Course summary

Tailor your degree to your interests and develop your research skills with our MMath Mathematics course. Gain the fundamental knowledge that every mathematician needs for a successful career and complete a major research project in your final year. This four-year MMath Mathematics course will give you the skills, knowledge and research experience you’ll need for a successful career. Tackle some of the most intriguing maths problems, and gain experience of solving real-world problems in a logical and analytical way. In your first year you’ll focus on fundamental mathematical concepts. You’ll cover essential topics such as calculus, algebra, modelling and data science. You’ll hone your problem solving abilities, develop programming skills using Python and R, and learn to present your work as a professional mathematician using LaTeX. In your second year you’ll develop your skill set further. In addition to core modules, you’ll have the chance to explore the areas of mathematics that are important to you, through optional modules covering topics such as algebraic structures, special relativity and stochastic modelling. The third year of your degree is yours to shape through either a pure mathematics, applied mathematics, or probability and statistics pathway. You can choose to complement or replace one of these pathways with our mathematics and statistics project and skills module. You’ll also have the opportunity to choose from a range of optional modules, such as machine learning and financial mathematics. In your fourth year, you’ll tailor your degree to your interests and career goals through more in-depth optional modules, which will equip you with the skills and knowledge you need to succeed in your career. You’ll gain valuable independent research experience by working on a research project. You’ll spend a large part of your final year investigating a real-world or pure maths problem of your choice, alongside an active researcher who is an expert in your chosen area. You’ll develop valuable project planning, problem solving and software skills. You’ll also learn how to present mathematics, statistics and other technical information and gain experience communicating your findings verbally and in writing. Why study this course?

• Top 10 in the UK for mathematics: The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026

• Build connections and a career: Opt to spend a full year on a work placement. Our students have secured placements with a range of organisations, including Intel, the Met Office, HSBC, Deloitte, Morgan Stanley, and the Civil Service.

• Summer research placements: Gain research experience through the Sheffield Undergraduate Research Experience or Undergraduate Research Internship schemes.