinking, General Studies, Citizenship Studies, or other similar equivalent subjects.
We will accept a combination of BTEC subjects, A-levels, and other qualifications, subject to the course specific grade and subject requirements.

English language requirements

GCSE

Grade C or grade 4 in GCSE English Language.

IELTS (academic)

At least 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each subskill.

TOEFL iBT

At least 90 overall with a minimum of 17 for writing, 17 for listening, 18 for reading, and 20 for speaking.

PTE Academic

At least 69 overall with a minimum of 59 in all communicative skills.

Trinity ISE II/III

II: at least two Distinctions and two Merits.
III: at least a Pass in all components.

Other accepted qualifications

Please visit our English Language requirements page for more information on our other accepted language qualifications.

Criminal convictions

You are not required to complete a DBS (Disclosure Barring Service) check or provide a Certificate of Good Conduct to study this course.

If you are currently subject to any licence condition or monitoring restriction that could affect your ability to successfully complete your studies, you will be required to disclose your criminal record. Conditions include, but are not limited to:

access to computers or devices that can store images
use of internet and communication tools/devices
curfews
freedom of movement, including the ability to travel to outside of the UK or to undertake a placement/studies outside of Cardiff University
contact with people related to Cardiff University.

Other qualifications from inside the UK

Qualifications from outside the UK

Please see our admissions policies for more information about the application process.

Tuition fees for 2025 entry

Your tuition fees and how you pay them will depend on your fee status. Your fee status could be home, island or overseas.

Learn how we decide your fee status

Fees for home status

We are currently awaiting confirmation on tuition fees for the 2025/26 academic year.

¹ The University reserves the right to increase tuition fees in the second and subsequent years of a course as permitted by law or Welsh Government policy. Where applicable, we will notify you of any change in tuition fee by the end of June in the academic year before the one in which the fee will increase.

Students from the EU, EEA and Switzerland

We are currently awaiting confirmation on tuition fees for the 2025/26 academic year.

Fees for island status

Learn more about the undergraduate fees for students from the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.

Fees for overseas status

We are currently awaiting confirmation on tuition fees for the 2025/26 academic year.

Costs for sandwich years

During a sandwich year (e.g. year in industry, placement year or year abroad) a lower fee will apply. Full details can be found on our fees pages.

Additional costs

Accommodation

We have a range of residences to suit your needs and budget. Find out more on our accommodation pages.

Living costs

We're based in one of the UK's most affordable cities. Find out more about living costs in Cardiff.

Course structure

We are currently working with our students to update and improve the content of this course. The information shown below reflects the current curriculum and is likely to change. The review of the course is expected to be completed by August 2025 and this page will be updated by end of October 2025 to reflect the changes.

This is a four year full-time degree with year three spent working in industry. The course includes a carefully chosen balance of core modules and optional modules. Modules are worth 10 or 20 credits and you need to earn 120 credits a year. The modules you choose in years one and two will inform the choices available to you later.

The modules shown are an example of the typical curriculum and will be reviewed prior to the 2025/2026 academic year. The final modules will be published by September 2025.

Year one

In Year One, your core modules will cover the foundation areas of Pure and Applied Mathematics. You're also able to choose between modules in Financial Mathematics, Statistics, Computing, and Operational Research. The Operational Research and Statistics modules will introduce you to Classical Mechanics and Corporate Financial Management.

Much of Year One is common to all of our degree schemes so transfer to another Mathematics degree is normally possible.

You are required to pass all first-year modules and achieve an average of at least 50% to proceed to the application stage.

Core modules for year one

Module title	Module code	Credits
Elementary Differential Equations	MA1001	10 credits
Computing for Mathematics	MA1003	20 credits
Geometry	MA1004	10 credits
Foundations of Mathematics I	MA1005	20 credits
Foundations of Mathematics II	MA1006	20 credits
Linear Algebra I	MA1008	10 credits
Introduction to Probability Theory	MA1500	10 credits
Statistical Inference	MA1501	10 credits

Optional modules for year one

Module title	Module code	Credits
Classical Mechanics	MA1301	10 credits
Finance I: Financial Markets and Corporate Financial Management	MA1801	10 credits

Year two

In Year Two your core modules continue to broaden your knowledge in areas like Statistics and Operational Research. There is a greater choice of specialist financial modules.

The modules you select will inform the choices available to you in Year Three.

You are free to transfer to the BSc Financial Mathematics degree scheme if you decide not to take the Professional Placement Year.

We will provide help and support to help you find a placement in preparation for year three, however, the responsibility for securing a role rests with you. If you are unable to obtain a placement in year two, you will be transferred to the three-year BSc Financial Mathematics degree.

You are required to pass a minimum of 100 credits to progress to the Professional Placement Year.

Core modules for year two

Module title	Module code	Credits
Calculus of Several Variables	MA2001	10 credits
Complex Analysis	MA2003	10 credits
Series and Transforms	MA2004	10 credits
Linear Algebra II	MA2008	20 credits
Foundations of Probability and Statistics	MA2500	20 credits
Operational Research	MA2601	20 credits

Optional modules for year two

Module title	Module code	Credits
Real Analysis	MA2006	10 credits
Introduction to Number Theory I	MA2011	10 credits
Algebra I: Groups	MA2014	10 credits
Dadansoddi Real	MA2056	10 credits
Vector Calculus	MA2301	10 credits
Vibrations and Waves	MA2303	10 credits
Modelling with Differential Equations	MA2320	10 credits
Computational Statistics	MA2502	10 credits
Computational Statistics / Ystadegaeth Gyfrifiadurol	MA2552	10 credits
Numerical Analysis	MA2701	10 credits
Mathematical Investigations with Python	MA2760	10 credits
Finance II: Investment Management	MA2800	10 credits
Problem Solving	MA2900	10 credits
Datrys Problemau	MA2901	10 credits

Year three: Sandwich year

In Year Three you will commence salaried employment, working as a mathematician or statistician at an organisation in the UK or Europe.

If you complete the professional training period you can be considered for the City and Guilds Senior Licentiateship Award (LCGI).

You will have support to apply for a placement, which can be undertaken with a wide range of providers across industry and government including many in the financial services, the pharmaceutical industry, and organisations such as the Office for National Statistics.

Core modules for year three

Module title	Module code	Credits
Industrial Training	MA9999	120 credits

Year four

In Year Four there are no compulsory modules and your options are wide-ranging.

You have the flexibility to specialise in a particular area of mathematics, or retain a broad set of interests and explore several different areas.

As well as taught modules, you can also choose to undertake an individual 10-credit or 20-credit project giving you the opportunity to develop important transferable skills – communication, presentation and time management - and apply your mathematical knowledge to an investigation of your choice.

Optional modules for year four

Module title	Module code	Credits
Introduction to Functional and Fourier Analysis	MA3005	20 credits
Coding Theory	MA3007	10 credits
Algebraic Topology	MA3008	10 credits
Introduction to Number Theory 2	MA3011	10 credits
Ordinary Differential Equations	MA3012	10 credits
Algebra II: Rings	MA3014	10 credits
Algebra III: Fields	MA3015	10 credits
Partial Differential Equations	MA3016	10 credits
Measure Theory	MA3018	20 credits
Knot Theory	MA3022	10 credits
Theori Clymau	MA3052	10 credits
Methods of Applied Mathematics	MA3304	20 credits
Finite Elasticity	MA3312	10 credits
Project Module (Full Year)	MA3391	20 credits
Project Module (Half)	MA3392	10 credits
Project Module (Half) Spring Semester	MA3393	10 credits
Regression Analysis and Experimental Design	MA3502	20 credits
Stochastic Processes for Finance and Insurance	MA3503	20 credits
Official Statistics	MA3504	10 credits
Multivariate Data Analysis	MA3506	10 credits
Multivariate Data Analysis / Dadansoddi Data Amlamrywedd	MA3556	10 credits
Algorithms and Heuristics	MA3602	10 credits
Optimisation	MA3603	20 credits
Game Theory	MA3604	10 credits
Algorithmau a Dulliau Hewristig / Algorithms and Heuristics	MA3652	10 credits
Mathematics of Artificial Intelligence	MA3701	10 credits
Quantitative Risk Management	MA3805	10 credits
Cyflwyniad i addysgu Mathemateg mewn ysgol uwchradd	MA3900	20 credits
Introduction to Secondary School Mathematics Teaching	MA3901	20 credits
Prosiect	MA3970	20 credits
Modiwl Prosiect (Hanner) Semester yr Hydref	MA3971	10 credits
Modiwl Prosiect (Hanner) Semester y Gwanwyn	MA3972	10 credits

The University is committed to providing a wide range of module options where possible, but please be aware that whilst every effort is made to offer choice this may be limited in certain circumstances. This is due to the fact that some modules have limited numbers of places available, which are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, while others have minimum student numbers required before they will run, to ensure that an appropriate quality of education can be delivered; some modules require students to have already taken particular subjects, and others are core or required on the programme you are taking. Modules may also be limited due to timetable clashes, and although the University works to minimise disruption to choice, we advise you to seek advice from the relevant School on the module choices available.

Learning and assessment

Teaching is carried out through lectures, small-group tutorials and examples classes. Increased independent learning is encouraged throughout the course.

In all years the classes are used to discuss theoretical concepts and essential mathematical techniques. You are encouraged to undertake additional reading outside of timetabled classes and reflect upon assessments and feedback.

How will I be supported?

At the start of each year you will be given a guide to module aims, learning outcomes, methods of assessment, module syllabuses, and reading lists. You will be allocated a personal tutor, a member of the academic staff who will provide pastoral support and academic advice during your course.

All lecturing staff can be contacted by email and have either an ‘open door’ policy for students with specific queries about course material, or a system to book meeting times. The School Office can answer most administrative queries immediately.

During your placement in year three you will work under the day-to-day direction of a supervisor who is a member of the organisation providing the placement. If you are in the UK, university staff will visit you (typically two-three times during the year), to check how the placement is progressing.

You will have access through the Learning Central website to relevant multimedia material, presentations, lecture handouts, bibliographies, further links, electronic exercises and discussion circles. Opportunities for you to reflect on your abilities and performance are available through the Learning Central ‘Personal Development Planning’ module.

The University offers a range of services including the Careers Service, the Counselling Service, the Disability and Dyslexia Service, the Student Support Service, excellent libraries and resource centres.

Further learning support is also available via the University wide Maths Support Service. This provides relaxed and informal daily drop-in sessions where students are encouraged to discuss any elements of their studies with a tutor on a one-to-one or small group basis.

How will I be assessed?

Many modules have written examinations at the end of the autumn or spring Semesters, with some also having an element of continuous assessment. This may include problem-solving exercises, written reports, computer programs and oral presentations. Feedback on progress is typically provided through a combination of discussion in class, written comments on submitted work and review of outline solutions to problems. You are encouraged to discuss any queries related to specific modules with individual lecturers.

The grade of your final degree will be based on 20% from your year two studies, 10% from the year three placement and 70% from year four.

You are expected to write a reflectively about your industrial placement and about the skills you have developed, and to present a poster on your professional training experience. Industrial supervisors will also be asked to assess your performance during the placement.

Feedback:

Written feedback and outline solutions on in-course assessment give you an opportunity to reflect on your progress. Further feedback is provided in examples classes and tutorials (in year one) to review problems in more detail and discuss potential solutions. You should discuss any queries related to specific modules with individual lecturers. There are a number of further feedback mechanisms in place to support your study; please see “How will I be supported?” below.

What skills will I practise and develop?

You will acquire and develop a range of valuable skills, both discipline specific and important employability skills. You will:

develop your communication skills and ability to communicate mathematics in written and oral form
develop good self-management and organisational skills
enhance your computing, IT, information retrieval and handling skills
develop your ability to apply logical and analytic thinking to problems in other disciplines
demonstrate group working, time management and presentational skills
show a commitment to lifelong learning through engaging in a process of personal development planning

Careers and placements

Career prospects

You can use your BSc in Mathematics Operational Research and Statistics with a Professional Placement Year as a pathway to the workforce where you may meet our alumni working in a variety of fields such as data science, operational research, internet technology, medicine, banking, logistics, risk management, and marketing. Or, you might choose to widen your career options to include a range of related fields by completing postgraduate studies in the sciences, computing or engineering.

Maths Careers Support

In the Spring semester of your first year, there are a range of masterclasses available to you to help support your future career prospects. The classes cover work experience, CV and covering letters, application forms, interview techniques, and an introduction to LinkedIn.

We have a regularly-updated student jobs board featuring a range of volunteering, internship, placement, and graduate opportunities. Plus, we organise a full programme of student and employer presentations every year with employers, such as Lloyds Banking Group, HSBC, PwC, Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, Sainsburys, Network Rail, GSK, Office of National Statistics, Welsh Government, the MOD, Welsh Water, and the Met Office.

The School of Mathematics also has a Careers Management Skills Programme, presentations by students returning from industry and a range of sponsored prizes awarded for academic achievement.

Placements

The option of spending year three in industry extends the BSc degree to four years. If you decide not to do a placement abroad, you will have two options. You can change to a three year BSc Mathematics programme, or a degree programme that includes a Year Abroad. A year of studying abroad will keep the duration of your BSc degree at four years. This option will be dependent on your academic performance and when you decide to change programmes.

Studying in Welsh

Up to 47% of this course is available through the medium of Welsh. Please contact the Admissions tutor for more information.

Next steps

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HESA Data: Copyright Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited 2021. The Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited cannot accept responsibility for any inferences or conclusions derived by third parties from its data. Data is from the latest Graduate Outcomes Survey 2019/20, published by HESA in June 2022.